When OpenAI made native image generation available to free ChatGPT users, something strange happened.
Instead of marketers or designers flooding in, it was anime fans.
More specifically, fans of Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio behind Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
The internet got to work.
Upload a selfie. Type “Ghiblify this.” Boom—you're a character straight out of a 90s VHS tape.
It spread fast too. But under the meme layer, there’s a lesson here for startup founders—especially the scrappy, early-stage ones.
1. Viral loops don't need full products
There was no new app launch. No campaign. OpenAI quietly rolled out a feature, and people found their own use for it.
Your MVP doesn't need to solve everything. Sometimes giving people a powerful, focused tool is enough to spark a movement.
2. Let people play
Founders often push utility. But fun spreads faster. Studio Ghibli is a strong aesthetic hook, and OpenAI didn’t plan for that. Users did.
The best startups build affordances for user creativity—ways to remix, personalize, and share.
3. Constraints can help
Free ChatGPT users get three image generations a day. That sounds limiting, but it actually nudged people to try it out. Scarcity builds interest.
You don’t always need more features. You sometimes need better framing.
4. Trends don’t have to make sense to work
“Turn my dog into a Ghibli character” isn’t a business use case. But it gets attention. And attention is currency.
If you’re building in public, don't be afraid to ride a silly trend. People discover tools through fun more often than through features.
Founders, take note
Don’t dismiss what's happening here as just another AI gimmick. It’s a window into user behavior.
People are drawn to things that feel personal, visual, and easy to share. Build around that—especially if you’re in a crowded space.
Even if your tool is B2B, ask yourself: Is there something in here that people could turn into a moment?
Because sometimes, the fastest way to grow isn’t a new feature. It’s letting people turn their own faces into anime.
