A dreamy cottage in the forest. Sunlight streaming through lace curtains. A cup of tea on a wooden table. Soft music. A girl in a flowy dress picking herbs in a basket. If these visuals immediately made you feel calm, nostalgic, or enchanted — you’ve already met the internet’s latest obsession: the Ghibli trend.

Inspired by the magical world of Studio Ghibli films like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Howl’s Moving Castle, this trend captures the studio’s signature aesthetic — cozy, dreamy, and filled with quiet wonder. What started as a niche appreciation by anime lovers has now become a full-blown lifestyle aesthetic across social media platforms.

The Ghibli trend is all about recreating or embracing the Studio Ghibli vibe in everyday life — through videos, photography, fashion, music, and even home decor. It’s less about cosplay and more about evoking the feeling Ghibli films give you: peace, nostalgia, nature, and a deep appreciation for the little things.

People are romanticizing their daily routines to resemble scenes from Ghibli movies:

• Cooking with traditional ingredients

• Walking through flower fields or forests

• Feeding animals or gardening

• Reading by candlelight or sipping tea on rainy afternoons

• Dressing in long skirts, aprons, oversized cardigans, and boots

The aesthetic is rooted in slow living, harmony with nature, and quiet moments — all things that define the atmosphere in many Studio Ghibli scenes.

Several factors explain the rise of this wholesome and artistic trend:

🌿 Post-Pandemic Craving for Simplicity

After years of chaos and fast-paced digital overload, people are drawn to anything that slows life down. The Ghibli aesthetic is the digital detox we didn’t know we needed.

🎥 Reels, TikTok, and Cinematic Content

Ghibli-style content fits perfectly into short-form video platforms, where creators add ambient music, subtle filters, and soft visuals to bring these dreamy moments to life.

🌸 Nostalgia and Escapism

Whether or not you grew up watching Ghibli films, they carry a universal emotional pull. In stressful times, the serene and magical Ghibli world offers much-needed escapism.

🧶 Cottagecore Meets Anime

The Ghibli trend blends well with cottagecore, another aesthetic movement that celebrates rural life, vintage vibes, and soft romanticism. Ghibli adds the element of fantasy and storybook whimsy.

🏡 Visual Aesthetics

• Pastel tones, soft light, and vintage-style cinematography

• Cozy indoor spaces with books, food, and warm textures

• Nature-filled frames: meadows, mossy forests, flower gardens, sunsets

🎶 Soundscapes and Music

• Lo-fi Ghibli soundtracks or gentle piano versions of film scores

• Ambient nature sounds: wind, birdsong, rain

• Folk-inspired instrumental music

👗 Fashion and Styling

• Long skirts, aprons, linen dresses, berets, boots

• Earthy tones and soft fabrics

• Minimal makeup, braided or natural hairstyles

🧺 Activities and Vibes

• Cooking from scratch, fermenting, baking pies

• Drawing, journaling, or reading in a quiet corner

• Taking walks in nature and observing small details

• Caring for animals, tending to plants or a tiny garden

On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, creators are leaning into the Ghibli vibe in various creative ways:

• Ghibli-Inspired Daily Vlogs – documenting simple routines with magical flair

• Before vs After Ghibli Filters – adding animation-style filters to real-life videos

• Ghibli Outfits Lookbook – recreating character looks with a modern twist

• Cottage Kitchen ASMR – cooking and cleaning in slow motion, inspired by Ghibli kitchens

• Ghibli POV Reels – “POV: You’re the side character in a Ghibli village” type content

Many of these videos use trending audio like:
🎶 “The Path of the Wind” (from Totoro)
🎶 “One Summer’s Day” (from Spirited Away)
🎶 Lo-fi remixes of Ghibli songs or whimsical background scores

For some, it’s an aesthetic experiment. For others, the Ghibli trend has turned into a lifestyle shift. Influencers and everyday users alike are:

• Choosing slower, more intentional living

• Creating cozy spaces at home

• Embracing offline hobbies like painting, baking, or journaling

• Prioritizing nature, peace, and mindfulness

It’s a subtle rebellion against hustle culture, and a warm embrace of quiet joy.

While mostly wholesome, the trend isn’t immune to critique:

• Over-romanticizing simple life can sometimes feel inauthentic or performative

• Unrealistic comparisons may lead viewers to feel their own life is too “boring” or not “aesthetic” enough

• The aesthetic can sometimes become commercialized, losing the original charm of simplicity and sincerity

The key is to appreciate the inspiration, not force it. You don’t need a cottage or vintage cutlery to live a Ghibli-inspired life — it’s about finding magic in your existing moments.

The Ghibli trend is more than visuals — it’s a feeling. It’s about slowing down, romanticizing your daily life, and rediscovering the joy in simple things. You don’t need to live in the countryside or dress like a character from Kiki’s Delivery Service to be part of it.

If you’ve ever looked out of your window, felt a breeze, and smiled — you’re already living your Ghibli moment.