Seychelle Takahashi

[1] In early 2025, OpenAI launched its image generation tool, GPT-4o, sparking social media trends that quickly flooded the internet with AI-generated images. [2] One of the most popular trends that emerged from this frenzy was transforming photos into images mimicking the iconic and well-loved aesthetic associated with Studio Ghibli. [3] This “Ghiblification” phenomenon quickly took over the internet, with fans of the animation studio uploading images from memes to personal family photos...

[1]   “Dupe” culture is one of many trends that has exploded over the last several years on TikTok. [2] Short for “duplicate”, dupes are knockoff items of luxury products, often being sold at much cheaper prices than the original. [3] Unlike counterfeit items, dupes are usually sold without the trademarked logos of the original product. [4] Dupes are no longer being viewed as products for people who cannot afford the original, but more as a ‘badge-of-honor’ for acquiring a bargain version...