Midjourney Releases "niji," an Anime-Focused Model Co-Developed with Spellbrush
Midjourney released “niji,” an anime- and illustration-focused image generation model co-developed with animation studio Spellbrush. Tuned separately from the standard Midjourney model, it was designed to more accurately reproduce 2D-style line art and anime-inspired composition and color.
Details
- Development: Co-developed with Spellbrush, using data and tuning specialized for anime and illustration
- Closed beta: Sign-ups for a closed beta began in November 2022, with access granted to a limited group of users before the official release
- How to use it: Accessible from within the regular Midjourney Discord server by adding the
--nijiparameter - Strengths: Earned high praise for 2D-style depictions — like faces, eyes, and hair — that the standard model tended to struggle with
What happened next
niji went on to evolve through its own version line — “niji 5,” “niji 6,” and “niji 7” — updated on a separate schedule from the main Midjourney product, becoming one of its major product lines. It also led to the launch of the dedicated “niji · journey” app, marking Midjourney’s first major move signaling its commitment to the anime and illustration market.