When I first started using Midjourney and looking at what other people across the world were creating with their words, I noticed that many of them were creating anime style images. What especially caught my eye is that all of these images were absolutely amazing.
I started wondering how it was possible to generate such great anime images.
Soon after, I learned that Midjourney partnered with a collective of machine learning researchers specialized in anime and video games called Spellbrush to create the Niji model for Midjourney.
The Niji model was created to enable Midjourney users to easily generate images with anime styles and aesthetics. This model is particularly known for producing incredible action shots and character-focused compositions.
It's really easy to start using the Niji model in Midjourney. If you want to use the latest Niji model (at the time of writing this article), you should either write --niji 5 at the end of your prompts or activate the model in the settings. I'll show you how you can do the latter in the section below.
How to Activate the Niji Model in Midjourney?
In case you've never used the Niji model in Midjourney, you most likely don't know how to activate it. But there's no need to worry because the process is incredibly simple.
To begin, you will first have to type /settings in either one of the "newbies" channels in the public Midjourney Discord server or in your direct messages chat with the Midjourney bot. When you enter the aforementioned command, the following settings will pop up.
You can choose which Midjourney model you want to use in the menu pictured above. The latest Niji model as of right now is Niji model 5, and it's much better than its previous iteration.
What's important to mention here is that the Niji model is sensitive to the stylize parameters. In case you're not familiar with the stylize parameters, I suggest you read my Midjourney beginner's guide. You can experiment with the level of stylization you want to see in the images to find out what works best for you.
How to Write Midjourney Prompts for Anime
The beautiful thing about using the Niji model in Midjourney is that you don't have to mention in your prompts that you're creating an anime scene. Instead, you can write prompts as you normally would and the model will ensure that the generated results feature anime aesthetics.
If you're new to Midjourney, my advice when it comes to writing prompts is to mention a specific aspect ratio.
You should use the 16:9 aspect ratio if you're making landscape images. On the other hand, a 2:3 aspect ratio is perfect when you're generating portraits.
The Niji 5 model is so good that it will create amazing results even when you write simple prompts. However, I believe it's also fun to write detailed prompts that you imagine in your mind and then see what the AI model creates. That's what's really fun to me about Midjourney in general.
Another thing you should focus on is finding the keywords you can use that would perfectly describe to the model exactly what you want to see generated. The keywords you should use vary depending on the scene you're creating. I'll show you what I mean with my Midjourney anime prompt examples.
15 Midjourney Prompts for Anime
I have decided to divide my Midjourney prompts for Anime into two different categories. The first category will feature only portraits, while the second category will be all about landscapes.
Midjourney Prompts for Anime Portraits
Let's start with 10 Midjourney prompts for anime portraits. I'll use the following prompts to demonstrate how good the Niji version 5 is when it comes to creating images of anime characters.
/imagine young person with fiery red hair, wielding a powerful katana and surrounded by swirling flames, embodying the spirit of a fierce and determined warrior, powerful --ar 2:3
This is by no means a complicated prompt to write. The Niji model can take a few lines of text and transform it into something absolutely incredible. Just look at the level of detail in this image, as well as the quality. Now you see why there are so many people who use Midjourney use it to create anime characters.
/imagine character with piercing blue eyes and a scar across their cheek, holding a legendary sword and standing atop a crumbling tower, symbolizing resilience and the pursuit of justice --ar 2:3
There are some issues here, but the generated output is so good that I'm happy with the results. I wanted a crumbling tower in the image, but instead I got a standing tower in the background. It's still very good. The sword here is by far the most interesting part of the image. It looks amazing.
/imagine young person with jet-black hair and a mysterious mask, wielding dark magic with an air of enigma, their true intentions concealed behind a veil of secrecy, mystic, strange, enigmatic --ar 2:3
The mask is awesome here. I picked this image from different sets due to the mask. It's kind of strange that the person wears both an eyepatch and a mask, but it doesn't bother me. It's still a great image.
/imagine demigod with a silver-white armor and a gleaming, mythical sword, standing against a backdrop of cosmic galaxies, representing the embodiment of cosmic power and celestial guardianship --ar 2:3
I wanted this image to be something different compared to the others you've seen so far. This time, it's a demigod with powerful armor. The image is also set in a backdrop of cosmic galaxies. I'm quite impressed with the result here.
/imagine woman wearing a steampunk-inspired outfit, goggles perched atop their head, and mechanical gadgets adorning their belt, exploring a sprawling clockwork city filled with gears and steam --ar 2:3
Now, this is an image that I really like. The steampunk-inspired outfit is gorgeous. There were other images that Midjourney generated, but the outfits in those images looked weird to say the least. This one is just perfect though.
/imagine woman with vibrant, neon-colored hair, donning futuristic cybernetic enhancements, immersed in a cyberpunk metropolis, where the lines between humanity and technology blur, colorful, vibrant, futuristic, cyberpunk --ar 2:3
This might just be my favorite anime style image I've ever generated in Midjourney. The colors are amazing. I'm writing this as I'm reacting to the generated output and I'm literally speechless right now.
/imagine experienced warrior with a fierce expression and tribal tattoos, wielding elemental powers, surrounded by swirling winds and crackling lightning, representing a primal force of nature --ar 2:3
The tribal tattoos are there, as well as a fierce expression. Midjourney did an excellent job of transforming my idea into a good image. You can tell how this guy here can symbolize a primal force of nature.
/imagine young woman with vibrant magenta hair and mesmerizing eyes, wearing a flowing dress made of petals, standing in a serene garden filled with blooming flowers, a representation of beauty and grace, charming, cute, beautiful --ar 2:3
Just look at that dress. It looks both photorealistic and like it's a scene from an anime show. Sometimes, Midjourney will pleasantly surprise you with certain images. This is definitely one of those cases, even though there are a few flaws (check out the right hand).
/imagine person with silver-gray hair and a gentle smile, surrounded by an ethereal glow, known as the healer of souls, offering solace and hope to those in need --ar 2:3
This is a simple and charming image that represents a true healer. It looks like it's a screenshot taken from an anime TV show. I can't even think of one detail here that's wrong. Even the hands are perfect.
/imagine character with flowing white hair and ethereal golden wings, standing at the entrance of a sacred temple, embodying purity and spiritual enlightenment --ar 2:3
The background in this image is truly something else. I love how the light enters the scene. I normally have to mention light rays in the prompt to get this effect but this time it wasn't necessary.
Midjourney Prompts for Anime Landscapes
I really hope you enjoyed my Midjourney prompts for anime characters. Now, let's try out some prompts for landscapes. I will only be showing 5 prompts for anime landscapes, but they'll surely fill you with enough inspiration to make more on your own.
/imagine post-apocalyptic landscape of a decaying city, reclaimed by nature, with crumbling buildings, overgrown vegetation, and a somber atmosphere that hints at a forgotten past, mysterious --ar 16:9
This image somewhat reminds me of The Last of Us. I've always loved any form of fiction that is set in a post-apocalyptic time. It's fun to imagine what life would be like where only a tiny percent of the population survives a horrific event.
/imagine surreal landscape of a celestial realm, with floating islands, celestial bodies, and ethereal beings bathed in divine light, evoking a sense of wonder and spiritual transcendence, powerful, religion, divinity --ar 16:9
This is an image that I wouldn't mind hanging up on my wall. Honestly, I didn't expect the generated output to be this good when I was writing the prompt. I get that I used good keywords here but still, this one blew my mind.
/imagine magical garden filled with oversized flowers, glowing mushrooms, and friendly woodland creatures, creating a sense of childlike wonder and enchantment --ar 16:9
This is the type of magical land that I would like to visit if fantasy worlds were a real thing. I'd love to see giant flowers and giant mushrooms. Actually, those two things are what first comes to my mind whenever I imagine a fantasy world for some reason.
/imagine tranquil bamboo forest with rays of sunlight piercing through the dense foliage, illuminating a winding path that leads to a hidden shrine, important quest, find out the truth --ar 16:9
I decided to use a peculiar phrase here like 'find out the truth' because it goes well with the scene I imagined. I also included the keyword 'important quest' because the scene reminded me of a video game. I expect there to be some answers at the hidden shrine.
/imagine fantastical, underwater kingdom with vibrant coral castles and ethereal sea creatures, where shimmering rays of sunlight penetrate the azure depths --ar 16:9
This is somewhat similar to the image of the surreal landscape I generated for this article. The main difference is that this one is set underwater. Still, it's quite amazing that Midjourney generated this from only a couple of lines of text.
Final Thoughts
You don't need a lot of experience in Midjourney to create beautiful anime style images. Thanks to the impressive Niji 5 model built as a collaborative effort between Spellbrush and Midjourney, all you have to do is activate it and all your images will be in an anime style until you turn the model off again.
To activate the Niji model, simply type /settings in either the Midjourney public Discord server or your direct messages with the Midjourney bot. When the settings menu pops up, simply click on the 'Niji version 5' button.
Let's do a quick recap on the prompt writing process.
It's up to you whether you want to write simple or detailed prompts. Remember that even if you're writing detailed prompts, they should be no longer than 60 words because that's the soft maximum in Midjourney.
When I say detailed, what I mean is mentioning the details you want to see in the generated images.
You should also carefully choose the aspect ratio of each image depending on the prompt. Finally, make sure you use relevant keywords whenever it can enhance your prompts.
