After Ghibli, Gemini’s ‘Nano Banana’ Trend Takes Over Social Media: Here’s how to create your qwn 3D figurine

“Nano Banana” is an AI-powered pastime and is going viral on social media ever since the Ghibli-style filters got famous. This viral trend, powered by the Google Gemini AI, actually offers the possibility for an individual to transform photographs into tiny 3D figurines akin to collectible action figures.

The beauty of this trend lies in its ease and realism. One photo and a single prompt suffice for a user to produce toy figurines with a transparent acrylic base and even mock packaging worthy of fine merchandise. No payments or technical skills are required, which makes it all the more accessible.

The trend has quickly taken over Instagram, X, and Reddit. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also did not stay behind in joining the fun, sharing his own AI figurine after a little nudging from his young followers.

Why is it called ‘Nano Banana’?

The name comes from Google’s Gemini Nano, a lightweight version of its AI model designed for quick image generation. “Banana” was reportedly an internal codename that stuck, giving the trend its quirky title.

How to create your own 'Nano Banana' figurine

• Open the Google Gemini app or AI Studio.
• Upload a clear, well-lit photo.
• Paste a detailed prompt describing the figurine (scale, base, packaging, etc.). 
• Hit generate and wait for the 3D figurine preview.
• Adjust the prompt or photo for different results.

Here's one for example: "Create a 1/7 scale commercialised figurine of the characters in the picture, in a realistic style, in a real environment. The figurine is placed on a computer desk. The figurine has a round transparent acrylic base, with no text on the base. The content on the computer screen is a 3D modeling process of this figurine. Next to the computer screen is a toy packaging box, designed in a style reminiscent of high-quality collectible figures, printed with original artwork. The packaging features two-dimensional flat illustrations."

What can you make?

While most people are creating mini versions of themselves, the trend has also produced figurines of celebrities, cartoon characters, and anime icons. Some users experiment further--placing characters in fantasy settings, merging multiple figures into one scene, or designing elaborate packaging mockups.

Free or payable?

Without doubt, free access is granted to users of Gemini and AI Studio; however, free users might face some daily limits, or slower processing times might be applied. By subscribing, one removes most of the barriers. 

Is it safe?

Google safety filters will block any harmful content in the upload; however, users should not upload sensitive or private pictures, especially of someone else, without securing their consent first.