Niji Journey is the anime model inside Midjourney, and Niji 7, released in January 2026 according to reports, is the current version. It draws line art, cel shading and expressive faces by default, so your prompt only has to choose which anime look you want.
The prompts below describe a picture in plain words: subject and action first, then drawing style, background, light and mood. Choose Niji 7 in Prompt Studio and it adds --niji 7, the aspect ratio and your avoid list as parameters, ready to paste into Midjourney.
The short answer
Copy a prompt, replace the words in square brackets and choose Niji 7 in Prompt Studio, which appends --niji 7 and the format. On midjourney.com you can also pick Niji 7 as the version and paste the plain text.
Niji Journey vs Midjourney: what is the difference?
Both come from the same company and run in the same Midjourney app on the same subscription. The difference is the model: Midjourney’s main versions lean toward painterly and photographic images, while Niji is built for anime and illustration, with confident outlines, flat color, expressive eyes and painted backgrounds.
That changes how you write. In the main model you push for anime with words like “cel shading” and “line art”. In Niji those are the starting point, so spend your words on the scene and on the kind of anime look: a crisp key visual, a soft watercolor page or a chibi sticker.
How to use Niji Journey on midjourney.com
Setting it up takes a minute, also in a phone browser.
- Sign in at midjourney.com with an active Midjourney plan.
- Choose Niji 7 as the version in the prompt bar settings, or let Prompt Studio add --niji 7 to the prompt.
- Paste a prompt from this page and replace every word in square brackets.
- Check the format: Prompt Studio writes it as --ar, such as --ar 9:16 for a phone wallpaper.
- When a result is close, change one phrase and run it again.
How to write a Niji 7 prompt that keeps its anime look
Niji reads plain sentences and pays most attention to the start. Put the subject and the action first, then the drawing style, the background, the light and the mood. Keep it to one scene: two characters and one action are easier to get right than a crowd doing five things.
Photo words pull Niji away from anime. Terms like 85mm, skin texture or photorealistic blend in a camera look that rarely suits the style. Use drawing words instead: thin clean lines, two-tone cel shading, soft painted background, watercolor washes.
14 prompts to copy and adapt
Canal bridge key visual
Modern anime key visual of a young street musician playing violin on an old stone bridge over a canal in early summer, pigeons lifting off around her, sunlight glittering on the water, flower boxes on the houses, crisp clean line art, bright saturated colors, a detailed painted sky“Modern anime key visual” asks for the crisp, bright finish of a series poster. Swap the violin for any [instrument or hobby].
Clockmaker’s workshop at dusk
Cozy anime illustration of an old clockmaker repairing a pocket watch under a magnifying lamp in a cramped workshop, dozens of clocks covering the walls, tiny brass gears laid out on a cloth, dust drifting in the last orange light from the window, warm lamplight, rich detail on the objects, soft cel shading on the figureDetailed objects next to a simply shaded figure is a classic anime contrast. Swap the clocks for the tools of any [craft].
Chibi sticker sheet of one character
Sticker sheet of six chibi drawings of one original character, a sleepy barista with a messy bun, round glasses and a green apron: waving, yawning, thumbs up, crying happy tears, hugging a huge coffee cup, asleep on a bean bag. Thick white die-cut borders, flat pastel colors, bold outlines, plain light gray backgroundAvoid: text, watermark
Naming all six poses keeps the sheet organized. Put your own character in the first sentence and keep two fixed details, such as the glasses and the apron.
Half-body portrait of a fantasy cartographer
Half-body anime portrait of a young cartographer with ink-stained fingers and a brass compass, leaning over a desk covered in hand-drawn maps in a round tower room, candlelight from below, a night window full of stars behind her, finely detailed eyes, soft painted shadows, a warm gold and deep teal paletteA job, a prop and a room describe a character better than a row of adjectives. Swap in a [profession] and keep the light and the palette.
Autumn cliff phone wallpaper
Soft painted anime background of an empty landscape: a single maple tree in full red leaf on a grassy cliff above a calm sea, late afternoon light, long shadows, a small lighthouse on the far headland, drifting leaves, layered clouds glowing pink and gold, gentle brushwork, low viewpoint looking up at the treeAvoid: people, characters, text
The avoid list keeps people out, so your app icons sit on a calm backdrop. Make a set of four by changing the season and the color of the tree.
Fantasy cover art with room for a title
Fantasy novel cover illustration: two young travelers stand back to back on a crumbling stone bridge over a misty gorge at night, one holding a lantern, the other a rolled map, a huge pale moon behind them, the faint outline of a dragon in the clouds. Dramatic anime lighting, deep blues, open sky in the top thirdAvoid: text, letters, watermark
Leave the lettering out and add the title in a design app, where you control the spelling. The open sky at the top gives it space.
Tiny gardening robot on a windowsill
Cute anime illustration of a tiny round gardening robot with one glowing eye and little watering-can arms, tending a row of herbs and a small bonsai on a sunny apartment windowsill, a sleepy cat watching from a cushion, morning light, soft pastel colors, clean rounded linework, cozy and gentleSmall and helpful keeps the design friendly and your own. Give it another [job], such as baking bread.
Empty swimming pool at dawn
Slice-of-life anime scene in an indoor swimming pool at dawn, a lone swimmer gliding through the water in a straight lane, rippling light patterns on the pale blue tiles, early sun slanting through tall windows, faint steam over the surface, muted aqua and peach colors, thin clean lines, a calm and focused moodLight on water carries the whole mood here. Swap the swimmer for another [morning routine], such as a baker or a runner, and keep the early light.
Three friends at a summer festival
Anime illustration of three friends in light summer kimonos walking through a shrine festival at dusk, one carrying a goldfish in a plastic bag, one eating shaved ice, one pointing at the sky as the first firework opens above the trees, paper lanterns and food stalls, warm lantern glow on their faces, a softly blurred crowdOne small action per friend keeps the scene lively instead of posed. Change the snacks or the number of friends to fit your group.
Town on the back of a giant turtle
Fantasy anime scenery of a small market town built on the back of a giant sleeping sea turtle wading through a shallow turquoise sea, colorful houses and a bell tower on its shell, rooftop gardens and winding stairways, fishing boats following alongside, soft afternoon light, dreamy painted background, quiet and full of wonderOne impossible idea told with everyday details stays believable. Replace the turtle with another [giant animal] and give its town a matching style.
Watercolor picnic under a ginkgo tree
Gentle watercolor anime illustration of an elderly couple sharing a picnic under a huge ginkgo tree in autumn, a thermos and rice balls on a checkered cloth, golden fan-shaped leaves falling around them, loose washes with soft edges, light pencil lines left visible, pale yellow and cream tones, warm and tenderWatercolor words soften Niji’s usual crisp finish. It works as an anniversary card; change the season and the food to match the couple.
Three-tailed fox spirit in a cedar forest
Anime fantasy illustration of a white fox with three softly glowing tails sitting on a mossy stone step in a misty cedar forest at dawn, small stone lanterns along the path, pale light rays between the trunks, floating specks of light, a cool green and silver palette with one warm lantern glow, still and mysteriousFolklore animals give you a magical subject without borrowing anyone’s character. Try a [animal] spirit in your own colors.
Botanist in a space station greenhouse
Sci-fi anime illustration of a young botanist in a soft gray jumpsuit tending seedlings inside a greenhouse module on a space station, water droplets hovering in low gravity, the curve of the Earth glowing blue through a big round window, clean white surfaces and green leaves, crisp line art, cool light with soft green reflectionsFloating droplets and the window view explain the setting without extra sentences. Swap the plants for a [hobby] to tell a different story.
Kayak through white-water rapids
Dynamic anime action shot of a young woman in a red kayak plunging through white-water rapids in a rocky canyon, spray exploding around the bow, paddle raised mid-stroke, seen from a low angle near the water, motion lines in the foam, strong morning backlight, bold confident linework, high energyA low angle plus motion lines is a quick way to show speed in a still picture. Swap the kayak for a [sport] and keep the spray and the backlight.
Niji Journey negative prompt: what to leave out
Midjourney does not read “no text” inside a prompt the way a person would; mentioning text can even make it more likely. Put unwanted things in the avoid field of Prompt Studio instead. For Niji 7 it becomes the --no parameter, for example --no text, watermark, extra fingers.
Keep the list short and concrete: three or four nouns, each one something that actually turned up in a result. If people keep wandering into an empty landscape, add people; if street scenes fill up with fake letters, add text and signs.
Can you use a style reference in Niji Journey?
Midjourney offers --sref to borrow the look of an image you supply and --seed to repeat a starting point, which helps when a series should match. Support has changed between versions, so check docs.midjourney.com for what Niji 7 accepts.
Prompt Studio does not add these, because they depend on your own image link. Use only reference images you made or may use. A style line you repeat in every prompt, such as “soft watercolor anime, pale yellow and cream tones”, keeps a series close even without one.
Do Niji Journey prompts work in ChatGPT or Gemini?
Yes, with one adjustment. ChatGPT and Nano Banana in Gemini do not default to anime, so the style words at the start matter more there. These prompts already name the look, which is why they carry over. Switch the model in Prompt Studio and the parameters disappear while the description stays.
Niji remains the natural fit for drawn styles. ChatGPT and Gemini are the better choice when you want to upload a drawing and change one detail; in Prompt Studio, Niji is listed for new pictures from text only.
Niji 7 formats for common jobs
| Job | Format | Start with | Prompt Studio adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone wallpaper | 9:16 | Autumn cliff phone wallpaper | --ar 9:16 --no people, characters, text --niji 7 |
| Desktop wallpaper or banner | 16:9 | Canal bridge key visual | --ar 16:9 --niji 7 |
| Book or story cover | 2:3 | Fantasy cover art with room for a title | --ar 2:3 --no text, letters, watermark --niji 7 |
| Sticker sheet | 1:1 | Chibi sticker sheet of one character | --ar 1:1 --no text, watermark --niji 7 |
| Social media post | 4:5 | Kayak through white-water rapids | --ar 4:5 --niji 7 |
Questions and answers
What is Niji Journey?
Niji Journey is Midjourney’s model for anime and illustration styles. Niji 7, the current version, came out in January 2026 according to reports. Choose it in the Midjourney settings or add --niji 7 to a prompt.
Is Niji Journey free?
Usually not. Creating images needs a paid Midjourney plan, and Niji is part of that plan rather than a separate purchase. Free trials have appeared only now and then. The prompts here and Prompt Studio cost nothing.
Is Niji Journey the same as Midjourney?
It is the same service and subscription with a different model. The main Midjourney versions aim at painterly and photo-like images; Niji is built for anime and illustration, so the same words give different pictures.
How do I use Niji 7 prompts from this page?
Choose Niji 7 as the model in Prompt Studio and copy the result: it ends with the format, the avoid list and --niji 7. Paste it into the prompt bar on midjourney.com and generate.
Do I need to write “anime” in a Niji prompt?
Not really, because Niji already draws in anime styles. Use the space to name the look you want, such as a key visual or a chibi sticker, and to describe the scene.
Why does my character look different in every image?
Each generation starts fresh. Repeat the character description word for word, keep the style line identical, and use --seed or a style reference where your version supports it. Then keep the closest result.
