Google’s ‘Nano Banana’ is turning selfies into collectible 3D figurines

WEB DESK: Move over Ghibli-style portraits, there’s a new digital craze in town, and it is delightfully bizarre. Social media feeds across Instagram, TikTok, and X are being flooded with something called Nano Bananas.

They are tiny, hyper-realistic 3D figurines that look like they have stepped straight out of a collector’s cabinet, except they are entirely AI-generated.

These pint-sized collectibles are not made of plastic or vinyl. Instead, they are created using Google’s latest image tool, Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, which can transform an ordinary photo into a detailed figurine in seconds. Think of it as a blend of toy photography and futuristic digital art, except you don’t need a studio or sculpting skills to join the trend.

How the ‘Nano Banana’ craze works

At the heart of the trend is Google Gemini, an AI tool that can convert almost any photo into a realistic miniature figure placed in a real-world setting, like a computer desk. People are using it to turn selfies, pet portraits, and even random household items into collectible-style toys.

The process is surprisingly simple and completely free. Here’s the gist:

• Open the Gemini app or visit gemini.google.com.
• Upload a clear photo of the person, pet, or object you want to transform.
• Paste a special prompt that tells Gemini to create a commercial-style figurine on a transparent acrylic base with toy-style packaging visible in the background.
• Hit run, and within moments, your photo morphs into a lifelike 3D model.

Some users even tweak the prompt to include personalised text on the base, making the figurines double up as quirky gifts, personal avatars, or even brand mascots.

A DIY collectible factory in your browser

If you want to dive deeper, there’s a more detailed way to make your own Nano Bananas. Search for “Gemini 2.5 Flash Image Nano Banana” on Google and open the Google AI Studio. After pasting the prompt, simply upload your photo, click the run button, and wait. The AI will create a figurine with realistic lighting, shadows, and textures, complete with packaging that looks straight out of a Bandai toy aisle.

The key is to use a clear, front-facing photo with good lighting and a simple background. Blurry or cluttered images confuse the AI, while bright, high-resolution shots tend to produce the most striking results.

From trend to creative playground

While most people are making Nano Bananas just for fun, others are getting creative. Some are designing figurines wearing traditional outfits like sarees or shalwar kameez, while others are experimenting with custom logos on the base for promotional campaigns.

It all echoes the recent Ghibli photo trend, where users turned their portraits into Studio Ghibli-inspired art. The difference is that Nano Bananas feel more tactile, like something you could pick up and place on your shelf.

For now, these figurines exist only on screens, but they capture the same kind of joy as unboxing a brand-new collectible. And judging by how fast they are spreading, Nano Bananas might just be the tiniest, quirkiest social media obsession of the year.

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