Over the past few days, a playful new trend has captured social media’s imagination: Google’s “Nano Banana.” Officially part of the Gemini 2.5 Flash Image tool, this feature allows anyone to convert ordinary photos of themselves, pets, or objects into adorable, stylised 3D figurines, with minimal effort. 

All you need is a clear photo and a good prompt. Say you want a “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 modelling 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”

Beyond just gimmicks, the trend’s popularity stems from how accessible and magical it feels. The tool is free in many cases (depending on what features you use), fast and doesn’t demand deep technical know-how. Upload photo → write prompt → see your figure. A few minutes, and voilà: your own 3D collectible.

For those excited to try, there are lists of creative prompts floating around: ideas like “mini figurine on pedestal with packaging,” “toy pet in fantasy landscape,” “retro action figure with dramatic lighting,” etc. Each prompt tweaks lighting, background, outfit or pose to give your figurine personality.

What’s fascinating is how this trend blurs the line between reality and digital art. It’s not just about sharing photos it’s about creating keepsakes, art pieces, or fun avatars that feel tangible even though they live on screens. And while some may use it casually, others are already thinking of how this could influence collectibles, virtual gifts, or even digital identity.