Toho‘Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed.’ But here’s one good reason to keep on living: Netflix will host a huge collection of Studio Ghibli’s animated films next month for the first time.
The iconic movies of the beloved Japanese studio have been famously kept away from streaming services. Ever since it was founded in 1985 by Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki – who was named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in 2005 – audiences around the world have been entranced by each work’s magic.
Now, more movie-lovers than ever before can experience them at home – Netflix has picked up the international streaming rights to 21 films of the studio’s collection, including the Oscar-winning Spirited Away. However, Grave of the Fireflies is only available on Hulu.
Check out the trailer announcing Studio Ghibli’s arrival on Netflix below:
Late last year, after fervent resistance to all things digital, non-physical copies of the studio’s films became available. Then, WarnerMedia announced it had acquired the US streaming rights to the animated library for its upcoming streaming service HBO Max.
As such, the titles won’t be available on Netflix in the US, Canada or Japan – however, they’ll be available everywhere else in the world.
TohoProducer Toshio Suzuki at Studio Ghibli said, as per Deadline:
In this day and age, there are various great ways a film can reach audiences. We’ve listened to our fans and have made the definitive decision to stream our film catalogue. We hope people around the world will discover the world of Studio Ghibli through this experience.
Following the deal, the films will be rolled out to the platform in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, subtitled in 28 languages, and dubbed in up to 20.
Only one film is excluded from the deal – as with HBO Max, the absolutely harrowing Grave of the Fireflies won’t be available due to the fact the film was not produced by the studio’s parent company Tokuma Shoten, but by Shinchosha, the publisher of the original novel.
TohoWild Bunch International CEO Vincent Maraval said:
In finding the best digital partner for Studio Ghibli, our most valuable and faithful collaborators for 20 years, the Netflix team convinced us with their consistent love and energy for finding the best ways to promote the incredible and unique catalogue worldwide with respect to the Studio Ghibli philosophy.
The collection will be hit Netflix over the course of three months. On February 1, the following films will be added to the platform: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Ocean Waves, and Tales From Earthsea.
TohoOn March 1, these movies will be added: Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors The Yamadas, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Arrietty, and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya.
And finally, on April 1, the following features will be added: Pom Poko, Whisper Of The Heart, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea, From Up On Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises, and When Marnie Was There.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.