Streaming giant Netflix has great news for fans of Japanese anime globally: the platform has struck a deal to stream 21 feature film from legendary animation house Studio Ghibli for all regions outside the US, Canada, and Japan.
The titles will be added to the Netflix library starting February onwards.
In a statement, Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki said, “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 catalog. We hope people around the world will discover the world of Studio Ghibli through this experience.”
Iconic Hayao Miyazaki films such as Spirited Away , Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and many more will be available to watch across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas. The movies will be subtitled in 28 different languages and new subbing will be provided for upto 20 languages.
Aram Yacoubian, Director of Original Animation at Netflix, said, “This is a dream come true for Netflix and millions of our members. Studio Ghibli’s animated films are legendary and have enthralled fans around the world for over 35 years. We’re excited to make them available in more languages across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia — so that more people can enjoy this whimsical and wonderful world of animation.”
In the USA, Studio Ghibli movies will be available on the to-be-launched HBO Max, that WarnerMedia announced recently.
Studio Ghibli was launched in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and went on to become globally popular for its epic anime tales of fantasy, adventure and drama, usually centered around young protagonists, and often carrying important subtexts. The studio’s films have been nominated for six Oscars in the past in the Animated Feature category, with Spirited Away winning the coveted prize in 2003.
On February 1, the first wave of releases drop on Netflix, that include Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki’s Delivery Service , Only Yesterday Porco Rosso , Ocean Waves , and Tales from Earthsea .
Next up, on March 1, fans will have access to 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.
Finally, on April 1, Netflix will add Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises, and When Marnie Was There.
