Studio Ghibli’s library of critically acclaimed animated films will be made available for digital purchase in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the holiday season on Dec. 17, distributor GKIDS announced Monday. This is a special moment in the studio’s history as the legendary and highly revered Japanese animation company has never before made its films available on digital platforms.
For years fans have been begging Studio Ghibli to make its library available for streaming and download, but the company has always towed a strict line that allowed for no digital services to acquire its award winning films.
The first change to the longstanding no-digital policy came when it was announced in October of 2019 that Studio Ghibli films would stream exclusively in the U.S. on HBO Max streaming service beginning in May 2020. This marked the first time Studio Ghibli ever allowed a digital streaming service to share its films. Now the animated studio has taken things one step further by allowing fan to purchase and download the films.
Founded in 1985 by animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli is world-renowned for its stunningly beautiful and unique animation style, as well as its original stories and heart-warming characters. The company has received six Oscar nominations, with Spirited Away winning an Oscar in 2003 in the animated feature category.
Each film will be available as digital HD download-to-own at a retail price of $19.99. No rental options are available. You can make your purchase through most major digital platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Fandango Now, VUDU, and more. A six-film bundle of some of the studio’s most popular titles, featuring Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away, will be offered by platforms for a suggested retail price of $99.99.
Below is the full list of titles to be made available from the Studio Ghibli library:
Castle in the Sky, The Cat Returns, From Up on Poppy Hill, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Ocean Waves, Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, Ponyo, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, The Secret World of Arrietty, Spirited Away, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, Tales From Earthsea, When Marnie Was There, Whisper of the Heart, The Wind Rises (Available Q3 2020).
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