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Almost every anime fan at this point might have known about the famous beef between Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli and the controversial Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, as it was one of Hollywood’s most talked-about confrontations. As the story goes, Weinstein, then head of Miramax, demanded extensive edits to Princess Mononoke before agreeing to its American release. In response, a samurai sword reportedly arrived at Miramax’s office with the words “No cuts” etched into a note.

Princess Mononoke | Credit: Studio Ghibli

For years, this bold act has been credited to Hayao Miyazaki himself, enhancing his reputation as an uncompromising auteur. However, in an interview, Miyazaki revealed that the truth behind the sword story is quite different. The act wasn’t his but Toshio Suzuki’s; the producer who has been the backbone of Studio Ghibli’s success for decades.

Studio Ghibli vs. Harvey Weinstein: The famous conflict

The...

Hayao Miyazaki is a genius in his own right, and that is proved by the popularity of Ghibli movies. He is a one-of-a-kind director and someone irreplaceable in the field of anime films. But what is Ghibli’s future after Miyazaki?

Miyazaki is a cynical man who cannot stand most of the practices in the anime industry. For decades, he has ruled over Ghibli with an iron hand and has refused to retire after several hoaxes. But dissecting his interviews gives rise to an unpopular opinion about him.

Hayao Miyazaki Might Lead to the Downfall of Studio Ghibli with His Controlling Nature

Hayao Miyazaki has announced his retirement quite a few times. He first announced his retirement in 1997 following the release of Princess Mononoke. After the extraordinary success of Spirited Away, the director stated that he could no longer work on feature-length films but returned to direct Ponyo in 2009. He...

Experience Spirited Away in All of Its Magical Beauty on the Big Screen This Christmas on Boxing Day Re-release

London, 10 December 2024 – Elysian Film Group and Anonymous Content are thrilled to unveil the official trailer and poster for the highly anticipated UK and Roi re-release of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award®-winning animated masterpiece, Spirited Away. Longtime fans and new viewers of Studio Ghibli alike can experience the fantastical film on the big screen once again on 26th December 2024.

The Standard call it “Awe-inspiring”, and Financial Times wanted to award it “Six stars out of five” for a treasure that lives and breathes on the big screen. To experience Spirited Away back in the cinema since its 2003 release means all audiences will once again get to have that “magical experience” (Empire).

Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature, Spirited Away is a “must see masterpiece” (Digital Spy) that follows...

It took Hayao Miyazaki seven years to complete his The Boy and the Heron“, a grueling journey by an artist at the twilight of his life. The story of how the film was painstakingly made is beautifully recounted in “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron”, a two-hour Nhk documentary which closely follows the daily chores of the master during these seven arduous years. The film conveys the sheer dedication and obsession of a man who lives, and will die, for his work.

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From 2017 to 2023, director Kaku Harakawa filmed Miyazaki hard at work, mostly staying within the premises of Studio Ghibli thanks to the exclusive access granted to the filmmaker. From Miyazaki’s workstation in the office to a house on the lot where he often takes naps in the afternoons, drinks coffee and smokes a cigarette or two, the camera is always...

In the realm of animation, Hayao Miyazaki’s status is similar to that of a legend. From My Neighbor Totoro to Kiki’s Delivery Service, his films have often been celebrated for their ability to appeal to audiences of all ages. Yet, in 1992, Miyazaki embarked on a project that was, by his own admission, an outlier; a deeply personal and idiosyncratic film titled Porco Rosso.

Porco Rosso (1992) | Credit: Studio Ghibli

However, Miyazaki was anything but optimistic about its prospects. Not only was he cynical about its success but he was also quite disturbed when he found out that Porco Rosso was well-received by people worldwide. Despite his reservations, Porco Rosso defied expectations, grossing $1.4 million worldwide and becoming one of the biggest successes of his career at the time.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Reflection on Porco Rosso

In a 1993 interview with Animerica conducted by Takashi Oshiguchi, Hayao Miyazaki candidly revealed what his...

Hayao Miyazaki might be a renowned director and animator, but if there’s one thing that isn’t synonymous with him — being a perfect parental figure. The Ghibli co-founder has always had a rocky relationship with his family, and it was his son, Goro Miyazaki, who aired the family’s dirty laundry.

Miyazaki has earned fame via his beautiful movies, two of which have won Oscars. But in his strive to create these movies, he has been neglectful of his own family. Perhaps the biggest victims of his workaholic nature have been his wife and son.

Hayao Miyazaki Was Not Happy with His Son’s Directorial Debut Tales of the Earthsea | Credits: Studio Ghibli

Goro Miyazaki made his directorial debut with Tales of the Earthsea. The movie, inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series, is often considered one of the weakest Ghibli movies. By the time the author’s rights were gained,...

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by the already seasoned directors Hayao Miyazaki, who'd earned his bones at Toei, and Isao Takahata, who'd worked alongside him. With them was producer Toshio Suzuki, who, as Animage magazine editor, helped Miyazaki introduce "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind" to Japanese manga fans. While the manga wouldn't be completed until 1994, Suzuki encouraged and assisted Miyazaki in completing the film, which led to the founding of Ghibli.

Of the 24 films Studio Ghibli has produced to date — including "Nausicaa," which may have been a Topcraft and Toei production but wouldn't exist without Ghibli's founders — few are a total failure. Even the controversial Goro Miyazaki films have gleams to them that might shine brighter if he didn't have his father's massive shadow over him. But nor can a list say that they're almost all number ones, because that's not fun to debate. These rankings are subjective but...

Studio Ghibli is one of the most beloved animation studios in the world.

The Japanese animation studio, established in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, along with producer Toshio Suzuki, is renowned globally for producing some of the most critically acclaimed animated films in the world.

The studio’s name, “Ghibli,” is inspired by a Libyan Arabic name for “hot desert wind,” representing the idea of bringing refreshing new ideas to the Japanese animation industry.

The animation studio is known for its distinctive artistic style, attention to detail and emphasis on storytelling. Their films often feature richly developed characters, fantastical worlds, and themes that touch upon ecological concerns, human relationships, and personal growth.

And while the movies are largely family-friendly, they often contain deeper philosophical and emotional layers that resonate with viewers of all ages.

We’ve rounded up all of the Studio Ghibli films, and ranked them based on their Rotten Tomatoes scores,...

Hayao Miyazaki is an eccentric man with rigid opinions. Many people from the anime industry have openly discussed how hard it is to work with Miyazaki. The director is not scared of criticizing what he doesn’t like and is famous for taking a stand against the usage of CGI in his creations.

But while his opinions about the anime industry are valid, given his expertise in the field, many are unsatisfied with the way Miyazaki treats his son. During the production of Tales from Earthsea, Goro was stuck in a dilemma as its director, but Miyazaki never helped his son and even stopped talking to Goro after the movie was released.

Why did Hayao Miyazaki Have a Fallout with Goro? Tales from Earthsea was directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki | Credits: Studio Ghibli

Tales from Earthsea is inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series and...

Hayao Miyazaki is such an established director that any writer would feel honored if Miyazaki came knocking on their door to adapt their works. However, his reputation hasn’t always been so stellar, and in his early years as an animator, Miyazaki faced a brutal rejection.

My Neighbour Totoro | Credits: Studio Ghibli

Before Studio Ghibli was created in 1985 and even before Miyazaki’s debut as a feature film director in 1979, he and co-founder Toshio Suzuki were on a quest to create a unique animation. This endeavor of theirs was based on their appreciation of Pippi Longstocking, a series of children’s books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren.

Hayao Miyazaki Flew to Sweden Only to Face Dejection Kiki’s Delivery Service | Credit: Studio Ghibli

In the 1970s, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata worked for another animation studio, A-Production, and began to collaborate in the hopes of creating an animation out of Pippi Longstocking.

When it comes to imagination and creating story-rich films, Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli are the names that pop up in our minds. Time and again, Miyazaki-Sensei proved why he is the greatest storyteller of this generation and how his ideas will resonate with multi-generational viewers.

A still from Princess Mononoke. Credits: Studio Ghibli

Each one of his movies would be unique and have an unmatched level of detail, which gives the studio its distinctive tone and the ability to express. Part of the studio’s global fame goes to Steve Alpert, who was the head of its international division between 1996 and 2011.

Alpert, who closely monitored the public relations and the English translations of the film, witnessed closely how the studio capitalized on Disney’s mistake as Miyazaki-Sensei and Suzuki-San preferred to have control over their work.

Disney Knew How To Outsmart Hayao Miyazaki for Rejecting Their Dubbed Works...

Look Back will be coming to the small screens around the world on November 7 through Amazon Prime Video. After the hour-long anime film took the world by storm in mid-2024, the adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga by director Kiyotaka Oshiyama will be making its way onto Amazon Prime Video early next month worldwide. A brand new key visual drawn by Oshiyama was unveiled to celebrate the release. Related: Studio Ghibli Head Toshio Suzuki Comments on Look Back Anime Film Kiyotaka Oshiyama ( Flip Flappers ) directs Look Back at Studio Durian. Oshiyama also wrote the script and provided the character designs. Kiyoshi Sameshima is the art director with haruka nakamura providing the music and Avex Pictures distributing the film, which was released in Japan on June 28, 2024. Mantan Web reports that the short film made over 2 billion yen (US$13.31 million) in Japan on the back of 1.17 million tickets sold. Gkids released Look...

In the world of animation and film, Studio Ghibli stands as an inspiration for creativity and artistry, producing films that have gone over and crossed the borders of animation with its core of humanity. At the heart of it is Hayao Miyazaki. With the support of the co-founders, the late Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli has reigned over the animated film genre for years. The three have built a legacy like no other in the animation industry.

Castle in the Sky. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]

The recent release of an exclusive collection of original image boards from Studio Ghibli’s iconic films has reignited conversations about the brilliance and beauty of Hayao Miyazaki. These image boards will capture the breathtaking visuals and detailed worlds of nature-filled films like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. They undoubtedly highlight what Takahata was referring to when he said that Miyazaki’s genius was...

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most renowned storytellers of this generation, establishing Studio Ghibli, which is the hub to some of the greatest titles like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron, and so many more. Each project would not only showcase his creative genius but also move one into tears while appreciating the beauty of the film.

A still from The Boy and the Heron. Credits: Studio Ghibli

However, each one of his works would feature an important message that would make the audience ponder the complex themes featured in a respective film. While fans appreciate Miyazaki-Sensei’s storytelling skills, the animation studio’s ability to create jaw-dropping scenery will leave the fans awestruck.

One such film is My Neighbor Totoro, which happens to be a beautiful blend of narration and bewitching scenery. Interestingly, the storyteller detests the country for its past, but at the same...

Hideaki Anno is a prolific director in the anime world. You might know him from his most celebrated creation, the Evangelion franchise. While the director is surfing his successes with one hit film after another, it seems that his one dream production is far from his control.

Anno was previously involved in the animation of Studio Ghibli’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Thus, he has always wanted to remake the movie on his own terms. There have also been rumors that the director wants to create an anime series out of the source material left out during the movie’s creation.

Hideaki Anno Wants to Create a Live-Action Adaptation of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind A still from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | Credits: Studio Ghibli

Toshio Suzuki is one of the founding members of the world-renowned Studio Ghibli. The former president of...

Anime’s worldwide success wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was a gradual success in which Hayao Miyazaki had a big hand. What the world of anime is now is leaps and bounds ahead of what it was decades ago. Even as such, there were some works that were simply creating a foundation for others to grow.

Spirited Away | Credit: Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli’s movies gathered worldwide recognition and they still remain to be the only films of the medium to have ever won an Oscar not only once but twice. With how much fame these films had gathered, the competition looked rather rudimentary. Up and coming manga and anime may come but the charm and impact Ghibli films hold will remain forevermore.

Hayao Miyazaki’s True Competition

During an interview with Fuji TV (via Sora News 24), Toshio Suzuki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli had much to say...

Studio Ghibli’s film The Boy and The Heron is available to rent and buy on digital from 16th September; on 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, and DVD from 23rd September; and with a limited edition Steelbook available from 7th October. To celebrate we are giving away a 4K Uhd set with some very cute merch including: Stackable Warawa figurines, Roly poly Heron + Warawara and Theatrical Quad to one lucky winner!

The critically-acclaimed film was the first new work from Hayao Miyazaki in ten years, following his 2013 feature, The Wind Rises, and was a decade in the making. The beautiful, hand-drawn, original story was written and directed by Miyazaki. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film “Spinning Globe” was written and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

The English language dubbed version...

Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning “The Boy and the Heron” will make its U.S. streaming debut on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max in September.

The Studio Ghibli film will be available starting Friday, Sept. 6, exclusively on Max in the U.S. The hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical animated movie from Miyazaki is the first feature film in 10 years that he both wrote and directed. “The Boy and the Heron” joins the rest of the Studio Ghibli library on Max as part of the streamer’s exclusive multiyear U.S. deal extension announced earlier this year.

Outside the U.S. and Japan, “The Boy and the Heron” will be available on Netflix under a renewal inked this spring for the entire Studio Ghibli film catalog. Netflix has not yet set a premiere date for “The Boy and the Heron.”

“The Boy and the Heron” English-language version features the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista,...

The Look Back anime film has caught the eye of people from all walks of life across Japan including some very senior figures in the Japanese art world. Among them are the likes of Studio Ghibli chairman and co-founder Toshio Suzuki and acclaimed artist Yoshitomo Nara. Alongside the accolades, a new trailer for Look Back was released, as well as details on the next theatrical gift. Warning, the new trailer contains some spoilers for the film. Look Back Trailer Connecting with the film, Toshio Suzuki commented “For whom is the work for? The answer lies within the film.” Meanwhile Nara commented, “I was so moved by the manga it brought me to tears, but when I heard the characters' voices in the anime, with their unique and realistic tones, my heart was moved again and I found myself moved to tears once more.” Related: Look Back Anime Film Passes 1 Billion...

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron is coming to DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK: more here.

The work of Hayao Miyazaki, and indeed the broader Studio Ghibli, isn’t brilliantly represented on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray physical media in the UK. As such, happy to take good news where we can find it there, and in this case, it’s that Miyazaki’s most recent film – The Boy And The Heron – is heading to the format in September.

This, of course, was Miyazaki’s coming out of retirement movie, released last year to (expected!) great acclaim. It was distributed in the UK by Elysian, and to its credit, it’s now behind the physical media outing for the movie as well.

The Boy And The Heron will be on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray over here therefore on 23rd September. You can find more information on the release,...

Studio Ghibli is often considered synonymous with filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, director of the studio's best movies. Many would argue Miyazaki's works are some of the best animated movies ever, so it's natural that he casts a shadow over the studio he helped build.

However, the studio actually has multiple founders: the late director Isao Takahata, producer (and current studio chairman) Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. The latter's company Tokuma Shoten offered the foundation for Ghibli and was the studio's parent company from 1985 to 2005.

Miyazaki was already a prolific animator pre-Ghibli and acquainted with Suzuki and Takahata. The three first made a movie together in 1984: "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind." Miyazaki directed, Takahata produced, and Suzuki was the one who first connected Miyazaki with Tokuma Shoten. As a bonus, composer Joe Hisaishi (who went on to be Ghibli's in-house composer) also scored "Nausicaä."

1000 years in the future, the...

Hitting Netflix on July 5, the animated odyssey “The Imaginary” follows a young girl and her invisible best friend, beginning in an attic where grieving Amanda hatches fantasy yarns with her fictive pal Rudger, before spanning out across no shortage of magical lands.

The hand-drawn gem marks the second feature produced by Japan’s Studio Ponoc – an outfit founded and staffed by veterans of Studio Ghibli. Among them are the film’s director Yoshiyuki Momose and producer/screenwriter/Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura, who spoke with Variety at the Annecy Animation Festival, where “The Imaginary” is screening in competition.

How did your background and professional experience shape your vision for Studio Ponoc?

Originally, I studied live-action filmmaking in the US. But I was drawn by the universal power of animation, seeing how one film could resonate. Regardless of language and nationality, children all around the world could enjoy the same piece of animation,...

Hayao Miyazaki is considered one of the best animators of all time, and his work with Studio Ghibli includes some of the most beloved and acclaimed animated films in the history of the medium. The animator has helped change anime and animation so much that he refuses to permanently retire, choosing instead to deliver masterpiece after masterpiece and exploring different genres and tones, all while remaining true to his trademark themes and characters — determined heroines, magical realism, and anti-war messages. Miyazaki seems determined to continue working even if it means threatening the future of his studio after he's gone because he's yet to pick a successor.

While many people are familiar with Miyazaki's output with Studio Ghibli, not many know about his work prior to co-founding the studio with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. And yet, it is in that pre-Ghibli era that we find hints of the maestro that Miyazaki would become,...

During an advance preview of the second part of the ‘How Do You Live? Exhibition’ at the Ghibli Museum on May 24, 2024, Goro Miyazaki revealed that Hayao Miyazaki is working on a new project that could become his next film.

According to Goro Miyazaki, his father began creating panorama boxes based on his past works as a way to pass the time. However, Goro felt that constantly revisiting past works could become monotonous for Hayao Miyazaki.

Encouraging him to pursue new projects, Goro suggested, “Why don’t you create something for your next film?”

“And that’s what he’s working on now,” Goro revealed. “Whether it will actually become his next film, I don’t know, but it’s a nostalgic action-adventure story, and I’m looking forward to it.“

Note: The original Japanese phrase used by Goro Miyazaki is 冒険活劇風 (bouken katsugeki-fu) which translates to – “in the style of an adventure movie/film”. However,...

While much of the Cannes Classics lineup this year look far back in cinema history, a new documentary in the lineup captures a behind-the-scenes look at a recent masterpiece. Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron is an expanded version of Kaku Arakawa’s documentary 2399 Days with Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli, which recently aired on Japanese television. Capturing the Studio Ghibli founder’s nearly seven-year journey in crafting his recent Oscar winner, the first trailer has now arrived following the film’s premiere, which coincides with the studio receiving an Honorary Palme d’Or.

Here’s the synopsis: “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron is a two-hour documentary that chronicles the making of The Boy and the Heron, filmed with exclusive access to Studio Ghibli across an astonishing seven years. It is also a record of the collaboration between filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki as they perform an intricate dance of disappointment and friendship,...

At the 77th Cannes International Film Festival, where Studio Ghibli was honored with an Honorary Palme d’Or, Director Goro Miyazaki provided fans with a glimpse into the mindset of his father Hayao Miyazaki.

Speaking to the press, prior to the award ceremony, Goro Miyazaki highlighted Hayao Miyazaki’s competitive spirit. According to him, Hayao Miyazaki, despite his advanced age and illustrious career, still regards every animator around him as a rival.

“Even at his age, every animator around him is a rival. Whether they are younger, his supporting staff, within the company, or outside, if they have the title of animator, they are all rivals,” Goro explained.

He further elaborated on how this competitive nature influences Hayao Miyazaki’s approach to new projects.

After the release of his latest film, The Boy And The Heron, Hayao Miyazaki quickly began conceptualizing his next project.

However, Hayao Miyazaki remains extremely secretive about the specifics.

More than just a director of animation, Hayao Miyazaki is one of the best filmmakers (of any kind) of all time. His films are beloved and studied. You might as well just hand him an Oscar when he makes a new one. So, it’s incredibly interesting to see what all goes into the making of one of his features.

Read More: ‘The Substance’ Review: Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley Switch In A Visionary Twist On ‘Death Becomes Her’ [Cannes]

As seen in the trailer for “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron,” you get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Oscar-winning feature, “The Boy and the Heron.” Over the course of the two-hour documentary, you see the relationship between the filmmaker and his producing partner Toshio Suzuki, as both people play off each other and Suzuki, in particular, pushes Miyazaki to go even further with his creativity.

Continue reading ‘Hayao Miyazaki...

At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Goro Miyazaki, director and son of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, provided candid insights into the future of Studio Ghibli.

Speaking ahead of receiving an Honorary Palme d’Or on behalf of Ghibli at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival, Goro Miyazaki remarked about the failed generational transitions in Ghibli’s history.

“Ultimately, the history of Ghibli is a history of failed generational transitions.”

He recalled that his father first announced his retirement after completing Princess Mononoke in 1997. The creation of the Ghibli Museum was part of this strategy, offering a place for older animators to continue contributing post-retirement.

However, that never came to pass.

Despite numerous attempts to pass the baton, Goro noted that the critical decisions at Studio Ghibli are still predominantly made by Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki.

He added that the future direction of the studio will be determined once...

Hayao Miyazaki has been regarded as one of the greatest animation filmmakers of all time. The animator has worked on several Studio Ghibli films, which he co-founded in the 1980s. His films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke have all been regarded as some of the best anime films of all time.

Miyazaki came out of his retirement to create his final epic The Boy and the Heron. The film was released last year and won many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. While the film has many Easter Eggs that reference other films by Miyazaki, one of the most important characters is reportedly inspired by the animator’s mentor.

The Boy And The Heron Has A Reference to Hayao Miyazaki’s Mentor Isao Takahata A still from Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron

Hayao Miyazaki had announced his retirement after...

Studio Ghibli films are officially getting the 4K treatment on home video with the upcoming arrival of Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron . The latest film from the revered director arrives on July 9, 2024 through Gkids and Shout! Studios in a variety of packages, including 4K Uhd + Blu-ray , Blu-ray + DVD and a limited edition Steelbook that includes the 4K and Blu-ray discs. Ahead of that, The Boy and the Heron will hit on-demand digital platforms in HD—as well as 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where available—on June 25. Gkids and Shout! are packing all versions with the original Japanese language audio and the English dub. Here's an overview of the special features: Feature-Length Storyboards Interview with Composer Joe Hisaishi Interview with Producer Toshio Suzuki Interview with Supervising Animator Takeshi Honda Drawing with Takeshi Honda “Spinning Globe” Music Video Teasers & Trailers The Boy and the Heron pre-orders are live now,...

Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki is 83; because of this and his own past flirtations with retirement, some morbid critics are a bit too eager to look at how each new Miyazaki film would serve as his career capstone.

I'm going to keep such thoughts to a minimum, but Miyazaki's latest film, 2023's "The Boy and the Heron", couldn't have been made by anyone but a man aware he's aging. Set in Japan during World War II, the movie centers on young Mahito, who must reckon with the loss of his mother as he falls into a Lewis Carroll-style fantasy world held together by its elderly creator.

"The Boy and the Heron" won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars earlier this year (which it totally deserved). If you haven't seen it yet, don't fret. U.S. distributor GKids has announced the home media release date for the film — including a Blu-ray release date.

The official website of Cannes Festival announced that Studio Ghibli has been bestowed its Honorary Palme d’Or, marking the first time the honor has been awarded to a group rather than an individual.

Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of the studio, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and spoke of the studio’s journey, from its initial goal of creating high-quality animation for all ages to the global phenomenon it has become.

“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’or. I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and...

Gkids has acquires North American rights to Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence and will release a new 4K restoration this summer.

First released in 2004, Oshii’s cyberpunk mystery centred on the character Batou from his 1995 classic Ghost In The Shell and is imagined as a stand-alone return to the world established in the original.

It is now the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has become blurred as cyber-bodied agent Batou and his human partner Togusa investigate a string of murders committed by a prototype android model.

Prior to the film’s nationwide release,...

by Cláudio Alves

NAUSICAÄ Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984) is the only Miyazaki film ever screened at Cannes.

In 1997, to mark the occasion of its 50th edition, the Cannes Film Festival awarded a special Palme des Palmes to Ingmar Bergman. Afterward, and since 2002, it has also attributed the Honorary Palme d'Or to film artists in honor of their esteemed careers. Until now, the prize has gone to directors, producers and actors such as Catherine Deneuve, Manoel de Oliveira, and Agnès Varda, among many others. This year, however, the festival will award its first Palme d'Or to animated cinema and a group rather than an individual. The honoree is Studio Ghibli, cofounded by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and the dear departed Isao Takahata. This comes after The Boy and the Heron won the studio its second Oscar and breaks with American dominance over these Honorary awards in the past few years.

The Cannes Film Festival has a long history of awarding individuals with the Honorary Palme d'or, but this year it will be going to a group for the very first time. That group is Studio Ghibli, which is the latest to receive the prestigious distinction. The award celebrates four decades and over 20 films from the renowned studio, many of which came from esteemed directors like Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata. From its establishment in 1985 to today—which sees Ghibli with its own theme park in Aichi Prefecture—Ghibli's impact on animation has been monumental. The Honorary Palme d'or is a non-competitive award typically given to individuals such as actors or directors to mark their career achievements. Along with Ghibli, Star Wars creator George Lucas will also receive one during the closing ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held on Saturday, May 25. 2023's honors went...

Even as the beloved Japanese animation house theoretically winds down, Studio Ghibli is flying high. Hot off the heels of that Oscar win for The Boy And The Heron, the accolades just keep coming – the studio is being recognised at the Cannes Film Festival next month, set to receive an honorary Palme d’or at the 77th rendition of the festival, acknowledging its profound impact on our screens with 24 films across four decades.

Honorary Palme d’or awards are typically reserved for individuals – with George Lucas also set to join the ranks at this year’s festival – so this marks the first time that a group is receiving the honour. “With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity,” notes Cannes’ Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux. The award marks yet another positive turn for Ghibli, after The Boy And The Heron sailed...

The Cannes Film Festival will award legendary Japanese anime house Studio Ghibli with its honorary Palme d’Or this year, the first time Cannes has given its highest award to a company instead of an individual.

“For the first time in our history, it’s not a person but an institution that we have chosen to celebrate,” said Cannes Festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Frémaux, announcing the honor on Wednesday. They praised Ghibli’s animated features as filled with characters who “populate our imaginations with prolific, colorful universes and sensitive, engaging narrations. With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity.”

Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Studio Ghibli has in the past 40 years, “achieved what seemed to be an impossible feat: Independently producing pure masterpieces and conquering the mass market,” the festival said.

Studio Ghibli, the animation studio behind “My Neighbor Totoro” and the Oscar-winning animated feature “The Boy and the Heron,” is being awarded an Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival. It marks the first time that the award will be given to a group.

The studio was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki in 1984 following the release of Miyazaki’s “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.”

“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” Suzuki said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum,...

Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation house known for Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Oscar-winner The Boy And The Heron, is to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes – the first time the festival has bestowed the award on a group.

The honour is usually awarded to individuals, which has included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in recent years and will also be given to Star Wars creator George Lucas at the 77th edition of the festival, which runs May 14-25.

Studio Ghibli is synonymous with veteran directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who are among...

Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, will be feted with the Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. This marks the first time Cannes has handed its Honorary Palme d’Or to a collective.

“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” said Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.

“I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.”

Suzuki added: “We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli...

Iconic Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki emerged from his self-announced retirement, which began a few years after he made “The Wind Rises” (2013), to tell the autobiographical story of “The Boy and the Heron.” Studio Ghibli president Toshio Suzuki had to reassemble the staff of the production company to complete the task, and the hard work was recognized with the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in March 2024.

The 2023 film added another Oscar to the animation director’s accolades after “Spirited Away” won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2011. The Academy Award win will send the film back into theaters for a limited time, and fresh off the win at the beginning of March, the film set two different streaming homes depending on where you live.

Those wondering how to watch “The Boy and the Heron” in the meantime can read on for details:

When did “The Boy and the Heron” come out?...

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest Japanese animators and mangakas of all time. His latest animated film, The Boy and the Heron, won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film this year.

Since the Oscar win, the film has seen an increase in demand, but it was not available to stream anywhere. This is about to change very soon, thanks to a deal between Netflix and Studio Ghibli. While this news will bring joy to anime lovers all over the world, it is bad news for viewers in the US and Japan.

Miyazaki’s film is set to stream on Netflix soon (Source: The Boy and the Heron)

Netflix gets the streaming rights for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron

Netflix holds the streaming rights to Studio Ghibli Films, which was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki. And now, the streaming giant is...

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru Ka) will stream on Netflix around the world outside the U.S. and Japan as part of a deal unveiled Tuesday.

Netflix will also nab an additional 22 Studio Ghibli films as it extends its agreement with the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. In the U.S., Max recently landed the streaming rights to the anime master’s semi-autobiographical fantasy film to become the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli.

Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max signed a multi-year extension of their deal to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform. To secure its own worldwide deal, Netflix extended its pact with Goodfellas and Gkids to release Studio Ghibli films outside the U.S. and Japan.

Netflix will set a premiere...

So many of us (but certainly not all…) were pulling for The Boy and the Heron to take home the Best Animated Feature Oscar; and when it was announced as the winner, there was a collective disappointment that its director, Hayao Miyazaki, wasn’t in attendance. But it may have less to do with international travel or another project in the pipeline than it does embarrassment.

Toshio Suzuki – who co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki in the mid-’80s – recently said that his partner was skeptical of stepping out in public because of his seemingly constant claims of retirement. “When he says, ‘I won’t show myself to the world anymore,’ I believe that’s how he truly feels. He doesn’t want to repeat the foolishness of explaining and then lying. So, I’ll handle that part [public relations] myself.”

But there was nothing foolish about a second Oscar, and Hayao...

On the heels of Best Animated Feature wins at the Oscars and Golden Globes, Hayao Miyazaki’s hand-drawn original The Boy and the Heron has been set to stream exclusively in the U.S. on Max, following the streamer’s move to extend its multiyear U.S. licensing deal with famed Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli.

Max closed its initial deal with Studio Ghibli catalogue in 2020, marking the first time the studio’s films were available to stream. Expect a premiere date for The Boy and the Heron to be announced later this year.

One of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli previously won an Oscar for 2002’s Spirited Away and has also drawn nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There. Other celebrated works from the studio include My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service,...

Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” which just won the Oscar for animated feature film, is streaming to Max in the U.S.

Warner Bros. Discovery announced a multiyear agreement with independent distributor GKids to extend Max’s exclusive U.S. streaming rights for films from Studio Ghibli, Japan’s legendary animation house. The streamer has been the U.S. home to Studio Ghibli’s catalog since 2020, when the service originally launched as HBO Max.

Under the deal renewal, Max will be the future home of “The Boy and the Heron”; the streaming premiere date on Max will be announced later this year. The hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical film — Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years — was produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score from Miyazaki’s longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi.

The extension with GKids also will keep nearly two dozen Studio Ghibli films — including “My Neighbor Totoro,...

Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron has a streaming destination in the United States.

Max has landed streaming rights to the animated film under an extension of its deal to be the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli, the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max have inked a multi-year extension to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform.

“Our subscribers are always looking for unique stories, and we are happy to continue to offer these award-winning, critically acclaimed films and to add The Boy and the Heron to our deep and rich Max content offering,” said Elizabeth Bannan Atcheson, vp content acquisitions for Warner Bros. Discovery.

The Studio Ghibli library has been part of Max’s catalog since it launched (as HBO Max) in...

The 2024 Oscars etched several milestones, and one in particular happened with great frequency: A lot of the night’s winners were first-timers.

Above and below the line talent on “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Godzilla Minus One” and more earned their first Oscars ever, including Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan. Three countries — Japan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom also knocked out some first-time milestones.

Here’s a rundown of those earned their first Oscar at the ceremony.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Best Supporting Actress-

Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s first Oscar kicked off the night.

Cord Jefferson accepts the Best Adapted Screenplay award for “American Fiction” at the 96th Annual Academy Awards (Credit Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”), Best Adapted Screenplay

Best known for his TV writing, Jefferson accepted his first Oscar with a stirring speech calling on Hollywood...

Non-English-language movies stormed the Oscars this year, with five films taking home statuettes — the most ever in one ceremony.

Justine Triet and Arthur Harari’s Best Screenplay Academy Award for French-language courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall followed three past non-English-language winners: Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019), Pedro Almodóvar’s Talk To Her (2002) and A Man and a Woman by Claude Lelouch and Pierre Uytterhoeven (1966).

The Best Sound Academy Award for Jonathan Glazer’s German-language Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest marked a first for a non-English-language film. The pic also clinched Best International Feature Film.

Related: ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Zone Of Interest’ & ‘Poor Things’ Wins Cap Good Night For Brits At The Oscars

The Best Animation Oscar for The Boy and the Heron marked a second Academy Award for Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki, who took co-directing credits with Toshio Suzuki.

Miyazaki previously triumphed in the category in its second year...

Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature last night in Los Angeles, marking a second Oscar win for legendary Japanese animator and director Hayao Miyazaki, as well as Studio Ghibli. The studio’s latest anime film faced a tough competition, but won, adding an Oscar to the Golden Globe and the BAFTA it had already won earlier this year.

The nominees at last night’s ceremony were as follows:

The Boy and the Heron – Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki Elemental – Peter Sohn and Denise Ream Nimona – Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan, and Julie Zackary Robot Dreams – Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, and Sandra Tapia Díaz Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal

With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse winning the Annie Award for 2023, it was expected that The Boy and the Heron...