Studio Ghibli’s latest animated masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron, is now available for streaming on Max in the U.S. and Japan, giving fans of the renowned Japanese animation studio a chance to experience its first film in nearly a decade. The film will be available to watch for the global audience on Netflix.
Written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, the film marks his highly anticipated return to feature filmmaking since his 2013 movie The Wind Rises. The streaming release has been met with excitement from Ghibli fans worldwide as it opens up new access to the studio’s magical storytelling.
The Boy and the Heron premiered at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF 2023) last year and it eventually won the best animated feature at this year’s Oscars. The voice cast for the film’s English dub includes Luca Padovan, Christian Bale, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, Dave Bautista, Florence Pugh, and Luca Padovan.
Released in Japan in July 2023 under the title ‘How Do You Live?’ The Boy and the Heron tells the story of a young boy named Mahito, who embarks on a surreal and emotional journey after encountering a mysterious heron. Blending Studio Ghibli’s signature hand-drawn animation with a deep, introspective narrative, the film explores themes of grief, resilience, and self-discovery.
Studio Ghibli has also taken the significant step of making its film library, including The Boy and the Heron, available for streaming on multiple global platforms for the first time. This move represents a major shift for the iconic studio, which had previously been hesitant to embrace digital streaming. Now, fans from all corners of the world can enjoy Ghibli classics such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke alongside Miyazaki’s latest offering.
With its thoughtful narrative, stunning animation, and Miyazaki’s signature charm, The Boy and the Heron is poised to become another beloved entry in Studio Ghibli’s long history of enchanting audiences worldwide.
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