Studio Ghibli Addresses Streaming Controversy

Studio Ghibli has earned its place as one of the biggest anime studios of all time, thanks in part to the tireless efforts of director Hayao Miyazaki and the hard-working animators who have worked tirelessly on their anime entries. In North America, fans have the opportunity to check out Ghibli’s library on HBO Max, with the Warner Bros streaming service becoming the exclusive place to stream these anime legends. In a surprising twist, the country that gave birth to Studio Ghibli does not have the same opportunity to stream these classic films, and the production house has officially revealed why.

Recently, Studio Ghibli President Hiroyuki Fukuda was asked by a reporter at a recent press conference for Nippon Television whether the anime studio’s films would be streamed on platforms like Hulu. In Japan, the films are not on any streaming service, and the reasoning behind this is surprising, as Fukuda wants to keep the movies on broadcast television. Specifically, the Ghibli president revealed, “Currently, we are proceeding with the understanding that it is important for Ghibli and Nippon Television to continue broadcasting them in the terrestrial television slot of ‘Friday Road Show’ as before. Of course, we are aware that there are various requests and opinions regarding streaming, and we intend to continue discussions on this matter.”

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Ghibli’s Streaming Future in Japan

In Japan, Nippon Television actually owns the streaming platform, Hulu, specifically in Japan, which is why the Ghibli President received a question regarding his films’ presence on the streaming service. Leaving the likes of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro on Nippon shows a strength between the broadcaster and Ghibli, though the official reasoning hasn’t been revealed as to why this symbiotic relationship remains. Ghibli may be looking to aid Nippon TV in propping up broadcast television in general, as the streaming age continues to see many broadcast networks struggling in the face of this advancing technology.

As of the writing of this article, Ghibli has been tight-lipped regarding what animated project is next for the production house. In 2023, Hayao Miyazaki helped debut The Boy And The Heron to theaters, which would go on to win Best Animated Picture at the Academy Awards. While the legendary director was initially touting this as his last film, the 85-year-old animator has since recanted on this statement, returning to Ghibli to work on something new.

For Ghibli fans, 2026 will be a big year, even without a new animated picture releasing in theaters. Studio Ghibli Fest is set to return, meaning some of the biggest animated pictures from the production house will be hitting American theaters. The list of Ghibli films that will return to the silver screen includes Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, Tales From Earthsea, Only Yesterday, Castle in The Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. You can check out the release dates for each by clicking here.

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Via Oricon