Where to watch Studio Ghibli films from anywhere: stream on Netflix

Streaming services haven't always let you watch Studio Ghibli movies and its weird and wonderful back catalog. But after years in the wilderness, Max and Netflix now stream the company’s entire oeuvre, including the latest release The Boy and the Heron. This collection of critically lauded, record-breaking hits from the Japanese anime powerhouse wasn't available to stream or download digitally in the West for years, so fans have plenty to catch up on now the catalog is out in full – particularly given you can watch all of Studio Ghibli's movies on Netflix.

The Boy and the Heron is available on Max in the US now and arrives on Netflix on October 7. The animation house's latest marks founder Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years and follows Mahito, a young boy who moves to live with family in the countryside after the death of his mother in the bombing of Tokyo during the Second World War. Here, he enters a world of fantasy that includes a talking heron and "a mysterious world where life and death are intertwined." The World War II setting and themes of death and displacement positions the Oscar and Golden Globe winning film alongside Grave of the Fireflies, widely considered one of Ghibli's best films and recently added to Netflix' Ghibli collection worldwide, including in the US.

Co-founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli has left an indelible impression on the cinematic landscape. Its highly imaginative, morally complex and humanistic films have endeared themselves to audiences and critics alike across the globe. Princess Mononoke won Japan’s Best Picture award in 1997 and was the first animated film to do so. Four years later, Spirited Away received the Best Animated Feature at the Oscars while also knocking Titanic from the top spot of Japan’s highest-ever grossing film.

So, are you ready to soar with porcine pilot Porco Rosso or join Totoro and his forest-dwelling friends? Then we’ll break down for you where to watch Studio Ghibli content based on your location, and let you enjoy some of the finest anime cinema has to offer – including how to watch The Boy and the Heron online, which is the legendary outfit's latest release – and how to make sure you can watch Studio Ghibli movies on Netflix when you go abroad too.

Watch Studio Ghibli movies online in the US

American audiences will find that one of the country's best overall streaming services, Max, has the studio’s streaming rights in hand, so you can enjoy nearly all that Studio Ghibli gold for a price starting at $9.99 a month. That includes having the exclusive streaming release rights – as it does with many Hollywood blockbusters – to the legendary studio's latest, The Boy and the Heron.

Alternatively, some of the studio’s animated movies are available to purchase digitally on major platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. This includes Grave of the Fireflies, which isn’t available to stream on HBO Max but rather rival service Netflix.

You can also get Max as a part of the Disney Plus bundle.

Watch Studio Ghibli movies in the rest of the world

Should you live outside of Canada, Japan, and the US, Netflix has you covered. It staggered the release of Ghibli's features, but the likes of Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, and all the others are now ready to stream – there's a full list below.

Netflix is also the exclusive home of Studio Ponoc, an animation house founded by Ghibli veterans. 

Depending on your location, Basic monthly subscription costs for Netflix start at £4.99 (UK); €4.99 (Europe); R49 (South Africa); AED29 (United Arab Emirates); $9.99 (Australia); $11.99 (New Zealand).

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Where to watch Studio Ghibli films from outside your country

If you find yourself away from home for whatever reason, you don’t have to skip your audio-visual visits to the wonderful world of Ghibli.

Using one of the best VPNs will allow you to watch these anime masterpieces no matter where you are. This basic bit of software alters your IP address, giving you access to regional content that you’d usually be watching on your Totoro bedspread at home.

NordVPN - get the world's favorite VPN We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate NordVPN as the best for streaming Netflix as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use, and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

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What Studio Ghibli movies can you watch on Netflix?

Listed below are all of the Studio Ghibli movies that you can watch on Netflix:

• Arrietty
• Castle in the Sky
• 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
• Spirited Away
• Tales from Earthsea
• The Cat Returns
• The Tale of Princess Kaguya
• The Wind Rises
• When Marnie Was There
• Whisper of the Heart
• Grave of the Fireflies
• The Boy and the Heron (arriving October 7)