Spirited Away coming to Netflix – Picture: Studio Ghibli
March 1st will see Netflix in every country except the United States and Canada receive another seven new Studio Ghibli movies available to stream. Here’s a breakdown of all the new Studio Ghibli movies coming to Netflix and why you should be adding them to your list.
The list of Studio Ghibli films coming to Netflix only applies to regions outside of the US, Canada, and Japan. The US will be receiving the full list of Studio Ghibli films when HBO Max launches.
If you missed any of the February 1st new Studio Ghibli additions, go and check them out first.
Here are all the Studio Ghibli titles coming to Netflix on March 1st, 2020:
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Runtime: 117 Minutes
English Dub Cast: Alison Lohman, Patrick Stewart, Shia LaBeouf, Uma Thurman, Chris Sarandon
Many may be confused by Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind being a Studio Ghibli film especially as Castle in the Sky, the first official Studio Ghibli film, wasn’t released until 1986. Unofficially, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is considered as a Studio Ghibli film and has been apart of the studio’s collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays. The most logical reason for this is likely due to the fact that the director was Hayao Miyakzi, who directed some of the biggest films in the studio’s history.
In a post-apocalyptic world, set 1000 years after the Seven Days of Fire, the world as we know it is now a toxic jungle, swarming with giant mutant insects. Stuck in the middle of a war between two factions is the Valley of the Wind and the Princess Nausicaä, who must stop the opposing factions from destroying themselves, and what little remains of their planet.
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Runtime: 134 Minutes
English Dub Cast: Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Tara Strong, Minnie Driver, Billy Bob Thornton
Commercially, Princess Mononoke was a great financial success for Studi Ghibli. For the very first time in the studio’s history, the box office figures exceeded $100 million worldwide. Putting aside the commercial success of the film, Princess Mononoke has been hailed as one of Studio Ghibli’s best films from fans and critics alike. With its stunning hand-drawn animation and fantastic story, it’s easy to see why.
In the 14th century Japan in the village of Emishi, the residents are attacked by a demon. Prince Ashitaka kills the beast, but in the process, the demo’s corruption curses his right arm. While the curse does empower him with super-strength, it will eventually spread and kill him. After discovering the beast was a corrupted Boar God named Nago, Ashitaka must travel to Nago’s homeland in the hopes of finding a cure. As he bears witness to the atrocities the human populous is doing to the land it eventually calls upon the Wolf God Moro and his companion Princess Mononoke. But when Ashtika attempts to broker peace between the two warring factions it only brings more conflict to Japan.
My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)
Director: Isao Takahata
Genre: Comedy, Family
Runtime: 104 Minutes
English Dub Cast: James Belushi, Molly Shannon, Daryl Sabara, Liliana Mumy, Tress MacNeille, David Ogden Stiers
One of the lesser-known titles of Studio Ghibli, My Neighbors the Yamadas bombed at the box office when it was released in the Summer of 1999. Despite not being critically acclaimed like many other films in the studio’s collection, there’s a great charm to My Neighbors the Yamadas that can be enjoyed by everyone.
Across five vignettes you are invited to learn about the daily lives of the Yamada family.
Spirited Away (2001)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Adventure, Family
Runtime: 125 Minutes
English Dub Cast: David Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, David Ogden Stiers, Susan Egan
Arguably, Spirited Away is the film many Studio Ghibli fans will have been looking forward to watching most on Netflix. To this day, Spirited Away is still the highest-grossing film in Japan, and for many years was the highest-grossing anime film of all time, before being dethroned by Your Name. As critical acclaim goes, none could be higher for an anime film than Spirited Away. Winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film at the 75th Academy Awards, the anime feature has also been ranked so highly that it has featured on numerous occasions in the list of best films of the 21st century.
Taking a wrong turn on their journey to their new home in the Japanese countryside, ten-year-old Chihiro Ogino and her parents discover an abandoned amusement park. When her parents are turned into pigs after eating from a vacant restaurant, Chihiro is left with no choice but to find work and forms a contract with Yubaba, the witch that runs the local-bath house. Signing her name away as part of the contract, the only hope Chihiro has of escaping the strange world inhabited by spirits, demons, and gods is to break the contract and to remember her name.
The Cat Returns (2002)
Director: Hiroyuki Morita
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Runtime: 75 Minutes
English Dub Cast: Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Peter Boyle, Elliot Gould, Tim Curry
After the overwhelming success of Spirited Away, many would have thought that the next feature-film released would have been received just as highly. What didn’t help was the film’s release in the US three years after it had debuted in Japanese theatres. Regardless of its success compared to Spirited Away, there are plenty of cat lovers that will fall in love with the world of The Cat Returns.
After saving the life of the Prince of Cats, schoolgirl Haru Yoshioka is invited the Cat Kingdom to become his betrothed. When Haru whisked away to the mysterious world of cats, Haru discovers that she is slowly turning into a cat. To escape the world, and to reclaim her human form Haru must discover her true self.
Arrietty (2010)
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Genre: Adventure, Family
Runtime: 94 Minutes
English Dub Cast: Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, Gracie Poletti, Will Arnett
Based on the classic British novel The Borrowers, Studio Ghibli found themselves with another smash hit in Arrietty. As there are two English dubs for Arrietty, one by Disney and the other by StudioCanal it’s unclear which Netflix will receive. The now-beloved Spider-Man actor Tom Holland made his cinematic debut in Arritetty as the voice of Shō. An explosion of color and animation, Arrietty is a wonderful story that can be enjoyed by all of the family.
A young boy Shō reflects on the time he spent at his mother’s childhood home in the Summer and his encounter with the Borrowers.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
Director: Isao Takahata
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Runtime: 137 Minutes
English Dub Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Darren Criss, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Lucy Liu
Despite the films, poor performance at the box office, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Japans’ most expensive film to date, is a beautifully made piece of cinema. Based on the classic 10th-century Japanese story, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the animation feels like an old Japanese painting has come to life, with its exquisite design and use of watercolor.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was the last film ever made by Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, who sadly passed in 2018. His legacy lives on with some of the most emotionally engaging films in anime history with Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
A poor elderly couple finds a mystical girl in the middle of the forest and take it upon themselves to raise her as a princess.
Which Studio Ghibli movie are you looking forward to watching most in March? Let us know in the comments below!
