Studio Ghibli Film Catalog Now Available on Digital Rental Platforms

Some of the most acclaimed films in animation history are finally available to rent online. GKIDS, the animation specialist distributer, has released the catalog of acclaimed Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli starting Tuesday. From a report: 22 films from the studio -- including Oscar winner "Spirited Away" and nominees such as "Howl's Moving Castle" and "When Marnie Was There" -- will be made available to rent on all major digital platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon VOD, Vudu, Google Play and Microsoft. The films will be be priced at $4.99 per title, and all will be available in HD, with most being offered in the original Japanese language as well as English dubs.

The news marks the first time that Ghibli's films have been made available via digital rental. The catalogue has been one of the pillars of GKIDS' business since the distributer acquired the North American film distribution rights to the studio's films in 2011, followed by the home media rights in 2017 -- previously, the majority of Studio Ghibli films were distributed via the Walt Disney Company. Since 2017, GKIDS has partnered with Fathom Events to host a series of limited run screenings of the studio's films throughout the year. The catalog was made available for digital purchase in 2019, and GKIDS has an exclusive deal to stream the films in the United States on HBO Max, where they have been included since 2020.

What about the Netfreaks?

[Catvid-22]

I suppose the only rental Netflix does comes in the mail?

Re:

[bloodhawk]

been on netflix for a long time. think the whole library is there, at least all the ones my wife loves to watch are.

Re: What about the Netfreaks?

[e3m4n]

Also on HBOMax under a channel heading of Studio Ghibli. Looks like the entire library. Howls Movie Castle and Castles in the Sky were among my more favorite. Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro, not as much.

Since a long time on Netflix

[Camembert]

It is technically not renting, but for most people it is sufficient that most if not all Ghibli movies are on Netflix.
My own favourite is perhaps still Castle in the Sky.

Re:

[drinkypoo]

I saw Laputa on the big screen as a kid (at the Sash Mill in Santa Cruz) and have been a Miyazaki fan ever since. We just rewatched it a few days ago. I forget what service it was on, but they had all the movies before Tuesday...

Re: Since a long time on Netflix

[e3m4n]

HBOMax?

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Yes, that sounds accurate. It is certainly one to which we are currently subscribed... though only because they offered us a discount months ago. They are now altering the deal, so I guess we're dropping it.

Re: Since a long time on Netflix

[e3m4n]

I am altering our deal. Pray that I do not alter it any farther. â" Darth Vader
I get it free with our ATT wireless service. Unsure if I would pay actual money for it. But free on top of a 25% veterans discount for ATT, I cant complain.

Re: Since a long time on Netflix

[e3m4n]

Yea my daughter had quite the collection when she was 8. I know most of them by dialog hearing it play in the back seat during long car trips. Dont think I ever viewed a single frame of kikis delivery service, but having listened to it more than a dozen times, I know the story. Aside from castles in the sky, howls moving castle was another good one. Spirited away was just too weird for me.

Grave of the Fireflies notably absent

[spazmonkey]

Its tragic that one of the greatest and most daring of the Ghibli films is consistently blacklisted, simply because it offends a particular species of weeb.

Re:

[arglebargle_xiv]

It's not blacklisted for offending anyone, it's excluded because it's a very difficult watch, and anyone who's used to standard daytime-TV cartoony crap will have a hard time dealing with it. "Ooh look Marge, a cute cartoon about kids and fireflies, let's watch it with the kids tonight!".

Re:

[Saffaya]

True, I dare not imagine the impact on unsuspecting people.
I've watched it once.
Then showed it to my inner circle, and that's it. I don' t intend to watch it anymore.

Special note to the second time watching, as you understand precisely what is happening in the beginning.
Like, "It's okay, I already watched it once, it can't hurt me as much." Then soon after it begins, you realize "but that is, that is ... " Ouch...

Re:

[PincushionMan]

Like, "It's okay, I already watched it once, it can't hurt me as much." Then soon after it begins, you realize "but that is, that is ... " Ouch...

If you want some more feels, from what I understand it is based on a [spoiler filled link!] mostly autobiographical short story [wikipedia.org]. How's that for a punch to the gut?

Re:

[Fallen Kell]

Hell, I am tearing up just reading about it in these posts, let alone watching it again. I don't think I could ever recommend it to someone given, even though it is a masterpiece.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Its tragic that one of the greatest and most daring of the Ghibli films is consistently blacklisted, simply because it offends a particular species of weeb.

Studio Ghibli doesn't own the film. Therefore they don't own the distribution rights to it. Has nothing to do with being blacklisted. If you want to watch it, its available for rental today on AppleTV and Vudu.

Re:

[bloodhawk]

exactly, ghibli animated it but the rights to the movie are held separately.

Ghibli

[rossdee]

I thought the Ghibli was a sportscar made by Maserati