From 'Spirited Away' to 'My Neighbor Tortoro': Studio Ghibli catalogue coming to Netflix Mena

Films from the Japanese animation house include 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Castle In The Sky' and will likely be dubbed or subtitled in Arabic

Spirited Away. Courtesy Studio Ghibli - NDDTM
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Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away and other animated classics from the Oscar-winning Japanese anime house Studio Ghibli are coming to Netflix on Saturday, February 1. The streaming giant announced that 21 films from the Japanese art house will be released on the platform over the next three months. All the films in the Netflix Mena catalogue will be subtitled in Arabic, with several, including My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, also being dubbed.

According to Netflix, fans in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America will enjoy the beloved classics in their native languages. The films will be released on the streaming service through distribution partner Wild Bunch International.

Founded in 1985 by Miyazaki and fellow animated film director Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli has produced 22 feature-length films (with one scheduled for later this year) that drew worldwide acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Studio Ghibli films have been praised for their originality, dazzling animation, and epic storytelling. They have since become a beloved part of Japanese popular culture. Miyazaki's Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002 and in 2005 he was named one of Time's "most influential people".

Miyazaki retired in 2014 due to his age and it caused Studio Ghibli to temporarily halt production. However, he came out of retirement in 2017 to direct a new feature film How Do You Live? that's scheduled for release later in 2020.

“In this day and age, there are various great ways a film can reach audiences,” Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki said in the statement. “We’ve listened to our fans and have made the definitive decision to stream our film catalogue. We hope people around the world will discover the world of Studio Ghibli through this experience.”

Aram Yacoubian, Director of Original Animation at Netflix, said that this was a dream come true for the streaming giant and its members. “Studio Ghibli's animated films are legendary and have enthralled fans around the world for over 35 years. We're excited to make them available in more languages across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia – so that more people can enjoy this whimsical and wonderful world of animation.”

Below is the release roll-out schedule for Studio Ghibli films on Netflix:

    • Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Only Yesterday (1991), Porco Rosso (1992), Ocean Waves (1993), Tales from Earthsea (2006)
    • Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), Spirited Away (2001), The Cat Returns (2002), Arrietty (2010), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
    • Pom Poko (1994), Whisper of the Heart (1995), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), The Wind Rises (2013), When Marnie Was There (2014)