The legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli has signed its first streaming deal, allowing fans to watch its beloved catalogue of quirky anime without reaching for the VHS or DVD player.
Following a deal on Thursday with HBO Max – a new streaming service that’s due to launch in the spring of 2020 – the studio’s library will be available to watch online (legitimately) for the first time ever with My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and the 2002 best animated Oscar winner Spirited Away among the films available to stream.
HBO Max will initially only launch in the US (sorry the rest of the world) but could be in line for an international roll-out if it’s deemed a success stateside. The platform’s owner, AT&T’s Warner Media, is currently sweeping up content from across the media landscape for the streaming service, gathering shows from Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. Studio, and US TV networks TNT and TBS.
Read our feature on what makes Studio Ghibli so magically immersive here.