Although Studio Ghibli’s films have long been available on streaming services such as Netflix in many countries, access remains restricted in the country of origin. We summarize below.
No streaming plans for Japan
As Nippon TV President Hiroyuki Fukuda explained at a recent press conference, there are currently no plans to make Studio Ghibli’s popular classic films available on video-on-demand platforms in Japan.
The background is a joint decision by Nippon TV and Studio Ghibli to preserve the special importance of the regular television broadcasts as part of the “Friday Roadshow” series. The works of the renowned studio are shown here several times a year.
Even on the streaming platform Hulu Japan, which also belongs to Nippon TV, the films will not be available for the time being.
Foreign countries receive a special role
This strategy is particularly noteworthy because a large proportion of Studio Ghibli’s works have been available on demand outside of Japan for years – in this country via Netflix and in North America via HBO Max.
However, according to Fukuda, the general conditions are fundamentally different. While international viewers mostly rely on streaming services, there are numerous other opportunities in Japan to come into contact with the works of Studio Ghibli – for example through the Ghibli Museum, Ghibli Park, exhibitions or stage performances.
The manager left unanswered whether Nippon TV and Studio Ghibli will reconsider their previously cautious streaming strategy in Japan in the future. However, we will continue to discuss this topic together.
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Via Oricon
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