Streaming services haven’t always let you guys watch Studio Ghibli and it’s a weird and wonderful back catalog. However, after years in the wilderness, HBO Max and Netflix agreed on deals last year permitting them in order to stream the company’s whole oeuvre – and that’s still the case in 2021 as well. This collection of critically-lauded, record-breaking hits from the Japanese animation powerhouse wasn’t also available to stream. Or you can also download digitally in the West until only last year. So fans have plenty to catch up on now the catalog is out in full. Just read this article to know all about How to Watch Studio Ghibli Movies on HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu. Let’s begin!
The world-renowned, Academy Award-winning studio also has made an agreement to provide streaming rights to OTT platforms. This started a crazy bidding war and Netflix emerged victorious along with streaming rights for 21 critically acclaimed Studio Ghibli movies as well. The list includes all-time classics such as “Castle in the Sky”, “Princess Mononoke”, “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Spirited Away”, so and so forth as well. HBO Max made the same deal and purchased the whole catalog along with exclusive streaming rights in the USA, Canada, and Japan as well. Hulu got the exclusive streaming rights for “Grave of the Fireflies”. That is the most successful and critically acclaimed animation movie of Studio Ghibli as well.
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What is Studio Ghibli?
Those who are not familiar along with anime or do not watch animated movies. In general, might not have heard of Studio Ghibli as well. This is also a little introduction for them.
Studio Ghibli was founded in the year 1985 via creative genius and Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki. In collaboration along with long-term colleague and director Isao Takahata. Toshio Suzuki joined in as the producer as well. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio that produces feature films as well. It has produced a number of short films, TV commercials, and even had its fair share of contributions to the world of video games.
The studio is world-renowned and also has a reputation for producing some of the best imaginative and creative films ever as well. Studio Ghibli showed the world that there is so much that you guys can do. If you think out of the box and inspire directors and creators to put on their thinking caps as well. They have given us some of the most memorable and iconic characters such as Totoro, Kiki, and Kaonashi. Movies like Grave of the Fireflies bring out raw, gut-wrenching, horrors of war that are bound in order to make you cry.
Then we also have movies like Spirited Away that not only won an Academy Award for the best-animated feature film. However, also replaced Titanic to be the top-grossing movie in Japan. The whole world shall always be in debt of Studio Ghibli. Forgiving us some of the most beautiful, emotionally complex, imaginative, and also humanistic movies of all time. It is a perfect example of what you guys can achieve when your primary motivation is creating beautiful art rather than earning profit as well.
How to Watch Studio Ghibli movies with a VPN
If you guys are living in some country where Netflix isn’t available or Studio Ghibli movies aren’t streaming on Netflix for some reason. Or it is just that you don’t want to wait for HBO Max then you have to use a VPN. A VPN will permit you to circumvent geographical restrictions and see stream content available in any other country. Such as, you are a US citizen and would like to stream Studio Ghibli movies. Then you guys can set your location to the UK or any other country and enjoy the Netflix content of that country as well. It is essentially a three-step process actually.
- First, download and install a VPN app that you guys like.
- Now use that app in order to set your location (IP address) to anywhere except the US, Canada, or Japan.
- First, open Netflix and you will find all Studio Ghibli movies available for you in order to stream.
The only thing that you have to decide is which VPN would be the best for you and ideal in order to stream on Netflix. Here is a list of VPN app suggestions as well. You can try to use all of these and decide which one works best in your region.
Nord VPN
Nord VPN is one of the most widely used VPN apps on the globe. In terms of features and quality of service, and it is neck in order to neck along with Express VPN. But, in terms of price, it is almost half. As a result, Nord VPN is picked more often when selecting a premium paid VPN service. In addition to that, a lot of offers and discounts greatly decrease the subscription. Just the same as Express VPN you can try the app for one month. And if you guys are not satisfied then you will be given a full refund as well.
Express VPN
One of the VPN apps for streaming on Netflix is basically Express VPN. It is reliable and gives great speed for streaming on Netflix. One thing that you do not have to worry about while via Express VPN is compatibility. But, the most impressive thing about Express VPN is its extensive server list. It has more than 3000 servers spread out in 160 locations and 94 countries as well. Apart from Android, it is also compatible along with Apple TV, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV Stick, iOS, and Xbox as well. Express VPN is but a paid app. You can also try the app for one month and when you do that, you’ll realize that it is worth the money.
How to Watch Studio Ghibli movies in the United States
As mentioned earlier, Netflix purchased the streaming rights for Studio Ghibli movies for each and every other country (practically the whole world) except the US, Canada, and Japan as well. Now if you guys are US citizens then you have to wait a little longer to stream Studio Ghibli movies and at least till May 2021. The streaming rights for Studio Ghibli movies in North America have been given to HBO Max as well.
Although Netflix also has already launched its first set of Studio Ghibli movies on 1st February 2021, HBO Max has decided to wait a little longer as well. Hence, if you are living in North America then you can either wait until it becomes officially available or use a VPN in order to stream Netflix content from any other country. You can use a VPN in order to set your location to the United Kingdom and also stream the contents of Netflix UK.
Conclusion
Well, That is all from my side. If you want to know more about this article or have any queries. Then feel free to ask me anything in the comments section below.
Have a Good Day!
