How to Stream All Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli Movies
Miyazaki has become one of the most celebrated directors of kids movies for a reason, and viewers will find his films on-demand on Max.
Hayao Miyazaki has had a remarkable career. Miyazaki’s career started in 1963, and for the past six decades he has captured the imagination of audiences with his groundbreaking work. The legendary animator and filmmaker’s newest movie “The Boy and the Heron” is coming to streaming on Max on Friday, Sept. 6, joining the other Studio Ghibli titles available to stream on that service. We’ll run through the other Miyazaki films on Max below, and explain your subscription options for the streamer as well!
Where to Stream Miyazaki’s Films:
Castle in the Sky
The first film ever to be animated by Studio Ghibli, “Castle in the Sky” first hit theaters in Japan in 1986. The film was dubbed in English by Disney in 2003 and tells the tale of a young girl with a mysterious pendant falling out of the sky and into the life of young Pazu. Together they search for an island in the sky.
“Castle in the Sky” has achieved a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The 2003 English dub stars James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, Mark Hammil, and Jim Cummings, along with Andy Dick and Mandy Patinkin.
Castle in the Sky
A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.
The Cat Returns
A spinoff from the 1995 movie “Whisper of the Heart,” “The Cat Returns” first debuted in 2002. The film tells the story of Haru’s average life, which is turned upside down after she rescues a cat who turns out to be a prince. Baron is much more than an ordinary feline, as Haru comes to learn quite quickly.
Critics enjoyed “The Cat Returns,” which boasts an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s English voice cast includes Peter Boyle, Tim Curry, Cary Elwes, Anne Hathaway, Elliot Gould, and Judy Greer.
The Cat Returns
Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it’s no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.
From Up on Poppy Hill
“From Up on Poppy Hill” takes viewers back to the mid-1940s. As Japan recovers from World War II, friendship blossoms between classmates Umi and Shun, but a buried secret from their past casts a shadow on the future. This film was directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro and was first released in 2011.
The film maintains the high quality of other Studio Ghibli titles, with an 88% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The English dub features the talents of Sarah Bolger, Anton Yelchin, Ron Howard, Jeff Dunham, Gillian Anderson, Chris Noth, and Ronan Farrow.
From Up on Poppy Hill
Yokohama, 1963. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the 1964 Olympics—and the mood is one of both optimism and conflict as the young generation struggles to throw off the shackles of a troubled past. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi and Shun—but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart.
Howl’s Moving Castle
“Howl's Moving Castle” follows the magical journey of a young woman named Sophie. In search of a cure to a witch’s curse, Sophie boards a wizard’s magnificent moving castle into a new life of wonder, adventure, and danger.
The film has an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score and was first released in 2004. Its English voice cast includes Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Lauren Bacall, and Blythe Danner.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
One of the best-loved Studio Ghibli movies of all, “Kiki's Delivery Service” was first released in 1989, with the Disney-produced English dub coming to viewers in 1997. The movie centers on a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt.
The English dub stars Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Janeane Garofalo, Debbie Reynolds and Matthew Lawrence. It has a whopping 98% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
My Neighbor Totoro
“My Neighbor Totoro” was first released in 1988, and saw its first English adaptation in 1989, though the current overdub version available is from 2006. When sisters Satsuki and Mei move into their new home, they soon encounter strange and delightful creatures, including Totoro, a gentle forest spirit.
The 2006 version of the English dub features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly and the legendary Frank Welker. It currently sports a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
My Neighbor Totoro
Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
One of the feature-length movies Miyazaki produced before the advent of Studio Ghibli, “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” first came out in Japan in 1984. The film is set in the Valley of the Wind, which is one of the last places untouched by war’s toxic aftermath. Nausicaä fights to restore the balance between humans and nature.
The film did not receive an English dub until 2005, and the cast features Alison Lohman, Patrick Stewart, Shia LeBeouf, Uma Thurman, Chris Sarandon, and Edward James Olmos. It sports a 90% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.
Only Yesterday
This 1991 Studio Ghibli film was conceived as an idea by Miyazaki, but written and directed by Isao Takahata, and is based on the 1982 manga of the same name. It follows the tale of Taeko, a girl who decides to visit her relatives in the countryside. As the train travels through the night, memories flood back of her younger years.
“Only Yesterday” did not get an English adaptation until 2016, its 25th anniversary. The dub features the talents of Laura Bailey, Ashley Eckstein, Dev Patel, and Daisey Ridley.
Only Yesterday
In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko contemplates the arc of her life, and wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self.
Pom Poko
First released in 1994, “Pom Poko” is a Studio Ghibli film that had no direct input from Hayao Miyazaki. It centers on the magical tanuki, raccoon-like shape-shifting animals who defend their home against city construction with a mischievous plan to scare away the humans.
The English voice dub of the film stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Clancy Brown, J.K. Simmons, and Kevin Michael Richardson. It sports an 86% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pom Poko
The Raccoons of the Tama Hills are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and fight back. The Raccoons practice and perfect the ancient art of transformation until they are even able to appear as humans in hilarious circumstances.
Ponyo
“Ponyo” was first released in 2008, and follows the tale of a magical goldfish named Ponyo. She yearns to become human to be with Sosuke, but their friendship leads to unintended consequences on both land and sea, especially when her sorcerer father learns of her actions.
This Miyazaki classic sits at a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and its English dub features Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Liam Neeson, as well as Lily Tomlin, Betty White, and Cloris Leachman.
Ponyo
When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.
Porco Rosso
“Porco Rosso” was written and directed by Miyazaki, and was first released in Japan in 1992, ahead of an English dub in 2005. Set in a mid-war Italy swept by fascism, Porco Rosso, a bounty hunter with the face of a pig, takes on the sky pirates terrorizing the Adriatic.
The film was beloved by critics and sports a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The English dub cast includes Michael Keaton, Cary Elwes, Susan Egan, and David Ogden Stiers.
Porco Rosso
In Italy in the 1930s, sky pirates in biplanes terrorize wealthy cruise ships as they sail the Adriatic Sea. The only pilot brave enough to stop the scourge is the mysterious Porco Rosso, a former World War I flying ace who was somehow turned into a pig during the war. As he prepares to battle the pirate crew’s American ace, Porco Rosso enlists the help of spunky girl mechanic Fio Piccolo and his longtime friend Madame Gina.
Princess Mononoke
First released in 1997, “Princess Mononoke is the story of a cursed warrior who stumbles into a bitter war between a girl raised by wolves and the people of Iron Town, set in a long-ago period of Japan’s history when magic was more common and danger-filled the very air.
The English dub of the film stars Gillian Anderson, Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver, Jada Pinkett Smith and Billy Bob Thornton. The movie has a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting its reputation as one of Miyazaki’s best.
Princess Mononoke
Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.
The Secret World of Arrietty
Miyazaki did not direct “The Secret World of Arriety,” but he did co-write the screenplay, and it was animated by Studio Ghibli. First released in 2010, the film is based on the 1952 book “The Borrowers.” Arrietty and her family live out of sight of humans, but she strikes an unlikely friendship when she meets a human boy.
Despite Miyazaki not stepping into the director’s role for the movie, it is still beloved by critics, with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The American English dub voice cast of the film includes Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, and Carol Burnett.
The Secret World of Arrietty
14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items “borrowed” from the house’s human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.
Spirited Away
The 2001 film “Spirited Away follows a little girl named Chihiro, who is whisked away into a breathtaking world full of spirits and demons. She must use all her wits in order to free herself and her parents.
The movie has a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and features an English voice cast of Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, David Odgen Stiers, and Susan Egan.
Spirited Away
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
The Tale of Princess Kayuga
In this 2013 film, a mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her — but ultimately she must confront her fate. “The Tale of Princess Kayuga” is a Studio Ghibli offering, but it does not feature the direct involvement of Hayao Miyazaki himself.
The English dub of the film stars Chole Grace Moretz, James Caan, Lucy Liu, Mary Steenburgen and James Marsden. It boasts a rare 100% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 99 reviews.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthrals all who encounter her. But, ultimately, she must confront her fate.
Tales From Earthsea
“Tales from Earthsea” is Goro Miyazaki’s directorial debut, and it adapts elements from the “Earthsea” novel series by Ursula K. Le Guin. As crops dwindle and dragons reappear, a wizard and a young prince search for the force behind the imbalance that threatens to destroy the land.
The movie has a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though critics praise its music, animation, and the visual style of the film. The English cast features Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Mariska Hargitay, and Blaire Restaneo.
Tales from Earthsea
Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange… What’s even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn’t enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy’s “fears” against the very one who would help him, Ged.
When Marnie Was There
“When Marnie Was There” is an adaptation of the 1967 novel of the same name. It’s one of Miyazaki’s favorite books, though he did not write or direct for this Studio Ghibli film. When Anna moves to the seaside to live with her aunt and uncle, she discovers an old mansion and the mysterious young girl, Marnie, who lives there.
First released in 2014, the movie has a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, despite the non-involvement of Miyazaki. Its English dub cast includes Hailee Steinfeld, Catherine O’Hara, Vanessa Williams, Geena Davis, and John C. Reilly.
When Marnie Was There
Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.
Whisper of the Heart
Miyazaki wrote this film, though once again he did not direct. “Whisper of the Heart” was first released in Japan in 1995. Challenged by Seiji, a boy determined to follow his dreams, quiet bookworm Shizuku decides to embark on a quest to find her own true talent.
The English dub of the movie was produced in 2003 but did not see a release until 2006. It stars Cary Elwes, David Gallagher, Jean Smart, Brittany Snow, and Courtney Thorne Smith. It has a 95% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, showing it’s one of the best-regarded titles in the Studio Ghibli library.
Whisper of the Heart
Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: ‘Seiji Amasawa’.
The Wind Rises
This 2014 film was written and directed by Miyazaki himself and received multiple awards nominations. In the film, a chance encounter leads an accomplished but imperfect airplane designer to love amidst rumors of war in 1920s Tokyo.
“The Wind Rises” has an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and features an all-star voice cast. It’s headlined by Emily Blunt, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, William H. Macy, and Martin Short.
The Wind Rises
A lifelong love of flight inspires Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose storied career includes the creation of the A-6M World War II fighter plane.
What Subscription Options Does Max Offer?
Max offers three subscription tiers, all of which offer access to the entire library of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki movies on Max. Prices start at $9.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, or $16.99 to go ad-free. Max’s Ultimate plan is $20.99 per month and allows viewers to watch titles in Ultra-High-Definition 4K.
All Max plans also include access to live news through the CNN Max hub, as well as sports via the Bleacher Report Sports add-on. Viewers will also get access to HBO originals, Warner Bros. movies, and much more with a Max subscription.
Max
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