HBO Max and GKIDS will continue their partnership and will now be home to 20 additional live-action and animated features.
Starting Sept. 1, the works of Makoto Shinkai along with “Your Name,” “Shin Godzilla,” and “Perfect Blue,” will be among the titles having their streaming debut. HBO Max is already home to the Studio Ghibli catalog in the United States, distributed by GKIDS.
“HBO Max’s continued partnership with GKIDS indicates our commitment to bringing world-class Japanese animation and original films to our audiences,” said Royce Battleman, EVP, Global Content Acquisitions at Warner Bros. Discovery. “This deal, which introduces masterpieces and fan favorites to streaming for the very first time, allows us to continue delivering premium films to our subscribers and solidifies HBO Max’s position as a leading destination in the space.”
President of GKIDS Dave Jesteadt added, “We are excited to continue the relationship with HBO Max and to bring this exciting package to US streaming audiences. HBO Max’s focus on award-winning, genre-defining essential programming is a perfect match for the type of outstanding filmmaking that GKIDS champions.”
Among the titles are:
“Children Who Chase Lost Voices” (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
“Fireworks” (dir. Akiyuki Shinbo, Noboyuki Takeuchi)
“Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko” (dir. Ayumu Watanabe) (North American Streaming Debut)
“Ghost Cat Anzu” (dir. Yôko Kuno, Nobuhiro Yamashita) (North American Streaming Debut)
“Lonely Castle in the Mirror” (dir. Keiichi Hara) (North American Streaming Debut)
“Love & Pop” (dir. Hideaki Anno) (North American Streaming Debut)
“The Place Promised in Our Early Days” (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
“Your Name.” (dir. Makoto Shinkai) (4K Streaming Debut)
Later this year, the following will be added to the platform:
“Angel’s Egg” (dir. Mamoru Oshii) (North American Streaming Debut, 4K Streaming Debut)
“Liz and the Blue Bird” (dir. Naoko Yamada)
“Lu Over the Wall” (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
“Millennium Actress” (dir. Satoshi Kon)
“Mind Game” (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
“Perfect Blue” (dir. Satoshi Kon) (4K Streaming Debut)
“Shin Godzilla” (dir. Hideaki Anno, co-director Shinji Higuchi) (4K Streaming Debut)
“Summer Wars” (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
“The Boy and the Beast” (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
“The Colors Within “(dir. Naoko Yamada) (North American Streaming Debut)
“The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
“Wolf Children” (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
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The deal was brokered by Liz Bannan Atcheson, VP, Content Acquisition for HBO Max and Eric Beckman, GKIDS’ Founder and CEO.
