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Is The Boy and the Heron Film on Netflix? Where to Watch The Oscar-winning Anime Movie Online?
Netflix Anime has announced that The Boy and the Heron will be streamed globally, excluding the US and Japan, as part of a new deal between Netflix, Goodfellas, and GKIDS. The collaboration includes streaming 22 Studio Ghibli titles.
Netflix Anime has announced that The Boy and the Heron will be streamed on the platform this year, excluding the United States and Japan. The license for the film is part of a new deal between Netflix, Goodfellas, and GKIDS.
As part of this collaboration, Netflix will continue to stream 22 Studio Ghibli titles, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Arrietty, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. GKIDS has also announced its Studio Ghibli Fest 2024, running from April 27 to December 11, 2024. The Boy and the Heron and other Studio Ghibli titles will be available on Netflix globally.
When will The Boy and the Heron stream in Netflix?
Deadline reported on Thursday, 21st March that Netflix will stream Studio Ghibli's latest film, The Boy and the Heron, globally outside Japan and the US, as part of a new deal between Netflix, Goodfellas, and GKIDS. The license will also include 22 other Studio Ghibli titles, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Arrietty, Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
GKIDS also announced the schedule for the Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 that will run from April 27 to December 11.The Boy and the Heron will stream exclusively on Max in the United States. The streaming service is extended its multiyear U.S. licensing deal with Studio Ghibli.
The film won Best Animated Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, marking director Shinji Miyazaki's second win after Spiritual in 2003. The film also received nominations for Howl's Moving Castle and The Wind Rises. It also won Animation of the Year at the 47th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes and Best Motion Picture - Animated at the 81st Golden Globes Awards. The film also received awards from the Annie Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists' Best Animated Film award.
The film, released in July 2023, grossed $13.2 million in its first three days in Japan and $2.149 billion in its Friday-Monday long weekend. It became the #71 highest-grossing film ever in Japan and the third highest-grossing domestic film in 2023, with an 8.66 billion yen gross.
The film ranked at #1 in its opening weekend in the U.S. box office, with an earning of US$12,836,313 in its first three days. Variety reported that the film is the "first original anime production" to top the U.S. box office.
Critical response of The Boy and the Heron
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 97% of 250 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece."
The film, praised by Eiga Channel as one of Ghibli's finest in visuals and storytelling, was initially criticized for its "mixed" initial reactions. However, it quickly gained critical acclaim in Japan, drawing on motifs and characters from Shinji Miyazaki's career. Cinemas+ noted that the film's darker, more complex, and personal narrative made it a standout among Ghibli's works.
Time Out Japan praised the film as a mature masterpiece, weaving together the director's past, present, and future. Cezary Jan Strusiewicz from Polygon praised the fantasy elements, including Ghibli food shots, and praised the nostalgic longing for the past.
Matt Schley from The Japan Times gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 star rating, stating that while its position within his list of favorite Miyazaki works remains uncertain, there were moments that left him breathless. Full Frontal author Matteo Watzky regarded the film's complexity and potential to not resonate with all viewers as its best aspects, showcasing Miyazaki's talent, subtlety, and imagination.
The film, rated 5 out of 5 by Caryn James of the BBC, is considered the culmination of Miyazaki's career. It blends wartime tragedy and supernatural exploration through character Mahito, showcasing Miyazaki's meticulous attention to detail, vibrant palette, and seamless interplay between reality and the otherworldly. The film's rich tapestry of imagery and dreamlike forms exemplify Miyazaki's innovative storytelling and visual prowess.
Tomris Laffly from The Wrap, praised the film as a personal, artful, and timeless masterpiece, describing it as the deepest and darkest Studio Ghibli film since Grave of the Fireflies. David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film an A rating, describing it as a fitting goodbye to Miyazaki, a true immortal, and a testament to the divine awe and heart-stopping wistfulness of watching a true immortal make peace with their own death.
On a less positive side, The Guardian writer Radheyan Simonpillai, assigning the film 3 out of 5 stars, saw it as "a gentler and slower though no less soulful addition to his canon."
ALSO READ: Hayao Miyazaki Secures Second Oscar Win As The Boy And The Heron Wins Best Animated Feature
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