Netflix has just dropped a surprise announcement by revealing that they have gained the rights to stream Studio Ghibli films WORLDWIDE—except in North America and Japan. And while yes, HBO Max will make Ghibli digitally available in North America, release in the said platform won’t be ‘til May 2020—a good three months later than Netflix, which will start adding Ghibli films to its library by February 1.

According to Netflix’s Australia and New Zealand Twitter account, 21 Studio Ghibli films will be released over three months in three batches. The release schedule is as follows:

February 1:

Castle in the Sky

My Neighbor Totoro

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Only Yesterday

Porco Rosso

Ocean Waves

Tales from Earthsea

March 1:

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Princess Mononoke

My Neighbor the Yamadas

Spirited Away

The Cat Returns

Arrietty

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

April 1:

Pom Poko

Whisper of the Heart

Howl’s Moving Castle

Ponyo

From Up on Poppy Hill

The Wind Rises

When Marnie Was There

Feel like something is missing? Right you are, as Isao Takahata’s tragic war movie Grave of the Fireflies is the only Ghibli film not on the list.

Ghibli’s agreement to allow their beloved films to be streamed online is seen as their way of adapting to current demand, as they have long resisted to make their films digitally available. GKIDS, the official North American distributor of Ghibli films, has even said in a statement last year that “Studio Ghibli does not make their films available digitally, whether for download or streaming, anywhere in the world… They continue to believe that presentation is vital and particularly appreciate opportunities for audiences to experience the films together in a theatrical setting.”

In light of the Netflix news, Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki has acknowledged that the studio’s recent moves to digital are indeed their answer to fan demand, saying in a prepared statement, “In this day and age, there are various great ways a film can reach audiences. We’ve listened to our fans and have made the definitive decision to stream our film catalogue. We hope people around the world will discover the world of Studio Ghibli through this experience.”

Source: Crunchyroll News