Cartoon fans rejoice when The Boy and the HeronOne of the best anime series in years, will soon join Netflix's streaming lineup after a successful theatrical run. Confirmed by Netflix Anime on X (formerly Twitter) Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece is scheduled to premiere on October 7, 2024 on streaming service Netflix. This is another major acquisition for the streaming giant as it looks to get more serious about anime development following new shows like Terminator Zero and upcoming films like Blue Box and Sakamoto Days.
The Boy and the Heron is one of the biggest animated films released in 2023 and, by extension, in the past decade, With the successful return of director Hayao Miyazaki, it created an immediate buzz. It was a festival hit, a critical darling, a box office hit, and won several prestigious awards at the end of the year for an animated film. The fact that it will be available on a major platform like Netflix only adds to its appeal, with The Boy and the Heron a must-see in Fall 2024.
The Boy and the Heron is one of Miyazaki's best works.
The latest film hails from one of anime's best directors
With Hayao Miyazaki's directing career stretching back to 1979 and his previous works spanning over sixty years, it's hard to imagine The Boy and the Heron being one of his films that resonated with viewers around the world. Netflix viewers will soon be blessed with this latest tale if they haven't seen it yet, as it A beautiful coming-of-age story with shades of Miyazaki's own self-reflection paralleling his own growth.The Boy and the Heron won Best Animated Feature at the 2024 Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Academy Awards.
The Boy and the Heron will soon join Spirited Away, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and many other irreplaceable Studio Ghibli classics as essential animated experiences. The film follows Mahito Maki, who discovers a strange world and a talking heron after a tragic incident takes his mother's life. It expresses a sense of facing the past, evoking the theme of post-war Japan.The direction the surviving citizens must take, and what their lives will be like, creates a powerful vision of national optimism.
The Boy and the Heron Confirms Netflix Is Serious About Upping Their Anime Game
A highly anticipated acquisition by the streaming giant
After troubling developments, including Netflix's recent movie leak fiasco and previous years of less-than-impressive release density, the news that The Boy and the Heron, the best animated film of 2023, is joining the service is a dramatic turnaround. This, along with developments like major Weekly Shonen Jump adaptations like Sakamoto Days, Dan Da Dan, and Green boxshows that the service recognizes the potential of anime to attract viewers and subscribers to its platform. The Boy and the Heron is perhaps the most impressive acquisition.
However, for fans looking for more Ghibli experiences beyond The Boy and the Heron, finding streaming sites for any of the films can be difficult. In the United States, The Boy and the Heron and other films in the Ghibli library have been streaming on the Max app since September 6, 2024before joining Netflix on October 7, 2024. However, given Netflix's popularity, the acquisition of this streaming service The Boy and the HeronLike Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, it's enough to satisfy viewers who don't want to be inundated with subscription services.
