Studio Ghibli spent decades refusing to put their films on streaming. Then Netflix got international rights. Then HBO Max secured the US catalog. Now every Ghibli film is one click away — no physical media required. This is the definitive guide to finding each film in 2026.
In the US, Max is your destination. The full catalog is there. Outside the US — Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Europe — Netflix holds the rights for most markets. A few titles get complicated by region, but the vast majority of the world has access through one of those two platforms.
The Essential Ghibli Films on Streaming
Spirited Away
The crown jewel. Chihiro's spirit world journey. Academy Award winner and still the best Ghibli film to start with.
Max
Howl's Moving Castle
Sophie gets cursed and stumbles into Howl's mechanical castle. A war backdrop, a love story, and some of Miyazaki's best imagery.
Max
Your Name
Not Ghibli but essential anime film viewing. Makoto Shinkai's body-swap mystery became a global phenomenon in 2016.
Netflix
My Neighbor Totoro
The Ghibli mascot film. Two sisters, a forest spirit, and a Catbus. Short runtime makes it perfect for any age.
Max
Princess Mononoke
Miyazaki's most ambitious film. A war between forest gods and industrialization. Darker than most Ghibli — in the best way.
Max
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Pre-Ghibli Miyazaki but essential. Post-apocalyptic ecology story. The film that basically created the studio.
Max
Kiki's Delivery Service
A young witch finds her independence. Charming, warm, and genuinely funny. One of the most rewatchable Ghibli films.
Max
Castle in the Sky
Sky pirates, a floating fortress, and a girl with a magical crystal. Ghibli's first film and still a great adventure.
Max
The Wind Rises
Miyazaki's semi-retirement film. A fictionalized biography of Zero fighter designer Jiro Horikoshi. Quiet and profound.
Max
Grave of the Fireflies
Isao Takahata's WWII tragedy. Two orphaned siblings during the firebombing of Japan. Not easy to watch. Necessary to see.
Max
Porco Rosso
A WWI pilot cursed to look like a pig. Mediterranean setting, seaplane dogfights. Miyazaki's most personal film.
Max
The Boy and the Heron
Miyazaki's 2023 comeback. Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature. Dense, strange, and visually unlike anything else.
Max
Pom Poko
Isao Takahata's shape-shifting tanuki story about suburban development destroying a forest. Max. One of Ghibli's most environmental and politically pointed films.
Max
Only Yesterday
Isao Takahata's memory film — a woman in her 20s recalls her 5th-grade self. Available on Max. The most adult and emotionally precise Ghibli film.
Max
Whisper of the Heart
Yoshifumi Kondou's coming-of-age romance about a girl who wants to be a novelist. Max. The Ghibli film that captures adolescent creative ambition most faithfully.
MaxWhere to Start If You're New to Ghibli
Start with Spirited Away. It's not the warmest entry point but it's the best film. If you want something lighter for a first watch, Kiki's Delivery Service or My Neighbor Totoro works better for younger viewers. Princess Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies are for when you're ready for the studio's darker range.