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The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

Sometimes I get streaming cravings because I’m addicted to streaming much like anyone who can be described with the suffix -holic. I thought my latest craving would be easy to fulfill — a movie from Studio Ghibli. Anything from Howl’s Moving Castle to My Neighbor Totoro would have sufficed, just so long as it was magical, whimsical, and made me ugly cry with how sweet and pure it was. However, I soon found — horror of horrors — there are no Studio Ghibli films available to stream. None. These movies aren’t even available for digital rental or purchase. In the golden streaming age of 2016, this sort of oversight is completely unacceptable.

If you’re not familiar with Studio Ghibli, then I’m so sorry. You’re missing out on an amazing cultural animation touchstone that transcends age and nationality, and you won’t be able to repair that pop culture oversight because, again, none of these amazing movies are available to stream. I’m essentially presenting you with the most delicious looking bowl of pop culture ice cream, but you’re lactose intolerant. More to the point, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio that has produced some of the highest grossing and most critically acclaimed anime feature films of all time. Out of the 15 highest-grossing anime feature films, eight of those are from Studio Ghibli, and five of their movies have received Academy Award nominations. They’re known for their deceptively simple animation style and for making you become too emotionally invested in cartoons.

“But I hate animation, especially anime,” you say, your arms folded and your heart cold. I completely understand, and you’re the reason why Studio Ghibli films needed to be streamable yesterday. At their core, these movies are just good. They often tell simplistic stories about family, friends, acceptance, and coming to terms with responsibility through the lens of their gorgeous and expansive universes. Studio Ghibli stories are relatable on a base human level, yet there is a level of care given to even the most minute detail that leaves you in awe of the production company’s animation team. All of this is to say, Studio Ghibli films are the perfect anime and animation gateway watch.

One of the best parts about being able to stream new shows and movies is discovering new genres you didn’t realize you were interested in. I used to think I hated documentaries. Because I saw one or two bad docs, I swore off an entire realm of filmmaking. However, at my professor’s recommendation freshman year, I decided to watch Paris Is Burning. That one film opened up my viewing universe to a plethora of amazing stories and cocktail party talking points, from the outrage-inducing Blackfish to the sadly uplifting Tig to the deeply disturbing Catfish. Though animation and anime comes with a nerdy label, it’s the same as any other genre of filmmaking. Sure, there are bad and cringe-worthy examples, but there are also genuinely uplifting and innovative gems that you owe to yourself to watch. There are few movies that will make me cry every time I watch them, but the gorgeous Spirited Away is one of them. Also, that film was the first to gross $200 million worldwide before opening in North America, and it was the only anime and non-English-speaking film to date to win an Oscar. I don’t think I’m alone in my Spirited Away appreciation.

Think of what you potentially have to gain from giving Studio Ghibli a chance. Let’s say you stream Spirited Away, and you fall in love. Now you have the entire world of anime at your disposal. Suddenly, you’re obsessing over Death Note or mourning about how the Elric brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist never seem to catch a break or re-appreciating Pokemon. What’s that, you say? You still hate anime? Then you have the entire giant, amazing world of animation at your disposal, from the depressively funny BoJack Horseman and the vulgar South Park to the genre-inverting Archer and the captivating World of Tomorrow.

But what if you already love animation and Studio Ghibli? Then you could rewatch these amazing films and discover more to love. I have yet to see Princess Mononoke, but I sure would like to. Also, you can share these amazing films with your friends and family. Is there a better feeling than sharing a streaming gem you know someone close to you will adore? Probably, but sharing your favorite films is still a great feeling. Not to be hyperbolic, but Studio Ghibli has the potential to bring the entire streaming universe together and make the world a happier place.

However, none of those things can occur right now because none of Studio Ghibli’s 20 films are streaming. There’s also a good chance that Studio Ghibli won’t make its way to streaming anytime soon. Disney holds the U.S. distribution rights to these films, and the big mouse has been notoriously strict with what does and doesn’t stream. However, two things are working in our dream’s favor: according to one Redditor, Tales from Earthsea was streaming on Netflix a few years ago, which, if true, proves it’s possible to bring these films to streaming. Also, more importantly, Netflix has an exclusive streaming distribution deal with Disney for 2016, so fingers crossed.

In case you want a cheat sheet on everything Studio Ghibli has produced, I’ve added a list of all of the company’s films (in chronological order). Also, if you want to get a taste of the magic I’ve been talking about, you can watch the documentary about the film studio, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness.