Legendary Studio’s Saddest Tale Now Streaming (Photo Credit – Netflix)

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Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies has long carried a weight unlike anything else in the studio’s catalogue. The anime masterpiece, released in 1988 under the direction of Isao Takahata, offered a sobering lens on World War II through the quiet suffering of two siblings, drifting through a world shattered by conflict.

This film, which is far removed from the fantastical creatures or enchanted forests Ghibli is known for, built its legacy on raw, human truth and, for decades, remained the only major Ghibli work that couldn’t be streamed in its home country.

Grave of the Fireflies Finally Coming Home to Streaming

Grave of the Fireflies’ long absence ends on July 15, when Netflix Japan finally adds the movie to its library. This marks a significant first as no full-length Studio Ghibli film has ever been available for streaming in Japan before. While a handful of Ghibli-related shorts and behind the scenes features found homes on platforms like Disney+ and Amazon Prime, the studio’s core cinematic titles remained locked away.

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