GKIDS Re-Releasing Studio Ghibli Classics On Blu-Ray and DVD

© 1984-2004 Studio Ghibli

This year, GKIDS Films is giving US-based fans the chance to catch many of Studio Ghibli's most beloved films on the big screen with Ghibli Fest. We've now learned that they will be following this up with re-releases of many of the studio's films on Blu-Ray and DVD starting later this year.

They will be re-releasing a number of films that were previously released in the US by Disney/ Buena Vista. Six of the collection will be available by the end of the year. My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle will be released October 17. Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind and Castle In The Sky will follow on October 31.


GKIDS will not be reissuing the Ghibli titles that are already in their catalogue (The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, Ocean Waves, Only Yesterday and From Up On Poppy Hill). Additionally, they do not have the rights to Grave Of The Fireflies or The Wind Rises. However, the rest of the collection will be released, and this will include the first US Blu-Ray release for Isao Takahata's My Neighbors The Yamadas.

Via a post on twitter, a representative from the distributor confirmed a few more details. The Blu-rays will be released as Blu-Ray/DVD combos and in most cases will replicate the special features from the Japanese Blu-rays. " If it's on the Japanese Blu-ray (from Ghibli) then we probably have it. If it's not, sorry, I wouldn't expect to see it at this time. Old dubs, old tweaks etc, Ghibli is very particular about their masters and what is Studio Approved". In other words, if you were hoping the Totoro release might have the old Fox/Streamline dub with the voice of Angelica from Rugrats, you'll be out of luck.

The releases will feature Ghibli-approved translated subtitles, which is notable because some earlier US Blu-rays only featured so-called "dub-titles"(subtitles based on the English dub script).The Blu-Ray/DVD combos will come complete with translated booklets and the goal is to have the entire collection on store shelves by the end of Q1 2018 (think around March/April).




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