HBO Max Strikes a New Deal for More Anime Films Days After Purging American Cartoons

HBO Max (yes, it's back to the original name) seems to have recognized the growing market of anime, at least on its own “prestige” terms. The service has long been home to the Studio Ghibli movies and is now expanding its library through a new deal with film distributor GKIDS.

Starting September 1, HBO Max will be picking up 20 animated and live-action movies from well-known Japanese directors like Hideaki Anno, Makoto Shinkai, and Satoshi Kon, some of which are premiering on streaming in North America for the first time. Here’s what you have to look forward to:

HBO Max Picking Up 20 Animated and Live-Action Movies From GKIDS

Several movies are making their way to the Warner Bros.-owned service in just several weeks. On September 1, HBO Max is getting the following:

• Children Who Chase Lost Voices (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
• Fireworks (dir. Akiyuki Shinbo, Noboyuki Takeuchi)
• Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (dir. Ayumu Watanabe) - North American Streaming Debut
• Ghost Cat Anzu (dir. Yôko Kuno, Nobuhiro Yamashita) - North American Streaming Debut
• Lonely Castle in the Mirror (dir. Keiichi Hara) - North American Streaming Debut
• Love & Pop (dir. Hideaki Anno) - North American Streaming Debut
• The Place Promised in Our Early Days (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
• Your Name. (dir. Makoto Shinkai) - 4K Streaming Debut

More movies will make their way to the streamer in 2026, with specific release dates to be announced:

• Angel’s Egg (dir. Mamoru Oshii) - North American Streaming Debut, 4K Streaming Debut
• Liz and the Blue Bird (dir. Naoko Yamada)
• Lu Over the Wall (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
• Millennium Actress (dir. Satoshi Kon)
• Mind Game (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
• Perfect Blue (dir. Satoshi Kon) - 4K Streaming Debut
• Shin Godzilla (dir. Hideaki Anno, co-director Shinji Higuchi) - 4K Streaming Debut
• Summer Wars (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) - 4K Streaming Debut
• The Boy and the Beast (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) - 4K Streaming Debut
• The Colors Within (dir. Naoko Yamada) - North American Streaming Debut
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) - 4K Streaming Debut
• Wolf Children (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) - 4K Streaming Debut

The original press release from Warner Bros. notes which movies are making their North American premiere, as well as which movies will stream in 4K for the first time. Keep in mind that you’ll need a standalone HBO Max Premium account to support 4K streaming, which is in fact not included in the otherwise wonderful Disney+ and Hulu bundle.