Netflix Is Getting All the Studio Ghibli Movies But You Still Can't See Them

The arrival of Disney+ has represented a new, more heated phase of the content wars, as giant streaming platforms like Netflix look to snatch up more shows and movies to edge out their competitors. With Star Wars and Marvel and all the Disney Channel original movies, Disney+ definitely has a leg up on other streaming services, but none of them are taking it lying down.

Netflix has announced that it's acquired the entire catalogue of films from Studio Ghibli, the production studio of iconic Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, behind classics like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro. Along with those three, among the most famous Japanese anime movies ever made, Ghibli's catalogue also includes another 18 movies, including Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea, and When Marnie Was There.

There's just one down side: none of those movies will be available on Netflix in the U.S.

While American Netflix has some solid foreign entries in its catalogue, Studio Ghibli's movies won't be among them. HBO, it turns out, has already acquired the American streaming rights for Studio Ghibli. And even if you already subscribe to HBO Go or HBO Now, you still won't be able to see them: those movies will only be available on the premium HBO Max, a third, more luxe streaming service from HBO slated to debut this coming May.

Subtitles are your friend.

Originally Appeared on GQ