Media services provider Netflix has acquired the rights to iconic animated films from Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation film studio.
Next month, 21 animated films from Studio Ghibli will be available on Netflix after it bought rights to the Japanese studio's anime feature films. Some of the studio's most famous films are the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle.
Studio Ghibli was founded by animators Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao in 1985. In a 2002 interview, Hayao said: "I believe in the power of story. I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings, that they can stimulate, amaze and inspire their listeners."
Sarah Taylor, a fan of Studio Ghibli films, said: "It will really give people the chance to enjoy a lot of classics that they may not know about but are famous in the anime world." Taylor said she has been a fan of Ghibli films since she was 16 years old.
She mentioned that she was first introduced to the films by her Japanese housemate. She narrated: "I saw some artwork on her wall and I thought - 'What is this? This is amazing'. She showed me the film and I was captivated, it really showed me what Japanese life could look like with a thrilling magical element on top."
Laura Bailey, an assistant producer at BBC 1Xtra, said: "It's great to have it on Netflix because people are really getting introduced into anime and are going to be able to watch the classic movies and understand what all the hype is about."
Bailey claims that over time, the traditional stereotype of someone who watches anime has evolved. She mentioned: "I know a lot of rappers like AJ Tracey have spoken about watching anime, I don't think it's like a weird or geeky thing as much as it used to be when I was growing up."
She added: "It's the ultimate escapism, its like a Japanese Disney. It will take you to a different world if you ever grew up with cartoons."
