The Boy and the Heron, the latest (and perhaps not the last) feature film from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki and the animation gurus at Studio Ghibli, received expectedly great reviews for its debut in North America. IGN’s The Boy and the Heron review awarded it a 9 out of 10, calling it “Studio Ghibli’s most visually complex film to date” and the “most emotionally raw Miyazaki has ever gotten.”
If you’re wondering how and where to watch The Boy and the Heron in 2024, take a look at the info below.
The Boy and the Heron Streaming Online
The Boy and the Heron is currently available to purchase digitally on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and Vudu for $19.99. The latest Miyazaki film is currently not available as part of any streaming subscription services. Despite this, it’s worth noting that all but one of Studio Ghibli’s previous films (Grave of the Fireflies) are streaming on Max. We’ll update this with new information as it becomes available.
The Boy and the Heron 4K UHD and Blu-ray Is now Available
On July 9, 2024 The Boy and the Heron Blu-ray and limited-edition steelbooks became available to the public. You can currently purchase a copy of either via Amazon and various other onlie retailers. Amazon is also having a sale on other Studio Ghibli movies alongside the release of the film.
What Is The Boy and the Heron About?
The Boy and the Heron is acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years. Here’s the official plot “introduction” from Studio Ghibli:
A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.
How to Watch Previous Studio Ghibli Movies
Every Studio Ghibli movie, excluding Grave of the Fireflies, is available to stream on Max. Grave of the Fireflies, unfortunately, cannot currently be found to rent or buy on any digital platform:
Studio Ghibli Channel
Max (Stream)
Grave of the Fireflies
N/A
The Boy and the Heron Voice Cast
The Boy and the Heron was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It stars the following actors:
English Voice Cast
Christian Bale as Shoichi MakiDave Bautista as The Parakeet KingGemma Chan as NatsukoWillem Dafoe as Noble PelicanKaren Fukuhara as Lady HimiMark Hamill as GranduncleRobert Pattinson as Gray HeronFlorence Pugh as Kiriko
Japanese Voice Cast
Takuya Kimura as Shoichi MakiJun Kunimura as The Parakeet KingYoshino Kimura as NatsukoKaoru Kobayashi as Noble PelicanAIMYON as Lady HimiShohei Hino as GranduncleMasaki Suda as Gray HeronKo Shibasaki as Kiriko
The Boy and the Heron Rating and Runtime
The Boy and the Heron is Rated PG-13 for some violent content/bloody images and smoking. The film runs for a total of 2 hours and 4 minutes including credits.
Looking for more movie coverage from IGN? Check out our updated list of the movies still to come in 2024 or our list of the 11 best Studio Ghibli movies.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
