Grave of the Fireflies Returns to Netflix Japan on July 15
Studio Ghibli's 1988 animated film "Grave of the Fireflies" will begin its second domestic streaming run on Netflix Japan on July 15, 2026. Directed by Isao Takahata and based on Akiyuki Nosaka's novel, the film follows 14-year-old Seita and his 4-year-old sister Setsuko as they struggle to survive after losing their mother in an air raid during World War II. Netflix first streamed the film in over 190 countries and regions (excluding Japan) starting September 16, 2024, where it ranked 7th in the Netflix Weekly Global Top 10 (Non-English Films) in its first week. In 2025, it became the first Studio Ghibli film to stream on Netflix in Japan, with subtitles in 33 languages and dubbing in 10 languages. The audio description features Japanese narration by Shota Yasuda (SUPER EIGHT) and English narration by Patrick Harlan (Pakkun Makkun). Alongside the re-release, Netflix is launching the "#NetflixEssay" project, which includes a children's essay workshop for 5th and 6th graders on July 11 and a note campaign from July 15 to August 31. Netflix is also supporting free school screenings at junior high schools across Japan by providing free viewing codes to schools that obtain permission from Shinchosha.