In Japan, Studio Ghibli's films are primarily distributed theatrically by Toho, one of the largest film distributors in the country. However, there were a few early exceptions, such as Castle in the Sky (1986) and Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), which were distributed by Toei Company. These films were part of Ghibli’s early portfolio, laying the groundwork for the studio’s future success.
For home media (DVDs, Blu-rays, etc.), Walt Disney Studios Japan handles most releases, including popular titles like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), even though these films were created before Studio Ghibli was officially established.
Pony Canyon occasionally releases Studio Ghibli documentaries and rental versions under a deal with Disney, allowing Japanese audiences access to behind-the-scenes content and special editions.
In North America, Disney initially held the distribution rights for Studio Ghibli’s films. Disney produced English dubs for 15 Ghibli films, featuring prominent voice actors to make the films accessible to Western audiences, and released them under various banners like Walt Disney Pictures, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, and Miramax.
In 2011, GKIDS acquired the North American theatrical distribution rights, while Disney retained home video rights. By 2017, Disney relinquished its home video rights (except for The Wind Rises) to GKIDS, which now handles all theatrical and home media distribution of Ghibli films in North America.
Outside Asia and North America, since 2003, Goodfellas (formerly Wild Bunch International) has held Studio Ghibli’s international sales rights. Individual distribution rights are managed by various companies, including Wild Bunch in France and Belgium, Elysian Film Group in the UK and Ireland, Leonine in Germany, Lucky Red in Italy, Vértigo Films in Spain, and Crunchyroll Store Australia in Australia and New Zealand.
In October 2019, Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max (now known as Max) acquired exclusive streaming rights to Studio Ghibli's catalog in the United States. This marked a shift for Ghibli, which had previously avoided streaming services. The Ghibli films became available on HBO Max upon the service’s launch in May 2020.
In January 2020, Netflix acquired exclusive streaming rights to Ghibli's catalog for regions outside the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Netflix released the Ghibli films in batches starting February 1, 2020. In June 2020, Netflix Canada began streaming Ghibli films through a separate deal with GKIDS.
Grave of the Fireflies is an exception in Ghibli's catalog, as it was produced and is owned by Shinchosha, a Japanese publishing company, rather than Tokuma Shoten, Ghibli’s usual partner. This unique ownership arrangement has led to different distribution paths compared to other Ghibli films, and it is often excluded from Ghibli collections and streaming deals.
Before Disney’s involvement, early international releases of Ghibli films faced significant editing and localization changes. For instance, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released in the U.S. as Warriors of the Wind and was heavily edited, with character names changed and themes altered. Dissatisfied with these alterations, Studio Ghibli adopted a strict "no cuts" policy for all future international releases to preserve the integrity of their storytelling.