Sunday, 12 July 2026
Anime, manga, and games, with a take · A Yukimedia publication
← all stories animerelease 5 sources · Jun 15 ·

Grave of the Fireflies Returns to Netflix Japan on July 15

Netflix is positioning the film as a "summer cultural viewing experience" and pairing the re-stream with educational initiatives, signaling a shift from passive distribution to active programming around a decades-old title.

Key Facts

  • Studio Ghibli's 1988 anime film 'Grave of the Fireflies' returns to Netflix Japan on July 15, 2026, for its second domestic streaming run.
  • The film features Japanese audio description narration by Shota Yasuda (SUPER EIGHT) and English narration by Patrick Harlan (Pakkun Makkun).
  • Netflix is launching the '#NetflixEssay' project alongside the re-release, including 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 providing free viewing codes to junior high schools across Japan for school screenings of the film, requiring schools to obtain permission from Shinchosha.

Reporting from 5 sources: Eiga Natalie, Comic Natalie, GAME Watch (Impress), KAI-YOU, and 1 more.

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.

Tsutomu Tatsumi voices Seita, and Ayano Shiraishi voices Setsuko, the source articles confirm. The film is set in Hyogo during World War II, not just generically in Japan. Netflix positions the re-stream as a "summer cultural viewing experience passed down across time and borders," according to KAI-YOU and Anime Anime.

The "#NetflixEssay" campaign on the note platform invites submissions in free formats including text, photos, manga, or illustrations. Five lottery winners will receive Netflix goods and the book "Isao Takahata and 'Grave of the Fireflies': Deciphering the 'Phantom Script' and '7 Notebooks of Ideas.'" The children's essay workshop for 5th and 6th graders on July 11 will focus on themes of "peace," "family," and "everyday life," conducted as a place to deepen learning through dialogue and expressive activities after viewing the film.

For school screenings, Netflix is providing free viewing codes to junior high schools across Japan that apply via an application form and receive permission from Shinchosha. The initiative aims to connect opportunities to think about war, peace, and family to the next generation, using the film as a starting point.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 5 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

Grave of the Fireflies Studio Ghibli Akiyuki Nosaka

More on this

Sources