HBO Max Expands GKIDS Anime Library with 20 Titles in 4K

HBO Max is expanding its collaboration with GKIDS, adding a slate of 20 animated and live-action Japanese titles to its streaming library. The first batch lands on September 1, with a mix of beloved classics and newer offerings from renowned filmmakers such as Makoto Shinkai, Hideaki Anno, Mamoru Hosoda, Mamoru Oshii, Satoshi Kon, Naoko Yamada, Masaaki Yuasa, and Keiichi Hara. Several titles will stream in 4K, marking a notable step in the platform’s effort to bolster its anime catalogue. Additional titles are slated to roll out through 2025 and into 2026, with dates to be announced as transfers and restorations are completed.

The initial wave introduces both animated and live-action works, spanning genres from heartfelt drama to speculative fiction. Among the titles premiering on the service are the emotional and visually distinctive Children Who Chase Lost Voices, Fireworks, and Ghost Cat Anzu, along with Your Name and The Place Promised in Our Early Days, both from Makoto Shinkai. The batch also includes the live-action Love Pop, directed by Hideaki Anno, and Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, directed by Ayumu Watanabe. Substantial portions of the lineup are being presented to...