Summary
Much like Disney films are a yearly event for American film goers, so too are theStudio Ghiblireleases an event for Japanese audiences. Maybe even more so since (unlike Disney films) a yearly Ghibli film isn’t guaranteed, and most are released within a few years apart from one another. It’s one of the reasons (the other being that the films are usually of high quality) that Japanese audiences turn out in droves to see them.
WhenThe Boy and the Herondropped in theaters this year, it had been ten YEARS since they released anything in theaters (the studio kept itself busy with some video game work and documentary stuff)! That’s a long time to wait for a new Ghibli film. Sadly, the studio DID have a film to release in the middle of that waiting period, but forces outside their control forced the film to premiere on TV instead. Here’s the story of what happened toEarwig and the Witch.
What is Earwig and the Witch?
Earwig and the Witchis a children’s novel written by British author Diana Wynne Jones (who also wroteHowl’s Moving Castle, anotherfamous Studio Ghibli adaptation). The story centers on Earwig, a clever orphan who is perfectly content with her life in the orphanage. However, her world is turned upside down when she is adopted by a witch and brought to a mysterious, haunted house. Undeterred by her new circumstances, Earwig uses her wit and cunning to manipulate her surroundings and the surrounding characters, aiming to take control of her newfound situation.
UnlikeHowl’s Moving Castle,Earwig and the Witchisn’t one of Wynne’s more famous novels, and a film adaptation would be given the freedom to depart from the source material in significant ways that most authors wouldn’t normally allow. While Hayao Miyazaki directedHowl’s Moving Castle, one of his close family members would take on the challenge of directringEarwig and the Witch.
Who Directed the Movie?
The film adaptation was a significant project that was undertaken by Studio Ghibli. It marked a departure from the studio’s traditional hand-drawn animation style, as it was their first ventureinto full 3D CGI(at least in feature film form [a few full CGI shorts were created for the Ghibli Museum to practice with the format]).
The directorial reins for this project were in the hands of Goro Miyazaki. Goro is the son of Hayao Miyazaki, one of the co-founders of Studio Ghibli and the director behind many of its most beloved films, such asSpirited Away,My Neighbor Totoro, andPrincess Mononoke(no pressure there). Though Goro had previously directed films likeTales from EarthseaandFrom Up on Poppy Hill, Earwig and the Witch was a fresh challenge given its computer animation medium (which necessitated new animators familiar with the process be brought on board).
Despite the new animation format, the film sought to capture the magical essence and character depth that Studio Ghibli films are renowned for. Goro was especially excited about testing Ghibli’s new animation style on the big screen, the same way previous Ghibli films had been seen. Alas, a major real-world event would make that difficult.
Why Was it Aired on TV?
WhileEarwig and the Witchwas supposed to receive a traditional theatrical release, theCOVID-19 Pandemichit the world and forced movie theaters to shutter. Uncertain of when the pandemic would end and in need of cash, Studio Ghibli searched for alternative means to distribute the film. In Japan, the movie aired on NHK General TV (NHK was also a co-producer of the film) on Jun 21, 2025.
In America Warner Bros. made a deal to acquire the entire Studio Ghibli catalog to help launch their new streaming service HBO Max (since re-named to Max), and the filmdropped on the serviceon July 29, 2025. It should be noted that once theaters started to re-open again, special screenings for the film were made so that Ghibli fans could see the film in theaters the way it was intended to be seen. The only problem was these screenings were surprisingly empty as many viewers simply didn’t like the film.
Critics were harsh on the script (which many found to be unfocused and uninteresting) while most viewers were in agreement that the CGI animation was not especially good (and the few who saw it in theaters agreed it looked worse on a giant, silver screen). Ultimately, the film was not a financial success and is considered one of the rare black marks on Ghibli’s otherwise stunning library. Still, one does wonder if the film might have at least opened strong had the COVID-19 Pandemic not forced the film onto our TV screens while we were all hunkered indoors.
Earwig and the Witchcan currently be streamed on Maxhere.
