GKIDS has secured the North American distribution rights to the movie catalogue of Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda.

The New York-based company previously released two of Hosoda’s films (Mirai in 2018 and Belle in 2021), and this new deal brings four more into its catalogue. GKIDS will start selling Summer Wars (2009) and Wolf Children (2012, pictured) immediately, adding The Boy and the Beast (2015) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) in 2025.

GKIDS—which primarily specializes in indie animation—is on a mission to bolster the reach of its anime titles in the North American market with new theatrical and home entertainment releases.

The distributor is well-positioned to serve up anime package deals to buyers interested in this genre. And interest in its catalogue has arguably never been greater, driven by this month’s Best Animated Feature Film Oscar win for Studio Ghibli’s 2023 pic The Boy and The Heron. 

In fact, just days after the 2024 Academy Awards ceremony, WBD streamer Max inked a multi-year deal with GKIDS to extend its exclusive US rights to Studio Ghibli’s entire catalogue and also release Heron sometime later this year.

Hosoda’s films range from PG to PG-13 and come with a strong track record for generating critical acclaim. For instance, Mirai is the first non-Ghibli anime film to receive an Academy Award nomination in the animated feature category. And five of Hosoda’s movies have also won the coveted Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, with a sixth making the shortlist.