Disney+ has signed a multi-film licensing deal with TOHO-owned distributor Anime Limited, bringing 11 acclaimed anime films to the UK, Ireland, and France later in 2026.
Disney+ has signed a multi-film licensing deal with TOHO-owned distributor Anime Limited to bring 11 acclaimed anime films to subscribers in the UK, Ireland, and France. The titles - spanning work from directors Makoto Shinkai, Mamoru Hosoda, Satoshi Kon, and Katsuhiro Otomo - will arrive on the platform later in 2026.
The deal covers an impressive roster of modern classics and landmark titles:
Your Name (directed by Makoto Shinkai)
Weathering with You (directed by Makoto Shinkai)
Perfect Blue (directed by Satoshi Kon)
Akira (directed by Katsuhiro Otomo)
A Silent Voice (directed by Naoko Yamada)
Belle (directed by Mamoru Hosoda)
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (directed by Mamoru Oshii)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (directed by Mamoru Hosoda)
Mirai (directed by Mamoru Hosoda)
Summer Wars (directed by Mamoru Hosoda)
Wolf Children (directed by Mamoru Hosoda)
Mamoru Hosoda dominates the lineup with five films, making up nearly half the slate. Combined with Shinkai's two entries, the deal leans heavily on the two directors who have driven anime's mainstream global reach over the past decade.
The agreement covers two distinct territories with different scopes. Subscribers in the UK and Ireland will receive access to all 11 films. France, however, will receive nine of the eleven titles: Belle, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mirai, Summer Wars, Weathering with You, Wolf Children, Perfect Blue, and Your Name.
Notably absent from the French portion of the deal are two high-profile entries Akira and A Silent Voice. These omissions likely reflect existing licensing agreements held by other distributors in the French market, where anime film rights are frequently split across multiple platforms.
Several of the titles will mark their streaming debut in these regions. Weathering with You and the bulk of Hosoda's filmography - Belle, Mirai, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children - have not previously been available on any major streaming service in the UK or France, making this a significant first for Disney+ subscribers in those markets.
The Anime Limited partnership is part of a broader push by Disney+ to strengthen its anime catalog in European territories. The platform has also confirmed plans to stream Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc later in 2026, with Death Stranding Isolations slated for 2027.
Anime Limited, acquired by TOHO in recent years, has become one of the most prominent distributors of anime film and home video in the UK market. The company handles theatrical and physical media releases for a wide range of Japanese animation titles, and this Disney+ agreement extends its reach into the streaming space on a scale it has not previously achieved with a single platform partner.
The deal positions Disney+ as a more competitive destination for anime fans in the UK and France, where Crunchyroll and Netflix have traditionally held the strongest catalogs. By securing marquee titles like Your Name and Akira - films that carry name recognition well beyond the core anime audience - Disney+ is clearly targeting both dedicated fans and casual viewers who may be drawn in by the most commercially successful anime films of the past four decades.
A specific launch date for the films on Disney+ has not yet been announced, though the joint statement from Disney and Anime Limited confirms a 2026 arrival window.
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