Studio Ghibli may already be well known for its whimsical fantasy tales, but its rich history did little to prepare fans for the exciting adventure they will experience in The Boy and the Hare. The animated film grossed $127 million at the box office, making it the top-grossing animated film ever released in North America as well as Japan.

"The Boy and the Hare," the studio's 24th and final animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, certainly still had plenty of publicity. The story follows young Mahito as he becomes entangled in mysterious events related to his new home. Mahito has lost the meaning of life after the death of his mother, but he still finds reasons to live and eventually love with the people around him.

The real meaning of the film's title, taken from the Japanese kanji (and the novel on which it is based), "How Do You Live?" best describes its external sentiment, and that sentiment is certainly expressed in much of the praise. The Boy and the Hare has been nominated for several awards, including the 2024 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It has already won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film.

Like Mahito's "How Do You Live?" many may be wondering how to experience this fantasy epic again at home or for the first time. In the wake of the film's Academy Award flop, the streaming dates and locations for "The Boy and the Hare" have become increasingly important. Let's take a quick look at when and where you can watch Miyazaki's latest masterpiece.

Where exactly in the sea of streaming Miyazaki's "The Boy and the Hare" will be available is a bit unclear. One thing to note, however, is that Max, the best streaming service, delivers most of the existing Studio Ghibli films, making it a prime candidate for the latest installment.

That does not mean that "The Boy and the Hare" is officially going to Max, but it could be distributed on a variety of other platforms, including Netflix and Apple TV, largely due to international viewing Max is not released worldwide. In countries where Max is not available, other Studio Ghibli films can be viewed on the aforementioned platforms.

It all depends on where producers and distributors find the widest appeal. Max has proven to be a welcome home for all of Studio Ghibli's films, but there may be a better way to get its latest smash hit into as many homes as possible. We will have to wait and see how "The Boy and the Hare" will be streamed, but with theatrical releases dwindling, an announcement is sure to be made in the near future.

Similarly, there is no valid information yet on when "The Boy and the Hare" will be available for streaming. Considering that the film is still in select theaters worldwide, it is safe to assume that it will be some time before this animated feature will appear on home platforms.

Factor in the fact that Disney's "The Marvels," which opened in theaters just a month before "The Boy and the Hare," will launch on Disney Plus in February, and Studio Ghibli's animated adventure will be on streaming platforms, Spring 2024 at the earliest.

The speed at which "The Boy and the Hare" will appear on streaming distribution depends solely on its inevitable digital debut. Once it is available for rent or purchase on various platforms, it will be available on the streamer of one's choice a month or two later. Thus, the spring or summer of 2024 is the best time to expect Miyazaki's pseudo-autobiographical narrative.

In the meantime, you can check Fandango, Cinemark, Regal, and AMC for screening times for The Boy and the Hare. If that's not enough, or if you can't make it to the theater, you might as well get the best streaming device and experience whatever you want from Ghibli's wonderful existing catalog.