Over the past few decades, fans have witnessed the emergence of a diverse range of fantasy productions on both the small and big screens. Some have performed well critically and commercially, while others have not been so fortunate. Some have also stood the test of time, influencing popular culture and spawning reboots while maintaining their importance in film and TV history. One such creation is the 2001 animated fantasy that immediately blew audiences’ minds upon its release, which has finally become easier for fans in the US to watch.
Still considered one of the greatest films of all time, Capcom was released in Japan on July 20, 2001 , but it wasn’t until September 20, 2002 that it reached the U.S. Since then, the film has been re-released in theaters a few times, but it has never been readily available on streaming platforms outside of HBO Max in the U.S. and Netflix subscribers outside of North America.
With that, Enchanted is currently streaming on HBO Max in the US , making an epic return to streaming like summer is in the wind. It also comes as the streamer plans to expand its library with award-winning adult animated and live-action films starting in September. Meanwhile, as the only streamer in the US with this gem, HBO Max continues to lead the way in Japanese animation, being the exclusive home of Studio Ghibli’s catalog, thus offering more recognized titles like My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle , Only Yesterday , Ponyo , and Princess Mononoke, among others.
‘Spirited Away’ is one of the best fantasy films ever made
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away tells the deeply moving story of 10-year-old Chihiro, who moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong turn down a forest path, Chihiro and her parents stumble upon an amusement park with a stall offering a variety of food. To her surprise, Chihiro’s parents begin to eat and then transform into pigs. In this supernatural realm, Chihiro encounters a series of heroes and endures a spell in a bath of spirits, awaiting a reunion with her parents.
Produced by Toshio Suzuki, the film was animated by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho. It was the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, holding the record for nineteen years until Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train surpassed it in 2020. The film also received numerous accolades upon release, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The nostalgic fantasy picture is available to watch on HBO Max. Stick with Collider for more streaming updates.
