Anime film ‘The Boy and the Heron’ is getting a limited edition steelbook release this summer

(Featured Image Source: © 2023 Studio Ghibli / GKIDS, INC)

After an impressive reception from both critics & moviegoers during its theatrical run, Studio Ghibli’s film The Boy and the Heron is getting a limited edition steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray release.

“From the legendary Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) comes an Academy Award®-winning new fantasy adventure. After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world and the truth about himself.”

via GKIDS Store

The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, his first work in a decade. It is the story of a young boy who, after the death of his mother and his father getting remarried, moves to a new town where he discovers a fantastical world and a talking grey heron. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film’s English cast includes Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh.

The Limited Edition Steelbook of The Boy and the Heron is a two-disc set that includes 4K UHD™ + Blu-ray™, making it the first Studio Ghibli officially released on 4K UHD. Bonus features include:

• Feature-Length Storyboards**
• Interview with Composer Joe Hisaishi**
• Interview with Producer Toshio Suzuki
• Interview with Supervising Animator Takeshi Honda**
• Drawing with Takeshi Honda**
• “Spinning Globe” Music Video**
• Teasers & Trailers

**Blu-ray disc only.

For a limited time, purchases will include a fold-out poster.

The Boy and the Heron Steelbook release will be available on July 9, 2024. You can pre-order it now over on the GKIDS Store.

(Source: GKIDS Store)

Anime NYC 2025 has wrapped up, so make sure to check out our coverage to see what happened at NYC’s largest anime convention! And stay tuned! Anime NYC 2026 is set for August 20-23! We will keep you up to date as they announce their special guests, event lineup, and when badge sales go live!