STUDIO GHIBLI CLASSIC SPIRITED AWAY TO BE TOLD IN TE REO MĀORI

STUDIO GHIBLI + MĀORILAND FILMS + CRUNCHYROLL + WHAKAATA MĀORI + TE MĀNGAI PĀHO + SONY PICTURES

The beloved Oscar®-winning classic Spirited Away from the legendary Japanese studio, Studio Ghibli, is to be dubbed into te reo Māori. 

For over 40 years, Studio Ghibli’s films have enthralled fans around the world, including generations of New Zealanders. And now, in a deal by Māoriland Films and supported by Māori language funding agency Te Māngai Pāho, global anime brand Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment, new generations will be captivated by the beautifully hand-drawn, detail-rich animations of iconic classic Spirited Away.

Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki will premiere in te reo Māori across Whakaata Māori and MĀORI+, New Zealand’s national Indigenous broadcaster and streaming platform for catch-up, before screening at Māoriland, the world’s largest Indigenous film festival. 

Together, these platforms will ensure a te reo Māori version of this iconic film is accessible to audiences across Aotearoa and beyond.

This announcement represents a landmark moment not only for te reo Māori, but also for Indigenous language revitalisation globally, demonstrating how international storytelling and Indigenous broadcasters can work together to create meaningful opportunities for language revitalisation through screen media.

Beyond creating a Māori dubbed version of this iconic film, the partnership will introduce te reo Māori to new audiences through broadcast, streaming and community screenings. By combining the incredible reach and accessibility of Whakaata Māori platforms with the festival expertise of Māoriland, the te reo Māori reimagining of this global classic is designed to encourage repeated viewing across generations—supporting the normalisation and everyday use of te reo Māori.

“Spirited Away is the jewel in the crown of the Studio Ghibli catalogue. We approached Studio Ghibli as storytellers who understand what it means when a language inhabits a story. The language of these films is not incidental; it is woven through character, environment and emotion in ways that make te reo Māori a natural fit,”  said Libby Hakaraia, the head of content at Māoriland Films.

“Spirited Away is among the most beloved animated works ever made. At its core, Spirited Away is a story about our relationships with one another and with the natural world. Studio Ghibli films are widely regarded as cinematic classics rather than children’s films, with deep appeal across tamariki, rangatahi, adults and whānau audiences,” said Hakaraia.

The timing is also significant. Global demand for anime is at an all-time high. Subscribers for Crunchyroll, the global anime brand offering fans the world’s largest dedicated anime library, grew nearly 25% globally over the last year. Anime has become a global entertainment powerhouse, with nearly 45% of general entertainment consumers between the ages of 13-54 identifying as anime fans. For Gen Z in particular, anime is more than entertainment; it is a medium that shapes identity. Around 88% of teen anime fans consider anime a meaningful part of who they are,and around 82% say it has influenced their outlook on life. Source: NRG (National Research Group) / Global Anime Study, published in May 2025. 

Spirited Away consistently ranks among the most-loved Ghibli titles for young audiences, with exceptionally high rates of repeat viewing and long-term fan engagement. 

QUOTES

“Whakaata Māori exists to grow the everyday use of te reo Māori, and powerful storytelling is one of the most effective ways to achieve that. Bringing Studio Ghibli’s iconic film Spirited Away to Whakaata Māori and MĀORI+ means audiences of all ages will be able to experience this classic story in te reo Māori. This partnership demonstrates how global stories can become powerful vehicles for language revitalisation when they are made accessible through safe Māori owned platforms.  This is taonga for our mokopuna”.

— Maria Barlow, Director of Content and Audience Engagement, Whakaata Māori 

“For decades, te reo Māori has fought for its place in the media landscape. Reversioning of international film classics in te reo Māori is a proven tool in our language revitalisation kete. This film plants te reo Māori inside one of the world’s best-loved stories. Every child who watches Spirited Away and Chihiro’s journey in te reo Māori, will witness te reo Māori living and breathing in new places.”

• Larry Parr, CEO, Te Māngai Pāho

“Anime fans have a special connection with dubbed series and dub voice talent and that emotional expression is important in fueling the global love of anime. We’re thrilled to see this iconic film presented in te reo Māori, which will breathe new excitement into an already-beloved story.”

• Josellie Rios Lopez, Director, Marketing for the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Crunchyroll

ABOUT 

Māoriland Films is the production arm of Māoriland Charitable Trust, based in Ōtaki, Aotearoa, New Zealand. Māoriland is a world-renowned centre for Māori and Indigenous film and creative excellence, mandated by the tribes of Ōtaki and home to the Māoriland Film Festival — the world’s largest international Indigenous film festival. Since 2014, Māoriland has engaged more than 17,500 rangatahi in creative programmes and generated over $35 million in economic activity, returned entirely to its community.

maorilandfilm.co.nz | @maorilandfilm

Whakaata Māori is the national Indigenous media organisation of Aotearoa New Zealand. They are the vessel carrying Māori language and Māori storytelling forward, strengthening identity, belonging and cultural confidence across Aotearoa. MĀORI+ is the digital gateway to the Māori world view, connecting audiences with language rich storytelling, drama, news, cultural events and entertainment across devices. Free to stream at maoriplus.co.nz. 

Download MĀORI+ from the app store. For more, visit whakaatamaori.co.nz