Netflix to Remove Studio Ghibli and Major Anime Titles on July 31
Netflix has announced another wave of anime removals, with multiple films and series set to leave the service on July 31. The titles span classic Studio Ghibli movies, long-running genre picks, and a handful of major anime franchises—so if you’ve been planning to binge, now is the time to prioritize.
What’s leaving Netflix on July 31
On July 31, Netflix will remove the following anime titles:
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- Castle in the Sky
- The Wind Rises
- The Heart of Sora
- When Marnie Was There
- Pom Poko
- Ponyo
- Poppy Hill
- Earwig and the Witch
- Weathering with You
- Assassination Classroom
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Fate/Extra: Last Encore
Key titles and what to expect before they go
Netflix’s lineup includes a mix of fantasy adventures, coming-of-age stories, and high-stakes school and battle series. Here’s a quick refresher on what each removal includes:
- Howl’s Moving Castle: Sophie, a hat-maker who’s pulled into danger, ends up facing a curse from the Witch of the Andes that forces her into a journey to break the spell and find the mage behind it.
- The Wind Rises: Jirou Horikoshi’s life story is framed through dreams and determination, following his path toward creating the Mitsubishi A6M Zero aircraft—drawing from the manga and related novel inspiration.
- My Heart Suspends in Tokyo: In mid-1990s Tokyo, 14-year-old Shizuku—an avid reader dreaming of becoming a writer—keeps discovering the library books she borrows have also been taken by a boy she knows nothing about.
- When Marnie Was There: After being sent to a quiet Hokkaido seaside town, shy 12-year-old Anna forms a close friendship with a mysterious girl named Marnie.
- Ponyo: Sosuke, a five-year-old living atop a cliff, finds and captures a strange red fish—only for it to reveal a much bigger, magical desire.
- From Up on Poppy Hill: Set during Japan’s 1963 economic boom, the story follows Umi Komatsuzaki in Yokohama as she gets closer to Shun’ya Kazama and learns a secret tied to both of their pasts.
- Earwig and the Witch: An orphaned girl raised by a cruel system finds her life upended when a seemingly normal-looking couple adopts her—only to reveal a world of secret rooms, potions, and a witch “mother.”
- Pom Poko: Told in a documentary-like style, the film follows tanuki defending Mount Tama when human development threatens their home, using guerrilla tactics and tricks against the invasion.
- Weathering with You: After escaping his island and arriving in Tokyo, Hodaka faces a grim reality before finding work tied to a mysterious publication—then meets Hina, who can stop the rain and clear the sky.
- Assassination Classroom: Class 3-E deals with an outlandish teacher—an alien-like figure capable of extreme speed—who has already caused major destruction and now tasks the class with assassinating him.
- Yu-Gi-Oh!: Yugi Muto receives the Millennium Puzzle, awakens his confident alter ego, and grows stronger through the “Duel Monsters” card game—discovering how everything connects back to that powerful artifact.
- Fate/Extra: Last Encore: Hakuno wakes in a virtual world without memory, fights for survival in a war aimed at granting a wish, and seeks answers about who they really are.
Why this matters for anime viewers
With a July 31 removal date, these titles may be gone right after the end of the month, including multiple heavily requested picks. If you’re juggling watchlists, the safest approach is to start with the movies and complete series you most want to revisit before Netflix’s library changes.
