It has been announced that Nippon Television's Friday Road Show (Fridays at 9pm) will broadcast Studio Ghibli animated films for two consecutive weeks at the start of 2026. The first show of 2026 will be Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away " at 9pm on January 2nd, followed by the late Isao Takahata's " The Tale of the Princess Kaguya of the Princess Kaguya" at 9pm the following week on Getsuku . Both shows will be broadcast for an extended time, and will be shown uncut.
" Spirited Away" was released in 2001 and ran for over a year, becoming a huge hit with a final box office gross of approximately 31.68 billion yen. It received worldwide acclaim, winning numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Bear, the highest award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film depicts the story of Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who finds herself lost in a mysterious world where humans are not allowed to enter. Although she feels helpless, she finds a glimmer of hope and develops the will to live while working at a bathhouse for the gods.
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" is a 2013 animated feature film by director Takahata, who reinterpreted Japan's oldest story, "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." It swept numerous international film awards, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and even had a special screening at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight in Tokyo 2025. The film depicts the birth of Princess Kaguya, her childhood, and her growth into a beautiful princess.
