GKIDS is an American film and television distributor. Based in New York City,[1] GKIDS releases mostly international animated films and television series to North American audiences,[2][1][3] as well as American films by independent filmmakers.[4] The name is said to be an acronym for "Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate".[5]
In March 2024, The Boy and the Heron became the company's first theatrical release to win Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards.[6]
GKIDS was founded by Eric Beckman in 2008. He previously co-founded and ran the New York International Children's Film Festival.[9][10] Their first general release was Azur & Asmar, a French film dubbed in English for British and Irish audiences.
The company attained national recognition with the 2010 release of The Secret of Kells,[11] which received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards.[12] They also received two more Best Animated Feature nominations at the 84th Academy Awards, Spanish-language Chico and Rita and French-language A Cat in Paris.[13] Both nominations were considered highly surprising by film insiders,[14][15] beating out such notables as The Adventures of Tintin and Cars 2.[16] This marked the first time that an independent distributor had two films in the Best Animated Feature category in the same year,[17] a decision which Puss in Boots director Chris Miller said indicated the academy's "respect for diversity."[18]
In September 2011, GKIDS announced the acquisition of the North American theatrical distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli library, which were previously held by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.[19] Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, however, retained the home media distribution rights.[19] GKIDS would later also managed the North American distribution of three new Studio Ghibli films: From Up on Poppy Hill in 2013, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya in 2014, and When Marnie Was There in 2015 as well as the first-time North American releases of Only Yesterday and Ocean Waves in 2016.[20][21][22]
On July 17, 2017, it was announced that the North American home media rights to the Ghibli library (with the exception of Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises) had transitioned from Disney to GKIDS, with the distributor announcing plans to begin re-issuing the films beginning in October.[23] The Wind Rises would eventually be reissued by GKIDS on September 2020.[24]
In 2020, partnering with TMS Entertainment, GKIDS handled the American and Canadian release of Lupin III: The First, a 3DCG film adaptation of Monkey Punch's (Kazuhiko Kato) Lupin the Third franchise.[25]
In October 2020, GKIDS announced their license to the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series, as well as the films Death (True)2 and The End of Evangelion for a release in 2021.[26]
In February 2022, GKIDS and Fox Corporation's Tubi announced that they had entered into a content partnership deal.[27]
In March 2022, GKIDS announced their license to Makoto Shinkai's earlier works, Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimeters per Second and Children Who Chase Lost Voices, all of which were scheduled for release on home video in 2022.[28]
On October 15, 2024, Toho announced their intent to acquire GKIDS for an undisclosed amount.[7] The deal was completed in 2025, with GKIDS officially becoming a subsidiary of Toho International.[8]
Founder Eric Beckman has described the animated market in the U.S. as "dominated by expensive-to-produce, expensive-to-distribute movies."[29] GKIDS received Oscar nominations for each of its first three films.[30]
GKIDS has been called "one of the most notable independent distribution companies in the US,"[31] and "the country's best distributor [for] traditional hand-drawn animation."[2] Industry magazine Film Journal International said, "The reason GKIDS films keep getting nominated despite the company's low profile is that, simply put, their films tend to be really good."[32]
Twenty-one feature films released by GKIDS have a perfect, 100% "Fresh" rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes: Sita Sings the Blues,[33] Approved for Adoption,[34] The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,[35] Only Yesterday,[36] Mind Game,[37] Grave of the Fireflies,[38] Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki,[39] This Magnificent Cake!,[40] Okko's Inn,[41] On-Gaku: Our Sound,[42] Goodbye, Don Glees!,[43] Summer Ghost,[44] Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,[45] The First Slam Dunk,[46] Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia,[47]
Not all have been broadly successful with critics, though: Mia and the Migoo (38%),[54] Tales from Earthsea (37%),[55] Fireworks (45%),[56] MFKZ (39%),[57] Earwig and the Witch (28%),[58] The Deer King (59%) and Lonely Castle in the Mirror (50%)[59]
Some Studio Ghibli films currently theatrically distributed by GKIDS were distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for DVD and Blu-ray Disc. However, on July 17, 2017, GKIDS announced that they have acquired the home video rights for the entire Studio Ghibli catalog except Grave of the Fireflies, which the US home video rights had been licensed under Sentai Filmworks, although GKIDS did own the US theatrical rights to the film and would eventually acquire the home media rights with a Blu-ray and DVD release on July 8, 2025;[308] and The Wind Rises, which GKIDS would eventually release digitally on September 1, 2020, and on Blu-ray and DVD on September 22, 2020.[309][310][311]
The company also tours selections of short and feature films screened at NYICFF across the country. In mid-2009, the live-action features Tahaan and West of Pluto (À l'ouest de Pluton) were licensed for potential general releases but plans for both were dropped by late 2011 in favor of a focus on animation.[312] GKIDS would eventually refocus on live-action films in 2025 with a limited screening of Love & Pop, as well as a nationwide screening for Shin Godzilla and Linda Linda Linda.[260][265]
Since 2017, GKIDS has partnered with Fathom Events to host an annual yearlong event called Studio Ghibli Fest, which features limited theatrical screenings of select Studio Ghibli films in select AMC, Cinemark, Regal and other venues. The only year since inception without Ghibli Fest was 2020.
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