The film was released in Japan on July 14 and has grossed $13.2 million since, marking the biggest opening in Studio Ghibli’s history. Howl’s Moving Castle previously held the record with approximately $10 million in its debut.
As well, critics who had the chance to view the movie in Japan had positive things to say about it.
Studio Ghibli also posted the news to its Twitter account and specified that the international premiere of The Boy and the Heron would be the “first time a Japanese film and an animated film has opened TIFF.”
