13 Years Later, the Greatest Studio Ghibli Movie Not From Ghibli Is Free on Streaming

Laika's 2016 Japanese epic is a must-see

When Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement from filmmaking in 2013, much of the world let out a wail of despair. Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli captivated audiences worldwide with breathtaking animation, imaginative worlds, and whimsical stories for over three decades. Beloved films such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) showcased the studio’s distinctive charm and Miyazaki’s remarkable creative vision.

The thought that audiences might never again experience a new story from such a gifted filmmaker was almost unbearable. Fortunately, that prospect proved to be premature: Miyazaki returned to filmmaking with The Boy and the Heron (2023), giving audiences another chance to be swept away by his storytelling.

However, when Miyazaki departed, and many of Ghibli’s other workers went on to form their own studios and create their own stories, a major gap opened in the market. A gap that Travis Knight, CEO and lead animator of the stop-motion animation studio Laika, took full advantage of with the 2016 Japan-set fantasy epic, Kubo and the Two Strings.

Laika's latest film, Wildwood, is in theaters now and definitely worth checking out. But if you're looking for a cozy night in, Kubo and the Two Strings is now streaming for free on Tubi as of November 2026.

What is Kubo and the Two Strings about?

Set in a fantasy version of early feudal Japan, Kubo and the Two Strings follows Kubo (Art Parkinson), a young boy living in feudal Japan whose eye was stolen by his tyrannical grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), when he was an infant. Raised on the outskirts of town, Kubo’s true talent lies in wielding a magical instrument capable of bringing paper to life.

However, one big issue remains: Kubo can never be outside after dark; otherwise, the Moon King will find him and take his other eye.

After he’s caught outside at night, Kubo's demonic aunts (Rooney Mara) and the Moon King pursue him. Kubo escapes, but has little choice but to set out on a quest to defeat these dark forces. Fortunately, he isn’t alone: he’s joined by an anthropomorphic macaque (Charlize Theron) and a humanized stag beetle (Matthew McConaughey).

Like earlier Laika films such as Coraline and ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings emphasizes Kubo’s portrayal as an outcast, weighed down by his circumstances. Only when he embraces who he really is and his talents can hey find the strength to overcome innumerable obstacles.

What makes Kubo and the Two Strings a perfect Studio Ghibli film?

What makes a Studio Ghibli film? The answer differs from person to person, but for me, it’s a specific blend of the mundane and magical, the beauty and hardship of growing up, and personal, character-driven stories. Even a grand fantasy adventure like Princess Mononoke, while more epic in scale, still makes room for quiet, introspective moments between characters without rushing from one plot point to the next.

These features are perfectly captured in Kubo and the Two Strings. What is more commonplace than paper? But with Laika’s prestigious command of stop-motion animation and writers Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes at the helm, accompanied by the ethnic instruments from Japan of composer Dario Marianelli, Kubo and the Two Strings made something so banal feel like pure magic to behold.

Although Kubo and the Two Strings is packed with action (the giant skeleton sequence is jaw-dropping), its most extraordinary moments come when the fighting stops and the characters interact. Despite being accompanied by anthropomorphic creatures and paper beings, Kubo finds wisdom in each character, humanizing them just as Miyazaki did with the ineffable Totoro.

Yet the strongest connection between Kubo and the Two Strings and Studio Ghibli is their visual style. Studio Ghibli has such a distinct look that you can recognize its films even without knowing their titles. Laika, meanwhile, blends its sculpted, hand-painted style with elements of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and origami. The result is a visual aesthetic deeply rooted in Japanese art, making Kubo and the Two Strings feel just as noteworthy as a Studio Ghibli film.

Ultimately, Kubo and the Two Strings is not a Studio Ghibli film — but it could easily be mistaken for one. It is stylish, beautiful to behold, and ethereal in its story of adolescence. If you’ve watched all you need to from Ghibli and are looking for a spiritual successor, you can’t go wrong with what Kubo and the Two Strings — and Laika in general — has to offer.

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Kubo and the Two Strings streams now on Tubi.