Abuse your HBO Max free trial and stream ‘Earwig and the Witch’ for free

Anime fans rejoice because Studio Ghibli finally released its first feature film in four years. Earwig and the Witch is a major departure for the studio as it’s Ghibli’s first 3D animated film. Casual fans will recognize Studio Ghibli & Hayao Miyazaki’s distinct 2D animation style. 

Earwig and the Witch director Gorō Miyazaki is bringing the famed anime studio into the twenty-first century with his latest film. The film should be on the top of every anime fan’s watch list in 2021. 

Sadly HBO Max discontinued its free trial. It’s hard to find a place to stream Earwig and the Witch for free now. However, we’ve compiled the top sites to stream the first 3D animation from Studio Ghibli. Here are the places to watch the film.

Just pay for HBO Max

Studio Ghibli’s streaming home in the U.S. is HBO Max. Outside of the U.S., Netflix is the place to go. HBO Max has all but three Studio Ghibli films: Grave of the Fireflies, The Castle of Cagliostro, and Mary and the Witch’s Flower. Shinchosha owns Grave of the Fireflies, and Netflix owns the streaming rights for the latter two. HBO Max has Studio Ghibli’s most popular titles, including My Neighbor Totoro & Spirited Away. 

HBO Max will never compare to the sheer volume of anime titles Netflix has. However, there are a plethora of other titles like Erased, Tower of God, and InuYasha. Despite a good amount of anime titles, HBO Max does not have a separate anime section. You’ll have to scroll past all the Hanna Barbera and Looney Tunes cartoons to find what you’re looking for. 

With the release of Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max, the streaming service discontinued its free trial. The service is $15 a month, but it’s totally worth it. WarnerMedia is releasing all their 2021 titles on the service, so you’re bound to find something you like. Also, for a limited time, for $70, you’ll get six months of HBO Max, that’s 20% off. At the end of six months, you’ll go back to paying monthly. 

Streaming sites

If HBO Max is out of your price range, try a free streaming site. The most famous site is Gomovies, but any other site like 123Movies or PutLocker has many new titles, including Earwig and the Witch. The site is simple to use. Just search for the title you want to watch, and begin streaming. 

Be careful when looking for a streaming site. Some will ask you for a credit card to verify your information. Most don’t specify a trial date or subscription price, but if you read the terms & conditions, they do reference it. There is a section about a premium subscription, however, there is no mention of a price. 

What is Earwig and the Witch about?

Earwig and the Witch is about a little girl named Earwig who’s put up for adoption by her witch mother. No, we aren’t calling her mother a witch – she’s actually a witch. The head of the orphanage doesn’t like the name Earwig and gives her the name Erica Wig. She’s then adopted against her wishes by two witches looking for extra hands around the house. 

Earwig doesn’t like her new home and has a tendency to pull pranks on her new family. To not give too much away, hilarity ensues, and they all lived happily ever after. It’s a cute little film, a little less than an hour and a half. It’s not as fantastical as what you’d expect from other Studio Ghibli films, but it’ll warm your heart. 

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Are you excited for Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli’s first 3D animated film, or wished they stick to 2D animation? Let us know in the comments.