Short answers, pulled from the story.
Eric Beckman founded GKIDS in 2008 as an acronym for Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate. Beckman was a former organizer of the New York International Children's Film Festival who sought to save hand-drawn and independent animation.
GKIDS announced the acquisition of North American theatrical distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli library in September 2011. The company later acquired home media rights on the 17th of July 2017, with the exception of Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises.
GKIDS began managing the North American distribution of new Studio Ghibli films with From Up on Poppy Hill in 2013. The company subsequently released The Tale of the Princess Kaguya in 2014 and When Marnie Was There in 2015.
Twenty-two feature films released by GKIDS have a perfect 100% Fresh rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. This list includes titles such as Sita Sings the Blues, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and The First Slam Dunk.
Toho announced their intent to acquire GKIDS on the 15th of October 2024, and the deal was completed in 2025. The acquisition made GKIDS a subsidiary of Toho International and transitioned the company from an independent distributor to a major Japanese entertainment company.
The Boy and the Heron became the company's first theatrical release to win Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards in March 2024. The film was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and marked a culmination of years of work by the company.