When one thinks of Netflix, their mind might jump to some of the streaming giant’s most popular titles, such as Bridgerton or Squid Game.
Featured VideoHowever, it turns out that not all Netflix watchers are solely enjoying live-action content. According to a July 8 press release from the company, over half of global Netflix members watch anime—and that’s just the first surprising bit of information.
Anime on Netflix
According to Netflix’s own numbers, anime was viewed over 1 billion times in 2024 alone, with viewership tripling over the past five years. Curiously, 80-90% of those watching anime on Netflix did so with dubbed audio rather than subtitles—a fact that is sure to set the internet’s “subs vs. dubs” community alight.
AdvertisementIt’s uncertain how exactly Netflix is defining anime. The press release specifically names shows like The Summer Hikaru Died and Delicious in Dungeon, which are Japanese animated shows in the traditional 2D style. However, it also mentions the upcoming stop motion-animated My Melody & Kuromi, which some may not consider anime.
Regardless, it’s clear that Japanese content is making a splash on the platform. According to Netflix, Japanese content is the world’s second most-watched non-English content, with anime making up a significant portion of that content. Coming in first was South Korea, which has found recent international success with the aforementioned Squid Game and the recently released KPop Demon Hunters.
The quality of this output and the popularity of the resultant shows may be why Netflix is investing so much money in content from the two countries.
AdvertisementAccording to Nikkei Asia, Netflix has recently become a “leading player” in the export of productions based on Japanese creative works like manga and novels. Netflix has not publicly announced how much money it’s investing in productions within the country.
That said, it appears to be significant; the streaming giant has already released numerous Japanese productions, such as 2020’s Alice in Borderland and 2024’s City Hunter, and this year, Netflix will produce and release its first-ever Japanese historical drama, Last Samurai Standing.
Social Media Reacts
On social media, users were somewhat divided about the growth of anime on Netflix.
AdvertisementSome were simply excited that one of their favorite forms of expression was reaching a wider audience, while others expressed concern about the way Netflix had previously handled some of its anime properties.
AdvertisementNo matter how internet users feel about the presence and growth of anime on Netflix, press releases like these, and the fact that Netflix is investing in so many Japanese cultural properties, show that the streamer likely isn’t done building its anime library.
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