According to the streaming giant, last year alone, more than half of Netflix’s global users used the streaming service to watch anime content. The future of Japanese animation on Netflix only appears more promising, as the library continues to expand.
“Anime is one of the cornerstones of our investment in Japan, watched by nearly 90% of our members here last year,” said Netflix’s Anime Creative Director Kohei Obara. “At the same time, interest in anime has grown worldwide, and more than half of our members globally tuned into it last year. From diversifying our slate to bringing back fan favorites, we want to continue growing our members’ discovery and love for anime, both in Japan and around the world with this next chapter of anime on Netflix.”
The company has reported before that over 100 million households globally watched at least one anime title on its platform between October 2019 and September 2020, which was a 50% increase from 2018.
For some perspective, roughly 65% of Netflix's 221.8 million subscribers are from outside of the United States and Canada; and the service is available in 190 countries (technically 189 since Netflix recently shut down its service Russia). So Obara’s “more than half of our members” means that approximately 110.9 million users sampled Netflix’s anime content in 2021.
Netflix plans to continue investing in anime and will debut 40 series on the service in 2022. Earlier this week, the company re-announced a few titles at the AnimeJapan 2022 event:
Japan Anime Slate 2022 (Highlights)
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Kotaro Lives Alone
March 10, 2022A lonely little boy moves into a ramshackle apartment building all on his own and makes friends with the broke manga artist who lives next door.
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Thermae Romae Novae
March 28, 2022A proud bath architect in ancient Rome starts randomly surfacing in present-day Japan, where he’s inspired by the many bathing innovations he finds.
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Baki Hanma
September 30, 2021To gain the skills he needs to surpass his powerful father, Baki enters Arizona State Prison to take on the notorious inmate known as Mr. Unchained.
Part 3 Now Streaming
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TIGER & BUNNY
April 3, 2011In an alternate New York City protected by a band of superheroes called NEXT, veteran Wild Tiger is forced to team up with rookie Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Part 2 Coming April 8
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Ultraman
April 1, 2019Decades ago, a hero from the stars left this world in peace. Now, the son of Ultraman must rise to protect the Earth from a new alien threat.
Season 2 Coming April 14
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Vampire in the Garden
May 16, 2022Once, vampires and humans lived in harmony. Now, a young girl and a vampire queen will search for that Paradise once again. In the divided world of the future, two girls want to do the forbidden: the human wants to play the violin, and the vampire wants to see a wider world.
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Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
April 23, 2020After a global financial crisis, the world is engulfed in an AI-driven “sustainable war.” It’s up to Section 9 to counter new forms of cyber threats.
Season 2 Coming in May
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JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
October 6, 2012Follow the intergenerational feud between the Joestar Family and various forces of evil, the most prominent of which is Dio Brando and his followers.
“Stone Ocean” Ep. 13-24 Coming in 2022
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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
September 13, 2022I en dyster framtid full av korruption och cybernetiska implantat kämpar en fattig tonåring för att överleva genom att bli en kriminell supermänniska – en edgerunner.
- Bubble (April 28): Bubbles break the law of gravity in Tokyo and rain down on the world, causing young people to lose their families. The world is now their playground and they initiate parkour team battles, leaping from building to building. Hibiki, young and reckless, makes the wrong move and plummets into the gravity-bending sea. His life is saved by Uta, a girl with mysterious powers who appears suddenly. The two hear a unique sound audible only to them. Watch the trailer.
- Spriggan (June 18): A great civilization that once existed on Earth possesses the knowledge and scientific prowess far better than that of modern man. The relics of this ancient civilization remain hidden and now high-speed communications networks and satellites are able to expose all secrets. The armies of great nations fight to be the first to uncover and research these artifacts. One organization of secret agents (Spriggans) aims to seal away this ancient power for good. Watch the trailer.
- Kakegurui Twin (August): At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the hierarchy is controlled by gambling and the protagonist, Yumeko Jabami, and her friend, Mary Saotome, challenge the Hyakkaou student council by gambling against them.
- The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh (TBA): The spin-off anime film will feature Tristan, the son of “The Seven Deadly Sins,” as well as Meliodas and Elizabeth. When Tristan inherits the power of the Goddess Clan, he can heal people’s wounds and injuries, however, he accidentally hurts others due to his inability to control his Demon Clan power. To protect his family, Tristan travels to Edinburgh Castle and meets new friends along his journey.
- Drifting Home (TBA): A summer adventure with sixth-graders Kosuke, Natsume, and their friends entering a large public housing complex, which drifts through the ocean with the children still inside it. Watch the trailer.
Other upcoming series include “Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix,” Adi Shankar’s adaptation of “Devil May Cry,” and Tom Clancy’s “Splinter Cell,” based on the Ubisoft franchise.
