Anime Viewership Outpaces Other Shows by 10-to-1 on Netflix

Anime is booming on Netflix, growing more than ten times faster than the rest of the platform’s content. But not everything is perfect for Netflix, most of this growth comes from anime titles they don’t fully own or produce themselves.

Rob Pereyda, in his latest newsletter, breaks down why some anime hit big overseas while others struggle. He points out that if an anime isn’t backed by big publishers like Shueisha, Kodansha, or Kadokawa, or marketed by big distributors such as Crunchyroll or Netflix, its chances of global success are less certain.

Pereyda also notes that the anime world is changing. Source material is no longer just manga, and the merchandise market is becoming more complicated. He explains that Crunchyroll still dominates anime streaming, but publishers are starting to do their own marketing.

Lately, Amazon and Disney have become popular platforms for anime, even though they may not give as much exposure as Crunchyroll. This shift might actually help anime reach wider audiences beyond the usual fans.

Pereyda discusses the challenge of “decoupling,” which means the top titles may not always do well in retail sales, while smaller niche shows might make good money through dedicated fans. He says this is part of the complex balance between smart business moves and the unpredictable nature of success in the anime industry.

Netflix’s own reports back up these trends. After this year’s Anime Expo, Netflix announced on their blog that over 50% of their users watch anime, that’s about 150 million people worldwide. Viewership has tripled in five years, and in 2024 alone, 33 anime shows made it into Netflix’s Global Top 10 rankings.

Netflix also shared that nearly 90% of viewers prefer dubbed versions of anime. This makes sense since many popular shows like My Happy Marriage and Dandadan release their dubs at the same time as the Japanese episodes now. Netflix supports this global audience by offering subtitles and dubs in over 30 languages.

Overall, anime is clearly growing fast on Netflix, but the success depends a lot on who’s behind the show and where it’s promoted. As the market changes, streaming platforms and publishers are trying new ways to reach fans around the world.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!