Netflix reinforced its global anime strategy over the weekend by unveiling a wave of new titles and exclusive footage during its Anime Expo showcase in Los Angeles. The company also released updated viewership figures that underscore anime’s transformation from niche content to a global entertainment force.
According to Netflix, more than half of their members, i.e., 150 million households or an estimated 300 million viewers, now watch anime. Anime viewership has tripled on the platform over the past five years, with 2024 marking a record-breaking milestone: 33 anime titles reached Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English) rankings, more than double the number in 2021.
Netflix reported that anime content racked up over 1 billion views globally in 2024. Around 80 to 90 percent of viewers prefer dubbed versions, prompting the platform to offer anime with dubbed audio and descriptions in up to 33 languages to meet surging demand.
Anime Lineup
Leading Netflix’s upcoming anime lineup is Sakamoto Days, an action series about a hitman-turned-family man adapted from the popular manga. Its first season spent 10 weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10 and charted in 54 countries, including Japan, Korea, France, and Argentina. Weekly episodes of the new season will start streaming on July 14.
Netflix also showcased Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, the sequel to the acclaimed 2022 series from Studio Trigger, set in the gritty world of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. Fans at Anime Expo got an early look at the teaser and key art for the upcoming season.
For fans of kawaii culture, My Melody & Kuromi will premiere on July 24. This stop-motion series features Sanrio’s beloved characters in an original adventure to save their homeland, Mariland, from an emerging threat.
Netflix emphasized anime’s growing appeal across genres and regions, noting recent global hits in action (Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family), sci-fi (Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance), fantasy (Delicious in Dungeon), and slice-of-life romance (My Happy Marriage, Pokémon Concierge). Other anticipated titles highlighted at Anime Expo included Record of Ragnarok III, Beastars Final Season, and The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity.
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