Image: One Piece – Netflix
It’s been a robust yr to this point for brand new anime on Netflix. With over a billion views and relying on Netflix simply from 2024 alone, anime continues its meteoric progress on Netflix. So, what does the longer term maintain for anime on Netflix? What has the streaming service completed to enhance its output of anime in 2025? We’ll talk about under.
Anime is arguably the biggest and hottest Japanese export that the world consumes. Its significance in our tradition can’t be understated, because of the world’s biggest sports stars referencing iconic shōnen heroes, and crossover occasions which have seen the likes of One Piece crossover with NBA’s LA Galaxy, MLB’s LA Dodgers, and the German Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund. Anime is within the zeitgeist, and it isn’t going wherever anytime quickly.
Netflix has been by itself anime journey, and the streaming service has come a good distance for the reason that launch of Knights of Sidonia in 2014. Within the eleven years which have handed, Netflix has launched dozens of Unique anime titles, which embody loads of unique internationally launched reveals and movies. Whereas there have been many ups and downs, what’s necessary is that Netflix has continued to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into its anime output.
What has Netflix completed to enhance anime in 2025?
As soon as upon a time, each internationally licensed “Netflix Unique” anime launched by Netflix would spend months in what was infamously referred to as “Netflix Jail.” The time period was used to outline an anime title licensed by Netflix for unique worldwide distribution, just for stated title to be launched on Netflix a number of months after it had already been broadcast in Japan.
What Is Netflix Jail
The primary season of The Seven Deadly Sins was broadcast in Japan between October 5, 2014, and March 29, 2015, however it wasn’t till November 5, 2015, that it was launched worldwide on Netflix. This was the development for a number of years, and the rationale behind it was that Netflix had but to streamline the way in which it might produce multiple dubs and subs for its numerous viewers across the globe. Naturally, the size of time it might take for anime titles to land on Netflix after the Japanese broadcast left many followers pissed off, and they might typically flip to unlawful streaming websites with fan-made subs, which, in fact, would immediately affect the efficiency of the official Netflix launch.
Image: The Seven Lethal Sins – Netflix
Whereas it took a very long time, we’ve seen a grand effort made by Netflix to streamline the discharge of latest and unique anime titles. The most effective examples of this have been the additions of Sakamoto Days, Blue Field, Dandadan, One Piece, and extra. Within the case of Sakamoto Days, we lastly have a simulcast anime on Netflix, which implies new episodes of the anime launch on Netflix concurrently the printed in Japan. To not state the plain, however to drive dwelling the purpose that followers of Sakamoto Days don’t have to attend months, weeks, and even days for the newest episode; they will merely tune in instantly. Dandadan is one other simulcast anime; nonetheless, Netflix shares the distribution rights with the likes of Crunchyroll, Hulu, and ADN.
Image: Dandadan (left) and Sakamoto Days (proper) have been two tremendous in style anime titles on Netflix
Arguably, Netflix’s enchancment might be attributed to the rise of non-English language content material produced by the streamer, which can be being consumed often by subscribers, particularly Korean, Japanese, and Spanish content material. Netflix has even confirmed that over half of all Netflix subscribers have watched anime, with over 1 billion views on Netflix alone, and viewership tripling in 5 years.
One other space Netflix has improved on is the output of anime, with loads of new and thrilling titles being added to the library yr on yr. This typically contains new licensed titles, new weekly releases, and Netflix Originals.
How can Netflix proceed to enhance its anime output?
Whereas Netflix has made important strides in enhancing its anime content material output, is it sufficient?
When in comparison with the likes of anime competitor Crunchyroll, the argument may very well be made that no, Netflix isn’t there simply but, and has solely begun to scratch the floor of the potential anime might have on the platform. A big benefit Crunchyroll has over Netflix is that its platform is a devoted service to anime, whereas anime is only one of many cogs within the big Netflix machine. To not point out, since Crunchryoll was purchased by Sony and absorbed competitor FUNimation, its stranglehold on anime in the western market has solely gotten tighter.
Crunchyroll was as soon as the one platform the place you would stream new weekly episodes of One Piece. Nevertheless, a huge change in 2024 noticed Netflix license new episodes of the One Piece anime, albeit followers must wait six days after the Japanese broadcast to observe on Netflix. It’s a giant ask for followers to attend six days to observe the newest episodes, which is why most anime followers will both have a Crunchyroll subscription or watch on illegal sites. To drive traffic away from Crunchyroll, unlawful websites, and again onto Netflix, the streaming service might want to discover a method to simulcast the anime and scale back the six-day wait time.
Image: Weekly episodes of One Piece: Egghead Island can be found to stream on Netflix
Blue Field is another anime series that followers should wait per week between the Japanese broadcast and the Netflix launch. So whereas Netflix’s greatest enhancements to this point in 2025 are the output of weekly anime, lowering wait instances, and offering followers with much more titles, these are what the streaming service must be aiming for subsequent.
Subsequent for Netflix must be to enhance the output of licensed titles. Whereas the US library particularly already has some great licensed titles, similar to Demon Slayer, Naruto, and Hunter x Hunter, it goes with out saying that there’s at all times room for extra. Whereas it could be more durable to go for beloved in style titles similar to Dragon Ball and Naruto Shippuden, there are a long time value of produced anime, actually tons of, and 1000’s of titles that Netflix might purpose to license.
Image: Demon Slayer (left), Naruto (centre), and Hunter x Hunter (proper) are a number of the in style licensed anime titles on Netflix
Lastly, now we have Netflix Originals. Whereas 2025 has been a busy year for anime on Netflix, it truly works out that there was lower than one new Netflix Unique a month launched on Netflix in 2025 (this excludes completely licensed and weekly releases). To this point, 2025 has given us Blood of Zeus S3, Moonrise, Leviathan, Castlevania: Nocturne S2, and My Melody & Kuromi, all of which have been incredible additions to the Netflix library, however suffice to say, the output is missing, and whereas we all know Netflix has loads of anime titles within the pipeline, we want extra authentic content material, and shortly.
Total, whereas it might be an especially robust job for Netflix to match the output of Crunchyroll, the streamer is definitely taking anime in the fitting path. With extra funding and time, Netflix might change into one of many world’s premier platforms for anime content material.
What do you assume Netflix must do to enhance its output of anime on Netflix? Tell us within the feedback under!
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