Netflix revealed that more than 50% of its global users—over 150 million households—now watch anime, tripling the audience from five years ago. The announcement was made at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, where the streamer also previewed several new series.
New Anime Titles Announced
Popular manga adaptation Sakamoto Days, which topped Netflix’s Global Top 10 for 10 weeks across 54 countries, was among the highlights. Netflix also introduced My Melody & Kuromi, a series debuting July 24 based on beloved Sanrio characters. A sequel to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—developed with TRIGGER and CD PROJEKT RED—is also in the works.
Other upcoming anime include Record of Ragnarok III, Blue Eye Samurai, and The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity.
Anime Goes Mainstream on Netflix
Anime has shifted from a niche interest to a global mainstream genre. A Dentsu study found 48% of anime fans worldwide watch on Netflix, while Disney+ and Prime Video trail behind. In the U.S., 63% of viewers say they watch anime on Netflix.
Netflix’s data shows anime content was viewed over 1 billion times globally in 2024.
Netflix’s Early Investments Pay Off
Netflix began investing heavily in anime years ago, pledging $8 billion in 2017 to develop new content. By 2023, Parrot Analytics estimated Netflix earned $2.07 billion from anime, surpassing Crunchyroll’s $1.16 billion that year.
Dubbed Versions Lead Viewership
Although Netflix features anime in its original Japanese, most viewers prefer dubbed versions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 80–90% of anime viewers on Netflix choose dubbed audio, making the content more accessible to global audiences.
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