Anime goes mainstream as Netflix reveals users prefer dub over sub
Japanese animation has evolved into a key battleground for global streaming services, serving as a powerful engine for growth in a fiercely competitive market.
Netflix currently holds a commanding lead in this race, with several of its exclusive and licensed anime series becoming international successes.
Shows like the action-comedy “Sakamoto Days” have secured spots on Netflix’s global top 10 list for weeks, while titles like the fighting series “Baki Hanma” and the gentle “Pokemon Concierge” have also found large audiences.
“Anime is no longer niche. It’s mainstream”, the company said in a statement issued on Tuesday, July 8th.
Netflix substantiated this claim by revealing that more than half of its global subscribers watch anime content on the platform.
The company’s success is built on a multi-pronged strategy that includes investing in original productions like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, while also securing the streaming rights to massive legacy franchises such as One Piece.
In 2024 alone, anime content was viewed over one billion times on Netflix, with its total anime viewership tripling over the last five years.
A significant part of this growth is attributed to aggressive localization, with the service offering dubbed audio in up to 33 languages, a format used by 80% to 90% of its anime viewers.
This successful content strategy is credited as a major driver of subscriber loyalty and is reflected in the company’s strong financial performance.
However, rivals like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video are making significant investments to challenge this dominance.
Disney+ has secured exclusive international streaming deals for major series like Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, while Amazon has previously found success with exclusives like the first season of Vinland Saga.
Crunchyroll, a competing streaming service that specializes in anime, is taking a different approach as it focuses on simulcasting anime series.
This means airing a localized version of the series either at the same time as, or within several hours of, the original Japanese broadcast.
With a limited amount of time available to produce a localized version, they have been accused of using ChatGPT to speed up the process.
Despite these efforts, a recent report from the advertising firm Dentsu confirmed Netflix’s current lead in the sector.
The report, which surveyed thousands of consumers across ten countries, found that 48% choose Netflix as their primary service for anime.
Disney+ followed at 32%, with Amazon Prime Video at 29%.
The global appeal of anime stems not only from a general interest in Japanese culture but also from the sheer diversity of its genres, from action-adventure and sci-fi to romance and slice-of-life comedies.
This variety offers a broad range of storytelling that stands apart from more conventional Hollywood productions.
The Dentsu report found that three in ten global consumers watch anime at least once a week, with the highest concentration in the Asia-Pacific region.
Crucially, the value of these shows extends far beyond monthly subscription fees, as each hit series represents a valuable trove of intellectual property.
The rights to a successful anime can be leveraged for a vast commercial ecosystem, including video games, collectible figures, themed cafes, and clothing collaborations with brands like Uniqlo.
The Dentsu research concluded that anime viewers are more likely to purchase related merchandise than other media consumers.
A significant portion of these viewers also reported that their opinion of a brand improves when it incorporates anime IP into its products and promotions.
Source: Official Website
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