When Netflix finds a hit, it doesn’t hold back in trying to dig more gold from the same mine. That could mean movie sequels or series renewals—but it can also mean an entire genre is poised to enjoy a heightened presence. That’s looking to be the case for Japanese anime, in light of the streamer’s recent report on just how popular it is with viewers.
According to Variety, Netflix chose the ideal context—last weekend’s Anime Expo in Los Angeles—to share this news. Going by recent data, “more than 50 percent of its members—amounting to over 150 million households, or an estimated 300 million viewers—now watch anime. The company says anime viewership on the platform has tripled over the past five years, with 2024 marking a record-breaking year: 33 anime titles appeared in Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English) rankings, more than double the number in 2021.”
What’s more, “The streamer also revealed that anime content was viewed over 1 billion times globally in 2024, and that 80 to 90 percent of users opt to watch anime dubbed. To capitalize on the demand, Netflix has begun offering anime titles with dubbed audio and descriptions in up to 33 languages.”
Those are not niche numbers, in other words, and Netflix will certainly aim to keep its subscribers happy by supplying more anime content. At Anime Expo, specific titles teased included hitman-turned-family-man manga adaptation Sakamoto Days, which returns July 14 after a high-charting first season, and much-anticipated sequel Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, which does not yet have a release date. That’s just a fraction of the titles, though, and if that level of excitement continues to grow, you can expect even more anime to hit the streamer in the future.