Do you remember the time when Dragon Ball was limited to a couple of pirate photocopies in manga shops? Well, since then, otakus have become a legion. In fact, anime has gone from being a cult phenomenon to establishing itself as a fundamental pillar in Netflix’s content offering, reaching more than 50% of its global users. With a base of approximately 300 million subscribers, this means that over 150 million households have consumed at least one anime series or movie on the popular streaming platform. In 2024, Netflix broke streaming records with titles like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Dungeons & Dragons, even surpassing Crunchyroll in revenue generated by this content.
You leave us speechless
The growth of anime has also been reflected in the overall ranking, where 33 series found their place in the global Top 10 of non-English speaking shows in the last year, highlighting Sakamoto Days, which remained on the list for ten weeks in over 50 countries, including key markets such as Japan, France, and Argentina.
A key factor in this boom has been dubbing, as between 80% and 90% of viewers prefer to watch anime dubbed in their native language. Netflix has responded to this demand by offering dubbed versions in over 30 languages, even launching simulcast dubs, as is the case with Dandadan.
Despite the success, many productions still face challenges regarding promotion and release. Popular series like Yaiba have arrived late to the platform internationally, which raises questions about Netflix’s marketing strategy in this area. The need to rethink advertising and anime premieres is evident, as many of these gems could go unnoticed if they do not receive the attention they deserve. If Netflix manages to refine its approach, anime could continue to establish itself as a true cultural phenomenon worldwide.