Netflix has stepped up its global commitment to anime by unveiling new titles and exclusive footage at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. The platform also released new viewership figures that confirm that Japanese anime has now moved beyond niche culture and become a major genre in global streaming content.

Netflix says more than 50% of its subscribers — more than 150 million households, or roughly 300 million viewers — now watch anime. The genre’s viewership on the platform has tripled in the past five years, and 2024 was a record year: 33 anime titles made it into the global Top 10 (non-English language), more than double the number in 2021, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Anime content was watched over 1 billion times globally in 2024, with 80–90% of viewers preferring dubbed audio. In response to this demand, Netflix now offers anime with dubbing and descriptions in up to 33 languages. | BGNES