Anime is becoming an increasingly important part of Netflix’s global viewing business, with Japanese animation recording substantially faster growth than the platform’s overall viewing audience. According to Media Partners Asia’s (MPA) latest Anime Economy report, Netflix users watched 4.64 billion hours of Japanese anime during the first half of 2026, compared with 3.33 billion hours in the first half of 2023.
That represents a 39% increase over three years, dramatically ahead of the 4.5% growth recorded across Netflix’s total viewing during the same period. Anime’s share of all Netflix viewing also climbed from 3.6% to 4.75%, highlighting how the medium has continued moving beyond its traditional audience.
Anime Is Taking a Larger Share of Netflix Viewing
The figures were compiled from Netflix’s biannual What We Watched reports and published as part of MPA’s broader examination of the global anime economy. The report points to growing demand for Japanese animation as streaming platforms increasingly use established franchises and original productions to attract viewers internationally.
Netflix has built a substantial anime lineup that includes titles such as Blue Eye Samurai and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, while the platform has also benefited from the global popularity of its live-action One Piece adaptation. Its upcoming projects, including Bass X Machina, are part of a broader push to keep anime audiences engaged.
The growth is particularly significant across Asia. MPA reports that Netflix now carries half of the region’s anime across eight markets, while Japan’s streaming terrain has developed into what the company describes as a “two-horse race” between Netflix and Prime Video, with both platforms exceeding 40% of overall anime availability in the market.
Anime’s Global Growth Extends Beyond Streaming
MPA also found that anime has the highest monthly reach of any genre on Asian premium video-on-demand services. Between 31% and 47% of premium VoD users across the eight markets studied watch anime during an average month, compared with 26% to 34% for the other seven major genres.
The report expects global spending on anime to grow by approximately 10% annually through 2030, with Asia outside Japan and North America identified as major growth regions. MPA also highlighted the increasing importance of theatrical releases, gaming and merchandise in extending the commercial value of major anime franchises.
MPA CEO Vivek Couto summarized the industry’s next challenge by saying, “Anime’s scale is established; the question is where the next growth comes from and who captures it.” The report specifically points toward companies including Aniplex, Sony, TOHO and Toei Animation as major players in determining how anime production and ownership evolve.
