Disney+ Overtakes Rivals In The Anime Streaming Wars
Over the past few years, we’ve seen Disney, along with the other major streaming service, heavily invest in animated content from Japan, AKA anime. We’ve seen a wide selection of original content released on Hulu and Disney+, such as “Go Go Loser Ranger”, “The Fable” and “Star Wars Visions”.
There is a major reason why Disney is heavily investing in more original anime content from Japan, as according to a new report from Dentsu, which asked 8,600 consumers across ten countries including US, UK, Poland, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, China, Indonesia & Thailand, Disney+ is the second most popular streaming service for anime content globally, behind Netflix, where 48% of those asked, are subscribed to watch Anime content. 32% of those asked use Disney+ for their anime needs, while Prime Video sits at 29%.
Currently, 31% of global streaming viewers watch anime at least once a week, with one in three US subscribers also watching anime. There are also some regional differences, for example, in the US, Netflix leads in the U.S. at 63% of anime viewers, followed by both Hulu and Disney+ at 46%. This number also drastically shifts internationally, as in the APAC (Asia/Pacific) region, Netflix is the market leader at 36%, followed by YouTube TV at 26% and China’s iQiyi at 25%.
Currently, 36% of US audiences watch anime weekly, compared to 21% in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region and across the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region, with a notably higher rate of 48%.
As you might expect, there is a big generational divide between audiences watching anime, with only 9% of baby boomers watching anime weekly, compared to 50% of Gen Z and millennials.
One of the biggest reasons for the growth in anime is that audiences are becoming bored with the content being made in Hollywood, with 29% of U.S. anime viewers citing “fatigue with Hollywood sequels and remakes” as a reason they watch anime instead of other content. The top reasons viewers give for choosing anime include “unique worlds and stories” (39%), “variety of genres” (36%), and interest in Japanese culture (32%).
This report highlights that anime is no longer a niche product; it has now become mainstream, especially among younger audiences. I also believe it’s a major reason why Disney has struggled to find success in its animation division for shows aimed at older kids. While animation aimed at preschoolers is massively successful on Disney+, the days of Saturday morning animation are long gone, having been replaced by anime.
More interestingly, which is something Disney will no doubt be looking at, is that anime fans generally spend over $200 a year on merchandise of their favourite shows, which is much higher than normal.
Disney has been able to capitalise on the surge in interest in anime, securing licensing deals in the United States for Hulu, which also contributes to Disney+. The amount of available content in the United States is generally higher than in the EMEA region, and Disney has also invested more in licensing content in other countries across the APAC region to satisfy local demand.
With audiences moving away from massive franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, viewers are finding an interest in different stories, many of which aren’t being overexposed in the same way.
The growth of anime isn’t slowing down. Netflix is heavily investing in more content, as it recently revealed that more 150 million households now watch anime. Netflix has said that anime viewership on the platform has tripled over the past five years. This will mean Disney will need to license and create its own anime content to compete. For fans, this will only lead to more choices and, ultimately, better programs.
Do you watch Anime on Disney+? What’s been your favourite so far? Let me know on social media!
