Latest Netflix Deal Is A Huge Windfall For Anime Fans
Netflix has certainly been doubling down on current popular culture involving animation, comics, and video games. Besides its ill-fated "Resident Evil" attempt, Netflix has had some fantastic successes on its hands like "Arcane," "The Witcher," and "Castlevania." Netflix is also currently working on an adaption of the underwater dystopia turned Ayn Rand critique "BioShock" video game, as well as the robotic dinosaur-filled post-apocalypse of "Horizon Zero Dawn."
Besides video games, Netflix has also been making inroads with anime content. As reported by Reuters in late April 2022, Netflix tapped Studio Colorido for a multiple film deal to create more original content for the service. Before that, Netflix announced on Twitter in October 2020 that it was partnering with four different animation studios to further expand its digital offerings, which included the companies NAZ, Science SARU, Studio Mir, and Mappa. In other words, anime has been a focus of Netflix acquisitions for quite some time, and it looks like the streaming company has managed yet again to bring another into the fold.
Netflix has acquired the rights to several Nippon TV anime shows
According to Variety, Netflix has earned non-exclusive streaming rights to several Nippon TV television shows. Nippon TV is one of the more popular companies in the world of anime, which has helped to produce many Studio Ghibli films. However, this new Netflix deal focuses squarely on Nippon TV-crafted anime like "Hunter x Hunter," "Death Note," and "Claymore." Other shows included in the deal are "Ouran High School Host Club," "From Me to You," "Berserk," "Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!," "Parasyte – The Maxim," "Monster," and "Nana." Basically, if you are a fan of anime, you'll have plenty more to choose from on Netflix come September 2, 2022.
Nippon TV's person in charge of International Business Development, Inoue Akane, said of this most recent deal, "For many years, anime has been a driving force at Nippon TV where we have been producing hit anime titles such as 'Hunter x Hunter,' 'Death Note' and many more. With anime continuing to surge in popularity around the world, the timing could not be better for this exciting partnership with Netflix. I have no doubt anime fans will be talking about these titles the world over" (Via Deadline). It is not unsurprising to see an anime in Netflix's Top 10 most popular at any given time, so it will be interesting to see what ramifications the deal between Netflix and Nippon TV will have in the future.