Anime emerged as the most-watched genre on Asian streaming services between July 2025 and August 2026, outperforming all other categories according to a new analysis by Media Partners Asia (MPA). The data highlights a significant divergence in growth rates, with viewership on Netflix expanding nine times faster than the platform’s overall consumption.
The report, titled “The Anime Economy,” synthesized data from audience panels across eight Asian markets, Netflix engagement metrics, and executive interviews. During the tracked period, premium video-on-demand users watched anime at a rate of 31% to 47% monthly, compared to 26% to 34% for the average of seven other genres. In Japan, the world’s largest anime market, domestic consumption was even higher, ranging from 45% to 59%, against a baseline of 24% to 36% for other genres.
Studio MapPA has seen its market position strengthen dramatically, fueled largely by the popularity of “Jujutsu Kaisen.” In the first half of 2026, the series ranked as the top anime title in seven of the eight markets monitored. Consequently, MapPA’s share of regional anime viewing hours jumped from 6.1% in the latter half of 2025 to 17.3% in the first half of 2026. This surge placed MapPA just ahead of TMS Entertainment, which held a 16.6% share, followed by Toei Animation at 13% and Aniplex titles at 12%.
Streaming platforms remain the primary distribution channel, with Netflix accounting for roughly half of all anime viewing in the region, holding 51% of hours in late 2025 and 50% in early 2026. However, competition is intensifying in Japan. Prime Video captured 43% of anime hours there in the second half of 2025 but was nearly matched by Netflix’s 42% share in the first half of 2026, turning the major market into a tight contest between the two global giants.
Netflix’s internal disclosures indicate a rapid expansion of its Japanese anime library, with viewing hours rising from 3.33 billion in the first half of 2023 to 4.64 billion in the first half of 2026—a 39% increase compared to only 4.5% growth in total platform usage. Despite this growth, approximately 80% of that content remains licensed. MPA points to Netflix’s partnership with MapPA in January 2026 as a strategic pivot toward owning franchise IP rather than merely licensing existing catalogs.
YouTube has also evolved into a critical hub for both marketing and production. In Japan alone, 70 million people consume anime-related content monthly, generating 2.8 billion hours. Major entities like Aniplex and Toho Animation now operate their YouTube channels as distinct media businesses, while digital-native studios such as Plott are producing franchises at a fraction of traditional television costs.
The industry is witnessing a wave of consolidation, with MPA identifying 21 anime-related transactions and alliances since 2021, eleven of which occurred in 2025 and 2026. Sony has been particularly active, participating in seven deals to establish what MPA describes as the industry’s only end-to-end operation. The conglomerate now includes Crunchyroll, with 21 million paying subscribers, alongside Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and Aniplex, while also holding equity stakes in Kadokawa and Bandai Namco. Competitors including Toei Animation, Toho, and Bandai Namco are similarly acquiring studios and distributors to build internal capacity.
Looking ahead, MPA projects that global anime spending will grow at an annual rate of approximately 10% through 2030, driven primarily by markets outside Japan and North America. The firm anticipates a hybrid financing model over the next two years, where platforms fund production while studios retain intellectual property rights.
“The constraint is capacity, not demand or capital,” said Vivek Couto, CEO and executive director of Media Partners Asia. He noted that studios producing the biggest hits are often the least equipped to invest in expansion. “The companies that solve for capacity, and bring the animators with them, will be best placed for the next phase of growth,” Couto added, emphasizing that the industry is moving decisively toward ownership and deeper integration between platforms and creators.
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