Anime has officially crossed over from niche fandom to global mainstream, with Netflix revealing that more than 50 percent of its global subscribers watched anime content in the past year. The streaming giant announced the numbers during the recently concluded Anime Expo 2025, showcasing an exponential rise in global fandom and cementing the genre’s influence across age groups, cultures, and continents.

According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, anime titles on the platform were viewed over one billion times in 2024 alone — marking a threefold increase compared to five years ago. This growth reflects not only increasing consumption but also a deepening cultural appreciation for the genre. Shows like ‘Baki Hanma’ and ‘Pokémon Concierge’ continue to pull in both longtime anime loyalists and a growing crop of first-time viewers.

What’s remarkable, the platform notes, is anime’s unique ability to connect audiences regardless of geography. Netflix releases all anime titles globally on the same day, with dubbed audio and audio descriptions available in up to 33 languages. The report also highlights that 80 to 90 percent of users prefer dubbed versions, underlining anime’s accessibility and inclusive appeal.

Japanese content has now emerged as the second most-watched non-English category on Netflix, with anime driving much of this momentum.