Anime Outpaces All Genres on Asian Streaming, MAPPA Takes Top Studio Spot
A new Media Partners Asia study covering eight Asian markets found anime attracted the largest monthly premium-VOD audience of any genre from July 2025 through August 2026, with Netflix anime viewing growing nine times faster than the platform's overall rate. The report credits 'Jujutsu Kaisen' for propelling MAPPA to the leading anime studio position, as streaming services increasingly move from licensing content to owning it. In Japan, anime's share of tracked premium-VOD hours reached 28% in the first half of 2026.
The MPA study tracked premium-VOD engagement across eight Asian markets, finding anime consistently outperformed seven other genres in monthly reach. In Japan, anime's share of tracked premium-VOD hours reached 28% in the first half of 2026, while regional figures held at roughly 14–15.6% across both halves of the study period.
Netflix's anime viewership grew at nine times the platform's overall rate during the study window. The report credits 'Jujutsu Kaisen' with elevating MAPPA to the top anime studio position, and notes streaming services are increasingly pursuing ownership of anime properties rather than relying on licensing arrangements.
The findings suggest anime has become a primary driver of streaming subscription value across Asia, potentially reshaping how platforms allocate content budgets and negotiate with studios. As services move from licensing to ownership, smaller animation studios may gain leverage or face consolidation pressure. For viewers, this could mean more exclusive anime offerings but also fragmentation across platforms, potentially raising costs for fans who follow multiple series.