Amazon’s Jennifer Salke and Kelly Day Spotlight Japan Strategy and Asian Content Expansion: ‘We Have a Big Commitment to an Anime Slate’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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Amazon is heavily investing in Japanese anime and other Asian content, making it a key component of their worldwide growth plan for Prime Video.

In an exclusive conversation with EbMaster, Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, and Kelly Day, VP of international for Prime Video, expressed their ambitious plans for the streaming service in Japan – one of their key markets outside the U.S. “We are dedicated to a robust content supply for our customers in Japan,” Salke emphasized. “There is an immense opportunity here.

Japan stands out as one of Prime Video’s top revenue-generating regions, boasting a vast marketplace with 72 additional subscription options and approximately 300,000 video titles available for purchase on demand (TVOD). Salke emphasized that Prime Video is dedicated to expanding its content library, particularly in the realm of licensing original anime. She further mentioned that they are actively discussing strategies to boost content production in Japan over the coming years.

The streaming platform has solidified its position as a dominant force in Japan’s market. Notably, Japan boasts one of the biggest communities of Prime members, which makes it one of our significant markets globally, excluding the United States.

Regarding staying ahead in Japan’s market, Salke emphasized the importance of anime. “We’re heavily invested in creating an impressive lineup of anime content,” she stated. “Our teams are actively working on it, and there’s a great deal of innovative projects underway that we can’t wait to reveal. This is a long-term dedication.

Regarding future prospects for Japanese and Asian content, Salke expressed optimism towards projects such as “The Silent Service,” which is an adaptation from a well-known Kodansha manga, and previously had a theatrical release in collaboration with Toho before being streamed online; and “Oshi-no-ko,” a live-action interpretation of a Shueisha manga.

The day underlined the increasing worldwide attraction towards content originating from Asia. Day stated, “We’re noticing a greater global potential for certain titles emerging from Asia, specifically anime and Korean dramas. We’ve been procuring more of these, and are now expanding their distribution on a global scale.

Salke noted, “Locally produced content is gaining traction globally, with successful shows for female and young adult demographics emerging from Germany, such as ‘Maxton Hall’ and the ‘Culpa’ series, as well as Korean dramas. We anticipate even more promising content from Japan and India that we believe will be equally successful.

Day highlighted two key aspects that aid global dissemination of content: “Firstly, extensive Intellectual Property (IP) – this might involve successful comics like manga or animated series such as anime, which are produced and shared worldwide. Secondly, the level of social interest or ‘buzz’ they create.

The Korean drama ‘Marry My Husband’ showcases this pattern. As Day points out, it spread rapidly across social media, captivating young, socially active women worldwide, sparking global discussions, and ultimately attracting numerous new viewers to the platform.

Speaking about Amazon’s distribution approach for movies, Salke emphasized their strong dedication towards cinema screenings and revealed a substantial lineup of upcoming films. He pointed out that premiering big-budget productions like ‘Red One’ and ‘Air’, among others, in theaters significantly boosted their presence on Prime Video, with some titles even becoming the most popular ever on our platform.

Multiple films produced by MGM such as “Air,” “Saltburn,” “Challengers,” and “Red One” were distributed globally by Warner Bros. However, according to Salke, the company is planning to establish its own international distribution division soon. “We’re currently building that up,” she explained. “With MGM joining our ranks and both teams working together towards a theatrical release strategy, ultimately leading to Prime Video viewers at home – we believe we’ve made a strong start,” Salke added.

Regarding exclusive mobile-based subscription options for Prime Video, which have proven effective in regions such as India, Day mentioned that although this isn’t currently an option in Japan, they are contemplating tailored pricing structures based on individual countries. In fact, these flexible models have already been implemented in Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia.

Regarding AI and innovative tech, Salke expressed great interest in its possibilities. “From a corporate standpoint, we’re deeply invested in AI,” she said. “We’re thrilled about this technology and its capacity to boost our business and improve all our lives. For our studio particularly, we view it as an essential tool that empowers creative individuals and content creators to elevate storytelling,” she clarified.

Salke pointed out that AI is currently being adopted by creators: “I’ve just received a significant proposal from someone who showcased a visual presentation that was AI-generated pre-visualization.” She emphasized the importance of empowering “human artists and creators” with this technology, while also investigating ways to boost efficiency in production, special effects, and automate repetitive tasks.

Certainly, the name generating quite a buzz these days concerning the company is none other than James Bond – the legendary character that Amazon MGM Studios recently took creative control of last month. Salke has been keeping quiet about the specifics of their plans for this franchise, but he did mention they are in the process of obtaining final approvals related to the deal here in the U.S.

She expressed great enthusiasm, saying, ‘We’ve been eagerly anticipating this, and now we can hardly contain ourselves as we prepare to dive into the realm of Bond.’

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2025-03-14 18:18