Netflix overtakes Crunchyroll as top anime streaming platform in most countries

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A recent survey shows that Netflix is now the leading streaming service for anime viewers outside of Japan and China, surpassing even Crunchyroll, which specializes in anime content.

I was reading this really interesting report by GEM Partners – their 2026 Anime Global White Paper – and it’s based on a huge survey! They asked around 15,000 anime fans in 15 different countries about how they watch, which is pretty cool. It gives a really good look at anime viewing habits around the world.

Netflix leads anime streaming in most major markets

Netflix is the leading platform for anime in most major markets, topping the charts in seven out of nine countries studied, like the US, UK, Germany, France, and Brazil, according to a recent report.

This makes it more popular than Crunchyroll, which has long been the main choice for serious anime fans because of its extensive collection and availability of new episodes shortly after they air in Japan.

I was reading up on this, and apparently Netflix themselves said over half of their subscribers worldwide are into anime now. That’s a huge chunk of people, and it really backs up how popular it’s become!

Popularity varied by region, with Naruto and Boruto being much more popular internationally than in Japan itself. However, Jujutsu Kaisen consistently ranked high in all countries.

Crunchyroll has a much larger anime library than Netflix, but Netflix has some exclusive series you won’t find on Crunchyroll, like Cyberpunk Edgerunners and Devilman Crybaby.

Crunchyroll announced earlier this year that it would be raising subscription prices and adding video games to its streaming service. Netflix has offered a similar combination of subscriptions and games since 2021.

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2026-04-28 14:48