Netflix’s overstuffed anime library is about to get a whole lot better, and I can’t wait

Get ready, anime lovers, because Netflix’s absolutely stacked library of Japanese animated films is about to get a whole lot better. Through its social media channels, including X/Twitter, Netflix announced that it would be improving its anime back catalog before the end of 2024.

And when I say ‘improve’, I mean it. The world’s best streaming service already offers a host of top-notch anime offerings from both first and third parties. But with classic shows like My Hero Academiahugely popular recent series including Spy x Familyand critically acclaimed films such as One-piece film: red – the 15th feature film based on Eiichiro Oda’s beloved A piece manga – among those coming to the service, Netflix is ​​doing everything it can to upgrade its lineup of anime content.

As the above X/Twitter post reveals: Haikuyu!!, Black CloverAnd Jujutsu Kaisen will also find their way to Netflix in the coming months. It’s unclear whether some or all of these shows will become Netflix exclusives, or if they’ll remain on other platforms — including Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Funimation — later. Considering they are the two biggest anime-focused streamers, I would be very surprised if the latter duo lost the aforementioned series to Netflix. However, Hulu could lose some of its best anime to one of its biggest streaming rivals before the end of the year.

Fighting for anime supremacy

But wait, dear reader – Netflix isn’t just expanding its licensed anime library between now and December 31st. Indeed, the streaming titan has also confirmed that three new exclusive projects – one film and two TV series – will debut on the platform soon. .

Stands first The Grimm Variations, a “bold reboot” of the famous folklore-based stories of The Brothers Grimm. The anthology, designed by all-female manga artist group CLAMP and animated by WIT Studio, will be released on Netflix on April 17.

Less than two months later, two manga heavyweights will battle it out on Netflix in what the streamer is describing as an “epic collaboration.” Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura will launch on the platform on June 6. The Shonen anime was created by animation studio Larx Entertainment and directed by Seiji Kishi.

Finally, the long-awaited final season of Netflix’s animated adaptation of Beasters will finally be released later this year. Unfortunately, it looks like fans of the cult classic will only get to see Part 1 Beasters‘ final episode in 2024, so expect a cliffhanger-style ending when it eventually makes its way to the service. Japanese studio Orange has returned to make the series, which continues to be directed by Shin’ichi Matsumi and written by Nanami Higuchi.

Will any of the aforementioned trios make their way onto our best Netflix shows and/or best Netflix movies lists? Time will tell, but they’ll have to be close to perfect if they want to have any hope of producing exclusive anime-style productions like Arcane And Blue-eyed samurailicensed material including the original Avatar: The last airbender series, or even standard animated fare, like the beloved BoJack Riderin those articles.

If nothing else, we have some new contenders vying for a spot on our best anime list. And given Netflix’s latest batch of intriguing announcements, Crunchyroll and Funimation could soon be looking up to their rival as the top anime streaming service if they’re not careful. I never thought I would see the day; But hey, stranger things have happened.

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