Netflix’s Anime Push Helps Drive Strong Growth Everywhere—Except in Japan

If you had to list all the factors that made Netflix a global success, near the top of the list would be the streaming service’s ability to make programs that travel well. Spanish-made shows such as “Money Heist” have done well in India, for instance. Millions of households across Southeast Asia and Japan watched the South Korean horror series “Sweet Home.”

Japanese anime looks to be another example: Viewership of anime shows on Netflix doubled in the U.S. last year and anime series are consistently among the top 10 shows in Peru and Chile. But what anime hasn’t done is helped Netflix become a major success in Japan, a sign that the streaming service hasn’t cracked the secrets to every major market.