Major advertising agency Dentsu released a new report tracking the anime viewing habits of 8,600 consumers across the U.S. and select regions from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Joining 1000 respondents from the U.S., 2000 came from the United Kingdom, while 700 were from China, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, and Thailand, respectively. Dentsu says it used census data from Toluna to gather a nationally representative panel of anime viewers. The report explores topics such as:
- Anime watching frequency, broken down into demographics like age, generation, gender, and country
- Reasons for watching anime
- Perceptions of anime compared to other media
- How consumers define anime in different regions
- Attitudes towards live-action and game adaptations
- Most subscribed-to platforms to watch anime
- Engagement and interaction habits with anime reviews, podcasts, and social media (Gen Z and Millennials)
- The anime creator economy
- Purchasing habits and anime marketing potential
Notably, surveyed anime consumers most frequently cited Netflix as the streaming service where they watch content, with 48% of respondents. This was followed by Disney+ (32%) and Prime Video (29%). In the U.S., it was Netflix (63%), followed by Disney+ (46%), Hulu (46%), and Prime Video (43%). You can see the full lists for the U.S., EMEA, and APAC below.
It’s unclear how Dentsu defines anime, with Paramount+ not believed to have (m)any Japanese-produced anime on the platform. It may be worth noting that Dentsu’s report asks respondents how they define anime; 36% say that anime comprises any animation content inspired by Japan.
Nevertheless, Dentsu’s U.S. data overlaps with a 2023 study by Polygon, which surveyed over 4,000 Americans aged 18+. Respondents most often cited Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video as where they watch their anime, similar to the above. Despite not acquiring anime directly from the typical anime licensors, YouTube TV and Apple TV’s positions in Dentsu’s report may indicate why Crunchyroll frequently launches new channels and add-ons on third-party services, even if it means splitting revenue; the company still suffers from a lack of brand recognition despite having one of the biggest anime libraries in the world.
Nevertheless, while Crunchyroll may not be the name that comes to mind for general respondents, data from Parrot Analytics and the asset management firm Bernstein suggest that the revenue-driving consumers are at Netflix and Crunchyroll.
Anime fan attitudes to live-action adaptations
The report also revealed that anime watchers are fairly open towards live-action adaptations, with only 14% outright saying they dislike the idea. 23% said they don’t care either way. The largest share—37%, said that they’re excited about live-action adaptations as long as the original creators are involved. 26% said they’re excited about them, irrespective of who is involved. Gen Z’s peripheral anime engagement habits outside of watching were also explored. For example, 34% of surveyed anime viewers read reviews of movies and TV series. The whole report is available here. Variety was the first to report on Dentsu’s study.
© Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA / Aniplex / ufotable
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