Netflix, the world’s leading streaming service, and MAPPA—the powerhouse studio behind global sensations like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen—have officially announced a new strategic partnership.
Statements have been released by MAPPA CEO Manabu Otsuka and Netflix Vice President of Content Kazutaka Sakamoto regarding this major industry milestone.
Expanding the Global Anime Frontier
Netflix is joining forces with MAPPA to push the boundaries of the medium, focusing on global market growth through every stage, from initial story development to merchandising. Several new anime projects are already in production under this agreement, all of which will be released exclusively to Netflix’s members across more than 190 countries and territories.
MAPPA has consistently challenged the traditional framework of anime production, prioritizing creative freedom and passion while exploring new possibilities in both artistic expression and business models. For example, with Chainsaw Man, the studio took a lead role in IP development and merchandising; with Jujutsu Kaisen, they contributed significantly to the global "mainstream" surge of Japanese animation. Netflix deeply resonates with MAPPA’s studio-led philosophy and proactive approach to filmmaking, aiming to support these ambitious endeavors.
Data highlights the meteoric rise of Japanese anime: over 50% of Netflix’s global members (approximately 300 million people) watch anime, with viewership skyrocketing 3x over the past five years.
Netflix has previously collaborated with MAPPA on unique titles such as Kakegurui Twin (2022) and Ranma 1/2 (2024/25). This new partnership will ensure that MAPPA’s future works are released globally and simultaneously, allowing fans worldwide to enjoy them in real-time. Netflix aims to maximize the potential of Japanese animation studios by respecting the creative process while establishing a new, studio-centric business model.
Executive Comments
Manabu Otsuka, CEO of MAPPA:
“While we have collaborated with Netflix on various projects in the past, this strengthened partnership is rooted in one of MAPPA’s core philosophies: being a studio that is independent in both creative and business aspects. I believe modern Japanese animation studios should take a proactive lead—grasping global audience needs from the development stage and managing everything through to the final reach and related business expansions. By committing more deeply to Netflix’s distribution and business ecosystem, we aim to achieve a long-term, win-win partnership.”
Kazutaka Sakamoto, Vice President of Content, Netflix:
“MAPPA is an incredible studio that has consistently taken on—and conquered—unprecedented creative challenges. At Netflix, we want to deliver Japanese anime to our global fans in the best possible way. To do that, it is essential to fully support the passion and courage of creators. By combining MAPPA’s original storytelling with Netflix’s global reach and our shared ‘courage to take risks,’ we want to expand the possibilities of anime. I am truly looking forward to walking this path with MAPPA—bringing new stories and expressions that will surprise and move viewers worldwide. We are dedicated to ensuring Japanese anime evolves to be freer, more exciting, and even more impactful on the global stage.”
Anime’s Growing Global Impact
Japanese anime continues to grow its global presence. In 2024 alone, anime titles on Netflix were viewed over 1 billion times, and Japanese-language content (led by anime) remains the second most-watched non-English category on the platform worldwide. Through this partnership, Netflix and MAPPA aim to open new horizons for creators and set a new standard for the industry.
https://about.netflix.com/ja/news/anime-for-every-fan-fueling-new-era-global-fandom
Watch MAPPA films on Netflix from this page
http://netflix.com/mappa
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
