Netflix Teams Up With 6 Japanese Creators To Develop Original Anime Shows
Netflix is going all-in on Anime, as it expands their line-up by partnering with six Japanese creators to develop original anime shows for fans around the world, as part of the company’s continued effort to build on its best-in-class anime originals with deep creative roots in Japan.
The six creators include CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura), Shin Kibayashi (The Kindaichi Case Files), Yasuo Ohtagaki (Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt), Otsuichi (Goth), Tow Ubukata (Mardock Scramble) and Mari Yamazaki (Thermae Romae). This talented mix of manga artists, novelists, screenwriters and filmmakers have each played an integral part in the exploding popularity of anime around the world today.
“We are very pleased to be welcomed into this brand new initiative,” comments Nanase Ohkawa, CLAMP. “We look forward to the day our shows created with Netflix reach fans across 190 countries.”
“As a creator, it is such an honour to be given this opportunity to reach a global audience,” adds Yasuo Ohtagaki. “From my home ground in Japanese manga into the global major leagues — it is a thrilling time for me to believe in my craft, and aim for new heights.”
These partnerships are part of Netflix’s growing commitment to anime and the local industry. Last year, Netflix entered into partnerships with five Japanese animation productions: Production I.G, bones, anima, David Production and Sublimation, and with today’s announcement Netflix will continue to expand the creative and production process of some of the most ambitious, and highest quality anime. In addition to the new originals that will be developed, together with the creators, Netflix will also explore ways for members to engage with these new shows off-screen through publishing and consumer products.
“We’re excited to work with these extraordinary creators to bring best in class anime to Netflix,” said Taiki Sakurai, Chief Producer, Anime at Netflix. “These partnerships are part of our broader investment strategy to support Japanese anime – giving creators the ability to tell bold, innovative stories and giving them access to fans all around the world, because storytelling is boundless in the world of anime”.
Netflix has been building up quite a base of new original Anime, along with airing classic series over the last few years. We have shows such as ‘Altered Carbon: Resleeved’, ‘Dragon’s Dogma’, ‘Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045’, ‘SPRIGGAN’, ‘Super Crooks’ and ‘Vampire in the Garden’, along with Kevin Smith’s anime series ‘Masters Of The Universe: Revelation’. There is also Zack Snyder & Jay Oliva’s new Norse mythology anime series which is due to land on the streaming service at some point in the future. In addition to that, Netflix landed the streaming rights to 21 Studio Ghibli movies which began streaming in February.
