Streaming Services Shake Up Film Biz in Japan

Since its inception in Japan in 2015, Netflix has been focused on offering high-quality & original content from both the local as well as international sources for the audience of the country. Taito Okiura, the Director of Anime at the country’s streaming services, claims that the original content offering has been a strong motivation for the all-new members in the country. The claim also added that the global content library also serves to be the hook to the new members towards joining Netflix. In 2018, Netflix will be spending approximately US $8 Billion for making the given library even bigger and more resourceful.

This massive size of the content library is going to be a warning to the film industry of Japan –whose exhibitors & studios are likely to be tasked with dealing with online streaming video services or be at the risk of being left behind.
Going in the further direction, anime will serve to be a key strategy for Netflix in Japan as it aims at boosting the overall fortunes in the nation. In January this year, the company has announced its agreement with the respective studios Bones & Production I.G. for the purpose of co-producing anime titles that were to be streamed across 190 different nations.
Another major Netflix-based project that went viral online this year was “Devilman Crybaby” –a series that was based on a manga by Go Nagai. This series included violence & several sexual situations that are considered ideal for Netflix, as regarded by Okiura. Okiura claims that Netflix tends to be having a highly flexible & creative environment that is aimed at valuing creative freedom of the audience. With this intent in mind, the producers & creators of content on Netflix are able to employ the best possible means of expressing their respective stories.

F. Lai