Netflix continues to run a series on Japanese anime. Wednesday, the streamer announced a three-picture partnership with Studio Colorido, a Japanese anime business.
Netflix previously agreed to collaborate with Colorido on the worldwide release of The A Whisker Away in 2020. Netflix is increasing its anime production the company claims it will release 40 new anime titles in 2022 alone but Wednesday's deal is its first pact with a prominent studio known primarily for making anime features.
Drifting Home, directed by Hiroyasu Ishida, is the first set to premiere on Sept. 16; Netflix has dropped a new trailer (below) for the title, and pointed that the film will also be released theatrically in Japanese cinemas. One of the other films under the agreement will also be directed by Tomotaka Shibayama, the co-director of A Whisker Away. That project is expected to be available in 2024.
"Studio Colorido has some of Japan's finest animation designers, who have been producing finest-in-class original animated features over the past ten years," said Netflix's director of Japan Content. "This partnership extends our expanding film slate in Japan, and also adds to our collection of more "lean-back" and family-friendly stories."
The company said earlier this spring that over half of its worldwide subscribers watched some anime in 2021, and that more than 90% of users in Japan are in that category.
Anime is thought to be particularly useful in Asian markets, where Netflix continues to have room for growth. The Asia-Pacific region was the only positive component of the company's disappointing first quarter earnings statement, which resulted in its share price falling. In its letter to shareholders last week, Netflix stated that it was "making good progress" in the Asia-Pacific, with "nice growth in a variety of markets including Japan, India, Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan."
