‘Attack on Titan’ Tops List of 10 Most In-Demand Anime Series | Chart
“Attack on Titan” tops the list of the most in-demand anime shows in the United States, followed closely by “My Hero Academia” in the No. 2 spot.
“Attack on Titan” had 49.25 times the average series demand for March — according to Parrot Analytics‘ data, which takes into account consumer research data, streaming, downloads and social media, among other consumer engagement.
The growing demand for anime is one of the main reasons why Japanese-language content makes up such a high share of demand for foreign language content in the U.S. “Attack on Titan” has become not only one of the most in-demand anime series but one of the most popular shows overall both in the U.S. and globally. It’s currently in the middle of its final season, which has pushed it to exceptional levels of demand.
Not far behind “Attack on Titan” is “My Hero Academia,” which has also become one of the most in-demand anime series in the U.S. Both series reached a level of demand in March that only 0.2% of shows achieve.
“Jujutsu Kaisen” was the third most in-demand anime series in the U.S. last month, despite having last released episodes a year ago. When its first season premiered at the end of 2020, it became a breakout hit. In February, the series was renewed for a second season, which is set to debut in 2023. Continued high demand for this show points to a successful sophomore season when it finally arrives.
A number of the most in-demand anime series are long-standing classics like “Dragon Ball Z” and “Pokemon.” “One Piece” has released over 1000 episodes since it premiered in 1999. No doubt hoping to tap into the demand that has kept this series running for so long, Netflix announced a planned live-action remake.
However, successfully adapting anime as live-action is easier said than done. While this might open the door for audiences who normally avoid animation, it’s also changing an integral part of the series and risks turning the core fan base against the new series. Netflix knows about these challenges firsthand from its “Cowboy Bebop” adaptation. Less than a month from its premiere the live action remake was canceled. As demand for the remake has fallen off, demand for the original anime has remained consistently higher than Netflix’s version since January.
The challenges with live-action adaptations and the success of anime series on Netflix seem to indicate that the platform should leave anime animated. “Attack on Titan” was the most in-demand show available to stream on Netflix in March. More than half of Netflix’s subscribers watched some anime on the platform in 2021. Smart licensing and original anime series look like a better strategy instead of fixing something that isn’t broken.
