Netflix Japan Doubles Down on Anime Content

Betting big on Japanese content and storytelling, Netflix today celebrated an ambitious slate of projects and collaborations with top local creators and talent at the Netflix Japan Festival 2021, proudly expanding on the slate of 90 Japanese Netflix titles across anime and live action already available to date.

Netflix sees a growing interest in Japanese content by viewers everywhere, with Japanese titles like The Seven Deadly Sins, Record of Ragnarok, Ruroni Kenshin: The Beginning and more all reaching the Top 10 in over 50 countries  in addition to over 120 million households that have chosen to watch at least one anime title — more than double the number of households in 2018.

Entertaining both audiences in Japan (which continues to be one of the most important countries for the growth of Netflix) as well as fans of Japanese culture around the world, Netflix reaffirmed its commitment to bringing best in class stories and creators from Japan to audiences everywhere. This includes renowned animation studios, such as Studio Colorido (A Whisker Away, Drifting Home). In addition to the global success of Anime, Netflix is betting big on live-action and animated feature films originating from Japan with an increasingly diverse slate and roster of creators joining forces.

“Our next big bet is expanding feature films,” noted Kaata Sakamoto, VP of Content for Netflix Japan. “Japan is home to extraordinary talent who shape the cinematic history of the world. With creators as diverse as the ones we work with today, we’re excited to play a role in the history of great local talent finding their voices and delivering them to audiences everywhere.”

During Day 1 of the Netflix Festival Japan 2021 event, Netflix announced The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh (part 1 premiering 2022), a spin-off anime film project to the hugely successful manga and anime of the same name created by Nakaba Suzuki, who will also pen the upcoming sequel. Another hit series making a return will be Kakegurui Twin (August 2022), a prequel that tells the story of Mary Saotome’s gambling feats one year before Yumeko Jabami transferred to her school. Newly announced titles include TIGER & BUNNY 2 (April 2022), two new Detective Conan spin-offs (coming soon) and The Orbital Children (January 28).

The upcoming anime will join previously announced projects like fan favorite JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure STONE OCEAN, which was introduced by a special music performance by Yugo Kanno as well as voice cast guests Fairouz Ai, Mutsumi Tamura & Mariya Ise, who proudly revealed the December 1 premiere date (Episodes 1-12), Super Crooks (premiering November 25), which was introduced during a special panel with voice talent superstar Kenjiro Tsuda, who was also announced to be the main cast for Thermae Romae Novae (premiering 2022). See below for new title info:

Netflix Anime

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure STONE OCEAN | Global Premiere Date: December 1

• Florida, U.S.A, 2011 — After an accident while on a drive with her sweetheart, Jolyne Cujoh falls into a trap and is sentenced to fifteen years at the state-run maximum-security correctional facility Green Dolphin Street Prison — a.k.a. “the Aquarium.” On the verge of despair, she receives a pendant from her father that causes a mysterious power to awaken inside of her. “There are things in this world that are more terrifying than death, and what’s happening in this prison is definitely one of them.” A message from a mysterious boy who appears before Jolyne, inexplicable events that occur one after another, the horrifying truth told to her by her father when he comes to visit, and the name DIO… Will Jolyne ultimately be set free from this stone ocean they call a prison? The final battle to end the century-long, fateful confrontations between the Joestar family and DIO begins! (www.netflix.com/JoJo)
• Staff: Original manga by Hirohiko Araki. Chief director: Kenichi Suzuki. Director: Toshiyuki Kato. Series composition: Yasuko Kobayashi. Character design: Masanori Shino. Designer of the Stand: Shunichi Ishimoto. Sound director: Yoshikazu Iwanami. Music: Yugo Kanno. Animation production: David production Inc.
• Cast (Japanese): Jolyne Cujoh: Fairouz Ai. Ermes Costello: Mutsumi Tamura. F.F.: Mariya Ise. Emporio Alnino: Atsumi Tanezaki. Weather Forecast: Yuichiro Umehara. Narciso Anastasia: Daisuke Namikawa. Jotaro Kujo: Daisuke Ono.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh – Global Premiere Date: Part 1 Coming in 2022

• With over 37 million copies sold and winning in the children’s category of the 39th Kodansha Manga Award, the mega-hit The Seven Deadly Sins (original work: Nakaba Suzuki) is receiving a spin-off anime film. This film will feature an original story by Suzuki. Split into two parts, the story will follow Tristan, the son of The Seven Deadly Sins protagonists Meliodas and Elizabeth. Tristan inherits the power of the Goddess Clan and can heal people’s wounds and injuries, but he often ends up hurting others due to his inability to control his Demon Clan power. To protect his family, Tristan heads to Edinburgh Castle and meets a host of new friends along the way. (www.netflix.com/SevenDeadlySinsGrudgeofEdinburgh-Part1)
• Staff: Based on the manga The Seven Deadly Sins (published by Kodansha in Weekly Shonen Magazine) by Nakaba Suzuki. Supervising director: Noriyuki Abe. Director: Bob Shirahata. Screenplay: Rintaro Ikeda. Production company: Alfred Imageworks × Marvy Jack.

Kakegurui Twin – Global Premiere Date: August 2022

• This series tells the story of Mary Saotome’s gambling feats one year before Yumeko Jabami transferred to her school. The story begins with Mary Saotome, a normal girl, entering the academy. (netflix.com/kakegurui-twin)
• Staff: Based on the manga Kakegurui Twin by Homura Kawamoto and Kei Saik (published in the monthly magazine Gan Gan JOKER by SQUARE ENIX). Animation production: MAPPA.
• Cast (Japanese): Mary Saotome – Minami Tanaka

The Orbital Children – Global Premiere Date: January 28, 2022

• The story begins in the year 2045, when AI has advanced and anyone can travel into space. Children born on the moon and children from Earth who are on a trip to space meet at the Japanese-built Anshin space station. The series will consist of six episodes and will be distributed worldwide! (netflix.com/orbital-children)
• Staff: Creator, writer & director: Mitsuo Iso (Coil a Circle of Children). Character design: Kenichi Yoshida (Eureka Seven, Gundam Reconguista in G). Lead animator: Toshiyuki Inoue (Coil a Circle of Children, Ghost in the Shell). Art director: Yasuke Ikeda. Color design: Miho Tanaka. Music: Rei Ishizuka. Sound director: Yoji Shimizu. Production: Production +h.

TIGER & BUNNY 2 – Global Premiere Date: April 2022

• In Sternbild City, people of all races and ethnicities live alongside humans with superhuman abilities called NEXT, who use their NEXT abilities to maintain peace. Heroes wear sponsor logos, help solve crimes and save people in order to improve the image of their companies and acquire hero points. Their activities are broadcast on the popular show “Hero TV,” where the heroes try to climb the annual rankings and aim to be the “King of Heroes.” Kotetsu T. Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr. continue their hero activities to boost the image of their company, Apollon Media, as well as maintain peace. The hero system that originated in Sternbild City has now been adopted in places around the world. As more and more heroes appear, a new hero enters Sternbild City. Now that they are more veteran heroes, will Kotetsu and Barnaby be able to live up to the expectations put on them?! (netflix.com/tiger&bunny)
• Staff: Director: Mitsuko Kase. Series composition, writer & story director: Masafumi Nishida. Character design & Hero design: Masakazu Katsura. Developed, produced and based on the work of: BN Pictures.
• Cast (Japanese): Kotetsu T. Kaburagi (WILD TIGER): Hiroaki Hirata. Barnaby Brooks Jr.: Masakazu Morita. Karina Lyle (BLUE ROSE): Minako Kotobuki. Antonio Lopez (ROCK BISON): Taiten Kusunoki. Huang Pao-Lin (DRAGON KID): Mariya Ise. Nathan Seymour (FIRE EMBLEM): Kenjiro Tsuda. Keith Goodman (SKY HIGH): Go Inoue. Ivan Karelin (ORIGAMI CYCLONE): Nobuhiko Okamoto.

Detective Conan: The Culprit Hanazawa – Coming Soon

• A town of crime, Beika Town. A mysterious Dark Shadow descends onto this town that ranks among the highest crime rates in the world. His (or her?) goal is to kill a “certain man.” That key player in Detective Conan is now a protagonist! Clad in tights and possessing a pure intellect, this person’s name is… the (pseudonymous) Culprit Hanazawa!
• Spin-off of the original manga by Gosho Aoyama, written and illustrated by Mayuko Kanba.

Detective Conan: Zero’s Tea Time – Coming Soon

• Sometimes he is the famed detective Kogoro Mori’s younger brother, Toru Amuro. Other times he is Rei Furuya, a police officer protecting Japan. Still other times he is Bourbon, a man clad in black. No one knows the private life of the man who wears three faces…or so it was thought. The simple everyday life of Toru Amuro, a man cloaked in light and shadow, is revealed here.
• Supervised by original author, Gosho Aoyama. Original manga by Takahiro Arai.

AGGRETSUKO Season 4 – Global Premiere Date: December 16

• Frustrated with her thankless office job, Retsuko the Red Panda copes with her daily struggles by belting out death metal karaoke after work. After becoming an underground idol to pay off her debts, Retsuko decides to quit OTMGirls and enjoy living a happy, normal life… but just as the company she works for is facing big changes, her relationship with Haida finally begins to move. (netflix.com/aggretsuko)
• Staff: Original character by: Sanrio. Director / screenplay by: Rarecho. Animation Production: Fanworks.

Kotaro lives alone – Global Premiere Date: 2022

• Ding-dong! There is a little boy standing at the door. He hands over a nice box of tissues as a gift and says, “My name is Sato, and I have just moved in to number 203. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” He is Kotaro Sato, and he has moved into Shimizu Apartments to live by himself. He is four years old. He makes his daily shopping trips alone with a toy sword strapped to his side. Both grown-up and childish at the same time, Kotaro starts to affect the people around him with his wise ways. This is the story of a four-year-old boy who is determined to live strong until the day he can live with his parents. (www.netflix.com/KotaroLivesAlone)
• Staff: Based on the manga Kotaro Lives Alone (published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Superior) by Mami Tsumura. Director: Tomoe Makino. Character design: Tomomi Kimura. Composition: Hiroshi Satо.
• Cast: Kotaro – Rie Kugimiya. Karino – Toshiki Masuda.

Vampire in the Garden – Global Premiere Date: 2022

• One cold winter, humanity lost its battle with the vampires, and with it, most of where they called home. A small population of survivors created a wall of light in a small town to protect them and give them a place to live in peace. The protagonist, Momo, lives a repressed life but still wishes to coexist with the enemy, the vampires. Fine, the vampire queen, once loved humans and disappeared from the battlefield. As war rages through the humans’ town, the two have a fateful encounter. Once upon a time, humans and vampires lived in harmony in a place called Paradise. This is the story of a young girl and a vampire on a journey to find Paradise. (netflix.com/Vampire_in_the_Garden)
• Staff: Director: Ryoutarou Makihara (Hal, The Empire of Corpses). Assistant director: Hiroyuki Tanaka (Attack on Titan). Character design/supervising director: Tetsuya Nishio (Naruto, The Sky Crawlers). Art setting: Satoshi Takabatake, Kazushi Fujii. Music: Yoshihiro Ike. Animation production: WIT STUDIO.
• Cast: Momo – Megumi Han. Fine – Yu Kobayashi

ULTRAMAN Season 2 – Global Premiere Date: 2022

• Several years have passed since the events of Ultraman, with the legendary “Giant of Light” (光の巨人 Hikari no Kyojin) now a memory, as it is believed he returned home after fighting the many giant aliens that invaded the Earth. Shin Hayata’s son Shinjiro seems to possess a strange ability, and it is this ability, along with his father’s revelation that he was Ultraman, that leads Shinjiro to battle the new aliens invading the Earth as the new Ultraman. (netflix.com/ultraman)
• Staff: Based on a comic by: Tsuburaya Production, Eiichi Shimizu & Tomohiro Shimoguchi. Directors: Kenji Kamiyama & Shinji Aramaki. Music: Nobuko Toda & Kazuma Jinnouchi. Production: Production I.G. & SOLA DIGITAL ARTS.

Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure – Global Premiere Date: 2022

• Rilakkuma’s new animated series Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure takes to the screen in 2022! This new stop-motion animation series is written by Makoto Ueda and Takashi Sumita of the theater troupe Europe Kikaku. This series is produced by Dwarf, directed by Masahito Kobayashi of the same studio, and produced by San-X. In addition to Kaoru (voiced by Mikako Tabe), who first appeared in Rilakkuma and Kaoru, Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori go to play at a theme park that is about to close. There, they encounter many events and meet different people in this eight-episode series of 15-minute episodes depicting their active daily lives.
• Staff: Director: Masahito Kobayashi (Dwarf). Screenplay: Takashi Sumita, Makoto Ueda (Europe Kikaku). Production: dwarf studios, xpd Inc. Production: San-X Co., Ltd.

Also on the slate:

• BEASTARS Season 3
• Drifting Home feature film (2022)
• exception (2022)
• Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Season 2 (2022)
• Spriggan (2022)
• Thermae Romae Novae (2022)