Streaming services have become a significant channel for new audiences worldwide to consume Japanese animation, causing anime to experience massive growth in recent years. However, despite Netflix and Crunchyroll currently outperforming platforms such as Amazon Prime and Hulu,Disney+has demonstrated its intention to establish its reign as the top streaming service for anime fans.
Disney Is Prioritizing Its Asian Anime Business
According to Anime by the Numbers, Disney+ only obtains exclusive licenses for approximately 2-3% of newly released anime, a negligible amount considering the number of titles that go to rival platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll each season. However, Disney’s Asia-Pacific president, Luke Kang, revealedvia The Hollywood Reporterthat Disney+’s strategy isn’t based on competing with other companies.
We don’t have the same volume as some of our competitors, but what we’re focusing on now is getting big titles that will have a big impact
- Luke Kang.
While Kang affirmed Disney’s focus on both Korean live-action and Japanese animation due to their value in creating international impact, compared to the streaming service’s marketing in Asian countries, promoting anime to Western audiences seems to be a low priority, as recently seen with Shōnen Jump titles likeUndead UnluckandMission: Yozakura Family, which went largely unnoticed upon release.
Disney Has A Promising Anime In Production
One of the company’smost ambitious bets this year isTwisted Wonderland, which is set to premiere in Fall 2025 and is based on the popular game franchise designed by Yana Toboso,Black Butler’s acclaimed author.Twisted Wonderlandwill join the expanding lineup of new anime from Disney+, such as the latest installment ofBleachand the hit animeMedalist.
Yet, althoughTwisted Wonderlandis an original production by Disney, the anime has more promotion in Japan than in the West.Twisted Wonderlandannounced exclusive merchandisein Japan, while the franchise only had a cosplay gatheringat Anime Expo 2025despite its premiere being just around the corner on July 24, 2025.
Disney’s Merger With Hulu Could Turn the Tables For Anime in the West
It’s well known that streaming platforms are on the lookout to grab major anime titles or generate the content themselves, such as Netflix.Disney+ is not a stranger to this, recently securing the rights to important titles, such asBullet/BulletbyJujutsu Kaisen’s director andWandance,the latter thanks to its partnership with Kodansha.
The announcement that Disney+ and Hulu would be combined in 2026 represents a change to anime streaming’s current panorama. The merger of both platforms, which began in 2023 and increased Disney+’s anime catalog, could indicate a future threat to services like Crunchyroll, since the company might be preparing to start competing in volume and not only with original titles.
Anime is Bigger than Ever, And Disney Knows It
Even though Disney+ doesn’t seem to be focusing on Japanese animation as much as other platforms, it’s clear it also doesn’t want to be left behind, tackling anime’s increasing influence in a different direction.WEBTOON recently announcedthat it’s teaming up with Disney to bring comics onto the platform.
This means that Marvel andStar Warscomics will adopt WEBTOON’s innovative vertical scroll format, an approach done not so long ago bythe popular mangaFullmetal Alchemist. However, this may also be the first step towards a bigger partnership that focuses on adapting WEBTOON titles into animation, taking advantage of the medium’s growth.
An Anime Streaming War Brings Great News For Animation Fans
An example of a different perspective on Disney+’s anime strategy is theupcoming animated seriesDragon Striker.Dragon Strikeris heavily inspired by anime such asInazuma Elevenwhile reuniting staff from big anime likeOne PieceandMy Hero Academia. Still, the series is not an anime as it’s being produced by a French animation studio.
While French animation is a formula that worked for the company in the past withMiraculous Ladybug, it showcases how Disney is differentiating itself from other platforms like Crunchyroll, which has recently found success inChinese animation such asLord of the MysteriesandTo Be Hero Xinstead of European productions.
Moreover, these contrasting approaches serve to boost different animated works, increasing the options for fans of the medium. Nevertheless, while Disney’s previous lack of promotion for series likeTokyo Revengersearned it a bad reputation, being called a prison for Japanese animation, anime fans should keep an eye on how things will change for Disney+ in the coming months.
