Netflix Finally Gives Anime Its Own Dedicated Section With New Feature

Netflix has launched a new “Anime Home” section for members in Japan, giving anime its own dedicated space on the streaming service for the first time.

Launched on Aug 18, the new feature brings together curated anime collections and personalized recommendations in one dedicated space, giving the medium its own discovery hub on Netflix.

Thanks to this, users won’t have to rely solely on the platform’s general recommendation system to find new anime to watch.

“Anime Home is a special page designed using Netflix’s latest technology to help members intuitively find anime that matches their mood and preferences for the day. Within the anime category, which offers a wide variety of titles, the page features multiple sections organized by theme, with titles personalized according to each member’s viewing habits.“

Among the sections available through Anime Home is “If You’re Watching Anime, Start Here!”, which highlights popular titles for newcomers to the medium, “Anime Streaming This Season,” which collects currently available new releases, and “Action Packed With Highlights,” which brings together action anime from both recent and older releases.

The titles displayed in each section are personalized for individual members, meaning recommendations can vary based on a viewer’s viewing history and preferences.

Netflix said the content featured in the sections will also continue to be updated.

The Anime Home can be accessed through the Content Bar shortcut at the top of Netflix’s home screen, recommendation rows displayed on the home screen, or a dedicated URL.

Hiroshi Yamano, director of content at Netflix Japan overseeing anime, described anime as “a treasure trove of imagination that opens doors to worlds we never imagined for ourselves.”

Yamano said he has personally encountered anime he initially believed would not appeal to him, only to become deeply engrossed in the titles after giving them a chance.

Yamano characterized Anime Home as a new gateway that allows viewers to discover what they want to watch from Netflix’s extensive anime lineup and explore the service at their own pace.

“The ‘Anime Home’ we are announcing today is a new gateway that allows each person to more intuitively discover what they want to watch at their own pace from Netflix’s carefully selected and extensive lineup. I believe this space will create opportunities for viewers to encounter anime that moves their hearts and discover a new favorite.”

Anime Home is also part of a broader effort by Netflix Japan to organize its extensive library around users’ existing interests. The move comes as the streaming giant continues to expand its anime library and it might likely be available to subscribers globally soon.

In June, the service launched “Enjoy Your Favorite Books on Screen,” a section bringing together screen adaptations of manga, novels and webtoons while allowing users to browse titles based on their preferences as readers.

Source: Netflix