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Netflix announces their upcoming anime slate - 7 Original shows for 2018 and more

duckroll

Member
https://www.cnet.com/news/netflix-originals-anime-castlevania-death-note-japan/
http://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1501661093

Today in Tokyo Netflix held a press conference called Anime Slate 2017, where they aggressively announced worldwide plans to expand their anime offerings with not just licensed content but exclusive original series worldwide starting from early 2018. Crunchyroll is probably sweating bullets, because Amazon is next.


Netflix Originals (Worldwide exclusively on Netflix):

Devilman Crybaby (director: Masaaki Yuasa, Science Saru)
jUguxGD.jpg
Don't be fooled by the weird name. "Devilman Crybaby" is a 10-episode series based on a 1972 anime. Protagonist Akira Fudo transforms into a demon-human hybrid named Devilman, who must save the world from the invasion of demons. It promises to be lots of fun and will be available in 2018.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww06yGPM7Kc



A.I.C.O Incarnation (director: Kazuya Murata, BONES)
Fans of "My Hero Academia" will love "A.I.C.O. Incarnation's" art as it's made by the same studio, Bones. Meanwhile sci-fi fans will appreciate the plot and design. Set in 2035 in Japan, it features a monstrous artificial life form isolated in a restricted zone and divers that breach the area to secure samples for money. It's the story of a girl named Aiko who learns she's not who she thought she was and has ties to the artificial life form.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCfYQnOLHV0



B: The Beginning (director: Kazuto Nakazawa, Production IG)
The studio behind "Ghost in the Shell," Project IG, is back with a new anime that looks to be essential viewing. The plot revolves around an investigator looking into a mysterious criminal organization and a serial killer called Killer B. It will feature sci-fi elements, fantasy and lots of drama.



Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya
This 12-episode reimagining of the classic "Saint Seiya" series will feature a group of heroes equipped with magical armor based on the constellations. They're defending the reincarnation of Greek goddess Athena against the other Olympian gods.



Sword Gai: The Animation
A fantasy set in the modern world, "Sword Gai" is about a boy who fuses with a demonic sword. The trailer revealed at the Netflix event showed ships being blown up and monsters in armor fighting with swords. It will debut in spring next year.

Baki
"Baki" could be an intense watch for fans of mixed martial arts. Baki is a fighter in training to be the best in the world. The anime, which is based on a manga, will see him take on death row inmates with his friends in what Netflix calls "The Ultimate Fighting Legend." It will have 26 episodes.

Lost Song
This fantasy anime is about two singers who change the world with magical songs that heal wounds and create water. It will debut globally in 2018.


Others:

"Children of the Whales," announced for Netflix on Tuesday, will follow in this vein. It's set on a ship that floats in an endless ocean of sand. The series will air in Japan in October 2017, before hitting Netflix's servers in 2018.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxL4gEsK8uE

"Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters" will also be a Netflix exclusive. But unlike other Netflix movies, it'll show up in Japanese theatres first in October before being streamed in November.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dF83zsTIMQ

"Cannon Busters," an original series based on a comic by American LeSean Thomas, will be getting animated by Japanese studio Satelight.

Rilakkuma, a soft toy bear made by stationary company San-X, will be getting an anime series. Despite mainly being a tool to sell pens, cups and cases, Rilakkuma is very popular in Japan.
 

duckroll

Member
Castlevania isn't "anime" but it was also at the conference along with Voltron as part of the "look at all this animation" lineup for Japanese audiences.

I don't think Netflix is doing this just for Japanese subscribers btw, they're definitely making a big push for a growing anime library internationally, and they're definitely going to effectively strangle Crunchyroll within a few years when CR increasingly cannot get bigger prestige shows because Netflix and Amazon will be locking them in before they are even made. That's the reality of the streaming market moving forward.
 

ZiZ

Member
A lot if them have very interesting premises. But I'll wait and see which ones turn out to be good.
 

Aiii

So not worth it
Castlevania isn't "anime" but it was also at the conference along with Voltron as part of the "look at all this animation" lineup for Japanese audiences.

I don't think Netflix is doing this just for Japanese subscribers btw, they're definitely making a big push for a growing anime library internationally, and they're definitely going to effectively strangle Crunchyroll within a few years when CR increasingly cannot get bigger prestige shows because Netflix and Amazon will be locking them in before they are even made. That's the reality of the streaming market moving forward.

I just meant they're in it for the subs and there are markets where Anime gets them subscribers. Crunchyroll isn't likely to be a spec on their radar.
 

Moose Biscuits

It would be extreamly painful...
I'll admit that Devilman and whatever I.G. is doing sound neat. The rest sound fairly eh, fantasy/martial arts/swordplay stuff. Doesn't ring my bell.

No comedy shows either, that's a shame.
 

MouldyK

Member
CR is going to be hurting in a couple years if this keeps up.

Aren't Netflix still like: "What's Simulcast?"

If so...it won't hurt them much.

And if it does, then it'll hurt the industry as well as people don't want to wait around for their Anime.
 

duckroll

Member
I just meant they're in it for the subs and there are markets where Anime gets them subscribers. Crunchyroll isn't likely to be a spec on their radar.

Yup. None of this is happening because they want to "fight" CR. CR is just going to be a casualty because they're not going to be able to compete on this level.
 

Moose Biscuits

It would be extreamly painful...
Castlevania isn't "anime" but it was also at the conference along with Voltron as part of the "look at all this animation" lineup for Japanese audiences.

I don't think Netflix is doing this just for Japanese subscribers btw, they're definitely making a big push for a growing anime library internationally, and they're definitely going to effectively strangle Crunchyroll within a few years when CR increasingly cannot get bigger prestige shows because Netflix and Amazon will be locking them in before they are even made. That's the reality of the streaming market moving forward.

There's still a bunch of stuff I don't believe Netflix would pick up where CR still makes sense.

When Netflix start doing shows like New Game, Non Non Biyori, YuruYuri, etc. then maybe CR should worry.
 

Ponn

Banned
I wonder if they will use White Zombie in the promos for Devilman again like in the past.

I'm really impressed by that lineup, some possible good original stuff there.
 

Aiii

So not worth it
There's still a bunch of stuff I don't believe Netflix would pick up where CR still makes sense.

When Netflix start doing shows like New Game, Non Non Biyori, YuruYuri, etc. then maybe CR should worry.

I think there's definitely a chance Netflix would go for shows like New Game and YuruYuri, or other slice of life shows. They're popular, so why not?

Also, LGBTQ movies do quite well on Netflix from what I understand, so yuri anime would only make sense.
 

DiGiKerot

Member
These would add to their debts. All of those anime licenses can't be cheap.

Most of these probably aren't even licenses - chances are that Netflix is the major financer on most of these and that they only even exist because they were willing to do the business and cut cheques on it. That's why you have a bunch of SF stuff and a bunch of nostalgia-shows - stuff like Devilman, Saint Seiya and Baki are probably only getting made because Netflix are trying to market their service in the same way they keep dragging out old franchises for Pachislot games.
 

ultrazilla

Member
Agreed with Duckroll, Devilman will be gooooood! :)

I'm also aware that Netflix is apparently funding a new Ultraman live action tv show but don't know if it's strictly for Japan Netflix or Worldwide. With Castlevania and Voltron, let's hope it's worldwide. I'd love to see some live-action stuff from them. That they're also doing a new live action "Lost in Space" tv series is promising(they better keep the B-9 robot design the same!). I also wouldn't mind seeing Giant Robo aka Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot live action tv series updated.

Now Duckroll-question-I have Netflix 4k service. Would the anime obviously look better in 4k or is it diminishing returns after 1080p? Netflix original programming and movies I think are mandated to be in 4K as well as 1080p. It'll be interesting to see if the anime is.
 

JCG

Member
This wouldn't be so bad if Netflix actually started airing the shows on time. That is, during the original broadcast or shorly after at most.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to do that in most cases. Which limits the exposure of shows with a lesser profile (poor ID-0 still isn't available) and provides an incentive for making fansubs of the more popular titles.

Hopefully their 2018 plans include simultaneously streaming most or all of these new series even outside of Japan.
 
Holy shit it's anime I actually want to watch

I just about gave up after years of fruitlessly sifting through season lineups for gold, and having my heart broken by Berserk.
 

ZoddGutts

Member
New Baiki anime? Interesting, hopefully I'll be violent as hell since it's on Stream and not on TV.

CR is going to be hurting in a couple years if this keeps up.

CR will need to start spending money Co-Producing anime, thus locking down on anime for their site. Do they have the funds to do that though? As for Netflix cool to see them investing in Anime, so far stuff I'm willing to watch (non moe stuff). Would love for a hard scifi/Cyber Punk anime ala Bubblegum Crisis. There was Blame, hoping for more similar stuff.
.
 

MouldyK

Member
This wouldn't be so bad if Netflix actually started airing the shows on time. That is, during the original broadcast or shorly after at most.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to do that in most cases. Which limits the exposure of shows with a lesser profile (poor ID-0 still isn't available) and provides an incentive for making fansubs of the more popular titles.

Hopefully their 2018 plans include simultaneously streaming most or all of these new series.

Reminds me of Are Amazon and Netflix Killing Great Anime? from Mother's Basement.
 

DiGiKerot

Member
Agreed with Duckroll, Devilman will be gooooood! :)

I'm also aware that Netflix is apparently funding a new Ultraman live action tv show but don't know if it's strictly for Japan Netflix or Worldwide. With Castlevania and Voltron, let's hope it's worldwide. I'd love to see some live-action stuff from them. That they're also doing a new live action "Lost in Space" tv series is promising(they better keep the B-9 robot design the same!). I also wouldn't mind seeing Giant Robo aka Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot live action tv series updated.

Now Duckroll-question-I have Netflix 4k service. Would the anime obviously look better in 4k or is it diminishing returns after 1080p? Netflix original programming and movies I think are mandated to be in 4K as well as 1080p. It'll be interesting to see if the anime is.

I don't even think most anime is even made in 1080p, let alone 4k. Certainly weren't a few years ago. Not even theatrical stuff is made with 4K in mind.

This wouldn't be so bad if Netflix actually started airing the shows on time. That is, during the original broadcast or shorly after at most.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to do that in most cases. Which limits the exposure of shows with a lesser profile (poor ID-0 still isn't available) and provides an incentive for making fansubs of the more popular titles.

Hopefully their 2018 plans include simultaneously streaming most or all of these new series.

Most of these 2018 shows are being made for Netflix, though - no TV broadcast, will be released straight to the service. They'll probably all be done in batches like most of their other original content.
 

Crocodile

Member
They are making a new Grappler Baki anime? I can't say I saw that coming.

Also Netflix is going to be funding a full Cannonbusters series? Super cool :)
 
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