Normally Netflix doesn’t release new content to the 190 countries it services at once, but in a change of strategy the company is launching its original anime series, “Perfect Bones” to all of its subscribers at the same time. The company is keeping its business model fresh with the strategy and giving subscribers worldwide just what they want – more access to content.
After its big global expansion, Netflix content selections are still limited in many countries. While many users have found ways around geo-blocked content, Netflix has recently cracked down even further on this, denying access to content that is unavailable in a particular country even with the use of a VPN or proxy.
“In an era where the Internet knows no bounds, we are proud to deliver high quality original anime to fans all over the world, at the exact same time, no matter where they live whether it be Japan, France, Mexico, the US and beyond,” said Netflix VP of international originals Erik Barmack.
Debuting its anime originals to all of its users worldwide at the same time is a huge step for Netflix. Global expansion for the company has gone into full effect, but debuting niche original content like “Perfect Bones” to every subscriber worldwide at the same time is the next step in its expansion efforts. Content availability is the company’s next frontier to face and creating content that appeals to users all over the world. Anime falls into a category of content that is niche, although highly popular in Japan, there are also huge fan bases all over the world which Netflix will be able to tap into. There are also specialist online streaming services such as CrunchyRoll which are devoted to anime content which pretty much gives Netflix the clue that anime is an exception to previous policies around content.
Netflix has already begun adding anime to its collection, the first series being “Knights of Sidonia” which is considered a Netflix original despite the show airing on TV in Japan before becoming available on the streaming platform. The 12 episodes of “Perfect Bones” will be available to all anime fans across the world at the same time although Netflix has not released when the series will actually launch.
Global reach isn’t stopping at anime. Netflix will also be producing its first German production according to the streaming giant. The series, “Dark”, a ten-episode supernatural family drama will be the first for Netflix that is written, shot and produced entirely in Germany. The new original series “will appeal to a global audience,” said Barmack.
If Netflix wants to be the Internet TV service of the world its originals need not only appeal to global audiences, but also be available to global audiences, not limited to viewers in the US or Japan or Germany. If it is true that content tastes vary less between countries than they do within countries Netflix should continue on this path of diversifying its global content offerings. Being in the US, for once we would be denied these content offerings if Netflix chose not to offer these series globally, which would be a shame considering that a German-native mother and anime-loving sister could enjoy both “Dark” and “Perfect Bones”. That is the diversity of tastes not just in one country but one household.
This first ran in Rider Research’s Online Reporter.