The anime streaming wars remain a big part of the streaming game these days. While outlets like Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and Retro Crush are first and foremost focused on anime, platforms like Hulu, Netflix, MAX, and more attempt to carve out pieces of the pie. Amazon Prime Video has, in the past, housed countless classic anime franchises on its platform, while also being the exclusive streaming service for series including Made in Abyss, Blade of The Immortal, and The Rebuild of Evangelion film series. Now, in a new interview with Variety, Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that it is only looking to commit more to the anime world in the future.
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Specifically, Amazon Prime Video confirmed that they are making a run for additional subscribers in Japan. Head of Amazon MGM Studios Jennifer Salke stated the following when describing how the platform would branch out, “We’re very committed to a strong pipeline for customers in Japan. We have a huge opportunity. One of the most exciting things we’re doing here in Japan is talking about our plans for ramping up those that content strategy for the next several years.” The commitment, according to the interview, also includes licensing original anime, which certainly makes sense considering one of the biggest recent additions to the platform.
Salke also discussed the challenges of cornering a market that already has so many competitors in the anime medium, “We have a big commitment to an anime slate that we’re pulling together, and the teams are all working on it. There’s a lot of exciting stuff in the works that we’re looking forward to sharing, and that’s an ongoing commitment.”
[RELATED: Gundam GQuuuuuuX Reveals Its Anime Streaming Home]
Amazon: Home of Gundam
In a surprise turn of events earlier this month, Amazon Prime Video confirmed that it would be the exclusive streaming service for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the latest series in the beloved mech franchise. While GQuuuuuuuX might not walk away as the biggest Gundam series in the world, the major profits brought in by the compilation film that hit Japan and North America might hint that the Hideaki Anno creation will come out on top.
In a recent press release, Prime Video Japan’s Country Manga Keisuke Oishi had the following to say about Gundam becoming an Amazon exclusive, “At Prime Video, we curate a diverse selection of content for our customers worldwide with Japanese animation being one of our most popular offerings. Following our successful global streaming of acclaimed anime works like Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time and the theatrical anime Look Back, we are thrilled to present Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX to our Prime members in this milestone year—celebrating 46 years since the birth of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise and the 30th anniversary of the Evangelion franchise.”
Want to stay up to date on the anime streaming wars? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Amazon Prime Video’s anime exclusives and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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Image courtesy of Max
