If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Netflix steps in to stream Dragon Ball Daima anime - even though Crunchyroll is too
Netflix has been growing their anime offering for years, setting itself up to compete for Crunchyroll's place as the place to get new shows.
Popverse's top stories of the day
- Why Batman is the world's most popular superhero, according to DC's Tom King
- Will Netflix's Arcane season 2 be the last League of Legends show? A new insight into Riot Games could have answers
- Nicolas Cage is the best Marvel actor, even if the Ghost Rider films aren't the best Marvel movies
The appeal of Dragon Ball goes far beyond just anime – it is a genuine pop culture phenomenon that transcends genres. So, it makes sense that Netflix, the biggest streaming service in the world, would want in on the action. With anime becoming a more important part of the Netflix library each year, they’re adding Dragon Ball Daima to their Fall line-up just a week after the first episode debuts on Crunchyroll.
The announcement shows the growing competition that Crunchyroll faces in the anime streaming world. This season, Netflix has the Ranma ½ remake and is streaming new episodes of Dan Da Dan at the same times as Crunchyroll, but the acquisition of the latest – and potentially last – Dragon Ball anime is a bit different. Crunchyroll, in its previous form of Funimation, was responsible for bringing what is arguably the most famous Dragon Ball English dub to Toonami. This brought the series to the English-speaking world in a more accessible way and gave a whole generation their first taste of what anime could be. The franchise is tied to the company’s history in a very real way.
Typically, Netflix has a handful of exclusive anime like Delicious in Dungeon each season, or it picks up the rights to the first season of a popular anime from Crunchyroll’s library. This works well for both parties – Netflix gets a popular show to add to its library and Crunchyroll remains the place to see new episodes when they air. Plus, legions of new fans are exposed to shows like Spy x Family and Jujutsu Kaisen, giving them an incentive to subscribe to Crunchyroll when new episodes air.
With Dragon Ball Daima coming to Netflix on October 18, 2024 – just a week after its Crunchyroll debut – it feels like the two companies are entering a much more direct competition. Even with parent company Sony’s backing, it is unlikely that Crunchyroll can compete with the simple number of subscribers that Netflix has.
Each week, Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included...
- How Jujutsu Kaisen subverted Shonen tropes to become one of the most popular manga of all-time
- A World without Goku: How Akira Toriyama's death could make Dragon Ball Daima the end of Goku's story
- Why the finales of My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and One Piece feel like the end of an era in manga
- Why I don't talk about Rurouni Kenshin as an anime journalist
- The anime industry grew 22% in 2023 - here is why we think it happened
- Why is One Piece more popular now that the anime is 25 years old? We asked around and found out
- Dan Da Dan is weird, profoundly inappropriate, and the perfect anime this season
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.