Netflix bets on Japanese anime to battle Disney and Apple in streaming wars

As Netflix Inc. prepares for a bruising battle against the Walt Disney Co. and Apple Inc. for streaming subscribers, it’s playing a card that may deliver enough of an edge to fend them off in Asia: Japanese anime.
Overseas sales of Japanese animation content has quadrupled to almost $10 billion since 2012, according to Humanmedia Inc., a Tokyo-based research firm.
Crunchyroll, a San Francisco-based on-demand streaming service for anime fans outside Japan, has about 2 million subscribers.
To gain an edge, Netflix is bringing its strategy of developing original exclusive shows to anime as well.
Now, Netflix says it is developing a library of exclusive anime shows, clinching long-term partnerships with five of Japan’s notable animation studios.