A new financial report revealed by the anime cornerfrom IG Port, the parent company of Production IG (Kaiju No. 8) and WIT Studio (Attack on Titan S1–3), revealed that Netflix paid out 3.573 billion yen (US$24.3 million) during the fiscal year ending in May 2025.
Kimi ni Todoke 3 was a highlight of the agreement
Of that total, 1.53 billion yen (US$10.4 million) came from Netflix Global, registered in the copyright segment. This includes the streaming license for Kimi ni Todoke season 3, produced by Production IG, which was paid in a single installment. This contract alone accounted for almost 40% of Production IG's copyright sales during the period.
Meanwhile, Netflix Studios LLC spent 2.04 billion yen ($13.9 million) on "video production" services. This move reinforces the platform's importance as one of the largest international funders of anime, even without being part of the traditional production committees.
Netflix's role in the production model
Unlike Crunchyroll or HIDIVE, which participate in committees and share risks and profits, Netflix tends to operate more directly and discreetly in its contracts. In some cases, it only licenses distribution; in others, it acquires all copyrights, as happened in recent productions (Rising Impact, Moonrise , and Leviathan).
This practice generates debate within the industry: while studios receive higher payments upfront, they lose control over intellectual property and are unable to exploit merchandising, DVDs, or other products in the long term.
Impacts for studios and animators
Experts like director Terumi Nishii have warned that, despite Netflix budgets being up to double the average, the money doesn't reach animators proportionally, especially freelancers. In many cases, the amount covers studio deficits without improving working conditions.
Still, for companies like IG Port, reliance on contracts with global streaming services has become strategic. Besides Netflix, the company's second-largest partner this year was Toho, with 1.05 billion yen (US$7.1 million).
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Source: IG Port (Investor Relations), Gamebiz