Anime is a fickle game if you’re a global streamer, with some series becoming huge hits in the West, while others are doomed to languish at the bottom of the viewing figure pile. While Netflix has gone all in on the animation form, Disney has only really dipped its toe into the vast sea of anime — but that might all be about to change thanks to the success of one of its shows on the platform: Tengoku Daimakyou.
The Japanese series (which translates to “Heavenly Delusion”) is about a post-apocalyptic world where dangerous monsters traverse the destroyed land, looking for the last remaining humans to kill. There are isolated schools that keep children safe from the outside world, but soon a few of their borders begin to question their existence, and seek to discover more about the outside world. At the same time, roaming around the outside world and hiding from its many dangers are Maru and Kiruko, two young survivors who search for a place called “Heaven.” Neither really know what they expect to find there, but it serves as a symbolic reason to carry on for the pair. The stories eventually intersect, but the ride between then is a truly wild and emotional one.
The series has attracted plenty of praise online for its intrigue and brilliant character work, as well as the depth and complexity given to the relationships between the mostly child characters. But now it’s also been confirmed to have been killing it in the streaming stakes, raking in more viewers than those watching The Muppets: Mayhem. It’s also one of the most-viewed animated shows on the platform in general, barring the streamer giant’s biggest franchises.
This is made all the more impressive by the fact that the show isn’t even available on the platform in the U.S, although it is available on Hulu if you’re feeling curious.
So, it’s safe to say Disney lovers are keen on anime too. The multinational conglomerate is hardly one to sit on a goldmine, so it’s plausible to think that they might end up digging more into the space; indeed, Disney has announced a forthcoming Twisted Wonderland anime. It already has a pretty hardcore fanbase for a game, with countless memes floating around Twitter and a relatively popular subreddit to boot, so the audience is there and ready for it.
It bears mentioning, too, that the House of Mouse isn’t exactly a poor entity. There are plenty of great anime studios in Japan they could do deals with, bringing some favorites into the West for the first time, or buying the rights off other platforms when they’re up for grabs. Considering they’ve paid their way into the Star Wars and Marvel universes, it’s hardly a stretch to think they might take this opportunity to grow their subscriber base and also keep others more engaged. Plus, given a lot of their content is already animated, it could be a great way to have viewers linger longer on the platform.
On that note, there’s already a bit of media that could easily make its way onto the platform without too much disruption: Kilala Princess. Currently a manga, the story follows Kilala Reno, a young girl who idolizes the Disney princesses. Her entire life is about meeting her “Prince Charming” and getting the perfect happy ending, like the movies portray, and is a brilliant mix of parody and sincerity. Eventually, Kilala meets her Charming, saves the kingdom in which she lives, and through hard work and determination becomes a princess herself. They can even ruin the eventual anime version with a live-action remake in ten years!
For now, though, Disney would do well to notice just how brilliantly one of their few anime properties is doing worldwide. The fact it’s also available in some English speaking countries (like the U.K.) demonstrate its global appeal, is even more of an indicator of its value, and possibly the value of the entire style of animation to the huge conglomerate. If someone could just tell Mickey himself, anime on his streaming platform might become a reality.