Neither Demon Slayer nor Jujutsu Kaisen was Netflix's top anime: Wacky new series hits over 19m views

A brand-new anime series beat out the rest of mainstream franchises, including Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen and Dragon Ball, to take its crown as Netflix’s most-watched anime for the second half of 2024.

The instant fan favourite 2024 premiere of Dandadan easily climbed the ranks, trumping the best of the best anime titles with pre-existing massive fanbases. According to the streaming giant’s What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report’s data from July to December 2024, the wacky sci-fi-meets-paranormal first season of Dandadan earned its rightful status as the most popular anime, amassing 19.6 million views and 96.5 million hours watched.

Dandadan beats Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen to become the most-watched anime on Netflix

Thanks to the grand viewership it racked in despite being released at such a late juncture of the year (October 2024), the Science Saru production toppled Demon Slayer Season 4 and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 from the top seat. A second season is set to premiere in July 2025.

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Contrary to the data revelation of the second half of the year, Netflix’s Engagement Report recording data from January to June 2024 showed that Studio Trigger’s Delicious in Dungeon Season 1 was the most-watched anime for the first half of the year. There too, Demon Slayer’s Hashira Training Arc settled for the second position.

Netflix’s top-ranking anime for the former half of 2024 slipped several ranks, per the latest compilation list, settling as the 14-most-watched anime from July to Dec. While various iterations of the Demon Slayer series cracked the Top 10 list in the second half of the year, Jujutsu Kaisen’s first season came in third, gaining 8.1 million views and 76.9 million hours watched.

Dandadan especially became a huge hit overseas, thanks to its streaming success story

It should also be noted that Dandadan’s streaming rights were not exclusive to Netflix. The anime was made available on multiple platforms, including Crunchyroll, Muse Asia and more. MBS (Mainichi Broadcasting System), a pioneer in the Japanese broadcasting industry, was the original network behind the anime adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga.

The network previously confirmed that even though the show didn’t blow up broadcasting ratings in Japan, it proved to be a massive streaming hit internationally. It ultimately led the company to name Dandadan as a ‘flagship’ title. “It’s a common story with anime, but the broadcast ratings aren’t that high, but in the case of ‘Dandadan,’ the response has been much higher overseas than in Japan,” MBS President Yoichi Mushiaki said during a press conference.

“At the same time as it started broadcasting on Japanese TV, it also started being distributed worldwide on overseas platforms (France, America, Taiwan). It took the number one spot in various anime evaluations.” Noting its noticeable breakout success on Netflix, the network was proud of the show’s unbeatable overseas fame regardless of the sour domestic performance.

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July-Dec 2024: Netflix's Top 15 most-watched anime series (Views, Hours watched)

1. Dandadan Season 1 (19.6 million, 96.5 million hours)
2. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Training Arc (12.9 million, 51.1 million hours)
3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 (8.1 million, 76.9 million hours)
4. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Entertainment District Arc (6.9 million, 33.7 million hours)
5. Ranma ½ Season 1 (6.6 million, 30.6 million hours)
6. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc (6.4 million, 65.5 million hours)
7. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train Arc (6 million, 17 million hours)
8. Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance: Season 1 (6 million, 14.7 million hours)
9. Dragon Ball DAIMA (5.8 million, 26.6 million hours)
10. Spy x Family Season 1 (5.5 million, 55.1 million hours)
11. The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 1 (5.4 million, 55.4 million hours)
12. Terminator Zero Season 1 (4.8 million, 18.2 million hours)
13. KENGAN ASHURA Season 2 (4.1 million, 48.2 million hours)
14. Delicious in Dungeon Season 1 (4 million, 41.4 million hours)
15. The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse Season 1 (4 million, 37.6 million hours)