More Anime Network content removed from Netflix

AN Online
1

I posted a message the last time this happened but it looks like yet another good chunk of The Anime Network content that was available via Netflix has been removed.

Compared to the listings http://www.theanimenetwork.com/Whats-On/Anime-Network-on-Devices/Netflix, the following content is no longer available:

- Blue Drop

- Dokkoida?!

- Ghost Hound

- Orphen

- Orphen: Revenge

I had http://www.theanimenetwork.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,183/catid,5/func,view/id,115111/ about this 5 months ago when some of the content (still listed on your Netflix page in fact) was removed from Netflix. The previously removed shows that are still listed include:

-     Appleseed

-     Clannad

-     Le Portrait de Petite Cossette

-     Popotan

-     The Place Promised in Our Early Days

By my count only 12 shows from The Anime Network now remain on Netflix. Last time I posted http://www.theanimenetwork.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,183/catid,5/func,view/id,115111/#115145 and stated that new content would be coming to Netflix soon. Near as I can tell, this has not happened. Instead most new (and old) Anime Network content has ended up on Hulu.

While it’s nice to still have access to it (and I do subscribe to Hulu Plus), I much rather prefer to watch content through Netflix for it’s usually cleaner interface and of course the lack of ads. Hulu also seems to have difficulty getting episodes uploaded properly, as reporting missing content here seems to have no affect. http://www.theanimenetwork.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,183/catid,5/func,view/id,104409/limit,10/limitstart,10/#121197. I don’t know if the fault for that lies with The Anime Network or Hulu, but it seems pretty silly that something can’t get resolved after 3 months.

Is The Anime Network moving off of Netflix entirely?

2

Forwarding to Admin.

3

Netflix is likely more difficult for Anime Network to get content on than Hulu. Several of the anime distributors have talked about how difficult Netflix can be. They sometimes require you to throw in streaming rights for free in order to carry your discs, or won’t allow your content to be streamed if you don’t cut great deals on the disks. They are focusing more on streaming now, even to the point that they planned to spin off their disc rental business, but small companies like Sentai and Anime Network don’t really have a lot of leverage with them.

It could also be running into issues because Sentai handles the home video releases and has the digital rights, while Anime Network only licenses the TV and streaming rights from them.