Disney+ to launch over 50 new shows in 2023, including Japanese anime

Come 2023, subscribers of streaming platform Disney+ can expect over 50 new titles from Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm and new APAC Originals for Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. These Originals include K-dramas, Indonesian rom-coms and Japanese anime.

The addition of Japanese anime content comes as part of the Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific’s expansion of its long-standing collaboration with leading publishing house Kodansha, announced President Luke Kang at Disney’s Content Showcase, which took place at Marina Bay Sands on Wednesday (Nov 30).

Starting with Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown Arc, Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) anime titles based on manga produced by Kodansha will launch exclusively on Disney’s streaming service worldwide in January 2023.

Besides anime, other Japanese productions include Gannibal, Dragons of Wonderhatch and House of the Owl.

As for the upcoming slate of content from the major studios, viewers can expect movies like a live action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, animated musical Wish, the sequel to Inside Out, and The Marvels which will star Itaewon Class’ Park Seo-joon.

Park is not the only South Korean actor who will grace the screen next year. Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae has been casted in The Acolyte, a mystery-thriller part of the Star Wars franchise.

Other series include The Mandalorian Season 3, Loki Season 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.

Over the last year, over 45 new APAC titles have sunrised on Disney’s streaming service, with several shows gaining commercial and critical success.

Big Mouth, Soundtrack #1 and IN THE SOOP: Friendcation were among the top three most watched titles in the majority of APAC markets in their premiere week. The total hours of locally-produced Asian content streamed on Disney+ is eight times more than it was a year ago, said Disney in a press release.

Following this success, more K-drama and K-pop content will be uploaded onto the platform. Some titles to look forward to include Connect, Soundtrack #2, The Worst of Evil and an exclusive Disney+ original, BTS MONUMENTS: BEYOND THE STAR.

The new projects unveiled are part of Disney’s ambition to greenlight over 50 APAC Originals by 2023.

Mr Kang said: “We want to serve our viewers in every market with globally branded content like Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar, as well as locally produced stories that resonate with them – while also taking the best of those stories global.”