What Is Netflix Jail? – Simulcasting and Release Dates

Published 06/18/2021, 10:21 PM EDT

via Imago

What is Netflix Jail? What does it mean for animes and anime fans? Here’s everything to know about it and the upcoming anime series.

Netflix has extended the range of its library to offer all types of series and movies. So anyone can find movies, series, documentaries and animes of a specific genre. In this context, the world’s leading streamer continues to offer new series while also licensing projects from other companies. Of course, there are also projects that are developed in-house to promote the exclusivity of the platform.

While the popular streamer is keen on adding new animes to its library, the anime fans usually have to wait for a certain amount of time to see it in the library. We all know that frustrating feeling when we have to wait for our favourite series to return. And for anime fans, this has become a long-running pattern. Because Netflix releases a certain anime after its original airing time. This means that you have to wait to watch the episodes of the anime after they finish airing in Japan. It happens so much that the anime community has coined a term to describe this situation. They call it Netflix Jail when an anime series is slated to become available on Netflix months after its initial premiere date.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Anime series become available on Netflix after they complete their broadcast in Japan. And a certain anime in this situation is in Netflix Jail. When it finally completes its run on Japan, it then lands on the platform and gets out of jail.

This time gap does not only damage Netflix but also causes fans to prefer other ways to obtain the series. A large proportion of the anime community unfortunately pirates these anime series. As they are not able to watch it on Netflix due to Netflix Jail, they illegally watch them, instead of waiting for months.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

There a couple of reasons behind releasing an anime after a long time on the platform. One of the reasons why Netflix does not prefer simulcasting is the dubbing and subbing process. Though this is not a big problem as Netflix also simulcasts many other series. The platform releases certain K-Dramas in nine languages while also simulcasting. So it is possible for the service to simulcast, though it prefers to wait for a specific amount of time.

Netflix also tends to advertise the series before simulcasting it with its original run. This means that the leading streamer wants to create a mainstream expectation for the anime so that they can release it whenever they want to gather maximum reward. Though during this time gap, the serious fans of the series find various ways l to watch their favourite show. Considering the release schedule in Netflix Japan, the service is also able to release episodes every week. As mentioned earlier, it prefers asking fans to wait for another release date.

Though this might change in the future. As Netflix has lots of rivals in anime territory, the platform might change its policy and release the animes at the same time as Netflix Japan and Japanese TV. The platform has simulcasted some anime series before and received great reactions from the community as well.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

https://youtu.be/IcRXdmrJQYA

Well, here’s everything to know if you are curious about simulcasting. We have answered the question ‘what is Netflix jail’ and we also listed the upcoming anime in July 2021 on this post.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

ADVERTISEMENT

Kerem Dogan

168 articles

A student following the many forms of entertainment with a passion to create content.

ADVERTISEMENT

EDITORS' PICK