Where to watch Anime on local MENA streaming services?
Where to watch Anime on local MENA streaming services?
The Streaming Lab - MENA #16
Hey 👋 - Yann here.
This is the 16th issue of The Streaming Lab - MENA.
Each Saturday, I analyse 1 topic to better understand the OTT market in the Middle East & North Africa.
This week, I’ll show you where to find Anime content on local streaming services in the region.
Before I start, I’m proud to let you know I’ll be moderating the panel “The Potential for AVOD Players in MENA” during the Nextv Series MENA 2022 in Dubai (1-2 Nov).
Enjoy the show!
I listed below the homegrown OTT services in MENA with the largest Anime content selections:
Shahid
Spacetoon Go
StarzPlay
Switch TV
Majid Universe
Shahid
Shahid offers more than 100 Anime Movies and TV Series. And there are 3 ways to access this content:
From the homepage or TV Shows section, you’ll find dedicated carousels promoting Anime titles.
From the Explore section, you can access the Anime content corner with specific carousels: Intro to Anime, Waifus, More than just a school, Katana Lovers, Anime Classics, Yu-Gi-Oh!, etc.
Or you can use the search and type Anime.
Here are some premium Anime shows that you can find on Shahid: Death Note, Attack On Titans, Parasyte, Hunter X Hunter, One Piece, Bleach, etc.
There are several movies available: Dragon Ball Z Resurrection F, Ride Your Wave, Mobile Suit Gundam NT, etc.
You will also find “The Journey”, a Japanese–Saudi Arabian animated Action Fantasy film co-produced by Toei Animation and Manga Productions.
My favorite Anime on Shahid? Death Note, a great show if you're getting into the Anime genre for the first time, with “only” 37 episodes.
Spacetoon Go
Spacetoon is known for being the region’s introduction to Anime, or Japanese animated cartoons dubbed in Arabic, with re-recorded versions of theme songs.
Spacetoon launched the streaming service Spacetoon Go in 2020, and host today a selection of 70 Anime titles. The content is categorized by planets, with 7 of them showcasing Anime content:
Zomoroda Planet for Series and programs for girls: Magical DoReMi
Comedy Planet for Comedy series: Naruto SD Rock Lee
Action Planet for Action series: Detective Conan, Monster Hunter Stories Ride On 1&2, Little Battlers Experience
Adventure Planet for Adventure Series: The Moshaya Family, Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli
Sports Planet for Sports Series and programs: Beybattle Burst Rise, The Prince of Tennis, Kuroko’s Basketball, Yomamushi Pedal
Movies Planet for Animated Movies: Detective Conan, Mazinger Z Infinity, YoKai
Space Power Planet for teenagers and young adults: My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball Super, Poco’s Udon World, Made in Abyss, Hunter x Hunter, Megalobox
My favorite Anime on Spacetoon go? My Hero Academia, featuring a large cast of characters, each with different and unique powers.
StarzPlay
StarzPlay was called last year MENA’s home of Anime, thanks to a strategic partnership with one of the world’s largest Japanese Anime providers: TV Tokyo. Since then, the Anime content genre has become one of their Top performers.
StarzPlay Subscribers can find Anime content on different areas of the platform:
From the Homepage with a carousel showcasing premium Anime content and the eJunior carousel
From the Kids section with Anime titles featured in the main carousel or mixed within the other ones
Using the search bar
StarzPlay users can watch all 220 episodes from Naruto, as well as the 500 episodes of its sequel Naruto Shippuden. Other favorites include Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Fruits Basket, The Devil is a part timer, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc, Attack On Titan, My Hero Academia, Kingdom, City Hunter, etc.
Some Anime titles from Etisalat eJunior are also available: Captain Majid Al Shabah, Moghamarat Sindbad, Jungar, etc.
My favorite Anime on StarzPlay? Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection. If you want to know what’s a true mastermind, just watch this one!
Switch TV
Where to find Anime titles on Switch TV? Go to the On Demand Plus section, and you will see the last carousel of the page is dedicated to eJunior genres. The Anime content corner is among them.
Here are some examples of Anime titles available on Switch TV:
Classic Anime: Sally, Captain Majid, Moghamarat Sindibad, Flona, Sonic X, etc.
Pokemon Movies & Series: Arceus and the Jewel of Life, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, Diancie and Cocoon of Destruction and Pokemon XY.
Other titles like Beybattle Burst, Assateer Fi Qadem Al Zaman, etc.
The series Assateer Fi Qadem Al Zaman is a good example of successful Anime-influenced animation, co-produced by the Saudi company Manga Productions and Toei Animation. The first season is set in Riyadh in the year 2050, revolving around an old woman named Asmaa who narrates folktales from the Arabian Peninsula to her three grandchildren. The second season will be set in Neom.
Switch TV subscribers can access this content within the Kids Movies packages forAED 2.99 per day, AED 7.99 per week or 24.99 per month.
Users can also access catchup Anime titles from Spacetoon channel like Kuroko’s Basketball or Hanakappa.
My favorite Anime on Switch TV? Captain Majid Al Shabah. Why? I just grew up with this show ;)
Majid Universe
Abu Dhabi Media launched Majid Universe one year ago, a niche OTT service for Kids with more than 800 hours of content, including some Anime titles: Astro Boy, Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli, Moghamarat Sindbad, My Daddy Long Legs, Sally, Swiss Family Robinson and Treasure Island.
My favorite Anime on Majid Universe? Moghamarat Sindbad, a 49-episode anime series produced by Nippon Animation which was first aired in 1975. The story is based on the children's story "Sinbad the Sailor"
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The remaining local OTT services offer a limited selection of Anime content. It means there are still many opportunities for Anime content providers and local streaming services to leverage this strong value-added genre in the region.
That’s all for today, where to find Anime content on local streaming services in Middle East & North Africa.
See you online next week. Until then, enjoy AEW Wrestling streaming exclusively on StarzPlay.
- Yann
Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you with:
If you want to learn more about OTT in MENA, I’d recommend starting with my market report:
→ The local OTT ecosystem in MENA: Learn everything about the local streaming services in the region. Get full access here.
License premium FAST & On Demand content on TVToday.
Hire top streaming experts for short-term assignments on OTTpro.