In today's article, I'll talk about the biggest issues I have with Netflix in Japan.
TV Shows or Lack Thereof
First let me say that I loooove watching TV. I am also a huge binge watcher, if I find a good show then I can sit for hours. Of course, this is a bad habit, but I know quite a few people are guilty of it. It's a nice, cozy, relaxing thing to do on the weekend. This is where one of my main problems lie with the Japanese Netflix, they barely have any shows. Okay, they do have A LOT of shows, but maybe half of the them I can't watch. I'll explain why.
Anime, Anime, ANIME
There is a ton of anime on Netflix Japan. I LOVE ANIME! They have a lot of the classic shows like Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Inuyasha, Crayon Shin Chan, Gintama, and more. My issue isn't with the selection. HOWEVER, when I find an anime that I can't wait to watch, guess what???... The anime is in JAPANESE. I know, the horror right!?? THE AUDACITY!! How dare they put the anime in Japanese IN JAPAN! LOL. But seriously, that’s not my issue, my issue is the subtitles. Of course, I know that they probably won't have the dubbed version. But on Netflix in Japan, they DON'T HAVE ENGLISH SUBTITLES EITHER! That's my BIGGEST issue.
Yes, I'm well aware that I'm in Japan and SHOULD speak Japanese. But in reality, I DON'T. Get over it, because I have. Even if I could speak Japanese a little bit, I'm not sure if it's enough to comprehend a whole series. If I was paying for Netflix, I would have cancelled it by now! There are some animes that have English dub or English subtitles, but those a few and far between. Therefore, if you eliminate anime as a category to watch, you're not left with much else.
Okay, So What About the Other Categories
When I moved to Japan, I was so excited to see that they had The Big Bang Theory. I do really like the first few seasons of that show. But not more than that. They also have Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is honestly one of my favorites. They have Archer, The Inbetweeners, Peep Show, How to Get Away with Murder, and The Good Place. Yes, I do love to watch comedies, maybe that's why I'm having such a hard time, but come on. On the Japanese Netflix, they also have the rights to show Titans. I know that in the US, it's not shown on Netflix. That is a good point, but I feel there aren't enough shows! I know that I'm complaining too much, but I don't just want to watch superhero shows all day.
The Movie Selection
For me this is a bit of a saving grace. They have movies that definitely aren’t available in America. They have Scott Pilgrim, Jumanji (new one), Little Shop of Horrors, The Princess Bride, and Matilda. They have classic movies; I DO like that. However, I'm not sure why, but since I became an adult, I'm not really into watching movies. Especially not a movie that I've seen so often. I do like these movies, but if I turn it on, I probably will pay little to no attention.
The Reality of The Situation
I know that Netflix has more competition. I’m also aware that, right now, it's going through a lot of changes. But I just feel like it's boring. Even if I use a VPN to use the American Netflix, it's still a pretty boring. I like to watch The Office, but I heard that it'll be leaving soon. I guess I'm fed up with these companies trying to make their own streaming services.
No, we are not willing to pay for EVERY SINGLE streaming service out there because they want to be greedy. Yes, I can do without. Yes, I will go without. That is the main reason why I have been reading as much as I have been lately. I will not pay all that money to have multiple streaming services. They all need to falter and go back to Netflix. I'm tired, and I'm sure I'm not the only one lol.
Good luck on using Netflix in whatever country you are in. I hope you can find something to watch, Lord knows I can't.
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