Anime and Asian series dominate the fourth Annual Global TV Demand Awards

The global audience demand analytics firm Parrot Analytics announced the winners for the fourth annual Global TV Demand Awards: the world’s most in-demand TV show of 2021 was the Japanese anime series “Attack on Titan,” which is currently in its fourth and final season, while the most in-demand series debut, as well as the most in-demand “revolutionary” title (defined as a new series based on entirely original IP), was Netflix’s “Squid Game,” the surprise Korean sensation that took the world by storm last year.

The winners for the 2022 Global TV Demand Awards are:

· World’s Choice - Most In-Demand TV Show in the World 2021: "Attack on Titan"
· Most In-Demand Anime Series of 2021: "Attack on Titan"
· Most In-Demand Asian Export of 2021: "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai"
· Most In-Demand Book Adaptation of 2021: "The Witcher"
· Most In-Demand Children’s Series of 2021: "Spongebob Squarepants"
· Most In-Demand Comedy Series of 2021: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
· Most In-Demand Documentary Series of 2021: "A Perfect Planet"
· Most In-Demand Drama Series of 2021: "The Walking Dead"
· Most In-Demand European Export of 2021: "La Casa de Papel"
· Most In-Demand Horror Series of 2021: "American Horror Story"
· Most In-Demand Latin American Export of 2021: "Dark Desire"
· Most In-Demand Legacy Series of 2021: "Dragon Ball Z"
· Most In-Demand Reality Series of 2021: "Shark Tank"
· Most In-Demand Revolutionary Series of 2021: "Squid Game"
· Most In-Demand Sci-Fi & Fantasy Series of 2021: "The Witcher"
· Most In-Demand Series Debut of 2021: "Squid Game"
· Most In-Demand Superhero Series of 2021: "WandaVision"
· Most In-Demand Superhero Talent of 2021: "Tom Hiddleston"
· Most In-Demand True Crime Series of 2021: "Q: Into the Storm"
· Exceptional Streaming Platform of 2021: Disney+

“Attack on Titan” is the first ever non-English language series to earn the title of World’s Most In-Demand TV Show, previously held by only “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones”. Meanwhile, “Squid Game” is the first non-English language series to win for Most In-Demand Series Debut.

According to Parrot Analytics, “these landmark victories are the result of a seismic shift in global audience preferences for more international and non-English language content”. In fact, “Attack on Titan’s” ascent comes on the heels of an explosive international growth period for the anime genre: over the last two years, global demand for anime grew an astounding 118%, and the genre’s global demand share increased from 4.2% to 7.1%. Anime was the third most in-demand global subgenre in 2021, behind only crime dramas and sitcoms.

The victories for “Attack on Titan” and “Squid Game” reflect a rising tide for non-English language content with global audiences. Worldwide, the demand for all non-English language content grew at roughly twice the rate of the demand for English-language content from January to December 2021. Global demand for Japanese-language content – led largely by anime series – increased by 83%, while Korean-language content was up 37% over the same time.

“This year’s Global TV Demand Award winners reaffirm that accessibility is key to audiences around the world finding their next favorite show. High caliber anime series out of Japan, like ‘Attack on Titan,’ are more easily available now than ever before, streamlining the process of discovery, consumption, and conversation. As entertainment platforms pivot to more global markets, the more likely it is that a show out of South Korea, Spain, or Germany will find a fanbase outside of its core region. This year’s winners reiterate demand for international content is higher than ever — they just need to be in sight to remain top of mind,”  said Julia Alexander, Senior Strategy Analyst at Parrot Analytics.

The winning series for each category was determined based on Parrot Analytics global TV demand data for the period January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021.