Naruto is the most-watched anime series on Netflix in the first half of 2025. According to reports published by Netflix, Sakamoto Days and Spirited Away recorded 24 million and 6 million hours viewed, respectively. Masashi Kishimoto’s magnum opus surpassed both titles by a considerable margin. Netflix released these reports on July 18, 2025, which included viewership numbers across various genres available on the streaming platform.This news surprised members of the anime and manga community for a variety of reasons. Several anime shows are currently airing, yet the Naruto series completed its run back in 2017. Eight years later, it continues to draw massive viewership on multiple streaming platforms.Naruto received the highest viewership among anime titles on Netflix during the first half of 2025As mentioned earlier, Netflix released its report on viewership across various genres. The anime section had some interesting news involving the Naruto series, one of the most influential Shonen anime titles ever created. It served as a gateway for many to the world of anime. As stated earlier, Sakamoto Days season 1 received a total of 24 million views worldwide after Netflix acquired its streaming rights, a move that proved quite profitable.However, Naruto boasted a whopping 45 million hours across its various seasons. This series, including the Shippuden installment, has given consumers plenty of content to enjoy. Some might argue that the sheer quantity present in the Naruto series might have helped the series with the increased viewership. However, the margin was considerable, and Sakamoto Days is a seasonal series with plenty of hype around it.The protagonist, as seen in the Shippuden series (Image via Studio Pierrot)The entire anime community was excited for Sakamoto Days since the source material made waves in the community. The incredible art style and the wholesome interactions were packaged uniquely. However, Masashi Kishimoto’s creation continues to excite the newer fans, especially those in their adolescence, wishing to explore this medium.Naruto concluded its run with Shippuden in 2017. There is no doubt that the community’s interest in the show would have reduced as time progressed. However, Netflix gained popularity for obtaining the rights to stream some of the most popular anime shows.Its decision to obtain streaming rights to this show could have played an integral role in reviving the community’s interest. No anime fan would truly ever forget this series. However, seeing this show on their catalog might have induced a sense of nostalgia, which might have positively affected the overall viewership.Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2025 progresses.Also Read:Black Clover 10th anniversary projects announcement unveils volume 37 cover and moreSekiro anime could be out sooner than fans expect"Our goal is to expand KILLTUBE"- Director Kuribayashi and Producer Noda share inspiration, production, and more [Exclusive]