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IGN: Netflix States Compromised Post-Production Partner Leaked Anime; Streaming Service is Aggressively Taking Action (Updated)

IGN reported on Friday that Netflix provided them a statement regarding recent leaks of anime episodes, most of which have been announced to stream on the service in the future. Netflix stated that the leaks were initially reported internally before spreading online. Netflix told IGN, "One of our post-production partners has been compromised and footage from several of our titles has unfortunately leaked online. Our team is aggressively taking action to have it taken down."

Update: Global entertainment technology and localization company Iyuno released a statement:

Iyuno is aware of a recent security issue, involving unauthorized access to confidential content. Protecting our clients' confidentiality and ensuring the security of their content is our highest priority. We are actively investigating this security breach to mitigate any potential risks and identify the responsible parties. When there are material changes or information we will make further statements.

Update: The Wrap also reported on Friday that Crunchyroll provided the following statement: "We are aware of a content leak ahead of one of our fall series. We've opened an investigation to identify the source of this leak, and our team is taking action to have it taken down."

According to IGN, other Netflix shows and films including the second season of animated action series Arcane, Heartstopper Season 3, Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld, Plankton: The Movie, and Spellbound have also leaked.

ANN has reached out to several companies affected, including Netflix, Crunchyroll, Viz Media, and GKIDS for comments.

Initially, episodes of the new anime of Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 manga and the television anime of Yukinobu Tatsu's DAN DA DAN manga, as well as the Gekijōban Mononoke: Karakasa anime film, were leaked to the public via sites such as 4chan and piracy BitTorrent sites.

The originally leaked material included episodes 1, 3, and 4 of Ranma 1/2, the first two episodes of DAN DA DAN, and the entire Gekijōban Mononoke: Karakasa anime film. The leaks have blurred watermarks and burned-in timestamps, and are in a low-resolution ninth-HD (640x360 or 640x352) format.

Later, the first episode of the third season of the Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- anime was leaked as well. The episode has a watermark for France's Japan Expo 2024, which took place from July 11-14. Episodes 3-6 of DAN DA DAN and all episodes of Skydance Animation and Production I.G's Terminator Zero anime series had also been leaked.

Finally, more episodes of the Ranma 1/2 anime were eventually leaked for a total of 12 episodes, the average number for an anime cours (quarter of a year).

Viz Media and Hot Topic plan to screen the world premiere of the new Ranma 1/2 anime at Anime NYC on August 24. The anime will premiere in Japan on October 5, and will exclusively stream on Netflix after its broadcast.

DAN DA DAN will also similarly have its English dub premiere at Anime NYC on August 24. DAN DA DAN: First Encounter, a theatrical screening of the anime's first three episodes, will debut with theatrical screenings in Asia beginning on August 31, in Europe on September 7, and in North America on September 13. The screenings will expand to over 50 countries and regions, including Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa through mid-September. The series will premiere in Japan in October. Netflix will stream the anime worldwide in October, and Crunchyroll will also stream the anime.

Gekijōban Mononoke: Karakasa (Paper Umbrella), the first anime film in the new Mononoke film project, opened in theaters in Japan on July 26. It has no confirmed international licensee, and has also not been scheduled for any international screening.

Terminator Zero will premiere worldwide on Netflix on August 29.

The third season of Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- will premiere in October. Crunchyroll will stream the series as it airs. The third season's first episode titled "Gekijō-gata Akui" (Theatrical Malice) will air as a 90-minute (equivalent to four regular episodes) special. Crunchyroll premiered the 90-minute first episode at Anime Expo on July 5.

Update: Added statements from Izuno and Crunchyroll. Thanks to Primus for the news tip. Sources: Iyuno, The Wrap (Jose Alejandro Bastidas)

Source: IGN (Isaiah Colbert)

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