Highlights
- Mamoru Hosoda’s Scarlet arrives on Netflix India on May 17.
- The film reimagines Hamlet with a female-led revenge narrative, blending Western literature with anime storytelling.
- Scarlet release comes in the backdrop of intensified competition with Crunchyroll, as platforms try to secure high-profile anime content.
Netflix will begin streaming Scarlet, the latest anime feature from director Mamoru Hosoda, in India on May 17. The film, which opened in Indian theaters on Feb 6, arrives on the platform three months after its theatrical release.
The streaming release underscores Netflix’s broader strategy to localize anime offerings in high-growth markets such as India, which is currently among the top three anime viewership markets. Scarlet is a Hamlet-inspired narrative that reimagines the Shakespearean tragedy with a female protagonist navigating her journey of revenge.
Hosoda, known for films like Mirai, Wolf Children, and Belle, remains one of Japan’s most internationally recognized anime filmmakers, with a 2019 Academy Award nomination for Mirai. However, Scarlet received mixed critical reception, holding a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 84 reviews, which is significantly lower than his other prominent works.
Netflix Adds Scarlet as Streaming Competition Intensifies
Netflix has become India’s top anime streaming platform, according to GEM Partners. However, competition remains as Sony-backed Crunchyroll keeps offering both niche and popular anime titles as an anime-specific streaming platform.
Crunchyroll has recently added the highly demanded anime feature Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, a few days before Netflix added Scarlet among its offerings. Despite mixed reviews, Scarlet’s track record of screening on international festival circuits and Hosoda’s popularity among regular anime feature watchers can appeal to a substantial audience through the Spring 2026 season.
Most of Netflix India’s high-profile anime exclusives have concluded their run by the summer anime season. The highly anticipated Spring exclusive, Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, also streamed only one episode globally, with other episodes getting delayed to Fall.
Scarlet carries narrative depth, as it's a Shakespearean tragedy-inspired anime feature, which is unique. Anime rarely adapts from the Western literary landscape, making the movie appealing to audiences. By adding Scarlet to its Indian library, Netflix could test the streaming performance of the movie before globally distributing it. The movie is currently available for digital rental on platforms such as Amazon Video and Apple TV, in most global markets.
