Golden Week Free Streaming Bonanza Pays Off, ABEMA's May 'Classic Anime' Total Viewing Time Rises to 110% Year-on-Year

[Photos/Images] Golden Week Free Streaming Bonanza Pays Off, ABEMA's May 'Classic Anime' Total Viewing Time Rises to 110% Year-on-Year 1st

ABEMA announced that in May 2026, the monthly total viewing time for 'classic anime' in the anime genre rose to 110% (*1) year-on-year. (*1) As of May 2026, based on the company's own research.

The main factor behind the year-on-year increase in monthly viewing time for 'classic anime' in ABEMA's anime genre was the special campaign held during the Golden Week holidays, the 'Over 300 Anime Titles Free Blowout Festival,' which offered a wide range of anime for free streaming.

Among these, in addition to the free marathon broadcast of the legendary mega-hit TV anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, ABEMA held its first-ever free marathon broadcasts of several popular anime from the 2000s: the hot-blooded American football sports anime Eyeshield 21, the barrier-battle story Kekkaishi about young successors born into a family of barrier masters who exorcise demons, and the hot-blooded cooking anime Yakitate!! Japan, a hit of the Heisei era — all of which greatly contributed to the growth in monthly viewing time.