Amazon will launch Prime Instant Video in Japan next month

By Mike Flacy August 26, 2015

amazon vr instant video platform year in review prime — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Following Netflix’s September 2 launch in Japan, Amazon is pushing forward to launch Prime Instant Video during September as well. Providing unlimited access to selected videos within the Prime Instant Video section, Japanese consumers will have to be subscribed to Amazon Prime in order to access the content. Amazon Prime currently costs 3,900 yen a year in Japan, roughly $32.50.

Alternatively, Netflix will be launching two plans for SD and HD streaming that will cost less than $65 a year and less than $95 a year respectively. Of course, the content library is likely to be significantly larger on Netflix compared to Amazon Prime Instant Video, similar to the two competing content libraries accessible to North American users. However, Amazon’s core advantage over Netflix is the company has been running Amazon Prime in Japan for 10 years and already has an existing base of subscribers.

Recommended Videos

Speaking about the launch of Prime Instant Video, Amazon Japan president Jasper Cheung said “As we’ve shown with the launch of Prime Video in the U.S. and around the world, we are investing significantly to bring high-quality, local and popular programming to Prime members, and our customers in Japan should expect the same investment. We’ve been offering videos and DVDs in Japan for 15 years — we know the entertainment customers want — and we plan to deliver it with Prime Video, all at no additional cost.”

While Amazon didn’t specify what shows will be made available to Japanese consumers, representatives for Amazon stated it will be a mixture of U.S. and Japanese films, popular Japanese dramas as well as anime selections. According to the VP of Amazon Studios, Amazon will be introducing content that’s specific to the area, which could possibly open the door for original programming.

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Audio / Video

The 10 most popular streaming services, ranked by subscriber count

The Netflix home screen.

When you're comparing the best streaming services, there are plenty of metrics to go by. Comparing them only by their number of subscribers isn't exactly a fair fight. After all not all streaming services are available worldwide. The number of subscribers doesn't exactly address the "worth" of a service, much less whether the app is easy to use. It doesn't even touch on whether the catalog of programming is good, or has what you want to watch on it, which is truly the best metric out there.

However, when we look at total subscriber counts, we can see how each service does from a global perspective. Considering we're looking at everything from streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu, to newer services like Apple TV Plus. For this post, we're not talking about free (FAST) streaming services or live TV streaming services, but the big VOD services.

Entertainment

3 underrated shows on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in October

A woman and man sit down as he is being interviewed by her in a scene from A Very Royal Scandal.

There’s something soothing about relaxing on the couch and flipping through the seemingly never-ending TV show titles available to stream. It’s a bit like the “old days” when you would scroll through linear network channel listings trying to find something to watch among the thousands only to declare after an hour that there’s “nothing on.” That can get frustrating fairly quickly, not to mention waste your precious, limited time. If you feel like you’ve watched it all and you’re looking for something exciting and new, we have you covered.

These three underrated shows on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in October are an interesting mix. There’s a British series that tackles one of the most controversial royal family stories, starring Michael Sheen as one of the most controversial royal family figures. There’s a hidden-gem true-crime show to add to the list if you’re into that genre. Finally, there’s a hilariously fun and light-hearted sitcom that critics don't love but fans around the world can’t resist.

Entertainment

Rings of Power used one simple trick to avoid an infamous Game of Thrones mistake

Adar stands near an orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2's penultimate installment follows Adar (Sam Hazeldine) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) as they and their respective Elven and Orc armies meet in battle outside the walls of the Elvish kingdom of Eregion. The conflict itself, known canonically as the Siege of Eregion, takes up the majority of the episode's runtime, and for good reason. It already ranks high as one of the most impressive blockbuster battle sequences that has ever been brought to life on TV.

The siege takes place almost entirely at night, but you're still able to perceive and understand everything that happens throughout it. That's a testament to the work of director Charlotte Brändström and cinematographer Alex Disenhof, the latter of whom confessed in an interview with Collider that he was worried about how visually legible the battle would turn out. "As [a] cinematographer, I think, some of the scariest things you can read on a page are like, 'A moonlit night,'" Disenhof admitted.