Netflix Is Losing One of The Best Anime Films of All Time

2026 is already off to an exciting start as the Winter anime lineup offers several intriguing series. The hottest shows of the season are easily the sequels of Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Hell’s Paradise, Fire Force, and more. However, while these series have captured most of the attention this season, Netflix released its own slate of new series and films streaming exclusively on the platform. The original film Cosmic Princess Kaguya and WIT Studio’s series Love Through a Prism gathered acclaim from both fans and critics alike. In recent years, the streaming giant has become more involved with new anime projects as the industry continues to expand at an exponential rate. Almost every month, the platform adds new series and even revives classic anime to its library.

However, while countless new series and films are added to the platform each year, several incredible ones leave as well, including the originals. There are many reasons behind this, with low viewership and licensing issues being the most common ones. While some famous titles eventually return to the platform, that doesn’t apply to every series or film leaving the platform. What’s on Netflix revealed a long list of titles being removed from Netflix in March 2026, and it includes one of the most acclaimed anime films of all time. 5 Centimeters per Second was added to Netflix’s anime catalog in September 2024 and is being removed from the platform on March 2nd, 2026.

Netflix Is Officially Removing 5 Centimeters per Second in March 2026

5 Centimeters per Second, which was released in 2007, is one of Makoto Shinkai’s earliest works, and it’s still considered one of the best even after almost two decades. Shinkai is one of the most renowned anime directors of all time, best known for his acclaimed films Your Name, Weathering With You, and more. Since the anime isn’t streaming on Crunchyroll either, it’s a major loss for it to be removed from Netflix as well.

Released as an original film, it received manga, novel, and live-action adaptations following its success in 2007. This award-winning film is split into three segments, each following a period of the protagonist and his relationships with the girls around him. The melancholic story is set in the early 1990s, following characters who love each other but just aren’t meant to be together. Childhood friends Takaki Tōno and Akari Shinohara are forced to separate due to circumstances, but promise to stay in touch.

As time passes and the distance between them widens, they remain stuck in the past, unable to form new memories. Clinging to the hope of seeing each other again, they carry on with their mundane lives, hurting themselves in the process as it becomes painfully clear they may never end up together. Although 5 Centimeters per Second is leaving the platform next month, it’s available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV. There’s no confirmation if the film will ever return to Netflix.

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