D Anime Store

d anime store
Website type
OTT video streaming platform
Available inJapanese
English
Area servedJapan
Owners
Key peopleTakaeshi Ochi (President)
ParentDocomo Anime Store
Websiteanimestore.docomo.ne.jp
AdvertisingYes
RegistrationRequired
UsersIncrease2.5 million (as of October 2021)
LaunchedJuly 3, 2012; 14 years ago (July 3, 2012) (as Anime Store)
Current statusActive

D Anime Store (dアニメストア), stylized as d anime store, is a Japanese subscription video on demand (SVOD) service specializing in anime. Launched in July 2012 as a joint venture between NTT Docomo, Japan's largest mobile telecommunications operator, and Kadokawa Shoten, a major publishing and media company, it has grown to become one of Japan's largest anime streaming platforms, offering over 6,000 titles.

The platform provides a comprehensive range of anime-related content, including early simulcast streaming of currently airing television anime, 2.5D musicals, and anime music concerts. Beyond video streaming, the service features an integrated ecosystem that allows users to purchase anime merchandise and original e-books (manga and light novels) directly within the platform.

Originally launched as an exclusive service for NTT Docomo mobile subscribers, the platform became mobile carrier-free in 2014, making it accessible to the general public. As of 2026, the standard monthly subscription fee is ¥660 (or ¥760 for subscriptions billed through app stores). In addition to its primary platform, the service has expanded its reach through external channels, such as the D Anime Store Niconico Branch on the video-sharing service Niconico and D Anime Store for Prime Video on Amazon Prime Video.

History

2012–2013: Establishment and launch

On May 16, 2012, NTT Docomo and Kadokawa Shoten agreed to establish Docomo Anime Store Inc., a joint venture to operate a smartphone anime streaming business. The company was established in late May of the same year. On July 3, 2012, the flat-rate anime streaming service Anime Store was launched within NTT Docomo's D Market portal. At the time of its launch, the service was available exclusively to Docomo subscribers, offering approximately 600 titles and 9,000 episodes for a monthly fee of ¥420 (tax included).

The number of subscribers reached 100,000 on September 17, 2012, and 500,000 by May 4, 2013. On January 30, 2013, Anime Store was renamed D Anime Store, and the platform continued to expand its library, including the start of exclusive streaming for Hyouka in June 2013.

2014–2016: Carrier-free transition and multi-device support

By March 2014, the number of subscribers had surpassed 1 million, and the library had expanded to approximately 900 titles and 14,000 episodes. On April 1 of the same year, the service became carrier-free, allowing customers of other telecommunications carriers such as au and SoftBank to access the platform by registering for a docomo ID (as it was known at the time). Concurrently, titles from Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block and the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise were added to the lineup.

The service also expanded its device compatibility, adding support for Google Chromecast on December 18, 2014, and for Apple TV (AirPlay) on December 19, enabling users to cast content to televisions.

On September 29, 2015, the website was updated to introduce new features, including continuous playback, personalized recommendations, and the ability to edit and share custom playlists.

On March 23, 2016, the platform expanded its content by launching a streaming service for anime music videos. Concurrently, it introduced an e-commerce integration in partnership with Animate, a major Japanese retail chain specializing in anime and manga merchandise, allowing users to purchase related goods directly from series pages. Furthermore, an HTML5 video player was implemented for the PC version, adding support for web browsers such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

On September 15 of the same year, the service further expanded its supported devices by becoming available on Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Android TV devices.

2017–2020: External platform expansion and e-commerce integration

On December 1, 2017, the service expanded its reach by opening the D Anime Store Niconico Branch within Niconico, a video-sharing service operated by the Kadokawa-owned media company Dwango. This channel allowed users to watch approximately 1,500 titles for a monthly fee of ¥400 (excluding tax) while utilizing Niconico's signature real-time overlaid comment feature. On July 3, 2018, Docomo began providing content to Amazon's Prime Video Channels, launching D Anime Store for Prime Video. This made approximately 1,500 titles available to Amazon Prime members for an additional monthly fee. By this time, the main D Anime Store platform had grown to offer approximately 2,500 titles. In 2019, the platform launched the annual D Anime Store Awards to recognize popular titles voted on by users.

On September 1, 2020, Docomo launched a direct merchandise sales feature within the D Anime Store platform. Previously reliant on an external partnership with Animate, this new feature allowed users to purchase anime goods—such as figures, keychains, and books—directly from participating manufacturers (initially 20 companies, including Bushiroad and FuRyu) via links on the anime viewing and title pages.

2021–present: Content diversification and service restructuring

In March 2021, the platform began significantly expanding its live content offerings, streaming voice actor talk events, 2.5D stage plays, and anime music concerts.

On September 16, 2021, an update was rolled out for the Android app and PC website, introducing support for Full HD video streaming. The iOS app followed with an update on September 21, and Full HD content gradually became available starting in late September.

On March 1, 2023, the monthly subscription fee for D Anime Store was revised, increasing from ¥440 to ¥550.

On July 6, 2023, the platform launched an e-book storefront primarily focused on the original manga and light novels of streamed anime. This update enabled a seamless transition between watching an anime and reading its source material within the same ecosystem. Concurrently, in-app purchases via Apple's App Store and Google Play were introduced, allowing users to purchase digital coins for e-books and pay for their monthly subscriptions through these app stores (with the monthly fee via in-app billing set at ¥650).

On May 21, 2024, the service expanded its supported devices to home video game consoles by launching a dedicated application for the PlayStation 5. By November of the same year, the platform's library had grown to offer over 6,000 titles.

In November 2025, NTT Docomo announced that D Anime Store would be integrated into its "Docomo MAX" and "Docomo Poi-katsu MAX" mobile plans as a selectable benefit starting in February 2026. On February 1, 2026, the standard monthly subscription fee was increased from ¥550 to ¥660. The fee for subscriptions billed through Apple's App Store and Google Play was concurrently raised from ¥650 to ¥760 (with the Google Play price revision taking effect on February 10).

Supported devices and features

The service is accessible across a wide range of devices. It supports web browsers on personal computers, as well as dedicated applications for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. For television viewing, it is compatible with digital media players such as Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV-equipped devices. It also supports home video game consoles, including PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Key viewing features include a download function for offline playback, continuous playback for sequential episodes, and the ability to organize titles into custom playlists. The video streaming quality can be adjusted across multiple tiers, supporting up to Full HD (1080p) resolution for compatible content.

Pricing and subscriptions

As of February 2026, the standard monthly subscription fee for the main D Anime Store service is ¥660. However, users who subscribe through in-app billing via the App Store or Google Play are charged ¥760 per month. Additionally, the service is offered as a selectable benefit within specific NTT Docomo mobile plans, such as "Docomo MAX."

Third-party platform channels

In addition to its proprietary platform, D Anime Store licenses its brand and a curated selection of its content library to third-party streaming services:

The platform features an integrated ecosystem that links anime viewing with related commerce:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Brzeski, Patrick (2021-10-05). "Amazon Leads Netflix, Disney+ in Japan's Expanding Streaming Market, Study Shows". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  2. ↑ NTT DOCOMO GROUP SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2019, Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  3. ↑ "「dアニメストア」が「オリコン顧客満足度調査」の定額動画配信サービス「アニメ部門」８年連続で1位を獲得！". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2024-11-01. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  4. ↑ "NTTドコモと角川書店が月額420円でアニメ見放題サービス「アニメストア」を7月提供開始へ". GIGAZINE (in Japanese). 16 May 2012. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  5. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2012-05-16). "ドコモと角川が新会社、「アニメストア」開設". ケータイ Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  6. ↑ "約500作品が見放題！ 国内最大級のアニメ配信スマホサイト"アニメストア"がオープン | スマホゲーム情報ならファミ通App". ファミ通App (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  7. ↑ "報道発表資料 : 「dアニメストア」の会員数が50万を突破 | お知らせ | NTTドコモ". www.docomo.ne.jp. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  8. ↑ "報道発表資料 : 「dアニメストア」の会員数が50万を突破 | お知らせ | NTTドコモ". www.docomo.ne.jp. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  9. ↑ "「dアニメストア」最新情報 【初の見放題】「氷菓」 独占配信開始 他「攻殻機動隊STAND ALONE COMPLEX」、「夏目友人帳」の配信開始". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  10. 1 2 株式会社インプレス (2013-08-22). "ドコモ、「dアニメストア」の会員数が100万件を突破". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  11. 1 2 ""dアニメストア"の魅力を担当者に直撃！ キャリアフリーでさらに使いやすくなる". ファミ通.com (in Japanese). 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  12. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2014-12-19). "dアニメストアがApple TVに対応。AirPlayでテレビでも視聴可能に". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  13. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2015-09-29). "dアニメストア、連続再生やマイリスト編集など機能強化。秋アニメ第1弾は32作品". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  14. 1 2 "dアニメストアで「聴く」「買う」をテーマに新サービスがスタート アニソン歌手・黒崎真音がPR". アニメハック (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  15. 1 2 株式会社インプレス (2016-09-15). "dアニメストアがFire TVとBRAVIAなどAndroid TVに対応". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  16. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2017-11-28). "「dアニメストア ニコニコ支店」12月開設。アニメにコメント、Re:ゼロ一挙配信も". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  17. ↑ "dアニメストア、Amazon Prime Videoにチャンネル開設 月額432円". ITmedia Mobile (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  18. ↑ "報道発表資料 : （お知らせ）「dアニメストア」のコンテンツを「Amazon Prime Videoチャンネル」に提供 | お知らせ | NTTドコモ". www.docomo.ne.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  19. ↑ "あなたが選ぶdアニメストアアワード2019｜dアニメストア". dアニメストア | 国内最大級のアニメ見放題サイト | アニメグッズ多数のオンラインショッピングサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  20. ↑ "オススメしたいアニメ、3位『盾の勇者』2位『Ｄｒ．ＳＴＯＮＥ』、1位はあのタイトル！「2019年に1番○○だったアニメ」部門別ランキングが公開に". 電撃ホビーウェブ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  21. ↑ "『鬼滅の刃』が3冠、"dアニメストアアワード2019"受賞作6部門発表 « 映画ランドNEWS". 映画ランドNEWS (in Japanese). 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  22. ↑ "「鬼滅の刃」が3冠！"2019年に1番〇〇だったアニメ"を選ぶ「dアニメストアアワード」発表". アニメ！アニメ！ (in Japanese). February 14, 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  23. ↑ "ドコモ、映像配信「dアニメストア」で物販 ブシロードなど20社が参加". ITmedia NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  24. ↑ "ドコモ・アニメストア、「dアニメストア」でライブコンテンツを強化…「WITH by IdolTimePripara」や舞台『弱虫ペダル』、i☆Risなど配信 | gamebiz". gamebiz【ゲームビズ】 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  25. 1 2 3 株式会社インプレス (2021-09-19). "dアニメストア、フルHD視聴可能に。Android/PCから。iOSは9月21日". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  26. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2022-12-22). "dアニメストア値上げ、来年3月から月額440円→550円に". ケータイ Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  27. ↑ "アニメ見放題作品数が国内最大級の定額制動画配信サービス「dアニメストア」でアニメの原作コミック・ノベルを中心とした電子書籍を販売開始". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  28. 1 2 "dアニメストアをPlayStation®5でも！2024年5月21日（火）より提供開始". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  29. 1 2 "「ドコモ MAX」「ドコモ ポイ活 MAX」の「選べる特典」に「Lemino」「dアニメストア」を追加 | お知らせ | NTTドコモ". www.docomo.ne.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  30. 1 2 株式会社インプレス (2025-11-19). "「dアニメストア」2026年2月から月額660円に値上げ。App Store/Google Play経由の契約者は760円". AV Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-03-08.