Many people are discovering HIDIVE this year as the streamer picks up more exclusive simulcasts. Here are the best anime you can watch on HIDIVE right now to make the most of your new (or upcoming) subscription!
While big exclusives may catch the eye, the service has quite a large backlog of classic anime. Some aren't very good, but there is the occasional gem if you know where to look.
This list includes a combination of critically-acclaimed anime, well-known classics and recent favourites.
All of these titles are available in most international regions, although there may be some not available in particular locations.
Related: Is HIDIVE Worth It? HIDIVE vs Crunchyroll Comparison
Oshi no Ko
Despite a lot of hype before it aired in early 2023, Oshi no Ko blew away expectations and already looks like a frontrunner for any Anime of the Year awards!
Oshi no Ko is a story about the dark side of the entertainment industry, following two teenagers trying to follow in their idol mother's footsteps.
Oshi no Ko is adapted from a manga co-created by Aka Akasaka, who shot to fame as the creator of Kaguya-sama: Love is War. While Oshi no Ko has some darker themes, it still holds some of the same comedy seen in Kaguya-sama.
The series opens with a now-iconic 90-minute first episode which, in all honesty, is worth the cost of one month of HIDIVE on its own – this is a series not to be missed!
Related: How Oshi No Ko and Kaguya-sama are Related Explained
Made in Abyss
Lauded for many years as one of the greatest adventure anime of all time, the dangerous world of Made in Abyss will leave you in awe and horror in equal measure.
The story revolves around the Abyss, a gaping chasm filled with ancient relics and creatures that stretches into the depths of the Earth.
Riko, the daughter of a famous explorer who went missing, believes that her mother is waiting for her at the bottom of the Abyss.
With the support of Reg, a robot with the body of a young boy, the two young divers set out on a perilous and unforgiving journey where new mysteries are discovered at every level.
Made in Abyss Season 2 aired last year, following on from the Made in Abyss movies, so there’s plenty of this world for you to discover.
The series is a notoriously-difficult watch in places, but if you can stomach unsettling moments, it’s also a world full of intrigue and beauty.
The Eminence in Shadow
On the surface, The Eminence in Shadow appears to be quite a cliche isekai anime. However, its incredible popularity and rapid second-season announcement attest to this being something special for fans of the genre.
The story revolves around Cid, a young man reborn in a world filled with magic.
Cid builds a world from his fantasies, forming a shadow-y group called Shadow Garden filled with beautiful women and an evil organisation – The Cult of Diablos – to be their mortal enemies.
However, as Cid falls deeper into his self-satisfying fantasies, it becomes apparent that the Cult's threat may not be wholly imagined.
The Eminence in Shadow toes an interesting line between being a reliable, guilty-pleasure isekai and occasionally straying into darker, more unique territory.
Most fans, however, say it's the carefree nature of Cid that makes the show so interesting.
Discover: Is The Eminence in Shadow a Harem Anime?
Vinland Saga
One of the best historical anime of all time, this Viking epic has a devoted following.
Vinland Saga is rooted in history, taking place around 1000 AD during the Danish occupation of England when Vikings ruled the seas.
The story starts by following a young Thorfinn, son of a fallen warrior, who joins the group of mercenaries responsible for killing his father in the hope of one day enacting his revenge.
However, Thorfinn discovers that the war-fuelled world of the Vikings isn't as great as it's made out to be. As the story progresses, Vinland Saga also grows into a wider plot about claims to the British throne.
For fans of historical anime, there are few that are as rich in detail as Vinland Saga. A love letter to the time period, the story feels incredibly grounded while still delivering a hugely engaging storyline.
Note that while a second season aired in 2023, only Vinland Saga's first season is currently available on HIDIVE.
Food Wars
Famously eccentric and notoriously ecchi, Food Wars is the best of shonen anime, and for some, the very worst, rolled into one unmissable package.
The story takes place in a culinary school where ‘Shokugeki’ – intense culinary battles – are used to settle disputes and establish hierarchies.
While many of the school’s students come from esteemed backgrounds, Souma is the working son of a popular local chef. Staying true to his father’s unorthodox teachings, he must learn to navigate the various challenges posed by the school’s eccentric teachers and fiercely competitive students.
Food Wars remains a hugely popular title, delivering drama not unlike an action anime despite its subject matter. It is also very funny, with most people knowing the series for its ‘foodgasm’ culinary descriptions.
Nana
Arguably one of the greatest shojo anime of all time, it’s impossible to not be swept up in Nana’s wave of 00s nostalgia!
The story follows two very different young women arriving in Tokyo with love on their minds.
Nana Komatsu is a cheery but gullible girl moving to Tokyo to find her boyfriend and live her dream city life. Meanwhile, streetwise Nana Osaki moves to Tokyo to pursue her music career after her ex-boyfriend and bandmate makes it big with another group.
A twist of fate sees the two Nanas renting the same apartment in Tokyo and starting an unlikely friendship that could last a lifetime.
Despite being a shojo anime, Nana has something for everyone. From interesting romance, fun comedy and a bubbling music scene, it’s an excellent series to discover.
DanMachi
Also known by its long name Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, DanMachi is one of the most popular pure (non-isekai) fantasy anime series.
The story takes place in the town of Orario, where groups of adventurers band together under the guidance of various gods to explore the giant dungeon in search of riches and prestige.
Bell Cranel, on the other hand, wants to become a great adventurer to pick up women.
However, when Bell is saved by the beautiful and powerful Ais Wallenstein, he sets out on a journey to become strong enough to stand by her side.
DanMachi first aired in 2015 and has since spawned four seasons, a spin-off series and a movie! Most of DanMachi's content is available on HIDIVE.
Akame Ga Kill
It can be hard to find a reliably good action anime nowadays. Akame Ga Kill, despite being released in 2014, very much holds up today.
The story follows the adventures and missions of Night Raid, a group of assassins working for the revolutionary army as they try to overthrow the kingdom’s greedy rulers.
Tatsumi is a country boy who, after being saved by Night Raid, decides to join their forces.
One of the key plus points for Akame Ga Kill is that it marries a classic fantasy colour palette and character design with a dark and gritty storyline. There is plenty of drama and death in this series which will keep you watching until the end.
No Game No Life
Despite being only 12 episodes long, No Game No Life ranks as one of anime’s greatest cult classics with a hugely passionate fanbase.
This isekai anime sees brother-and-sister gaming shut-ins transported to the magical world of Disboard where all disputes, from simple bets to geopolitics, are settled through games.
In this world, the human race is on the lowest rung, comfortably beaten in most games by various magical races. However, when our isekai heroes arrive and offer their skills to the human kingdom, their fate starts to turn.
No Game No Life ticks lots of boxes – bright visuals, an isekai story with an OP lead and plenty of fanservice elements. While the story itself isn’t finished due to no second season, it’s still a hugely popular title well worth experiencing.
Ya Boy Kongming!
One of the most popular music anime of recent years, Ya Boy Kongming shot to unexpected success in 2022 with its slightly absurd comedy and incredibly positive vibe.
Kongming, a famous military strategist during the Three Kingdoms age, is suddenly transported into the modern, hip world of Shibuya. He falls for the incredible voice of Eiko, a local club singer, and vows to help her achieve her dreams of going pro.
Kongming utilises many of his military strategies to help Eiko reach bigger audiences, with the series blending strategy and music for comedic effect.
Even if you're not a fan of music anime, you'll enjoy how Kongming creates unique schemes to help Eiko grow!
Discover: The Chinese Influences Behind Ya Boy Kongming Explained
Land of the Lustrous
Arguably one of the best examples of 3D anime, Land of the Lustrous has a devoted fanbase thanks to its almost psychedelic story and characters.
Land of the Lustrous takes place in a world where humanity has been split into parts. Crystalised beings known as Gems work together to protect themselves from invading Lunarians who seek them for their jewels.
Phos is one of the youngest and weakest gems, making her useless in battle despite her determination to fight. One day, she comes across Cinnabar, an outcast Gem due to the poison leaking from her body, and works to find a place for both of them in the world.
Land of the Lustrous has some incredible visuals and exquisite fighting scenes thanks to the style of animation. The story is also deceptively dark, offering something special for fantasy adventure fans.
Call of the Night
Call of the Night is a teen romance with an interesting fantasy twist!
The anime stars Kou, a young boy who can’t sleep and instead roams the streets at night. One night, he meets Nazuna, a mysterious girl who offers to help him with his sleeping problems.
However, it turns out that Nazuna is a vampire! What’s more, Kou isn’t alarmed and actually asks Nazuna to help turn him into a vampire, something that can only happen if he falls in love with her.
The show was adapted from a renowned slice-of-life mangaka and produced by A-list staff. For fans of fun teen romance anime, this is a must-watch!
Chihayafuru
Few teen drama series are as well known as Chihayafuru. If you’re looking for a classic anime full of slice-of-life drama, this is a great pick.
The series follows Chihaya Ayase, a high school girl who becomes enamoured with karuta, a classical Japanese card game involving poetry.
With the help of a veteran player and a few other newcomers, she sets up a karuta club to become the top-ranked player in Japan.
If you’re not sure about the game at the centre of the story, don’t worry. Chihayafuru does a good job of explaining the game and before you know it you’ll be following along with all the drama that unfolds around the club.
Flip Flappers
If you’re looking for something visually pleasing, you won’t find many much more interesting than Flip Flappers.
The story revolves around Cocona, an ordinary schoolgirl whose life is turned upside down by Papika, a mysterious girl who invites her to discover Pure Illusion, a rule-bending alternate dimension.
While initially hesitant, Cocona eventually decides to partner with Papika as the two work for a mysterious organisation, unravelling the secrets of this new world.
The plot of Flip Flappers is okay, but the real attraction is the visual aesthetics. With a warm colour palette and slightly Western rubber hose animation style, each episode and world is a delight for the eyes.
Helck
If you're a fan of lighthearted fantasy series, few in recent years have done it as well as Helck.
The series takes place in a demon world reeling from the loss of the Demon King against a legendary hero. A competition to be the next Demon King is in full swing, and the favourite to win is... a well-mannered human hero named Helck!
It falls on Vamirio, one of the Four Heavenly Kings ruling the Demon World, to work out whether Helck is friend or foe before it's too late.
Helck is adapted from a niche but popular fantasy manga from the 2010s, and the series does a great job of balancing funny fantasy tropes with an intriguing plotline thanks to some really intelligent and nuanced storytelling.
Helck is currently on air as part of the Summer 2023 season and looks destined to be one of the season's hidden gems!
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
Teen romantic comedies are in plentiful supply every anime season, but few have had staying power like SNAFU, thanks in large part to its broader narrative beyond romance.
Hachiman is a nihilistic high-school boy who believes stories about the joys of youth are nothing but lies. As punishment for his openly-negative beliefs, his teacher forces him to join the Volunteer Service Club and assist other people with their problems.
The only other member of the Volunteer Service club is Yukino, a similarly cold girl who looks down on others. The two of them apply logic to help people solve their problems and, ultimately, learn more about what being a teenager really means.
Kokoro Connect
Kokoro Connect, like SNAFU, is another school anime that has stood the test of time thanks to its fairly unique twists and touching moments of growth.
Kokoro follows the lives of five very different high-school students who, after forming a club together, start randomly switching bodies for a short period of time.
This unpredictable phenomenon causes untold problems for the students, from comedic switches during school to their darkest, deepest secrets being revealed.
Thanks to the body-switching nature of the story, there are untold twists and turns in Kokoro Connect. However, the story is also just a very good teen romance, with interesting characters and some excellently-written scenes.
Tsurune
A golden child of the Sakuga animation community, Tsurune is a lesser-known but hugely loved sports anime by Kyoto Animation.
Named after the sound made when an arrow is fired, the story follows high school boys at a kyudo club, a form of Japanese archery involving a lot of set movements and traditions.
As you might expect, archery is only a part of what is really a coming-of-age story filled with teen drama. Tsurune has more in common with shows like Your Lie in April that sports anime like Haikyuu.
However, as with many Kyoto Animation series, Tsurune is more famed for some incredible moments of animation that, like the sport itself, can take your breath away.
After initially airing in 2018, the series returned with a highly-rated second season in early 2023.
Scum's Wish
While Scum's Wish looks like a romance anime, there's not much happiness to be found here.
The story follows Hanabi and Mugi, two students that hold desperate crushes on their teachers. When their unrequited loves start dating each other, they decide to become a couple and use each other as substitutes.
Scum's Wish is something of an antithesis to the traditional anime rom-com – this show is filled with negative emotions, dubious characters and twisted desires.
While the adaptation wasn't as well received as the manga, it's still a pretty unique experience.
Scum's Wish has also gotten more attention recently because its creator, Mengo Yokoyari, is the artist working with Aka Akasaka on Oshi no Ko!
Golden Time
While not the most well-rounded rom-com anime ever made, Golden Time is a bright and bold series that, ironically, sticks in the mind for a long time after it's finished.
The story is, in many ways, typical university-romance fare. However, the lead character Banri gets amnesia from a fatal accident that causes him to lose all his memories of life before law school, including his friendship with Linda.
At law school, Banri befriends Mitsuo, and through him meets Kouko, a beautiful, popular student who, since childhood, has been obsessed with Mitsuo.
The story follows the four students through university life and love while Banri's memories slowly start returning to him.
As you can see from the trailer, Golden Time is full of iconic moments that make the series worth watching for romance fans.
Another bit of weird trivia: Golden Time also features a cameo from Nana's Nana Osaki! Supposedly, the character was added as a tribute to Ai Yazawa's hit manga.
Discover more of our insights and the latest anime news by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.
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