Best Anime to Watch on HIDIVE Right Now (May 2026)

Although HIDIVE is largely region-locked, it provides a plethora of anime titles, and many of them are among the best the platform offers. From thrillers and historicals to romcoms, Isekai, and more, the lineup is stacked. Even new shows are being added to the platform every season.

Thus, if you are planning to start a new anime series this May and currently only have access to HIDIVE, then we would highly recommend picking one from the following list. It has almost everything that can suit your personal taste in anime. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.

1 Made in Abyss Lures You With Cute Art, Then Hits You With Horror

Do not be deceived by its cutesy art style and little characters. While the initial presentation may appear like a soothing adventure anime, Made in Abyss is darker than most anime or shows you have probably seen. Furthermore, the atmospheric beauty the anime offers is immaculate.

The story focuses on cave raiders who venture into the Great Abyss on an Earth-like planet. However, the Abyss is unforgiving, and the ecosystem rapidly changes, becoming more dangerous the deeper you go. It is ultimately about uncovering the secrets of this Abyss.

With a new movie coming out in Fall 2026, this is the perfect time to binge the show.

2 Vinland Saga Season 1 Introduces Anime’s Best-Written Antagonist

Vinland Saga has left an impact on modern media that few anime have. Its thematic portrayal of who to hate and who not to has managed to move many people’s hearts. But it all started with the series’ high-octane revenge storyline in Season 1.

The reason Season 1 also stands out compared to Season 2 is the antagonist presented in it. Askeladd is easily a top contender for one of the philosophically best-written villains in the history of storytelling. The way he shaped the MC’s path in Season 2 is beyond human praise.

Since fans are excited for a potential Season 3, you can catch up with the series right now.

3 Chained Soldier Doesn’t Hold Back With Its Plot-Driven Ecchi Elements

While we did have enough power fantasy anime, none of them really manages to pull off the ecchi elements within the plot as seamlessly as Chained Soldier does. In fact, it might just be targeted for those niche audiences who prefer a solid storyline with well-integrated fan service.

Written by the author of Akame ga Kill, this new anime might just become your next favorite thing. The dynamic between the female commander and our male protagonist, who serves as a powerful monster, is often regarded as hilariously unhinged at times.

Setting up a massive cliffhanger, Season 2 just ended in Winter 2026, so you’d better give it a watch.

4 Oregairu Is the Perfect Romance Anime That We Didn’t Deserve

Surface-level or happy-go-lucky romance anime can be found everywhere, but what Oregairu portrays is a more thought-provoking and deeper exploration of reality when it comes to falling for one another. It basically shows how love can feel if you’re an overthinker.

The protagonist of the show might come off as edgy to some people, but he is really just a protector. A protector of his own heart and of those he cares about. This creates some of the most interesting character dynamics when he’s forced to work with others he doesn’t wish to, and you’d love to see that.

Although the anime has long wrapped up, it remains one of the best romances the media has to offer.

5 Parasyte: The Maxim Will Keep You on the Edge With Its Gore

Parasyte might be one of the coolest shows from the 2010s that popularized gore in a modern anime setting. Some of the scenes can even be a bit too extreme in their depiction of body horror, but that’s also what charms most of its fans. However, it’s more than just gore.

The storyline is a well-thought-out exploration of human evolution through the eyes of two different species coexisting with each other. What are these two? One is our human MC, Shinichi, and the other is his alien companion, Migi. Now you’ve got to watch the anime to see what happens to them.

Parasyte’s conceptual gore is considered a timeless masterpiece that you can watch next month.

6 Call of the Night Provides a Vampire Storyline With a Romance Twist

Vampires have long been one of the central themes in many anime and Western shows, but the way they are presented in Call of the Night is nothing like their usual portrayal. Here, they are portrayed as sensible beings trying to live in a society ruled by humans.

The story essentially feels like a beautiful documentary of Japan’s nightlife, and the anime’s atmospheric vibe is on a whole other level. The best part is that it also features a thrilling romance plot, as our MC, Kou, falls in love with Nazuna, one of the most eccentric vampires out there.

With the banger conclusion of its 2nd season in October 2025, it’s a great time to catch up with the anime.

7 Oshi no Ko Masterfully Explores the Dark Side of Japan’s Showbiz

Not many shows dare to expose Japan’s social media, cinema, TV shows, and related industries to the level Oshi no Ko has. It doesn’t hold anything back. While there’s still a small amount of reincarnation and fantasy elements mixed into the series, it mostly feels like a mystery thriller.

As you start watching the anime, each episode from the initial season will present newer and often dark insights you might not have been aware of about how the showbiz industry works in Japan. But as you move forward, it turns into an extremely gripping revenge storyline.

With Season 3’s insane, polarising conclusion in March 2026, the final season of the series has already been announced. So what are you waiting for? Go and binge it fresh.

8 The Dangers in My Heart Is All About Cute, Heartwarming Romance

Let’s throw those constant misunderstandings or instant love out the window that most romance anime focus on, because here we have The Dangers in My Heart, which is arguably one of the best modern romance anime, and its presence has also graced the streaming platform.

While the two main protagonists of the series may not appear to be a good fit for each other, the story proves that romance should be about how you perceive the other person’s character, not their physical appearance. From there on, it is all about understanding each other and slowly falling in love.

It’s only been a year since Season 2 ended. So, you can catch up with the series before Season 3 releases.

9 NANA‘s Realistic Portrayal of Young Adulthood Will Leave You Scarred

Nana isn’t for you if you simply wish to have a fun time watching an anime. It’s rather dark, grounded in reality, and deals with serious psychological issues that young adults go through during adolescence. The shoujo aspect is just one part of it.

Watching Nana wouldn’t leave you satisfied, but it will certainly have you reflect on your own life as things stand now. The story’s main lead, Nana, will expose you to the twisted emotions you deal with during puberty and how we all try to grow past them.

Nana’s masterclass portrayal of some of the most unnerving real-life scenarios has aged like fine wine.

10 The Eminence in Shadow Is a Peak Parody of the Isekai Genre

If you have watched enough Isekai anime, then you might know how oversaturated the genre has become lately, with every other show having the same tropes and almost identical storylines. That is exactly why The Eminence in Shadow stands out despite being an isekai.

It essentially deconstructs the Isekai genre, and the credit goes to the MC, Cid Kagenou. He does the edgiest stuff that average isekai protagonists usually do, but here, he does it intentionally, simply to aura-farm. And that results in some of the funniest moments in the genre’s history.

An Eminence in Shadow movie is set for 2027, making now the perfect time to binge the series.

A quick look at some of the key details from the listed anime:

TITLE	RELEASE DATE	IMDb RATINGS (as of April 27, 2026)
Made in Abyss	July 7, 2017	8.3/10
Vinland Saga Season 1	July 8, 2019	8.8/10
Chained Soldier	January 4, 2024	6.4/10
Oregairu	April 5, 2013	8.0/10
Parasyte: The Maxim	October 9, 2014	8.2/10
Call of the Night	July 8, 2022	7.5/10
Oshi no Ko	April 12, 2023	8.3/10
The Dangers in My Heart	April 2, 2023	8.1/10
NANA	April 5, 2006	8.5/10
The Eminence in Shadow	October 5, 2022	7.7/10

The above list arguably comprises the best shows HIDIVE can offer as of now. While there are surely plenty of other iconic titles like K-On!, Dororo, Clannad, Non Non Biyori, and many more, they might appeal more to veteran weebs. But if you simply wish to watch a banger show, then the above list should be your carefully curated recommendation.

So, have you decided which one you’re going to pick from the list? Or did we underestimate you, and you have already watched all of them? Either way, let us know your thoughts on the shows in the comments.