Top 10 Must-See Anime on HiDive

Blood, darkness, corruption, just another day for the assassins of Night Raid; a band of noble killers dead set on overthrowing the evils of the Empire. If you like your action-fests extra gritty, populated by a diverse group of characters that are never far from being killed off, then Tatsumi and company are the ones for you. With many claiming it to be the anime-equivalent to Game of Thrones, you should have an idea for the kind of delicious depravity you’re in for. With the exquisite fight scenes only matched by its harrowing death scenes, you’d best prepare yourself before tackling this one.

There are gamers, and then there’s Sora and Shiro. These shut-in siblings may fail at everything except video games, but as it happens that’s all they really need, especially when they get transported to a fantasy world, and somehow find themselves in the position of royalty. Charged with leading the last bastions of humanity against the other races, it falls to this hapless pair of NEETS to take down any who threaten them by, what else, engaging in battles based around gaming. Equal parts and adorable and enthralling, this is definitely one of the most bingeable anime in modern memory.

One of the more underrated isekai out there, if you’re looking for a series that takes the trope of “trapped in a MMORPG” and brings it out to its full potential, then this is the one for you. After finding themselves unable to escape their new virtual prison, veteran player Shiroe and his companions find themselves having to tackle the dangers of Elder Tale. Luckily for them, they’re powered up to the max and know how to dispense enemies like nobody else. Honestly, just watching Shiroe school everyone with his intellect and snark is reason enough to plug this one in!

Romance is never a simple thing, especially in the gauntlet that is high school. Things are made all the more complex for Chiyo, when she discovers that the boy she’s been crushing on is actually a famous shojo writer…despite the fact he has no experience with love. What starts as a typical confession eventually leads to her becoming his dedicated assistant, helping him conjure all kinds of cutesy stories, all the while not-so-secretly seeking his attention in order to land a love story of her own. It’s sweet and quirky in all the right ways, and bound to put a smile on your face.

A bizarre question for sure, but one you’ll be happy to try and answer as you dive into this dungeon crawler. Following the exploits of the talented, wholesome and somewhat dense Bell, his journey to become the greatest adventurer in the land not only leads him down all manner of monster-filled labyrinths, but right into the embrace of the loveable goddess Hestia. It may be more on the light-hearted side compared to other fantasy shows, the cast and magical brawls manage to elevate it far beyond mediocrity. And hey, Season Two has just started airing. What are you waiting for?

One of the breakout series from this year, the unconventional horror found in Emma, Norman and Ray’s desperate escape attempt will undoubtedly chill your blood. Raised in an orphanage, the trio of in-genius friends soon discover their whole life has been a lie, and what was supposed to be a loving home is nothing more than a farm built to mature them until they’re nice and ripe, just so they can be fed to the monsters outside their door. Outnumbered and overpowered, the only choice they have is to pull off an impossible prison break before another one of their fellow orphans is snatched away. Tense doesn’t even begin to describe this one.

Don’t be fooled, this isn’t just a jaunt through a gorgeously animated world featuring a pair of adorable cave raiders. As soon as Reg and Riko drop into the darkness of the infamous abyss, that’s when this series shows its claws. Nightmarishly beautiful in its presentation, the duo’s descent through the eponymous chasm reveals that their quest to reunite with Riko’s mother isn’t going to be an easy one, with the Curse of the Abyss ensuring that not even children are free from its hellish symptoms. It’s utterly enthralling, but be warned, this anime doesn’t pull its punches.

Even if you’re not a fan of sports anime, we cannot implore you enough to check this one out, because chances are the boys of Karasuno High will manage to sweep you off your feet all the same. Thanks to the arrival of the brooding Kageyama and hyperactive Hinata, the high school volleyball team once regarded as the Flightless Crows manages to find its wings again, leading the way to numerous competitions against other schools as Karasuno continue to soar to new heights. Who knew that a volleyball spike could look so breath-taking?

Delicious in every sense of the word, you will believe an anime can make cooking appear to be so hardcore that its on the same level with any other shounen. Despite coming from a common background, Soma finds himself enrolled at an elite culinary academy, where he not only has to prove himself against the snobbish upper classes, but grow as a chef in the hope he can prove his own way of cooking is just as worthy. The cast are great, the Shokugeki showdowns are always a delight to watch, and yes, the food will leave your mouth watering.

Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto” (2016)

“High School of the Dead” (2010)

“Kids on the Slope” (2012)

“K-On!” (2009-10)

A true classic of the sci-fi genre, if you like your space battles with a heavy amount of tactics, political discourse and genuine thought, then the endless conflict between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance is the one for you. With intriguing and relatable characters on both sides, you’ll soon find yourself torn as each side engages in cosmic combat on an incalculable level. There may not be any mechas to be found here, but the casualties, philosophical views and complex motives of the characters will nonetheless leave you hypnotised.