With the anime industry growing in massive popularity worldwide, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s already one of the mainstream forms of media. No doubt, Crunchyroll is the largest streaming hub for anime fans across various regions, adding dozens of new series every quarter as part of the new season lineup. On the other hand, platforms such as Hulu and HIDIVE have begun adding several unique anime films and series for viewers to enjoy. Most of those series have already been released a few years ago, and some are even classics that have lost their hype over the decades. Unfortunately, although these classic series showcase the diversity and artistic range in anime, they often get overlooked due to poor marketing and not enough popularity.
Each month, the official website of HIDIVE releases a new slate for anime, revealing a list of series that will be added and removed from the platform. May 2026’s slate has just been revealed, and it does have its fair share of disappointing removals, including No Game No Life, which is still considered one of the best isekai of all time. The anime premiered in 2014 and was never renewed for a second season despite its critical acclaim and popularity. While the franchise released a prequel in 2017, fans have all but given up on Season 2. The anime will be leaving HIDIVE on May 9th, 2026. Luckily, it’s still available on Prime Video, even if you can’t stream it on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
What Is No Game No Life About?
Image Courtesy of Madhouse
The story is based on a light novel written and illustrated by Yuu Kamiya, which is still ongoing. Madhouse released an anime adaptation, which made the franchise even more popular, and fans have been awaiting a sequel ever since. The story is set in a virtual world where Tet, the One True God, oversees the world, and the 16 sentient races inhabit the Disboard. Among the races, the lowest rank belongs to Imanity, which consists of powerless humans who have no affinity for magic.
However, humankind finally has a way out of its predicament when Sora and Shino, two stepsiblings, are transported into the world. In the real world, they are inseparable and dominate several online games together. After arriving in the Disboard, they stumble upon Elkia, the only remaining kingdom of Imanity. They also meet Stephanie Dola, a girl who wants nothing more than the kingdom’s sovereignty.
As the stepsiblings learn more about Stephanie, they decide to help her out of her predicament and get Elkia back on its feet by becoming new rulers of the bizarre world. The novel also received a manga adaptation in 2013, which released the story into two parts. As for the anime, Madhouse has yet to make any announcements on a sequel, even though it has a lot of story left to adapt. The first season of the anime only scratches the surface, while things have become more intense in the light novel.
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