HIDIVE overhauls platform, including offline viewing and more

Modified Mar 07, 2024 23:34 GMT

HIDIVE overhauls platform, including offline viewing and more (Image via HIDIVE)

Thursday, Mar. 7, 2024 saw anime streaming service HIDIVE announce that it had updated its platform on its streaming service website and apps for Apple TV 4K, iPhone, Android Mobile, Android TV, Roku and Fire TV. The update is a veritable overhaul of the platform, including a new, simplified user interface, enhancements for content discovery and curation among users,and updated playback tools and interfaces.

One of the most notable updates HIDIVE has made in this overhaul of its platform includes offline viewing, which will allow users to download anime episodes and watch them at a later point regardless of internet availability. While the HIDIVE service did end in certain areas outside of North America beginning in mid-December 2023, this overhauling of the platform suggests the service will be here to stay for quite some time.

HIDIVE’s overhaul brings the platform up to modern standards, adds features seen in competing services, and more

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In total HIDIVE’s overhaul to their streaming service platform includes a brand new website and apps, which feature offline viewing, a redesigned user interface, a simplified menu and updated search and watch history functions. Several quality of life features were also added or updated, such as the option for many customized watchlists and enhancements for content discovery, curation and playback. Users can also now gift subscriptions to other current and prospective users.

Sentai Filmworks owns the streaming service brand and is regarded as a global supplier of anime and official anime merchandise. In addition to the streaming service, other brands under the company’s umbrella include SentaiFilmworks.com, Anime Network cable video-on-demand and Sentai Studios.

The company has licensed numerous anime for distribution across all of the above platforms and brands, including Made in Abyss, Akame ga KILL!, Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma and Parasyte -the maxim-. The platform specifically is also known as the exclusive home for several smash-hit anime from recent years, including the recently concluded Oshi no Ko and the ongoing Chained Soldier series.

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AMC Networks acquired Sentai Holdings, LLC, which includes Sentai Filmworks and the HIDIVE streaming service, in January 2022. The acquisition also includes all of the member interests from Cool Japan Fund, Inc., which is a public-private Japanese investment fund. AMC Networks’ overall portfolio includes their own AMC+ streaming service, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and ALLBLK.

The service was first launched in June 2017 and was created out of an acquisition and the spinning off of the Anime Network Online’s service assets into a new platform. Likewise, former subscriptions to Anime Network Online were automatically migrated over to the service at this time. The platform is the exclusive home for select titles licensed from Sentai and Selection23.