2026 is turning out to be a compelling year for anime fans, with Hidive CEO John Ledford promising “exciting” times for two beloved series. In a recent interview, the president of the AMC Networks-owned anime streaming platform opened up about Hidive’s plans for the year and outlined the upcoming episodes of Chained Soldier Season 2 as well as HELL MODE.
John Ledford on what anime fans can expect from Hidive in 2026
Even though the Hidive CEO shied away from revealing everything that’s in store for the streaming platform’s subscribers in 2026, he did shed light on the immediate future of two of the streaming service’s flagship anime.
“2026 is going to be an exciting year for us, and while I can’t yet reveal everything we have lined up, I will talk about two titles that I think the Hidive audience will love — Chained Soldier Season 2 and HELL MODE: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing, which premiered on January 8 & 9, respectively,” John Ledford told Comic Book Resources.
Talking about Chained Soldier, the veteran producer noted that Season 1 might have “surprised people, but Season 2 is going to shock them. With Season 2, the action goes harder. The plot twists get wilder. And the characters are pushed to their limits. It’s stylish, intense, and absolutely unafraid to swing for the fences. Chained Soldier Season 2 is HIDIVE energy distilled into one show.” So far, the anime has already premiered four episodes of the 12-episode roster of its sequel installment.
Ledford then moved on to HELL MODE, stating that the series “brings something brand new to fans next season. This highly anticipated isekai series and adaptation of the hit light novel will transport audiences to another world filled with action-packed excitement that is sure to entertain fans all season long.”
The Hidive CEO also expressed his appreciation for old-school anime movies like Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D, stating that AMC is contemplating bringing such films back to the big screens. “We are hopeful to do more in the future, as there’s a treasure trove of iconic anime films that deserve the theatrical spotlight again,” John Ledford remarked.
