HIDIVE Acquires BLADE & BASTARD for 2027 Simulcast
HIDIVE announced on June 30 that it will exclusively stream the dark fantasy anime adaptation of Kumo Kagyu's light novel series BLADE & BASTARD as part of its 2027 simulcast lineup. The series will be available to subscribers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other select markets. The announcement included the release of an English-subtitled teaser trailer. The anime is directed by Tomoki Kobayashi, with series composition by Naruhisa Arakawa, character designs by Rina Iwamoto, and music by Hayato Matsuo. Animation production is handled by studio xingfu. The voice cast includes Makoto Furukawa as Iarumas, Tomori Kusunoki as Garbage, Daiki Yamashita as Raraja, Saori Hayami as Ainikki, and Shion Wakayama as Berkanan. The story follows Iarumas, a man resurrected from death with no memories, who retrieves bodies from a dungeon and eventually partners with a young swordswoman named Garbage. The light novel series, illustrated by so-bin, began in December 2022 and has six volumes. A manga adaptation launched in June 2023 and has eight volumes. HIDIVE president John Ledford said the company is thrilled to add the series to its 2027 slate. Fans at Anime Expo 2026 can attend panels and a voice actor Q&A on July 4.