HIDIVE and MBS Expand Anime Partnership With Multi-Year Exclusive Streaming Deal, Announce Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden License

HIDIVE and Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) have expanded their anime distribution partnership with a new multi-year exclusive output agreement, which AMC Global Media describes as HIDIVE’s largest content programming deal to date.

Under the agreement, HIDIVE will exclusively simulcast MBS’ upcoming slate of anime covered by the deal across territories outside Asia. The series will be available to subscribers in the United States and Canada, along with markets including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

The deal expands a partnership that began in March 2023, through which HIDIVE secured exclusive worldwide distribution rights outside Asia for select upcoming MBS anime. Previous titles released through the collaboration include My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha, I Parry Everything, The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior, and HELL MODE: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing.

Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden Leads the New Expansion

The first anime under the expanded agreement will be Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden, which is scheduled to premiere in Japan in October 2026 and stream internationally as part of HIDIVE’s Fall 2026 simulcast lineup.

Before its broadcast debut, HIDIVE will host the series’ North American premiere at Anime NYC 2026 on August 21. The screening is scheduled for 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET in Room 1A15-18 at the Javits Center’s South Javits, Level 1. An official English trailer has also been released.

Based on the light novel by Minamino Umikaze, Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden features illustrations by Katana Canata and Jishaku. The anime is directed by Motoki Nakanishi, with Haruta Segi serving as assistant director and Gigaemon Ichikawa handling the series composition. KONAMI animation is handling animation production, while the voice cast includes Honoka Inoue as Nia Liston, Fuka Izumi as Lynokis Funk, Rinna Honnizumi as Hildetaura Altoire, and Rina Hidaka as Reliared Silver.

Additional anime included in the new MBS agreement have not yet been announced.

HIDIVE President John Ledford commented on the expanded agreement:

“Our historic anime partnership with MBS has been a resounding success and we are thrilled to extend our global distribution alliance with a new exclusive output deal, now HIDIVE’s largest ever content programming deal to date. This expansive multi-year agreement reinforces HIDIVE’s bona fides with both fans and industry as one of the world’s most established and leading distributors of the best new genre-spanning anime that Japan has to offer. We are excited to premiere the deal’s inaugural title Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden later this month at Anime NYC, ahead of its debut this October as part of HIDIVE’s Fall 2026 Simulcast Season.”

MBS Director Mihoko Shibata added:

“Over the past three years, our partnership with AMC Global Media and HIDIVE has significantly expanded the global reach of MBS animation, bringing our hit series to dedicated anime fans around the world. We are thrilled to extend this successful alliance through our new multi-year output deal. Beginning with Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden, we look forward to continuing to deliver our most anticipated new titles to international audiences and growing the global anime community together.”

Source: Press Release, Variety
🄫Umikaze Minamino, HOBBY JAPAN/Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden Project