24 Years Later, Forgotten Shonen Classic Confirms Disappointing Streaming Update

With the anime industry growing in massive popularity worldwide, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it has long become one of the mainstream forms of media. Crunchyroll is by far 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 Netflix, 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 or even decades ago, and some are even classics that have lost their hype over time.

Unfortunately, although these classic anime 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 its library. The June 2026 schedule has just been released, and one of the series being removed from the platform is a 2000s classic, GetBackers. The anime has 49 episodes in total, none of which will be available from June 30th, 2026. Luckily, the show is also streaming on Prime Video, and that will be the only platform streaming the show after HIDIVE’s removal.

What Is GetBackers About?

Written by Shin Kibayashi and illustrated by Rando Ayamine, the manga was serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from 1999 to 2007. The series was also compiled into 39 volumes, but the anime left out a major part of the story. Studio DEEN released an anime adaptation in 2002 and ended on a cliffhanger, leaving several questions unanswered for fans. It’s been more than two decades since the anime ended, which is why there’s little to no hope for a sequel. The first 28 volumes of the manga were published in English by Tokyopop until their license with Kodansha expired. The license was never renewed, which is why the series hasn’t been completely translated even now.

The story centers around a duo of superhuman operatives, Ginji Amano and Ban Mido, who go by the title of GetBackers. While Amano has the ability to generate electric currents with his body like an eel, Mido’s speciality lies in his mysterious Evil Eye that allows him to create illusions in the minds of his foes. They are a freelance repossession team based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and their speciality is recovering the lost or stolen items of their clients.

The duo has an exceptionally high success rate, and they undertake varying jobs. Since they have never failed at a job, all kinds of clients seek their aid, and the duo doesn’t plan on turning anyone down since they are broke. Their targets often range from ordinary personal belongings to advanced weaponry. The story unfolds as the duo gets into a more dangerous situation than they bargained for. As their troubles continue, the truth behind their complex pasts also comes to light.

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