Netflix Users Missing a Massive Streaming Rival’s Brutal 2-Season Dark Fantasy Masterpiece
A perilous world beneath the surface
Created by Akihito Tsukushi and animated by Kinema Citrus, Made in Abyss follows explorers descending into a vast pit that reaches more than 20,000 meters into the Earth. Its seven layers grow more dangerous with depth, and returning to the surface brings increasingly severe consequences.
The Curse of the Abyss ranges from mild dizziness near the top to bleeding, loss of the senses and transformation into Hollows in deeper layers. In season 1, an encounter with a poison-spined Orb Piercer leaves Riko so badly injured that Reg considers amputating her arm.
Horror and unanswered questions
The series pairs lush, gentle-looking visuals with a TV-MA rating and brutal body horror. Its darkest threats also come from people: Bondrewd, a White Whistle scientist, uses orphans as living cartridges to shield himself from the curse.
Questions surrounding Riko’s birth, Reg’s origins and the skeletons found praying underground deepen the mystery. Season 2, The Golden City of the Scorching Sun, adds further strange discoveries through its Golden City arc.
Companions give the story heart
The appeal is not limited to the dangers facing Riko and Reg. Their growing group of companions brings emotional depth to the journey, including Nanachi, a fan-favorite blessed Hollow, and Faputa, the immortal Princess of the Hollows.
The characters’ histories and ties to the Abyss expand the world beyond the main expedition. Their stories give the series warmth even as its discoveries become increasingly disturbing.
Where and how to watch
Made in Abyss streams on Netflix in some international territories, but not in the United States. American viewers need a HIDIVE subscription; HIDIVE is Sentai Filmworks’ rival anime platform.
For the full story, watch the 13-episode first season, then the canonical film Dawn of the Deep Soul, and then season 2. The first two recap films can be skipped. A new sequel film trilogy began with Made in Abyss: Awakening Mystery, which arrived in Japanese theaters on October 23, 2026.
Key points
- Made in Abyss has two acclaimed seasons and a canonical sequel film.
- The Abyss’s curse makes ascending more dangerous the deeper explorers go.
- US viewers can stream the anime on HIDIVE, not Netflix.
- Watch Dawn of the Deep Soul between seasons 1 and 2.