Overlord is a Japanese light novel series written by Kugane Maruyama. It is illustrated by so-bin. The series began its serialization online in 2010, after which it was acquired for publication. As of April 2021, 14 volumes have been published, with Maruyama planning on writing a total of 17 volumes. There is also a possibility that the series is going to continue after volume 17 if it remains popular, as per Maruyama. The series has been adapted into an anime, starting in 2015. The adaptations include an ONA series, one OVA episode and a two-part anime movie. As of April 2021, three seasons of the Overlord anime have aired.
In today’s article, we are going to bring you a complete, chronological watching order of the Overlord anime series. You’re going to find out in what order you should watch the anime series, the OVA and ONA series and the two movies. Enjoy!
Overlord anime: What does it consist of?
As we explained in our introduction, the Overlord animated franchise consists of an anime series, an OVA episode, an ONA series, two movies and three specials. The anime series consists of three seasons with this basic structure:
| No. | Season | Episodes | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overlord (Season 1) | 13 | July 7, 2015 | September 29, 2015 |
| 2 | Overlord II (Season 2) | 13 | January 10, 2018 | April 4, 2018 |
| 3 | Overlord III (Season 3) | 13 | July 11, 2018 | October 2, 2018 |
Knowing that season four is probably on the way, it is good to know the show’s structure up to this moment.
The one OVA episode was released on September 30, 2016, while the ONA series, titled Overlord: Ple Ple Pleiades, was released from September 25, 2015 to October 2, 2018 and contains a total of 34 episodes. The two official movies are Overlord: The Undead King, released on February 25, 2017 (as the first part), and Overlord: The Dark Warrior, released on March 11, 2017 (as the second part). These two movies are just a two-part recap of the first season of the Overlord anime series, released a year before the second season premiered.
The franchise also contains three specials, two related to the Ple Ple Pleiades series, and the Overlord Movie: Manner Movie, all of which are non-canon and can be completely ignored when watching the series.
Overlord anime: The complete chronological watching order
Now that we have established the structure of the whole franchise, we’re going to tell you the best way to watch the whole series. We’re going to list it in the most ideal way you should watch it, so just follow the listing and you should be fine:
Season 1 (2015)
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “End and Beginning” Transcription: “Owari to Hajimari” (Japanese: 終わりと始まり) | July 7, 2015 |
| 2 | “Floor Guardians” Transcription: “Kaisō shugo-sha” (Japanese: 階層守護者) | July 14, 2015 |
| 3 | “The Battle of Carne Village” Transcription: “Karune-mura no tatakai” (Japanese: カルネ村の戦い) | July 21, 2015 |
| 4 | “Ruler of Death” Transcription: “Shi no shihai-sha” (Japanese: 死の支配者) | July 28, 2015 |
| 5 | “Two Adventurers” Transcription: “Futari no bōken-sha” (Japanese: 二人の冒険者) | August 4, 2015 |
| 6 | “Journey” Transcription: “Tabiji” (Japanese: 旅路) | August 11, 2015 |
| 7 | “Wise King of Forest” Transcription: “Mori no ken-ō” (Japanese: 森の賢王) | August 18, 2015 |
| 8 | “Twin Swords of Slashing Death” Transcription: “Shi o kirisaku sōken” (Japanese: 死を切り裂く双剣) | August 25, 2015 |
| 9 | “The Dark Warrior” Transcription: “Shikkoku no senshi” (Japanese: 漆黒の戦士) | September 1, 2015 |
| 10 | “True Vampire” Transcription: “Shinso” (Japanese: 真祖) | September 8, 2015 |
| 11 | “Confusion and Understanding” Transcription: “Konran to haaku” (Japanese: 混乱と把握) | September 15, 2015 |
| 12 | “The Bloody Valkyrie” Transcription: “Senketsu no ikusaotome” (Japanese: 鮮血の戦乙女) | September 22, 2015 |
| 13 | “Player VS Non Player Character” Transcription: “PVN” | September 29, 2015 |
Overlord: The Undead King and Overlord: The Dark Warrior (2017)
Now, these two movies were released in 2017, a year before the premiere of the show’s second season. They’re actually a two-part recap of season one, so you can skip them narrative-wise. If you want to remind yourself of everything that happened in season one, though, you can watch them. They run for 117 and 108 minutes, respectively.
Season 2 (2018)
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “The Dawn of Despair” Transcription: “Zetsubō no Makuake” (Japanese: 絶望の幕開け) | January 10, 2018 |
| 2 | “Departure” Transcription: “Tabidachi” (Japanese: 旅立ち) | January 17, 2018 |
| 3 | “Lizard Men, Gathering” Transcription: “Tsudou, Rizādoman” (Japanese: 集う、蜥蜴人) | January 24, 2018 |
| 4 | “Army of Death” Transcription: “Shi no Gunzei” (Japanese: 死の軍勢) | January 31, 2018 |
| 5 | “The Freezing God” Transcription: “Hyōketsu no Bushin” (Japanese: 氷結の武神) | February 7, 2018 |
| 6 | “Those who pick up, Those who are picked up” Transcription: “Hirou mono, Hirowa reru mono” (Japanese: 拾う者、拾われる者) | February 14, 2018 |
| 7 | “Blue Roses” Transcription: “Aoi no Bara” (Japanese: 蒼の薔薇) | February 21, 2018 |
| 8 | “A Boy’s Feeling” Transcription: “Shōnen no Omoi” (Japanese: 少年の思い) | February 28, 2018 |
| 9 | “Soaring Sparks of Fire” Transcription: “Mai Agaru Hi no ko” (Japanese: 舞い上がる火の粉) | March 7, 2018 |
| 10 | “Disturbance Begins in the Royal Capital” Transcription: “Ōto Dōran Joshō” (Japanese: 王都動乱序章) | March 14, 2018 |
| 11 | “Jaldabaoth” Transcription: “Yarudabaoto” (Japanese: ヤルダバオト) | March 21, 2018 |
| 12 | “The Final Battle of the Disturbance” Transcription: “Dōran Saishū Kessen” (Japanese: 動乱最終決戦) | March 28, 2018 |
| 13 | “The Ultimate Trump Card” Transcription: “Saikyō Saikō no Kirifuda” (Japanese: 最強最高の切り札) | April 4, 2018 |
Season 3 (2018)
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “A Ruler’s Melancholy” Transcription: “Shihaisha no Yūutsu” (Japanese: 支配者の憂鬱) | July 11, 2018 |
| 2 | “Carne Village Once More” Transcription: “Karune-mura Futatabi” (Japanese: カルネ村再び) | July 18, 2018 |
| 3 | “Enri’s Upheaval and Hectic Days” Transcription: “Enri no Gekidō Katsu Awatadashī Hibi” (Japanese: エンリの激動かつ慌ただしい日々) | July 25, 2018 |
| 4 | “Giant of the East, Demon Snake of the West” Transcription: “Higashi no Kyojin, Nishi no Maja” (Japanese: 東の巨人、西の魔蛇) | August 1, 2018 |
| 5 | “Two Leaders” Transcription: “Futari no Shidō-sha” (Japanese: 二人の指導者) | August 8, 2018 |
| 6 | “Invitation to Death” Transcription: “Shide~e no Sasoi” (Japanese: 死出への誘い) | August 15, 2018 |
| 7 | “Butterfly Entangled in a Spider’s Web” Transcription: “Kumo ni Karame Rreru-chō” (Japanese: 蜘蛛に絡められる蝶) | August 22, 2018 |
| 8 | “A Handful of Hope” Transcription: “Hitonigiri no Kibō” (Japanese: 一握りの希望) | August 28, 2018 |
| 9 | “War of Words” Transcription: “Zessen” (Japanese: 舌戦) | September 4, 2018 |
| 10 | “Preparation for War” Transcription: “Sensō Junbi” (Japanese: 戦争準備) | September 11, 2018 |
| 11 | “Another Battle” Transcription: “Mōhitotsu no Tatakai” (Japanese: もう一つの戦い) | September 18, 2018 |
| 12 | “Massacre” Transcription: “Dai Gyakusatsu” (Japanese: 大虐殺) | September 25, 2018 |
| 13 | “PVP: Player vs Player” Transcription: “PVP” (Japanese: PVP) | October 2, 2018 |
And with this, we conclude the official, canon watching order of the Overlord franchise. As you can see, it’s pretty easy – just watch the seasons and the episodes in the way they came out and you’re not going to have a problem with the series’ timeline. Overlord is one of those series that is easy to follow and it actually has no fillers (see below), which makes it easier to watch and follow. Now, we’re still going to give you an overview of the non-canon material, but you should know that it’s really not relevant for the plot and that you can watch it whenever you want, or you can just skip it if it suits you better.
OVA: “Ple Ple Pleiades – Nazarick’s Greatest Crisis” (2016)
| No. | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Ple Ple Pleiades – Nazarick’s Greatest Crisis” Transcription: “Pure Pure Pureadesu – Nazarikku Saidai no Kiki” (Japanese: ぷれぷれぷれあです – なざりっく最大の危機) | September 30, 2016 |
The OVA is a long “episode” consisting of six short segments, each dealing with a specific situation. Ainz is in the center of most episodes, but other characters from the series also appear.
ONA series: Overlord: Ple Ple Pleiades (2015–2018)
The ONA series consists of three seasons, with a total of 34 episodes:
Season 1
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Overlord and Beginning” Transcription: “Owata to Hajimari” (Japanese: オワタと始まり) | August 4, 2015 |
| 2 | “Battle Maids” Transcription: “Sentō Meido” (Japanese: 戦闘メイド) | August 11, 2015 |
| 3 | “Cutting Through the Lies with Fists” Transcription: “Uso o Kirisaku Futakobushi” (Japanese: 嘘を切り裂く双拳) | August 18, 2015 |
| 4 | “Two Victims” Transcription: “Futari no Higaisha” (Japanese: 二人の被害者) | August 25, 2015 |
| 5 | “A Predator’s Heart” Transcription: “Hoshoku-sha no Mune” (Japanese: 捕食者のむね) | September 1, 2015 |
| 6 | “Battle Outside of Carne Village” Transcription: “Karune-mura-gai Notatakai” (Japanese: カルネ村外の戦い) | September 8, 2015 |
| 7 | “Before the Cannon” Transcription: “Hōdai o Mae Ni” (Japanese: 砲台を前に) | September 15, 2015 |
| 8 | “Control and Chaos” Transcription: “Haaku to Konran” (Japanese: 把握と混乱) | September 22, 2015 |
Season 2
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Dawn of Confusion” Transcription: “Konran no Makuake” (Japanese: 混乱の幕開け) | January 9, 201 |
| 2 | “Staff in Another World” Transcription: “Sekai no Shain-tachi” (Japanese: 異世界の社員たち I) | January 16, 201 |
| 3 | “Executives, Gathering” Transcription: “Tsudou, Kanbu” (Japanese: 集う、幹部) | January 23, 201 |
| 4 | “Great Loyalty” Transcription: “Sugoi Chūsei” (Japanese: 凄い忠誠) | January 30, 201 |
| 5 | “The Manager of Verdictt” Transcription: “Hyōketsu no Buchō” (Japanese: 評決の部長) | February 6, 2018 |
| 6 | “Those Who Pick Up” Transcription: “Hirou-sha-tachi” (Japanese: 拾う者たち) | February 13, 2018 |
| 7 | “Out of Order” Transcription: “Barabara” (Japanese: ばらばら) | February 20, 2018 |
| 8 | “Customers’ Feeling” Transcription: “Kokyaku no Omoi” (Japanese: 顧客の思い) | February 27, 2018 |
| 9 | “Soaring Spirits of People” Transcription: “Maiagaru Hito-ra” (Japanese: 舞い上がる人ら) | March 6, 2018 |
| 10 | “Oh Dear, I Wonder” Transcription: “Otto Dōna Ndeshou” (Japanese: おっとどうなんでしょう) | March 13, 2018 |
| 11 | “Jealousy” Transcription: “Yarudabaoto” (Japanese: ヤルダバオト) | March 20, 2018 |
| 12 | “Introduction of Industry Takeover” Transcription: “Gyōkai Dōran Joshō” (Japanese: 業界動乱序章) | March 27, 2018 |
| 13 | “To the Dawn of Despair” Transcription: “Zetsubō no Yoru E” (Japanese: 絶望の夜へ) | April 3, 2018 |
Season 3
| No. | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “New Melancholy of the Ruler” Transcription: “Shihai-sha no Aratana Yūutsu” (Japanese: 支配者の新たな憂鬱) | July 10, 2018 |
| 2 | “Shalltear Again” Transcription: “Sharutia Futatabi” (Japanese: シャルティア再び) | July 17, 2018 |
| 3 | “Distant and Distant and Subtle Situation” Transcription: “Onri De Bimyō Katsu Nayamashī Jōkyō” (Japanese: 遠離で微妙かつ悩ましい状況) | July 24, 2018 |
| 4 | “Guardian First, Abbreviated” Transcription: “Gādian Hittō, Ryakushite ￮” (Japanese: 守護者筆頭、略して○) | July 31, 2018 |
| 5 | “One of the Two Pioneers” Transcription: “Futari no Senku-sha no Hitori” (Japanese: 二人の先駆者のひとり) | August 7, 2018 |
| 6 | “Invitation to Liberation” Transcription: “Kaihō e no Sasoi” (Japanese: 解放への誘い) | August 14, 2018 |
| 7 | “The Daughter of a Man Tangled with the Trend” Transcription: “Ryūkō ni Karamatte Iru Otoko no Musume” (Japanese: 流行に絡まっている男の娘) | August 21, 2018 |
| 8 | “A Handful of Moe Elements” Transcription: “Hitonigiri no Moeyōso” (Japanese: 一握りの萌え要素) | August 28, 2018 |
| 9 | “Absoluteness” Transcription: “Zessei” (Japanese: 絶世) | September 4, 2018 |
| 10 | “Preparation for Solution” Transcription: “Kaiketsu Junbi” (Japanese: 解決準備) | September 11, 2018 |
| 11 | “Another Truth” Transcription: “Mōhitotsu no Shinjitsu” (Japanese: もう一つの真実) | September 18, 2018 |
| 12 | “Great Confusion” Transcription: “Dai Konran” (Japanese: 大混乱) | September 25, 2018 |
| 13 | “MVP” Transcription: “MVP” | October 2, 2018 |
Specials
Three additional OVA episodes were released as specials. Two of them accompanied season two of the series, while the last was part of the third season of the anime series. As stated, they are non-canon and can be skipped entirely. They are as follows:
| No. | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “A Magical Beast’s Love” Transcription: “Majū no Koi” (Japanese: 魔獣の恋) | September 13, 2017 |
| 2 | “The Automation and The Cat” Transcription: “Jidō Ningyō to Neko” (Japanese: 自動人形と猫) | September 13, 2017 |
| 3 | “Clementine Fugitive Version” Transcription: “Kuremantīnu Tōbō-hen” (Japanese: クレマンティーヌ逃亡編) | November 23, 2018 |
Are the Overlord movies canon?
This question needs to be approached from two aspects. If you consider the two “real” movies, Overlord: The Undead King and Overlord: The Dark Warrior, technically speaking, they are considered to be canon, but since they’re just a two-part recap of season one, there’s really no need to watch them if you’ve seen season one. But, technically yes, these two are canon.
As far as the other movies, which are considered specials, are concerned – they are not canon and you can actually either skip them completely or just watch them whenever you want. They don’t fit into the timeline in any way.
Overlord anime fillers
Due to the series only containing 39 episodes, which are direct adaptations of the light novel series, Overlord doesn’t really have any fillers. All 39 episodes of the anime are canon and should be watched without skipping.
And that’s it for today. We hope you had fun reading this and that we helped solve this dilemma for you. See you next time and don’t forget to follow us.