All 4 Seasons of ‘Overlord’ Anime (Including OVAs)

‘Overlord’ is one of the most popular Isekai anime of all time based on the light novel series written by Kigane Maruyama and illustrated by so-bin. Due to its popularity, the series has been adapted into multiple media, including an anime television series. The anime adaptation follows the story of Suzuki Satoru, a salaryman who finds himself trapped in the virtual reality MMORPG Yggdrasil when the game’s servers are scheduled to shut down. Unlike other players, the non-player characters (NPCs) in the game appear to have developed personalities of their own.

Considering that ‘Overlord’ is a long-running franchise we decided to put together this comprehensive watch order guide.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in November 2023 to include the latest news related to the franchise.

All seasons of ‘Overlord’ in release date order

The first episode of ‘Overlord’ aired in 2015, and the anime was generally well-received due to its unique take on isekai genre. The protagonist isn’t just a player in a virtual world but becomes an all-powerful overlord. The anime was praised for its world-building, character design, and exploration of moral ambiguity. Now, in 2023, the ‘Overlord’ franchise consists of 4 successful seasons and a single OVA. ‘Overlord’ characters were also included in a crossover titled ‘Isekai Quartet’ that features characters from other successful franchises such as ‘The Rising of Shield Hero,’ ‘Re: Zero’ and ‘KonoSuba.’ Now let’s see the release date order:

1. ‘Overlord’ Season 1 (2015)
2. ‘Ple Ple Pleiades – Nazarick’s Greatest Crisis’ (2016) -OVA
3. ‘Overlord’ Season 2 (2018)
4. ‘Overlord’ Season 3 (2018)
5. ‘Isekai Quartet’ Season 1 (2019)
6. ‘Iseaki’ Quartet’ Season 2 (2020)
7. ‘Isekai Quartet: The Movie – Another World’ (2022)
8. ‘Overlord’ Season 4 (2022)

Are ‘Overlord’ & ‘Isekai Quartet’ connected? What’s the best way to watch them?

All seasons of ‘Overlord’ are connected and follow a continuous storyline. The anime adaptation stays true to the light novel series, maintaining a cohesive narrative throughout its various seasons. But, ‘Isekai Quartet’ is not connected to the primary work because it’s considered non-canon; it’s a unique take on characters from several major isekai light novels, and that’s it. You can absolutely skip it as it’s not a necessary watch if you’re interested only in the ‘Overlord’ world. The best way to watch the ‘Overlord’ franchise is in release date order.

‘Overlord’ anime in chronological order

The timeline of ‘Overlord’ franchise is fairly straightforward, and the seasons were released in chronological order, so it’s rather easy to follow them. ‘Isekai Quartet’ should be watched after you’ve completed the series because, as I’ve already said, it’s not canon. It’s simply a fun piece of work that numerous fans of great isekai titles enjoy.

1. ‘Overlord’ Season 1

In the virtual world of YGGDRASIL, Momonga, the guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, experiences the game’s shutdown, but to his surprise, he remains in the world alongside NPCs who have developed their own personalities. Struggling to come to terms with the changes, Momonga decides to explore his newfound powers with the help of the Floor Guardians, including Aura Bella Fiora and Mare Bella Fiore, who have become real entities in the game.

2. ‘Ple Ple Pleiades – Nazarick’s Greatest Crisis’

Ainz gathers the Floor Guardians and Pleiades Combat Maids to showcase the “Total Maniac-Modified” item, causing unexpected personality shifts in each Guardian upon activation. Viewing it as an experiment to reveal their reactions under mental conditions, Ainz observes Shalltear’s self-loathing, Cocytus’s openness about perverted thoughts, and other peculiar behaviors among his loyal servants.

3. ‘Overlord’ Season 2

In the Slane Theocracy, the Captain of the Black Scripture and Zesshi Zetsumei discuss the mysterious Ainz Ooal Gown, with Zesshi expressing intrigue and a desire for a powerful offspring. Meanwhile, in the Re-Estize Capital, Gazef Stronoff is tasked with requesting a meeting with Ainz to express gratitude for saving him, and back in Nazarick, Ainz debriefs Albedo on his observations of nearby nations. Additionally, Shalltear struggles with guilt, and Cocytus is sent to initiate a war with the Lizardmen, leading to an ominous encounter in their village.

4. ‘Overlord’ Season 3

After events in Re-Estize, Ainz grants some of the Floor Guardians a day off. The female Guardians spend time by the lake, revealing unexpected quirks, while Ainz’s attempt at relaxation is disrupted when Albedo’s lustful advances lead to chaos, prompting Ainz to hope for a more peaceful gathering in the future.

5. ‘Overlord’ Season 4

Feeling lonely and missing his former guild members, Ainz establishes an orphanage in E-Rantel to nurture talent for Nazarick, also employing widows of deceased soldiers. As he navigates interpersonal conflicts among the Floor Guardians and addresses resource shortages in E-Rantel, Ainz reveals his desire to create a kingdom where both humans and non-humans can coexist peacefully.

6. ‘Isekai Quartet’

‘Isekai Quartet’ is a chibi-style anime crossover featuring characters from ‘KonoSuba,’ ‘Overlord,’ ‘Re:Zero,’ and ‘The Saga of Tanya the Evil,’ originally published by Kadokawa Corporation. The premise involves protagonists accidentally moving to a parallel world through a magic button, leading to new high school life adventures with characters from various isekai series. This is not a necessary watch when it comes to ‘Overlord.’ ‘Isekai Quartet’ currently consists of 2 seasons and one anime movie.

1. ‘Isekai Quartet’ Season 1 (2019)
2. ‘Isekai Quartet’ Season 2 (2020)
3. ‘Isekai Quartet: The Movie – Another World’ (2022)

Where to watch ‘Overlord’ anime and connected series?

You can watch all four seasons of ‘Overlord’ anime on Crunchyroll. 2 Seasons are also available on Hulu, and Funimation so far has only 1 season, just like Tubi.

All seasons of ‘Isekai Quartet’ can be watched on Crunchyroll as well as on Funimation, while the movie is only available on Crunchyroll.

Will there be more seasons of ‘Overlord’?

The ‘Overlord’ anime seemingly ended with season 4 because there is still no news regarding season 5 although there is plenty of light-novel material to be adapted. Apparently, the original creator of ‘Overlord’ World wasn’t a great fan of the adaptation, and this might prove crucial in the show’s fifth season, but as things stand currently, season 5 is not happening.

‘Isekai Quartet,’ however, will get a third season. The release date is as of yet unknown. We will update you as soon as we have more info.

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