Are you a fan of isekai anime, where the main character is transported to another world? If so, you might have heard of Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, one of the most popular and acclaimed isekai anime series of recent years.
But with multiple seasons, OVAs, ONAs, and a special Director’s Cut, you might be wondering how to watch Re:Zero in the right order. Don’t worry, we are here to help you with this complete guide for Re:Zero watch order.
What is Re:Zero about?
Re:Zero follows the story of Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student who is suddenly summoned to a fantasy world where he meets a beautiful silver-haired girl named Emilia. He decides to help her find a stolen insignia, but soon discovers that he has a unique ability: he can return by death, meaning that he can rewind time by dying.
However, this power comes with a price: he can’t tell anyone about it, and he has to endure the pain and trauma of dying repeatedly. As he gets involved in the complex politics and conflicts of this world, he also has to protect Emilia and his other friends from various threats.
Re:Zero is based on a light novel series written by Tappei Nagatsuki and illustrated by Shinichirou Otsuka. The light novel series began in 2012 as a web novel on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website, and was later published by Media Factory under the MF Bunko J imprint.
The light novel series has 34 volumes as of September 2021, plus 5 side stories and 8 short story collections. The light novel series has also been adapted into several manga series by different artists, each covering a different arc of the story.
The anime adaptation of Re:Zero is produced by White Fox, a studio known for its work on Steins;Gate, Akame ga Kill, and Goblin Slayer. The anime adaptation was announced in July 2015, and the first season aired from April to September 2016, with 25 episodes.
The second season was split into two parts, with the first part airing from July to September 2020, and the second part airing from January to March 2021, with 25 episodes in total. The anime adaptation has also spawned two original video animations (OVAs), two short anime series (ONAs), and one special Director’s Cut of the first season.
Why should you watch Re:Zero?
Re:Zero is not your typical isekai anime. It subverts many of the common tropes and clichés of the genre, such as overpowered protagonists, harem romance, and easy solutions.
Instead, it offers a dark and realistic portrayal of what it would be like to be transported to another world, where death is not a game over but a painful reset. The anime explores themes such as trauma, despair, guilt, loyalty, love, and redemption, as well as the psychological effects of time travel on the characters.
Re:Zero also boasts a rich and detailed world-building, with a complex history, lore, magic system, and culture. The anime introduces many intriguing and memorable characters, each with their own personality, backstory, motivation, and development. The anime also features stunning animation, music, and voice acting, especially for the emotional and intense scenes.
Re:Zero is an anime that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its unpredictable plot twists, cliffhangers, and mysteries. It will make you laugh, cry, scream, and cheer with its well-written dialogue, humor, drama, action, and romance. It will make you think and feel with its deep and meaningful messages and themes. It will make you fall in love with its amazing characters and world.
If you are looking for an anime that will challenge your expectations, touch your heart, and blow your mind, then Re:Zero is the anime for you.
How to watch Re:Zero in order?
Now that you know what Re:Zero is about and why you should watch it, let’s get
to the main point of this guide: how to watch Re:Zero in order. There are
different ways to watch Re:Zero depending on your preference and availability.
Here are some of the options:
Option 1: Watch Re:Zero by release order
This is the simplest and most recommended way to watch Re:Zero. You just follow the order in which the anime was released chronologically. This way, you will experience the story as it was intended by the creators and avoid spoilers or confusion. Here is the release order of Re:Zero:
- Season 1 (Episodes 1-25)
- Memory Snow OVA
- The Frozen Bond OVA
- Season 2 Part 1 (Episodes 26-38)
- Season 2 Part 2 (Episodes 39-50)
Option 2: Watch Re:Zero by chronological order
This is another way to watch Re:Zero, where you follow the order of the events as they happen in the story’s timeline. This way, you will get a better understanding of the backstory and context of some characters and events. However, this way might also spoil some of the surprises and revelations that are meant to be discovered later in the story. Here is the chronological order of Re:Zero:
- The Frozen Bond OVA
- Season 1 (Episodes 1-11)
- Memory Snow OVA
- Season 1 (Episodes 12-25)
- Season 2 Part 1 (Episodes 26-38)
- Season 2 Part 2 (Episodes 39-50)
You can watch Re:Zero by chronological order on the different platforms, but you will have to switch between the OVAs and the seasons accordingly.
Option 3: Watch Re:Zero by Director’s Cut and OVAs
This is a third way to watch Re:Zero, where you watch the Director’s Cut version of the first season, followed by the OVAs and the second season. The Director’s Cut is a special edition of the first season that was released in 2020, which combines two episodes into one hour-long episode, with some minor changes and additions.
The Director’s Cut also includes a new scene at the end of the last episode, which leads directly into the second season. Here is the order of Re:Zero by Director’s Cut and OVAs:
- Season 1 Director’s Cut (Episodes 1-13)
- Memory Snow OVA
- The Frozen Bond OVA
- Season 2 Part 1 (Episodes 26-38)
- Season 2 Part 2 (Episodes 39-50)
Option 4: Watch Re:Zero with ONAs
This is a fourth way to watch Re:Zero, where you also include the two short anime series (ONAs) that were released alongside the first season. These ONAs are called Re:Zero − Starting Break Time From Zero and Re:Petit ~Starting Life in Another World from Petit~, and they are comedy spin-offs that feature chibi versions of the characters in various funny situations.
These ONAs are not essential for the main story, but they are enjoyable and relaxing to watch as a break from the dark and serious tone of the main anime. Here is the order of Re:Zero with ONAs:
- Season 1 (Episodes 1-11)
- Memory Snow OVA
- Season 1 (Episodes 12-25)
- The Frozen Bond OVA
- Season 2 Part 1 (Episodes 26-38)
- Season 2 Part 2 (Episodes 39-50)
- Re:Zero − Starting Break Time From Zero ONA (Episodes 1-36)
- Re:Petit ~Starting Life in Another World from Petit~ ONA (Episodes 1-14)
Conclusion
Re:Zero is an anime that deserves your attention and appreciation. It is a masterpiece of storytelling, animation, and entertainment that will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and excitement.
Whether you choose to watch it by release order, chronological order, Director’s Cut, or with ONAs, you will not regret it. Just be prepared for some heart-wrenching and mind-blowing moments along the way.
We hope this guide has helped you with your Re:Zero watch order. Now go ahead and enjoy this amazing anime!