Re:Zero Watch Order Guide for All Seasons & OVAs

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Catch up on Re:Zero with this comprehensive guide

Co-authored by Trapped in Anime and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Watch Order

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Extra Content

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What is Re:Zero about?

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All Seasons & Shorts, Explained

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Where to Watch

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Is Season 3 the last?

Are you ready to explore one of the isekai genre’s most beloved anime series, Re:Zero? We’ll help you get started! Re:Zero is a popular anime series about a totally normal teenager who gets lost in a fantasy world, based on a light novel series of the same name (as well as a manga adaptation). In this handy guide, we’ll show you the best order in which to watch all of Re:Zero’s existing seasons and video shorts, plus its bonus content. We also partnered with anime experts to help us introduce you to the franchise as a whole.

The Best Re:Zero Watch Order

Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Director’s Cut, Season 1, episodes 1 - 6 (2016)
Re:Zero OVA 1: Memory Snow (2018)
Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Director’s Cut, Season 1, episodes 7 - 13 (2016)
Re:Zero OVA 2: The Frozen Bond (2019)
Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Season 2, episodes 26 - 50 (2020)
Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Season 3, episodes 51 - 66 (2024)

Section 1 of 6:

How to Watch Re:Zero in Order

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There are three seasons of the Re:Zero anime (so far) plus a couple of OVAs (original video animations), so thankfully, watching Re:Zero in order isn’t that tricky. The OVAs take place at different points along season 1’s timeline, despite both being released after the fact, but that’s really the only jumping around you’ll have to do. Here’s how to watch Re:Zero in order!
- Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Director’s Cut, Season 1, episodes 1 - 6 (2016)
- Re:Zero OVA 1: Memory Snow (2018)
- Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Director’s Cut, Season 1, episodes 7 - 13 (2016)
- Re:Zero OVA 2: The Frozen Bond (2019)
- Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Season 2, episodes 26 - 50 (2020)
- Re:Zero –Starting Life in Another World– Season 3, episodes 51 - 66 (2024)
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Trapped in Anime is a collective of anime experts based out of Indianapolis, IN. The group runs the popular Trapped in Anime YouTube channel where they post anime hot takes, spicy opinions, and interesting fan perspectives.

Section 2 of 6:

Extra Re:Zero Content

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Re:Zero Break Time / Re:PetitOriginally Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Break Time (Re:Zero –Starting Break Time From Zero), this series of animated shorts was rebranded into Re:Petit kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu after episode 11 in season 1, then went back to the Break Time branding for season 2 onward. These shorts are intended to complement the main anime; you don’t have to watch them, but they’re a fun way to explore the world and characters.^{[1]
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- Break Time is available to watch on Crunchyroll’s streaming platform with a subscription.
- There are currently three seasons of Break Time / Petit, running alongside the main three Re:Zero seasons.

Section 3 of 6:

What is Re:Zero about?

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Re:Zero is an isekai anime about a teenager brought to another world. “Isekai” translates to “another world.” According to anime experts Trapped in Anime, the isekai anime genre features main characters that get transported, reincarnated, summoned, or sent to another world.^{[2]
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Expert Interview} Re:Zero follows Subaru Natsuki: a teenager who goes on a regular old trip to the convenience store and ends up in a fantasy world wherein he can rewind to a “save point” each time he dies.^{[3]
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- Trapped in Anime explains that Re:Zero is unique in that the protagonist, Subaru, is an underdog with limited power who has to overcome significant challenges. His only “superpower” is the ability to reset his life at a particular moment whenever he dies. Dying and reincarnating is a traumatizing experience for him each time it happens.^{[4]
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  - “He was even keeping count [of his reincarnations] at first, but at a certain point, he just stopped counting. It’s definitely traumatizing for him,” Trapped in Anime says.^{[5]
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- Re:Zero was originally a light novel series published in 2014, before being adapted into a manga and anime series.

Section 4 of 6:

All Re:Zero Seasons & Shorts, Explained

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1
Re:Zero Season 1The first season of Re:Zero covers three main arcs: the Insignia, Mansion, and Royal Selection chapters. It begins with Subaru Natsuki arriving in the Kingdom of Lugunica and quickly getting into trouble—and discovering his newly manifested ability, “Return by Death.” It originally aired as a 25-episode season, before being condensed into 13 episodes for the Director’s Cut (which is why it looks like there’s a gap between seasons 1 and 2).^{[6]
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- Insignia chapter - Subaru runs afoul of some thugs and is saved by a strange, silver-haired girl. Despite her intervention, he is killed…only to wake up at the same point (like a “save” point) each time, and he must try to make it through a full day in this new world.
- Mansion chapter - No sooner does Subaru begin his stay at the Roswaal Mansion as a butler than he runs into trouble again. He’s mysteriously murdered and, between revivals, must figure out what’s going on within the mansion.
- Royal Selection chapter - As a candidate for the throne, Emilia travels to the capital city with Roswaal and Subaru. Upon returning to the Mansion, Subaru finds Emilia and all of their friends dead, and must use his Return by Death ability to change this terrible future.
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Re:Zero OVA 1: Memory SnowMemory Snow takes place between episodes 6 and 7 of the first season (Director’s Cut version), after the end of the Mansion chapter. Subaru has a date with Emilia coming up, and is determined to find the perfect place for it—but he’s held up by an unnatural cold sweeping through the area.^{[7]
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Re:Zero OVA 2: The Frozen BondThis OVA is actually a prequel, telling the story of Emilia’s past before the start of the Re:Zero series—but, since there are spoilers abound, it’s best to watch this OVA after you finish season 1 and not before (unless you’ve seen the entire series already). And, since the OVA gives some extra context for the next arc of the series, it’s also a good idea to watch before season 2.
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Re:Zero Season 2Re:Zero’s second season really only has one massive arc: the Tea Party chapter. In this arc, Subaru, Emilia, and Otto meet a strange maid named Frederica at Roswaal Mansion, and track Roswaal himself to a remote village named Sanctuary—only to discover that nobody can leave. Subaru and Emilia attempt to complete the Trials of the Sanctuary…and, naturally, intrigue ensues.^{[8]
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Re:Zero Season 3Re:Zero’s third season takes place a year after the events of season two, and contains two main arcs: the Attack and Counterattack chapters. It follows Subaru and Emilia’s attempts to become stronger in order to win the Royal Selection, despite interference from the Sin Archbishops.^{[9]
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- Attack chapter - Traveling to Watergate City, Emilia and Subaru meet with other Royal Candidates and contend with not only political tribulations, but also Sin Archbishops from the Witch Cult, who attack the city.
- Counterattack chapter - Subaru and his allies launch a counterattack against the Witch Cult and Archbishops, dividing themselves in an attempt to save the city and its people.

Section 5 of 6:

Where to Watch Re:Zero

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Re:Zero is available to watch on Crunchyroll’s streaming service. All ofRe:Zero, including its 3 seasons and OVA shorts, are currently streaming on Crunchyroll. You can watch the first season without a paid subscription; however, the OVAs, along with seasons 2 and 3, do require a subscription to the streaming service. You can also watch the first season on Hulu and Disney+ (with a subscription), or stream the series through Amazon Prime if linked with your Crunchyroll account.
- The OVAs are already arranged in watch order on Crunchyroll, so you won’t have to do any skipping around!
- Memory Snow is listed as part of season 1. Similarly, The Frozen Bond is listed as its own “season” between seasons 1 and 2, so you can easily find and watch it.

Section 6 of 6:

Is Re:Zero’s Season 3 the last?

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After the third season ended in March 2025, a fourth season of the anime series was announced, with a premiere date confirmed for April 2026. The exact date is still up in the air, but fans of the series will definitely be seeing more Re:Zero soon! The fourth season is also confirmed to adapt the rest of the light novel series’ arc 5, as well as arc 6.^{[10]
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