What is the best order to watch Overlord?

The recommended order is: 1. Overlord, 2. Overlord II, 3. Overlord: The Maid Tea Party, 4. Overlord: The Undead King, 5. Overlord: The Dark Hero, plus 4 more entries. This follows release order, which works best for most viewers.

Can I skip the Overlord movies and OVAs?

There are 4 movies and 2 OVA/specials in the franchise. Some are recap compilations you can safely skip, while others add canon story content. When in doubt, watch them in the order listed — you won't regret having the full picture.

Should I watch Overlord in release order or chronological order?

For a first watch, release order is almost always the better choice. The creators designed reveals and character introductions around the release schedule. Chronological order is better suited for a rewatch once you know the full story.

Quick Answer

Overlord(TV · 13 eps)
Overlord II(TV · 13 eps)
Overlord: The Maid Tea Party(ONA · 1 eps)
Overlord: The Undead King(Movie · 1 eps)
Overlord: The Dark Hero(Movie · 1 eps)
Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades(Movie · 2 eps)
Overlord Movie: Manner Movie(Movie · 1 eps)
...and 2 more below

Total: ~41 episodes / 16h watch time

Overlord Watch Order(2026)

Q: How long does it take to watch all of Overlord?

The entire Overlord franchise is 41 episodes across 9 entries — roughly 16 hours of watch time.

Wondering where to start with Overlord? There are 9 entries total. The order below follows release dates, which is usually the safest way to go for a first watch.

9 entries ~16h total3 series4 movies2 OVA/specials

Full Watch Order (Release Order)

Overlord(you are here)

7.90TV13 eps~5h2015Madhouse

Finished Airing

Overlord II

7.75TV13 eps~5h2018Madhouse

Finished Airing

Overlord: The Maid Tea Party

6.19ONA1 eps~24min

Finished Airing

Overlord: The Undead King

7.63Movie1 eps~24minMadhouse

Finished Airing

Overlord: The Dark Hero

7.70Movie1 eps~24minMadhouse

Finished Airing

Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades

6.85Movie2 eps~48minStudio PuYUKAI

Finished Airing

Overlord Movie: Manner Movie

6.84Movie1 eps~24minStudio PuYUKAI

Finished Airing

Overlord: Ple Ple Pleiades

6.96Special8 eps~3hStudio PuYUKAI

Finished Airing

Overlord: Ple Ple Pleiades - Nazarick's Greatest Crisis

6.94OVA1 eps~24minStudio PuYUKAI

Finished Airing

Tips for First-Timers

What you can skip

The two recap compilation movies of Season 1 and most Ple Ple Pleiades comedy shorts/specials are skippable

Common mistake

Watching the recap movies instead of the full Season 1, or not placing the Holy Kingdom Arc movie between episodes 7 and 8 of Season 4

Short on time?

Season 1, Season 3, and Season 4 plus the Holy Kingdom movie at the intended point

Start Watching Overlord

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best order to watch Overlord?

Release order. Start with Overlord and go down the list. This is how the creators intended the story to unfold — later entries build on what came before, and watching out of order can spoil key reveals.

How long does it take to watch all of Overlord?

About 16 hours total across 41 episodes and 9 entries. At 3-4 episodes per day, that's roughly 12 days.

Can I skip the movies and OVAs?

It depends. Recap movies are always safe to skip — they just compress the TV episodes. Original movies and OVAs range from "fun side stories" to "actually important for the plot." When you're unsure, just watch them where they fall in the list above. Better to have extra context than miss something.

Release order or chronological order?

Go with release order for your first time through. Chronological can be tempting, but shows are written with release order in mind — reveals hit harder and character arcs make more sense. Save chronological for a rewatch if you want a different perspective.