After ten years, the anime adaptation of Attack on Titan has finally come to an end—a couple of years after its original material, which concluded back in 2021 when mangaka Hajime Isayama published the last chapter of the manga of the same name.
During both its manga and its anime run, Attack on Titan—also known by its original Japanese title, Shingeki no Kyojin, which translates more literally to “Attack Titan,” a difference that is pretty relevant for those who know how the story progresses—has undoubtedly been one of the most successful stories of its genre. I, for one, know that it deserves my eternal gratitude simply for introducing me to Captain Levi Ackerman. I might be basic, but I do love that man. He really is everything to me.
So, whether you’re new to the series or are already planning a rewatch because you miss the Survey Corps, this watch order guide, complete with all seasons and all OADs (Original Animation DVDs), might be just what you need.
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How to watch Attack on Titan in narrative order
The four seasons of the show do their best to make things confusing because no anime series would be complete without a mind-bending watch order. Seasons 1 and 2 were released in full, while seasons 3 and 4 were divided into two and four parts, respectively. The first two parts of season 4 are called “The Final Season,” while parts 3 and 4 are dubbed “Final Chapter Specials”. Like I said, it’s confusing. Despite this, watching Attack on Titan is actually a pretty straightforward affair.
The four seasons run in order from episode 1 to episode 89, and ignoring the various “Final” titles in favor of sticking with the episode numbers might be for the best. In between them, there are six OADs. These are short films that did not air on television but were released directly on DVD. The OADs dive deeper into certain characters and focus on side quests parallel to the main plot.
So with that in mind, here is the best order in which to watch Attack on Titan:
- Season 1 (episodes 1-25)
- Distress (OAD)
- The Sudden Visitor: The Torturous Course of Youth (OAD)
- Ilse’s Notebook: Memoirs of a Scout Regiment Member (OAD)
- No Regrets: Part 1 (OAD)
- No Regrets: Part 2 (OAD)
- Season 2 (episodes 26-37)
- Lost Girls. Wall Sina, Goodbye: Part One (OAD)
- Lost Girls. Wall Sina, Goodbye: Part Two (OAD)
- Season 3, Part 1 (episodes 38-49)
- Lost Girls. Lost in the cruel world
- Season 3, Part 2 (episodes 50-59)
- Season 4, The Final Season, Part 1 (episodes 60-75)
- Season 4, The Final Season, Part 2 (episodes 76-87)
- Season 4, The Final Chapters, Part 1 (episode 88)
- Season 4, The Final Chapters, Part 2 (episode 89)
How to watch Attack on Titan via in-universe chronological order
Watching a franchise’s various installments via the in-universe chronological order might be a great choice for other sagas, but it’s not ideal for Attack on Titan. Especially if it’s your first time diving into this story.
Still, if you want to give it a go, the only thing changing from the previous watch order to this one is the placement of the various OADs. The two-parter about Levi takes place years before the story of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa begins. One might argue that episodes 56 and 57 could be watched even before No Regrets since they go back decades before the main events. But that would mean completely killing any kind of narrative tension and build-up to a resolution, so it might not be the best idea.
Here is the suggested in-universe chronological watching order:
- No Regrets: Part 1 (OAD)
- No Regrets: Part 2 (OAD)
- Season 1 (episodes 1-3)
- Distress (OAD)
- The Sudden Visitor: The Torturous Course of Youth (OAD)
- Ilse’s Notebook: Memoirs of a Scout Regiment Member (OAD)
- Season 1 (episodes 4-16)
- Lost Girls. Wall Sina, Goodbye: Part One (OAD)
- Lost Girls. Wall Sina, Goodbye: Part Two (OAD)
- Season 1 (episodes 17-25)
- Season 2 (episodes 26-37)
- Season 3, Part 1 (episodes 38-49)
- Lost Girls. Lost in the cruel world
- Season 3, Part 2 (episodes 50-59)
- Season 4, The Final Season, Part 1 (episodes 60-75)
- Season 4, The Final Season, Part 2 (episodes 76-87)
- Season 4, The Final Chapters, Part 1 (episode 88)
- Season 4, The Final Chapters, Part 2 (episode 89)
(featured image: MAPPA)
