Steins;Gate Watch Order: The Series, the Movie, and Steins;Gate 0 in Order

Steins;Gate looks intimidating on a list: a sequel series, a movie, an alternate episode, a scatter of OVAs. It is far simpler than it looks. For a first watch, the Steins;Gate watch order is the original 24-episode series first, then Steins;Gate 0, with the movie and OVAs as optional stops in between. That is the entire core. The only rule that truly matters is that Steins;Gate 0 comes last, never first.

The one wrinkle worth knowing early is Steins;Gate 0 itself. It is not a normal sequel. It follows the worldline where Okabe fails, the dark branch the original series only hints at, so watching it before you finish the original guts the emotional payoff of both. That is why the sequence matters more than the short entry list suggests.

Below you get the full lineup at a glance, then the real choice every fan faces: the simple release order or the ideal interleaved order that the hardcore swear by, including where that infamous alternate episode 23 slots in. Sort out how to watch Steins;Gate once and one of the best sci-fi stories anime has produced is a single weekend away.

The recommended Steins;Gate watch order

Here is how to watch Steins;Gate in order at a glance, the two core entries up top and the optional extras below. The core is a lean 47 episodes, right around 19 hours, and everything animated together lands near 21. For a franchise this beloved, that is a bargain.

The rule to tattoo on your brain: finish the original Steins;Gate before you touch Steins;Gate 0. The original earns an ending that 0 quietly leans on, and flipping the two robs both of their weight. Everything below the core rows is a bonus. The movie is a lovely coda, the OVAs are light extras, and the IBM shorts are a promotional curiosity you can pass on without a second thought.

The simple order or the ideal order?

Here is the choice that splits the fandom over what order to watch Steins;Gate in, and neither answer is wrong. The simple order is plain release order: watch the original Steins;Gate straight through, all 24 episodes, add the movie and the Egoistic Poriomania OVA if you want them, then move on to Steins;Gate 0. It keeps the original's slow-burn pacing and its gut-punch of an ending fully intact, which is exactly why it is the order I would hand a first-timer.

The ideal order is the one longtime fans get misty about. You watch the original up to episode 22, swap in the alternate Episode 23β (Divide By Zero), then play all of Steins;Gate 0 before returning to finish the original's true ending. Done this way, you live through the dark worldline at the precise moment the story branches, so the finale hits with everything the writers loaded into it. It is more work, and it means holding off on the original's payoff, so I would save it for people who already know they love this story, or for a second run. Both roads end in the same place, and both keep Steins;Gate 0 in its rightful spot rather than first.

A quick word on the movie and chronological order, since people always ask. Load Region of Déjà Vu is set about a year after the original's ending, a warm coda focused on Okabe and Kurisu, and it slots comfortably after the original or after Steins;Gate 0. As for a strict Steins;Gate chronological order, the branching worldlines make a single clean timeline impossible, which is rather the point of the show. The ideal interleaved order above is as close as you get, so use that as your chronological path if that is what you are after.

Where to watch Steins;Gate

Streaming is the painless part. Crunchyroll carries both the original Steins;Gate and Steins;Gate 0, along with the movie in most regions, now that the old Funimation library has folded into it. Regional availability still moves around, so confirm what is live where you are before you commit your weekend. None of that changes the Steins;Gate watch order, only where each piece happens to stream.

El Psy Kongroo, and the order to match

For a franchise wrapped in time-travel paradoxes, the Steins;Gate watch order is refreshingly clear: the original series first, Steins;Gate 0 last, and the movie plus OVAs wherever you fancy them in between. Go with the simple release order for a clean first run, or take the interleaved path if you want the version the diehards consider definitive. Either way, do not let anyone talk you into starting with 0. Set the Steins;Gate order and one of anime's greatest sci-fi rides is yours, no time machine required.

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FAQ

What is the Steins;Gate watch order?

The Steins;Gate watch order is the original 24-episode series first, then Steins;Gate 0, with the movie (Load Region of Déjà Vu) and the OVAs as optional extras in between. The single firm rule is that Steins;Gate 0 comes last, never before the original.

Should I watch Steins;Gate 0 before or after the original series?

Always after. Steins;Gate 0 follows the worldline where Okabe fails, a branch the original only hints at, so watching it first spoils the emotional core of both. Finish the original first, then treat 0 as the essential next step, since it deepens Okabe's arc enormously.

Do I need to watch the Steins;Gate movie?

No, the movie is optional, but it is a rewarding coda. Load Region of Déjà Vu is set about a year after the original's ending and gives Okabe and Kurisu a warm sendoff. It fits neatly after the original series, before or after Steins;Gate 0.

What is the Steins;Gate chronological order?

A strict chronological order is impossible, because the story splits across alternate worldlines. The closest version is the ideal interleaved order: the original up to episode 22, then the alternate Episode 23β, then all of Steins;Gate 0, then back for the original's true ending. Most first-timers are better off with simple release order.

Where can I watch Steins;Gate?

Crunchyroll carries both the original Steins;Gate and Steins;Gate 0, plus the movie in many regions, following the merge of the old Funimation catalog. Availability shifts by region, so check what is streaming near you before you start.