# Steins;Gate Watch Order

The short answer: watch the original Steins;Gate first, follow it with Steins;Gate 0, and finish with the Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu movie if you want a little more. This is one of anime's most beloved time-travel thrillers, following a self-styled mad scientist in Akihabara whose homemade gadget stumbles onto a way to change the past, along with the escalating cost that discovery carries. Order matters more here than in almost any franchise, because Steins;Gate 0 is a direct continuation that only lands once you know exactly where the first series leaves its characters. Watch it out of sequence and you trade the story's biggest emotional payoffs for confusion. Go straight down this list and it plays like one long, devastating, brilliant arc.

> The one real argument here is when to watch Steins;Gate 0. Because 0 unfolds on a darker worldline that branches off from around episode 22 to 23 of the original series, some veteran fans like to pause right there and slot 0 in at the exact fork before returning to finish the last episodes. It is a clever idea on a rewatch, but for a first-timer we do not recommend it: finish the original Steins;Gate completely, then start 0. The ending you reach first is the whole reason 0 hits as hard as it does, and watching the two straight through is far less confusing than juggling both timelines at once.

## The order

1. **[Steins;Gate](https://hozuna.com/anime/steins-gate)** — TV · 2011 · 24 eps
   Start here. This is the original 24-episode series and the heart of the whole franchise, the slow-burn thriller that establishes every character and rule the rest of the story leans on, so watch it front to back before anything else.
   Streams on: Crunchyroll

2. **[Steins;Gate 0](https://hozuna.com/anime/steins-gate-0)** — TV · 2018 · 23 eps
   A direct 23-episode sequel that picks up in the aftermath of the first series. It is essential rather than optional, and it is best started only once you have finished the original in full, because it deepens everything that series set in motion.
   Streams on: Crunchyroll

3. **Steins;Gate Movie: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu** — Movie · 2013 · 1 eps _(optional)_
   An optional feature-film epilogue to the original series' ending. We place it last as bonus viewing rather than required watching, so save it for when you want a little more time with this cast.

## FAQ

**What is the correct order to watch Steins;Gate?**

Watch the original Steins;Gate first, then Steins;Gate 0, and finish with the Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu movie if you want an optional epilogue. The two TV series are the core of the franchise; the film is bonus viewing that caps off the original series' ending.

**When should I watch Steins;Gate 0?**

After you have finished the original series completely. Steins;Gate 0 follows a darker worldline that branches from around episode 22 to 23, and some fans enjoy slotting it in at that fork on a rewatch, but on a first watch, finishing the original first makes 0 far less confusing and far more powerful emotionally.

**Is there an episode 25 or a special OVA?**

Yes. The original series has a standalone bonus epilogue OVA, Oukoubakko no Poriomania, sometimes listed as episode 25. It is an extra rather than part of the essential story, so it is fine to skip it or save it as a treat once you have watched the main 24 episodes.

**Do I need to watch the Steins;Gate movie?**

No. Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu is an optional epilogue to the original series' ending, a rewarding send-off for fans, but the two TV series tell a complete story on their own. Watch the film only if you want to spend more time in this world.

**Where can I legally watch Steins;Gate?**

Both the original Steins;Gate and Steins;Gate 0 stream on Crunchyroll. The Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu movie is not as widely available and can be harder to track down legally, so check current listings for the film itself.
