Confusing Anime Watch-Order List (chronologically by release date)

Some anime universes make your brain melt because creators keep reboots, prequels, compilation films and surprise OVAs coming out of nowhere. Below are the eight franchises that often scare the audience by its watch-order maze, each listed chronologically by release date (TV → movies → OVAs → specials / later reboots), so that you can get past the watch-order headache and enjoy these with out any confusion.

1) Fate (release-order, incl. OVAs & movies)

• Fate/stay night — TV (Studio Deen), Jan 7, 2006 (TV series).
• Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works — film, 2010 (UBW film).
• Carnival Phantasm — comedy OVA/TV shorts, 2011.
• Fate/Zero — TV (prequel), Oct 2011 – Jun 2012.
• Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (TV) — Oct 2014 – Jun 2015 (+ OVA “Sunny Day” on BD).
• Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel — Movie trilogy: 2017, 2019, 2020.
• Various spinoffs & GOs (Prisma☆Illya, Grand Order specials, etc.) — 2013 onwards.
  (General release-order guides & franchise pages used.) Wikipedia+1

2) Mobile Suit Gundam (release-order highlights — franchise is huge)

Below are the major Mobile Suit Gundam releases in release order (TV / theatrical / major OVAs). This is a boil-down — Gundam has dozens of entries (UC timeline, AU timelines, OVAs, movies, compilations), so this picks the canonical headlines by release date:

• Mobile Suit Gundam — TV, 1979–1980.
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam — TV, 1985–1986.
• Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam — TV, 1986–1987.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack — film, 1988.
• Gundam Wing / G-savior / other AU series — 1995–2000s (multiple TV series).
• Numerous OVAs & compilation films (e.g., 08th MS Team OVA, Gundam Unicorn OVA) — 1996 → 2014 etc.
• Recent/new entries & theatrical projects — 2019–2025+ (Die-hard release churn continues).
  (For a full granular list of every TV season, OVA and film in strict release order see long guides — Gundam’s watch-order lists are enormous.) Radio Times

3) Psycho-Pass (release-order including movies & OVAs)

• Psycho-Pass — TV Season 1, Oct 2012 – Mar 2013.
• Psycho-Pass (light novel / specials / OVA material) — 2013 (various).
• Psycho-Pass 2 — TV Season 2, 2014.
• Psycho-Pass: The Movie — film, 2015.
• Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System — film trilogy (three films), 2019.
• Psycho-Pass 3 — TV Season 3, 2019.
• Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector — movie / special, 2020.
• Psycho-Pass Providence — theatrical / special, 2023. Wikipedia+1

4) Legend of the Galactic Heroes (LOTS of OVAs & later remakes)

• My Conquest is the Sea of Stars — theatrical film, Feb 6, 1988.
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes (main OVA series) — OVA, Dec 21, 1988 – Mar 11, 1997 (110 episodes across seasons).
• Golden Wings / Overture to a New War — films, 1992 / 1993.
• Gaiden (side-story) OVA seasons — 1998–2000.
• Die Neue These (new Production I.G adaptation) — TV: 2018 (S1) → theatrical/broadcast sequels & film compilations 2019–2022. Wikipedia+1

5) Gintama (release order — many seasons, OVAs & movies)

• Gintama — TV (original run), 2006 – 2010 (Year-1 etc.).
• Gintama: The Movie – Benizakura-hen — film, 2010.
• Gintama’ / Enchousen / later TV seasons — 2011 → 2013 → 2015 onward (multiple retitled seasons).
• Jump Festa / special OVAs and additional movies — various years (OVAs and specials sprinkled between seasons).
  (There are multiple reboots/retitlings and interspersed OVAs — that’s why this franchise is famously messy.) Sportskeeda+1

6) Baki (release-order including early OVA)

• Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter — OVA, 1994 (early OVA special).
• Baki the Grappler — TV (2001) — Season 1 & Season 2 (Maximum Tournament).
• Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Special — 2016 (special).
• Baki (Netflix adaptation) — 2018 (Death Row Convicts arc).
• Baki (Raitai / subsequent seasons) — 2020 (Raitai Tournament).
• Baki Hanma — 2021–2023 (Netflix series / continuation) → Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura (2024 special). ONE Esports+1

7) Code Geass (release-order incl. OVAs, films & side stories)

• Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion — TV S1, Oct 2006 – Jul 2007.
• Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 — TV S2, Apr 2008 – Sep 2008.
• Code Geass OVAs / Specials — e.g., Black Rebellion special edition (2008) and assorted short OVAs.
• Code Geass: Akito the Exiled — OVA / side-story (2012–2016; four episodes/films).
• Compilation film trilogy (Initiation / Transgression / Glorification) — 2017–2018 (alternate continuity edits).
• Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection — new film (2019) — continues film-trilogy continuity. Wikipedia+1

8) Ghost in the Shell (release-order across films, TV & OVAs)

• Ghost in the Shell — Mamoru Oshii theatrical film, 1995.
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex — TV (SAC), 2002–2005 (SAC + 2nd GIG).
• Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence — theatrical film (Mamoru Oshii), 2004.
• Ghost in the Shell: Arise — OVA / TV repackage (2013–2015).
• Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie / Arise → AAA — 2015 (movie tying Arise).
• SAC_2045 (Netflix / 3D series) — 2020–2022 and subsequent special The Last Human (2023).
• New announced adaptations (e.g., Science SARU project) — announced for future release (2026+). Wikipedia+1

Image credit Studio Deen