Haikyuu!! has become everyone’s comfort anime since it first released. But, now that the franchise has grown and branched out, it can be confusing where to start. Here’s how to watch Haikyuu!! in order.
The Haikyuu!! anime was first released in 2014. Adapted from Haruichi Furudate’s manga of the same name, it soon became one of the best sports anime of all time. This year, it’s released its first sequel film, Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle, which has become one of the best anime movies of the year.
Haikyuu!! follows Shoyo Hinata and his journey to become an ace volleyball player despite his short height. Joining him on this journey are Tobio Kageyama, his rival-turned-partner, and the rest of the Karasuno team.
If you haven’t watched this beloved anime show yet but are planning to, you can count on us to guide you through the journey. So, without further ado, let’s find out how to go about watching Haikyuu!! in order for the best viewing experience.
How to watch Haikyuu!! in order
There are four seasons and one movie to watch. You should start with Haikyuu!! and end with Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle.
Here’s the full rundown:
- Haikyuu!!
- OVA 1: The Arrival of Lev Haiba
- Haikyuu!! 2nd Season Episodes 1 – 3
- OVA 2: VS Failing Grades
- Haikyuu!! 2nd Season Episodes 4 – 25
- Haikyuu!! 3rd Season
- OVA 3: Special Feature! Betting on the Spring High Volleyball
- OVA 3: Land VS Air
- OVA 4: The Path of the Ball
- Haikyuu!! To the Top
- Haikyuu!! To the Top Part 2
- Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle
Haikyuu!!
The first season of Haikyuu!! starts with Hinata watching Little Giant play onscreen and becoming intrigued with indoor volleyball. The rest of the season consists of his first meeting with Kageyama and eventually getting into Karasuno.
This season is 25 episodes long and adapts two arcs from the Haikyuu!! manga — the Karasuno High Team Formation Arc and the Interhigh Arc. Full of exciting matches, Season 1 also introduces major characters like Oikawa, Kenma, and Aone.
OVA 1: The Arrival of Lev Haiba
The Arrival of Lev Haiba is the first Haikyuu!! OVA and chronologically falls between Seasons 1 and 2. However, it’s not adapted from the manga, making it the sole anime-only OVA in the franchise. What’s more, it follows the members of Nekoma instead of Karasuno.
The story focuses on the Nekoma volleyball team as they welcome a new member: the freakishly tall Russian student Lev, who aspires to become the ace. Since it doesn’t feature anything crucial, the OVA is not a must-watch to understand the series.
Haikyuu!! 2nd Season Episodes 1 – 3
If you decide to skip the first OVA, then come right to Haikyuu!! Season 2. The second season picks up right where the first left off. After their stint in the Interhigh tournament, Karasuno is now looking forward to a training camp in Tokyo.
However, there appears to be a big obstacle in their path and it’s not another team. Instead, it’s what most of them are afraid of — grades. The boys, particularly the weird duo, Tanaka, and Nishinoya, must pass their exams to go to the Tokyo training camp with the team.
OVA 2: VS Failing Grades
Before you continue with Haikyuu!! Season 2, you could make a stop after Episode 3. This is where you’ll get a funnier look at how Karasuno’s resident troublemakers try to pass their exams.
VS Failing Grades is absolutely hilarious. The boys’ shenanigans as well as the others’ exasperation with trying to get them to get the bare minimum marks are a treat to watch. But it also doesn’t add anything to the story, so you can ignore this one.
Haikyuu!! 2nd Season Episodes 4 – 25
This is where things get interesting. As Hinata and Kageyama find their way into the Tokyo Training Camp, they’re faced with the blind spots in their dynamic. To get stronger, they must adapt, but that’s easier said than done.
Like the first season, Haikyuu!! 2nd Season also has 25 episodes. This season covers the Tokyo Expedition Arc and most of the Spring High Preliminary Arc. Be prepared for more exciting matches and more loveable new characters like Bokuto, Akaashi, and Yachi.
Haikyuu!! 3rd Season
The third season is where Haikyuu!! breaks its pattern. Instead of multiple arcs, Season 3 is set during only one match: the Spring High preliminary final between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa. It’s also the shortest season with only 10 episodes.
However, these 10 episodes are some of the best in the franchise. Karasuno vs. Shiratorizawa is a match you cannot miss. Not only does the match get the winner to the Nationals, but this is also where the team faces their strongest opponent so far: Ushijima.
OVA 3: Special Feature! Betting on the Spring High Volleyball
This is the third OVA of the Haikyuu!! franchise and pretty much gives a recap of the Spring tournament preliminaries. It follows a news broadcast where the hosts discuss the various teams of the tournament.
Unlike the other OVAs, it’s not particularly fun and doesn’t add anything to the series. So, you can just skip this one.
OVA 4: Land VS Air
The fourth OVA of the franchise, Land VS Air is chronologically set after Season 3. While Karasuno fights for its ticket to the Nationals in the third season, the OVA shows what happens to the Tokyo teams.
Land VS Air focuses on Nekoma’s match against Fukurodani. It’s a very exciting match, given that best friends Kuroo and Bokuto clash against each other. Not to mention, one team is a master of ground defense while the other excels in aerial attacks.
OVA: The Path of the Ball
This instalment follows Nekoma’s match against Nohebi after they lose to Fukurodani. Thus, things are tense for them as this is their last chance to go to the Nationals and face Karasuno for their long-awaited match.
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If you’re not interested in teams other than Karasuno, then you can skip this one, too. However, unlike the first three OVAs, the last two add a lot of value to the story. Not only do they give us a peek at how other teams work but they also show great development for some characters.
Haikyuu!! To the Top
Up next is Season 4, titled Haikyuu!! To the Top. This season is broken into two parts; the first one shows Kageyama’s time at the National Youth Camp and Hinata’s as a ballboy at Shiratorizawa’s first-year training camp.
You’ll notice that the animation and art style are different in this season. It takes a while to get used to, but you’ll eventually come around to it. The first part of Season 4 has 13 episodes and ends before Karasuno’s match against Inarizaki.
Haikyuu!! To the Top Part 2
Haikyuu!! Season 4 Part 2 is a direct continuation of Part 1. It has 12 episodes, which makes Season 4 25 episodes long, similar to Seasons 1 and 2. Part 2 is set during the Karasuno vs. Inarizaki match; one of the most exciting matches in the series, given that the opponent team has a setter as good as Kageyama.
Not just that, soon after the match starts, the Miya twins shock everyone by replicating Hinata and Kageyama’s signature minus-tempo attack. And Karasuno soon realizes the Nationals are going to be a lot more difficult than they thought.
Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle
The new movie, Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle, follows Karasuno’s journey after they defeat Inarizaki in Season 4. Now, their long-held wish is coming true as they’ll fight their fated opponent on the orange court.
The 85-minute-long movie focuses on the much-anticipated Karasuno vs. Nekoma match. The movie is as brilliant as everyone expected it to be. And though it ignores two of the franchise’s best characters, it still manages the high standard the franchise has set.
Haikyuu!! Final Part 2
This will be the last Haikyuu movie and will act as the finale for the franchise. It’s set to be a direct continuation of The Dumpster Battle and show Karasuno’s match against Kamomedai in the quarterfinals of the Nationals.
This match is teased in the post-credit scene of The Dumpster Battle. However, no release window of the untitled movie has been announced yet. But given the box office success of its prequel, new announcements might come soon.
How many Haikyuu!! episodes are there?
Haikyuu!! has 85 episodes in total so far.
Seasons 1, 2, and 4 have 25 episodes each, and Season 3 has only 10 episodes. Given that the series hasn’t been renewed for Season 5 and will end with another movie, this is the final episode count for the franchise.
Along with these episodes, the franchise also has five OVAs and one sequel movie, with another one on the way.
Does Haikyuu!! have any filler?
One of the best parts about Haikyuu!! is that the entire series is adapted from the manga, so, there’s no filler.
Some scenes are altered during the translation from page to screen, but the overall content is the same. So, you can get into the series with no fear of wasting time on filler episodes.
How many Haikyuu!! movies are there?
At present, Haikyuu!! has five movies in total, sort of: The End and the Beginning, The Winner and the Loser, Talent and Sense, Battle of Concepts, and The Dumpster Battle. Out of these, the first four are compilation movies, meaning they’re technically just bits from the previous seasons.
Movie 1, The End and the Beginning, is a compilation of Season 1’s first part, starting at the beginning and ending after Karasuno’s first practice match against Nekoma. Movie 2 shows the boys’ Interhigh journey, particularly their matches against Date Tech and Seijoh respectively.
The third compilation film, Talent and Sense, gives a recap of Season 2. The movie’s name comes from Karasuno’s climactic match against Seijoh in the Spring tournament, where Oikawa’s sense battles against Kageyama’s talent. And Movie 4 revises the Karsuno vs. Shiratorizawa match.
Since they are all recaps of the series, you can ignore these movies entirely, and watch the episodes instead. The only movie that you must see is The Dumpster Battle as it’s a direct sequel to Season 4.
Where can you watch Haikyuu!!?
All episodes of Haikyuu!! are available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
As for the OVAs, you can watch them for free on Ani-One Asia’s official YouTube channel. However, Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle isn’t available on any streaming platform yet. But you can watch the movie in theaters.
For more on these volleyball boys, check out our explainer on Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle ending and our take on how Haikyuu!! paves the way for sports anime.