Sports anime has blown up over the course of the last decade and one of the series leading the charge is Haikyuu!!. The volleyball series first began its run in 2012 and has released plenty of content in the years since, from fresh seasons to movies and OVAs.
Whether you’re new to the franchise or simply looking to rewatch the series, you’ll need to know the best order in which to do so. Thankfully, the series is quite easy to follow and for the most part watchable in order of release. Here’s how you can go about getting the most out of your Haikyuu!! viewing experience.
Haikyuu!! watch order
There are a few options for viewers who want to check out all things Haikyuu!!. Depending on the amount of time you have, you’ll either want to choose to watch the series or the films. Along with the main series, there are plenty of action-packed OVAs to bolster the offerings within this story. Here’s how to get things started.
Haikyuu!! season one
As you’d expect, you’ll want to begin your binge of Haikyuu!! with the first season of the series. Like the rest of the show, this season is adapted from the manga series of the same name by Haruichi Furudate. It kicks off with Shouyou Hinata as he watches volleyball legend “Little Giant” play on TV. After seeing this, Hinata heads to his middle school and revives the volleyball club, quickly testing its skills in a tournament that unfortunately doesn’t go well. In accepting their loss, Hinata finds a rival in Tobio Kageyama, but by a twist of fate they wind up as teammates after graduating from middle school and moving to the same high school.
Haikyuu!!: Arrival of Lev (OVA)
The first OVA in the Haikyuu!! series, Arrival of Lev takes place between seasons one and two. This story sees Nekoma High School receive a new recruit named Lev Haiba, a half-Russian, half-Japanese prospect who is tall but doesn’t quite have the basics of the game mastered just yet.
Haikyuu!! season two
Season two of the series follows on from the first and finds the team looking to sharpen its skills for competition. In doing this, members of the team attend a training camp to improve their offense along with other top teams around Tokyo. Like the first season, season two has 25 episodes as the players brush up on their technique and head toward Spring Nationals.
Haikyuu!!: Falling Grades (OVA)
This OVA highlights that the members of the team aren’t just there to play volleyball. Hinata and Kageyama both fail a test, forcing them to complete a make-up exam that directly conflicts with their training. A nice break between seasons two and three, this OVA is a lighthearted story that helps bridge the gap.
Haikyuu!! season three
Without spoiling the events of the previous two seasons, the results show that there are still some areas that the team needs to work on before they can be the best. These are all addressed during season three, which sees Karasuno taking on Shiratorizawa in a grueling back-and-forth match.
Haikyuu!!: Betting on the Spring High Volleyball (OVA)
Taking place before season four of the series, this OVA was first released alongside Volume 27 of the Haikyuu!! manga. The story simply shows the team watching a news broadcast that highlights members of volleyball teams in Miyagi as they look to get invited to the Spring Interhigh. Like the other OVAs on this list, watching this is not integral to the show’s overall storyline, but if you’re wanting to take in all of the Haikyuu!! action, then there’s no reason not to include this in your lineup.
Haikyuu!! season four, part one
Season four of Haikyuu!! is split into two parts. The first part sees the team make their way to nationals after their victory against Shiratorizawa at the end of season three. Despite being on the path to greatness, the team begins to split apart, as only some members are offered further opportunities to showcase their talents. The season includes more refining and upskilling for all members of the team so they can bring their best selves into the most important tournament to date.
Haikyuu!!: Land vs. Air (OVA) / Haikyuu!!: The Path of the Ball (OVA)
Kicking off the highly anticipated Spring High Tournament, both the Land vs. Air and The Path of the Ball OVAs were released simultaneously. These two episodes cover games between the Tokyo representatives that received invites into the competition. You’ll want to make sure you’ve checked these out to be caught up with all the action before season four’s final part.
Haikyuu!! season four, part two
Part two of season four kicks off right in the action as Karasuno faces its toughest challenge to date: last year’s Spring Tournament runners-up, Inirizaki High School. There’s a ton of support for the team in the arena, but with the mounting pressure, the team still has to overcome a massive hurdle. Like part one, there are 12 episodes to binge in this latest season of Haikyuu!!, and the story will be capped off in 2023 with a pair of final films.
Haikyuu!! movie watch order
If you’re looking to cut down your watch time a bit, you might opt to watch the movies instead of the full Haikyuu!! series, as they recap the first three seasons of the show and boast a much shorter runtime. Here’s the proper order in which to watch the Haikyuu!! films:
- Haikyuu!! The Movie 1: Owen to Hijimari
- Haikyuu!! The Movie 2: Shousha to Haisha
- Haikyuu!! The Movie 3: Sainou to Sense
- Haikyuu!! The Movie 4: Concept no Tatakai
The first three seasons of Haikyuu!! and even some of the films are currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
What comes next?
In 2023 fans should expect more Haikyuu!! content as a two-part film is expected to continue on from season four and complete the story. Right now there is no exact date for when these movies will arrive, but fans should expect to see them sometime in the next year.