Haikyuu has suddenly become one of the more intimidating anime series to start afresh. What began as a straightforward volleyball series charting Hinata’s journey to the top on the court has transformed into a slightly more complex offering that involves confusingly-titled seasons, one-off specials, and movies that cannot be skipped if you want the full story.
So, where do you begin? And what is it all leading up to? Below, you’ll find your answers as we explain the best way to watch Haikyuu in order. All the major matches and highs and lows of high school volleyball are here. Beyond that – if you’re in a completionist mood – we’ll even track every OADs (original animation DVD) so you can watch the full series from start to finish.
For more, you’ll need our guide on Haikyuu VS The Little Giant . Then, dive into 2025’s big new anime releases with a more in-depth look at My Hero Academia season 8 and One-Punch Man season 3 .
How to watch Haikyuu in order – including movies
(Image credit: Production I.G.)
Haikyuu season 1 (episodes 1-25) [25 episodes]
Haikyuu season 2 (episodes 26-50) [25 episodes]
Haikyuu season 3, AKA Karasuno High School vs. Shiratorizawa Academy (episodes 51-60) [10 episodes]
Haikyuu season 4, part 1, AKA Haikyuu To The Top part 1 (episodes 61-73) [13 episodes]
Haikyuu season 4, part 2, AKA Haikyuu To The Top part 2 (episodes 74-85) [12 episodes]
Haikyuu The Dumpster Battle [Movie]
Haikyuu VS The Little Giant [Movie]
Watching Haikyuu in order is pretty simple – just as long as you don’t get put off by the unconventional season titles and the decision to suddenly break things into multiple parts and movies.
Pleasingly, things are nice and easy to begin with. Watch the first Haikyu season, a storming 25-episode run that introduces Hinata – and its viewers – to the game of volleyball. Along the way, the diminutive hitter makes friends (and foes) both inside and outside the team. Karasuno also makes its way to the Inter-High tournament, the first of many prestigious events for the talented team.
The second season, also 25 episodes, is known as Haikyuu II on some platforms, such as Netflix. In it, Hinata learns to overcome the bitter sting of defeat, while coming into proximity with far more formidable opponents in the Spring Tournament.
The bite-sized third season revolves around a single match: Karasuno vs. Shiratorizawa. The fourth season, meanwhile, is titled To The Top and is split into two parts. It deals with the preparation of the boys in the lead-up to the Spring Nationals as well as the first tournament matches.
The Dumpster Battle continues to follow Karasuno’s run into the latter stages of the Nationals, this time pitting them against school rivals Nekoma.
An upcoming second movie, VS The Little Giant, sees Karasuno facing Kamomedai High.
You might also notice the above order doesn’t include the OVAs and specials. We’ll get to that in just a moment but, right now, all you need to know is that the main story is all present and accounted for in the first four seasons and The Dumpster Battle Movie.
How to watch Haikyuu in order – including all OADs
(Image credit: Production I.G.)
Haikyuu season 1 (episodes 1-25) [25 episodes]
Haikyuu season 2 (episodes 26-50) [25 episodes]
Haikyuu The Arrival of Lev/Lev Appears! [OAD]
Haikyuu Failing Grades/VS Failing Marks [OAD]
Haikyuu season 3, AKA Karasuno High School vs. Shiratorizawa Academy (episodes 51-60) [10 episodes]
Haikyuu Land VS Air and The Path of the Ball [OAD, two episodes]
Haikyuu Special Feature – Betting on the Spring High Volleyball/The Spring Tournament of Their Youth [OAD]
Haikyuu season 4, part 1, AKA Haikyuu To The Top part 1 (episodes 61-73) [13 episodes]
Haikyuu season 4, part 2, AKA Haikyuu To The Top part 2 (episodes 74-85) [12 episodes]
Haikyuu The Dumpster Battle [Movie]
Haikyuu The Place Where Monsters Go [OAD]
Haikyuu VS The Little Giant [Movie]
Now, let’s bring the OADs – essentially one-off or two-part specials – that help flesh out the world of Haikyuu and zero in on other schools and teams on their quest for glory.
We’d recommend watching The Arrival of Lev and Failing Grades after the second season, while Land VS Air is a two-episode special that must be watched after the third season.
One point of contention among the Haikyuu community is when to watch The Arrival of Lev. Watch it before season two and it risks spoiling the arrival of a major player. Watch it after and it might come too late to have the desired narrative impact. In our opinion, we suggest watching it after – as it provides some background information but not enough to risk spoiling Lev stepping onto the court in the second season.
While much of the OADs listed above are fun side adventures, we’d recommend seeking out the Land VS Air series, which follows significant matches involving Nekoma and Fukurodani.
A surprise upcoming special is the undated The Place Where Monsters Go, which charts the Nationals match between Fukurodani and Mujinazaka.
In terms of skippable content, the Spring Tournament of their Youth episode is more of a fun aside, while the Haikyuu recap movies can be missed entirely if you’re already watching along in the mainline series. We’ve even left them out of the order above so as not to confuse anyone.
For more watch order guides, dive into how to watch Pokemon in order and how to watch Demon Slayer in order . Then check out our picks for the best anime you should be watching in 2025.
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