Made in Abyss Watch Order (2026): Awakening Mystery Explained

Made in Abyss Watch Order (2026): Awakening Mystery Explained

Made in Abyss Watch Order: The Short List

Made in Abyss has four entries in its main continuity as of October 2026, and the order you need is simple: Season 1, then the movie Dawn of the Deep Soul, then Season 2, then the new theatrical trilogy Awakening Mystery, whose first part opens in Japan on October 23, 2026. Release order and story order are the same here, so there is no chronological puzzle to untangle. The one rule that trips up new viewers is skipping the 2020 movie because it looks like a recap — it is not.

Order Entry Year Can you skip it?
1 Made in Abyss (Season 1, 13 episodes) 2017 No — origin story
2 Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul (movie) 2020 No — original story, not a recap
3 Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun (Season 2, 12 episodes) 2022 No — direct continuation
4 Made in Abyss: Awakening Mystery (movie trilogy, Part 1) 2026 New — covers material never animated before

Made in Abyss is the story of Riko, a young cave raider, and Reg, a robot boy she finds at the bottom of a pit, as they descend into the Abyss — a bottomless chasm where going deeper is far easier than climbing back out. Season 1 (2017, 13 episodes) establishes that one-way rule and adapts roughly the first three volumes of Akihito Tsukushi's manga, ending on a note bleak enough that it is still cited as one of the genre's sharpest tonal swerves.

Essential Japan — New Visual Confirms Made In Abyss Movie Premieres October 2026
Image: Essential Japan

Why You Cannot Skip Dawn of the Deep Soul

Dawn of the Deep Soul looks like a theatrical recap from its poster, but it is not one. The film folds in roughly 20 minutes of new footage and functions as a bridge chapter between Riko and Reg's first descent and the deeper, darker arc that opens Season 2. Studio Kinema Citrus treats it as a numbered entry in the story, not a clip show, which is why watch-order guides across the fandom agree on including it (Wikipedia, "Made in Abyss").

Viewers who jump straight from Season 1 to Season 2 miss the sequence that re-establishes the group's goal before they enter the Sixth Layer. It is short, but it is not optional.

ComicBook.com — One of the Darkest Anime Franchises to Kickstart New Movie Trilogy
Image: ComicBook.com

Season 2: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun

Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun ran for 12 episodes from July 6 to September 28, 2022, produced by the same Kinema Citrus staff as the first season. It covers the group's arrival in the city of Iruburu and introduces Faputa, the character who becomes central to the new movie trilogy. By the time Season 2 ends, the anime had caught up to roughly chapter 60 of Akihito Tsukushi's manga.

If you are building a dark-fantasy shelf while you work through the series, Akibato ships anime figures and collectibles from Japan — the current lineup is worth a look at Akibato's figures collection while you wait for the new movie.

Made in Abyss: Awakening Mystery — the New 2026 Movie Trilogy

Made in Abyss is not getting a traditional Season 3. Instead, Kinema Citrus announced a three-part theatrical film series called Made in Abyss: Mezameru Shinpi ("Awakening Mystery"), confirmed at an AnimeJapan stage event on March 29, 2026. Part 1 opens in Japanese theaters on October 23, 2026, with Riko, Reg, Nanachi, and Faputa continuing their descent into the Abyss's seventh layer (essential-japan.com; comicbook.com).

Role Name / Detail
Director Masayuki Kojima
Studio Kinema Citrus
Script Hideyuki Kurata
Character design Kazuchika Kise, Yuka Kuroda
Music Kevin Penkin (returning composer)
Japan release (Part 1) October 23, 2026
International release Expected early 2027 via Sentai Filmworks

The original television voice cast is set to reprise their roles for the films. The decision to use movies rather than a 12-episode season comes down to pacing: Tsukushi draws the manga at roughly two to three chapters a year, and the story picks up from chapter 61 onward — material pulled from volume 11 and beyond, not enough to fill a full broadcast season on its own (animenextseason.com).

What Else Was Announced Alongside the Movie

The AnimeJapan 2026 stage event that confirmed Awakening Mystery also revealed a tie-in mobile title: a rogue-lite RPG set in the Made in Abyss world, scheduled to launch on September 23, 2026, roughly a month ahead of the film (essential-japan.com). Neither the game nor the film changes anything about the watch order above — both sit alongside the existing anime rather than replacing or reordering it — but the pairing signals how much Kinema Citrus and the licensors are leaning into this franchise's 2026 return after a four-year gap since Season 2.

Where to Watch Made in Abyss in 2026

Season 1, Dawn of the Deep Soul, and Season 2 all stream on HIDIVE, which holds exclusive rights to the series in English-speaking regions and carries an English dub for the TV seasons (dualshockers.com; epicstream.com). Sentai Filmworks previously licensed the earlier films for home video and is expected to bring Awakening Mystery west in early 2027, though an exact streaming home for the new trilogy has not been announced yet.

FAQ

Is Made in Abyss getting a Season 3?

Not in the traditional sense. The story continues through a three-part movie trilogy, Awakening Mystery, rather than a new 12-episode TV season.

Can I skip Dawn of the Deep Soul and go straight to Season 2?

No. The film contains original story content that bridges the two seasons, not a clip-show recap, so skipping it leaves a gap in the group's motivation going into Season 2.

What manga chapters does Awakening Mystery cover?

It picks up from chapter 61, continuing from where Season 2 left off around chapter 60, and adapts material from volume 11 onward that has never been animated.

When can international fans watch Awakening Mystery?

Part 1 opens in Japanese theaters on October 23, 2026. An international release, expected through Sentai Filmworks, is targeted for early 2027.

Key Takeaways

  • Watch order: Season 1 → Dawn of the Deep Soul → Season 2 → Awakening Mystery.
  • Dawn of the Deep Soul is an original bridge story, not a recap — do not skip it.
  • Awakening Mystery Part 1 opens in Japan on October 23, 2026, directed by Masayuki Kojima at Kinema Citrus.
  • The trilogy replaces a traditional Season 3 because the source manga updates only two to three chapters a year.
  • HIDIVE streams the existing seasons and films in English; the new trilogy's international release is expected in early 2027.

If the Abyss has you hunting for something to add to the shelf while Part 1 makes its way overseas, Akibato ships prize and scale figures from Japan — browse the current figures lineup, or compare notes on other multi-season franchises with our Vinland Saga watch order guide, our Durarara watch order breakdown, or our Sword Art Online watch order guide.

Sources

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