Steins;Gate Watch Order (2026): Release vs Chronological & 23β
Steins;Gate is one of the most rewarding time-travel stories in anime, but its order trips people up because of a single branching episode. If you want the simplest answer: watch it in release order your first time, and save chronological order for a rewatch. This guide lays out both the Steins Gate watch order and the chronological one, explains what the famous "episode 23β" actually does, and tells you which OVA and movie are optional.
Every date, episode count, and worldline detail below is cross-checked against the Wikipedia entries for the two TV series and the film, plus the Science Adventure wiki. Nothing here is guesswork — the series genuinely has two valid viewing paths, and the difference matters.
Quick answer, before anything else: Steins;Gate (24 eps) → Steins;Gate 0 (23 eps) → Load Region of Déjà Vu (movie), with episode 23β sitting between the TV series and 0. The OVA (episode 25) is a bonus you can skip.
The short version: Steins;Gate watch order at a glance
Here is the entire franchise in the order a first-time viewer should watch it. Everything after the movie is optional.
| # | Entry | Format | Need it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steins;Gate (2011) | TV, 24 eps | Essential |
| 2 | Episode 23β (revised ep 23) | Special | Essential before 0 |
| 3 | Steins;Gate 0 (2018) | TV, 23 eps + 1 OVA | Essential |
| 4 | Load Region of Déjà Vu (2013) | Movie, 90 min | Recommended finale |
| 5 | Episode 25 "Egoistic Poriomania" | OVA | Optional bonus |
Note the gotcha: the movie came out in 2013, years before Steins;Gate 0 aired in 2018, so "release order" and "story order" are not the same thing for the final two entries. More on that below.
If this guide has you wanting to put a Rintaro Okabe or Kurisu Makise figure on the shelf next to your other Science Adventure pieces, Akibato ships anime figures from Japan worldwide — you can browse in-stock anime figures here.
Release order (recommended for first-timers)
Release order follows how the story was meant to be experienced, with each reveal landing in the intended sequence. This is the order we recommend for anyone watching Steins;Gate for the first time.
- Steins;Gate — the 24-episode TV series (April 6 to September 14, 2011).
- Episode 23β — the revised version of episode 23 that sets up the sequel.
- Steins;Gate 0 — the 23-episode sequel series (April 12 to September 27, 2018), plus its one unaired bonus episode.
- Steins;Gate: The Movie − Load Region of Déjà Vu — the 90-minute film (Japanese theatrical release April 20, 2013).
Why end on the movie even though it came out first? Because the film is the epilogue to the original series' happy ending, and watching Steins;Gate 0 beforehand deepens what the movie is quietly about. Finishing on it gives the whole saga a warmer send-off.
What is episode 23β? The "divide by zero" branch explained
Episode 23β is the single most confusing part of any Steins Gate watch order, so here is the plain version. Episode 23β is an alternate cut of the TV series' 23rd episode in which Okabe fails to save Kurisu Makise, pushing the timeline into the "beta" worldline instead of the hopeful ending.
In the original 2011 broadcast, episode 23 ends with Okabe succeeding. For the 2015 rebroadcast, an alternate version of episode 23 — the one where Okabe does not save Kurisu — was aired specifically to promote the then-upcoming Steins;Gate 0. Fans label this revised cut "episode 23β," and it is the doorway into the sequel.
This matters because Steins;Gate 0 takes place entirely in that beta worldline — the branch where Kurisu stays dead. If you watch the original happy ending and jump straight to 0, the opening will feel like it contradicts what you just saw. Episode 23β is the bridge that makes 0 make sense.
Chronological order (for rewatches only)
Chronological order rearranges the entries to follow the in-story timeline rather than the release calendar. It is clever, but it fractures the pacing and spoils emotional beats, so treat it as a rewatch experiment — not a first watch.
| Step | What to watch | Worldline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steins;Gate episodes 1–22 | Alpha |
| 2 | Episode 23β | Beta (branch point) |
| 3 | Steins;Gate 0 (full series) | Beta |
| 4 | Steins;Gate episodes 23–24 | Steins Gate worldline |
| 5 | Load Region of Déjà Vu (movie) | Steins Gate worldline |
The logic: episode 23β branches the story into the beta worldline that Steins;Gate 0 explores. Only after Okabe fights his way back out of that branch do the original episodes 23 and 24 — the true "Steins Gate" ending — play out, with the movie as the final epilogue. It is a neat structure on paper, which is exactly why it ruins the surprise the first time through.
Every entry explained
Steins;Gate (TV series, 2011)
The 24-episode original is where you start, no exceptions. It follows Rintaro Okabe and his lab members as a microwave-turned-"PhoneWave" lets them send messages to the past, with consequences that spiral out of control. This is the foundation for everything else.
Episode 25 "Egoistic Poriomania" (OVA)
Released February 22, 2012 with the ninth and final Blu-ray/DVD volume, this 25th "special episode" is a lighthearted epilogue set in the peaceful Steins Gate worldline. It is genuinely optional — a fun cooldown after the main series, not required to understand 0 or the movie.
Steins;Gate 0 (TV series, 2018)
The 23-episode sequel aired from April 12 to September 27, 2018, and is set in the beta worldline where Okabe fails to save Kurisu. It is a darker, heavier watch than the original and is essential to the complete story. Its final home-media release also bundled one additional unaired episode — a nice extra, but not plot-critical.
Steins;Gate: The Movie − Load Region of Déjà Vu (2013)
This 90-minute film opened in Japanese theaters on April 20, 2013, and is set roughly a year after the original series, in the Steins Gate worldline where Okabe prevented the key deaths. Funimation released it on Blu-ray/DVD in North America on March 28, 2017. It works best as the saga's closing chapter.
What you can safely skip
Steins;Gate has a reputation for being sprawling, but the must-watch list is short. Here is what is optional:
- Episode 25 ("Egoistic Poriomania") — a bonus comedy epilogue. Skip it with nothing lost from the plot.
- The Steins;Gate 0 unaired episode — a nice extra for fans, but not needed to follow the story.
- Spin-off games — titles like Linear Bounded Phenogram and Elite are visual-novel/game material, not part of the core anime order.
The non-negotiables are the original TV series, episode 23β, Steins;Gate 0, and — for a complete emotional payoff — the movie.
Where to watch Steins;Gate in 2026
As of 2026, the original Steins;Gate, Steins;Gate 0, and Load Region of Déjà Vu all stream on Crunchyroll, which absorbed the former Funimation catalog after Sony's acquisition. Both subtitled and English-dubbed versions exist for the TV series and movie.
Two practical notes. First, catalog availability shifts by region, so the exact titles on your Crunchyroll library depend on where you are — check before you plan a marathon. Second, if you specifically want episode 23β, look for the 2015 "rebroadcast" or revised version of episode 23; some releases present the original cut by default.
Common Steins;Gate watch order mistakes
These are the errors that send people back to a search bar mid-series:
- Jumping to Steins;Gate 0 after the happy ending. Without episode 23β, 0's premise feels like it ignores the finale. Always watch 23β first.
- Watching the movie before 0. In release order the film came first, but it lands better as the finale after you have seen 0.
- Trying chronological order on a first watch. It spoils the central twist of the original series. Save it for round two.
- Treating the OVA and games as mandatory. They are bonuses, not requirements.
Steins;Gate watch order FAQ
Do I have to watch episode 23β before Steins;Gate 0?
Yes, effectively. Episode 23β establishes the beta worldline where Kurisu is not saved, and that is the exact setting Steins;Gate 0 opens in. Skipping it makes the sequel's premise confusing.
Is Steins;Gate 0 a prequel or a sequel?
It is a mid-quel that branches off the original story's timeline. It takes place in the beta worldline that episode 23β opens, running parallel to — and eventually feeding back into — the original series.
Should I watch the movie before or after Steins;Gate 0?
Watch it after. Load Region of Déjà Vu is the epilogue to the Steins Gate worldline and plays as a more meaningful finale once you have experienced 0.
Is the episode 25 OVA necessary?
No. "Egoistic Poriomania" is a comedic bonus episode from 2012. It is enjoyable but adds nothing you need for the main plot.
How long does the full Steins;Gate watch order take?
Roughly 20 hours: about 10 hours for the original 24 episodes, 9 to 10 hours for Steins;Gate 0's 23 episodes, and 90 minutes for the movie.
Can I start with Steins;Gate 0?
No. Steins;Gate 0 is built entirely on the original series and episode 23β. Starting there spoils the first series and will not make sense on its own.
The bottom line
- First time? Release order: Steins;Gate → episode 23β → Steins;Gate 0 → the movie.
- Rewatch? Try chronological: eps 1–22 → 23β → 0 → eps 23–24 → movie.
- Episode 23β is the branch into the beta worldline — never skip it before 0.
- The episode 25 OVA and the spin-off games are optional extras.
- In 2026, the whole saga streams on Crunchyroll, with regional differences.
If following Okabe's lab through two worldlines has you wanting to start a Science Adventure shelf, Akibato ships anime and manga figures worldwide from Japan — browse the in-stock figure collection here.
For more untangled timelines, see our companion guides: the Evangelion watch order for another branching continuity, the Monogatari watch order for release-vs-chronological fans, and the Hunter x Hunter watch order.