How To Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! and Its Movies in Order

When it comes to iconic anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of the biggest. Spawning the ultra-successful card game, this series dominated the early 2000s and has seen a variety of iterations. Here’s how to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! and its movies in order.

How To Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! and Its Movies in Order

The best way to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! is mostly in release order. While there are some moments where things can jump around, for the most part, if you just follow the order that episodes and movies are released you should get the optimal experience.

If you’re looking for just a brief overview, here’s how we suggest watching Yu-Gi-Oh! from start to finish:

Main Series Timeline

• Yu-Gi-Oh (1998)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Seasons 1 to 3)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light (Movie)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Season 4 to Season 5 Episode 14)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Season 5 Episode 15 to END)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Side of Dimensions (Movie)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s (Season 1)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s: Evolving Duel! Stardust VS Red Daemon’s (OVA)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s (Season 2 to Season 3 Episode 20)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Bonds Beyond Time (Movie)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s (Season 3 Episode 21 to END)

Separate Yu-Gi-Oh Series Timeline

• Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal 2
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V
• Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush!!

For those seeking a more in-depth Yu-Gi-Oh! series watch guide, let’s dig in on where you can find each of these Yu-Gi-Oh! titles and the exact rationale for this watch order.

Where to Start: Yu-Gi-Oh (1998)

To get the most authentic introduction to the franchise, start off with the original Yu-Gi-Oh anime, which was originally released in 1998. This version did not release in the US because it was considered too violent, which makes it pretty difficult to find on legitimate streaming services.

Thankfully, this series is considered something of a prototype for the later series and exists in its own continuity. So, while it can be an interesting place to start, it’s not strictly necessary for enjoying the Yu-Gi-Oh! storyline.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

The version of Yu-Gi-Oh! that most fans who grew up catching episodes on Saturday mornings will remember is the 2000s-era Duel Monsters series, which is often abbreviated as simply Yu-Gi-Oh! in the US.

This series is much easier to find and can be easily streamed on Netflix or Hulu. However, Netflix only has the first 49 episodes, so Hulu will be your better option if you plan to continue past Season 3. The subbed version of Yu-Gi-Oh! is also available via Crunchyroll, meaning you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to enjoying this series.

For optimal watch order, we suggest watching the first three seasons, then taking a pause to enjoy Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light. This movie takes place between Seasons 3 and 4 of the anime, so it’s best watched at this point in your Yu-Gi-Oh! adventure.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie: Pyramid of Light

This movie came out in 2004 and wasn’t particularly well received, with a 6% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Even so, it’s required viewing if you plan to watch the series in order, and many fans consider this rating unnecessarily low.

The easiest way to watch this movie in the US is Amazon Prime Video, where Prime Members can watch it for free.

Following this movie, Yu-Gi-Oh! fans should pick up with the Duel Monsters anime Seasons 4 through to Season 5, Episode 14. This is a bit of an odd stopping point, but it’s because the mini-series Capsule Monsters falls just after Episode 14, so true continuity begs watching it first.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters

Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters is a mini-series that follows the crew on a trip to India that, naturally, goes awry. It takes place after the Grand Championships but before the final arc of the series.

On Hulu, this mini-series is included in the Season 5 episode list in correct chronological order, making it easy to follow along if you’re streaming via this service.

After this mini-series, watch the rest of Season 5 for the conclusion of the original storyline of Yu-Gi-Oh!

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions

This movie was released in 2016 in Japan and early 2017 internationally. The Dark Side of Dimensions follows the events of the anime with a new storyline that sometimes slightly contradicts anime canon. Nevertheless, it continues the stories of Yugi and his friends, as well as Seto Kaiba, and is a must-watch for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans trying to enjoy the full series.

This movie is available on Netflix in some countries, though US viewers will more easily be able to enjoy it via Amazon Prime video, where it’s free for Prime Members to stream.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

At this point, the story moves on from Yugi and the gang to a new generation of Duelists, though it is a sequel to the original series and does feature Kaiba, Yugi, and other key characters.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX is available to stream on Crunchyroll with an English sub or dub depending on your preference. It’s also available on Amazon Prime Video in the US.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s

Following after GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s is the second and final main series spinoff, which continues the original Yu-Gi-Oh! timeline far into the future. Like the original series, its continuity involves a couple of extras, making the exact watch order a bit tricky.

For true chronological order, watch Season 1, then pause for the special Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s: Evolving Duel! Stardust VS Red Daemon’s before heading on to Season 2 and Season 3 through to Episode 20. The best experience will be the English Sub since the Dub skips a few key episodes and doesn’t fully resolve the storyline.

This series is available to stream via Crunchyroll, though the Special Episode is not included there and can be difficult to find via legitimate streaming sites. Thankfully, that special episode is outside the typical timeline, so if you’re having trouble tracking it down, it’s okay to skip it.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Bonds Beyond Time

This movie takes place after the events of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Season 3, Episode 20, and should be watched at this point. As it’s not available on Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video is currently the best place to stream it.

After this movie, finish out the rest of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s anime to fully wrap the original franchise timeline.

It is worth noting that all of the series from Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal onwards is not connected to the original story. If you do want to continue on, you’ll begin a separate timeline at this point.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL

You can theoretically watch the newer series first if you’d prefer something more modern, but we’d suggest sticking to the originals to start your binge as they are by far the best. Either way, ZEXAL starts off the next Yu-Gi-Oh! storyline.

The first Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL series has three seasons. The dubbed version is available to stream on Crunchyroll. There is no official sub for the series, so this is the best way to enjoy it in English. On Crunchyroll, ZEXAL II is incorporated into the original series under one name. The ZEXAL II run begins with the episode “A Duel in Ruins: Part 1.”

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V

This series follows its own storyline, coming chronically after ZEXAL in release but picking up with new characters. The subbed version can be streamed on Crunchyroll, or dubbed via Amazon Prime video.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

VRAINS is another standalone Yu-GI-Oh! series, which released after Arc-V. This series can also be streamed subbed via Crunchyroll or dubbed via Amazon Prime video.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens

This series released in Japan in 2020, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters series. The English version released in 2021 and is short a few episodes from the original. It is yet another new standalone story, so can technically be enjoyed at any time.

Yu-Gi–Oh! Sevens is available to stream via Hulu or Disney+ in the US. Unlike many other series, it isn’t available on Crunchyroll.

Where to Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush!!

Rush!! is the most recent Yu-Gi-Oh! series, and its events technically predate those of Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens. So, technically it’s a prequel and could be watched first if you’re able to find it. However, Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush!! can be tricky to find outside of Japan, but an English version is reportedly releasing in 2025 via Disney XD.

For now, Rush!! is the last of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series and concludes our overview of the correct Yu-Gi-Oh! watch order.

As you can see, almost every Yu-Gi-Oh! TV series can be binged on Crunchyroll right now. However, as noted above, you might need to search other streaming platforms to find the entire series depending on your geographical location.

The above article was updated on 12/23/2024 by the original author to include additional information about Yu-Gi-Oh!