How to watch Blue Exorcist in order – anime episodes, movie & OVAs

However, there are also a few OVAs (original video animations) as well that you may want to integrate into your anime binge.

Thankfully, this Blue Exorist watch guide will take you through the completely correct order to watch the anime, film, and OVAs in.

How to watch Blue Exorcist in order

The anime adaptation of Blue Exorcist has not had a smooth ride, with its first season having an anime-original ending, but you can still accurately enjoy everything from the story so far in the following watch order:

Season 1 (2011)

• Exorcist Cram School Enrollment Arc - Episodes 1-9
• Exorcist Candidate Live Combat Arc - Episodes 10-17
• Anime Original Arc - Episodes 18-25 (These are completely skippable and play no part in the future story)

As stated in the breakdown above, episodes 18 to 25 are essentially optional, since these final chapters of Blue Exorcist's debut season went with an anime-original ending that didn't follow the manga at all.

When season 2 arrived in 2017, the anime then completely ignored the first season's original ending, opting to follow the manga's story instead — which was initially confusing for viewers who didn't read the source material.

That said, feel free to watch the final seven episodes if you like, but you won't miss out on anything manga-canon if you just watch up to episode 17 and move on.

Hopefully, therefore, this guide will clear up any confusion.

Runaway Kuro OVA (2012)

This first OVA is a bonus episode that came out just before Blue Exorcist: The Movie, following Kuro going out to look for a new owner after Rin teases him. Like OVAs in general, it isn't canon and isn't available on legal streaming services, but it's a nice viewing addition if you've got the season 1 DVD or Blu-ray.

Blue Exorcist: The Movie (2012)

The Blue Exorcist movie neatly takes place after the first season and before the second's Kyoto Saga. Like most movie instalments of anime series, though, it isn't entirely canon.

Whilst part of the film is based on a canon manga one-shot, Phantom Train, the rest in terms of new characters and overall story aren't canon to Blue Exorcist as a whole. With that, Blue Exorcist: The Movie is technically skippable, like the final seven episodes of season 1, but is still a fun ride nevertheless.

Season 2 (2017)

Following episode 17 of Blue Exorcist season 1, season 2 simply adapts the manga's Kyoto Impure King Arc — spanning across 12 episodes.

Snake and Poison OVA (2017)

Snake and Poison is a particularly rare Blue Exorcist OVA, since it only seems to be legally available through a limited edition of the manga's 19th volume in Japan, at the time of writing. If you manage to get access, it's best watched right after finishing season 2 before you start the third.

On the other hand, it's a pretty inconsequential episode about Mamushi Hojo and Juzo Shima studying at True Cross. So, there's no consequence if you watch it a bit out of order.

Spy Game OVA (2017)

A bit more accessible by being shipped with home releases of Blue Exorcist season 3, Spy Game is an eccentric little add-on episode where Rinzo is made to perform tasks by Mephisto to test him as a spy. It's non-canon to the manga, like the other OVAs, but it's a good bit of extra optional watching before you start season 3.

Season 3 (2024)

Following a long seven-year wait, Blue Exorcist season 3 arrived on Crunchyroll and adapted the manga's Shimane Illuminati Arc — also across 12 episodes. For an unexplained reason, Studio VOLN replaced A-1 Pictures as the studio behind this adaptation.

Season 4 (2024/2025)

With Studio VOLN returning, Blue Exorcist season 4 covers both the Beyond the Snow and The Blue Night Sagas across 24 episodes — 12 episodes per saga. The longer season first premiered on 6th October 2024, and wrapped on 23rd March 2025.

What is Blue Exorcist?

Based on the Manga of the same name (Ao no Exorcist in Japanese), the story follows a troublesome teenager named Rin who is living a reasonably ordinary life, until he is attacked by demons.

It turns out Rin is not so ordinary after all. In fact, he is the son of Satan, and daddy has come calling after all these years. Rin has no desire to join his father and instead decides to train as an exorcist, and that is how the story begins.

Is there a trailer for Blue Exorcist season 4?

If you haven't caught up with Blue Exorcist in the last year, check out the season 4 trailer to see what kind of new action Rin is in for before you dive in.

Where to watch Blue Exorcist

All four seasons of Blue Exorcist can be watched on Crunchyroll right now in the UK as well as the US. Anime fans in the US can also find the show on Hulu.

Will there be a Blue Exorcist season 5?

A fifth season of the Blue Exorcist anime hasn't been announced yet, but we suspect another adaptation will be inevitable, since the manga's Of One Cloth arc hasn't been covered yet.

While some sources might tell you the recent 12 episodes based on the Blue Night Saga were season 5, they were in fact part of a second batch of episodes — intended to cover both arcs in two seasonal halves.

With the manga still running, a fifth season could either just cover the Of One Cloth Arc or be held off until more adaptable chapters have been released first.

Either way, we will be updating this article as soon as we know more.

Blue Exorcist is available to watch on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.