Last updated September 14, 2026.
The correct Haikyuu watch order is the four TV seasons in release order, with the OVAs and movies slotted in between them — but most of those extras are recap compilations you can skip entirely, and only one OVA contains content found nowhere else in the anime.
Here is the full chronological order, which entries are genuinely skippable, and where the story picks up next.
| Order | Title | Type | Year | Skip It? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Season 1 (25 episodes) | TV season | 2014 | No — start here |
| 2 | “The Arrival of Lev!” OVA | OVA | 2014 | Optional — character-focused side story |
| 3 | Owari to Hajimari | Movie (recap) | 2015 | Yes — recaps the back half of Season 1 |
| 4 | Shousha to Haisha | Movie (recap) | 2015 | Yes — recap, no new footage |
| 5 | Season 2 (25 episodes) | TV season | 2015-2016 | No |
| 6 | “Vs. Failing Grades” OVA | OVA | 2016 | Optional — comic-relief side story |
| 7 | Sainou to Sense | Movie (recap) | 2017 | Yes — recap bridging into Season 3 |
| 8 | Concept no Tatakai | Movie (recap + 1 new scene) | 2017 | Yes, unless you want the one extra scene |
| 9 | Season 3 (10 episodes) | TV season | 2016 | No |
| 10 | “Land vs. Sky” OVA | OVA (canon) | 2020 | No — the only OVA with new manga content |
| 11 | “The Path of the Ball” OVA | OVA | 2020 | Optional |
| 12 | Season 4 Part 1 | TV season | 2020 | No |
| 13 | Season 4 Part 2 | TV season | 2020 | No |
| 14 | Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle | Movie (new content) | 2024 | No — continues the story past the anime |
| 15 | Haikyuu VS The Little Giant | Movie (new content) | 2027 | No — confirmed sequel, not yet released |
Which Haikyuu OVAs and Movies Are Actually Skippable?
Of the eight Haikyuu OVAs and movies released before 2024, seven are either recap compilations or self-contained comic-relief shorts with no bearing on the main plot.
“Land vs. Sky” is the exception: it is the only Haikyuu OVA that adapts material directly from the manga, covering games between Nekoma, Fukurodani, Nohebi, and Itachiyama that the TV anime skips over entirely. Skip the four recap movies without losing anything; watch “Land vs. Sky” or you will miss real story content.
Do You Need to Watch Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle?
Yes. Unlike the earlier films, Dumpster Battle is not a recap — it covers the third round of the Spring Nationals, the Karasuno vs. Nekoma match, which the TV anime never adapted. Skipping it means skipping an entire tournament round.
The film performed well commercially, too: it grossed more than $100 million worldwide in 2024, according to Box Office Mojo, becoming the second highest-grossing film in Japan that year behind only one other release. That commercial success is why Toei greenlit a direct sequel.
What’s Next: Haikyuu VS The Little Giant (2027)
A second sequel film, Haikyuu VS The Little Giant, has been confirmed for 2027 and picks up immediately where Dumpster Battle ends, with Hinata facing Kamomedai’s Korai Hoshiumi — a fellow small-statured ace. A companion special, Bakemono-tachi no Iku Tokoro, covering the Fukurodani vs. Mujinazaka match, is also expected the same year. Both are part of Haikyuu’s planned final project to close out the story past where the TV anime stopped — see our full recap of every Haikyu Day 2026 announcement for the rest of what was revealed alongside these two projects.
TV Anime vs. Movie Sequels: What’s the Difference?
| TV Anime (2014-2020) | Movie Sequels (2024-) | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Karasuno through the Spring Nationals quarterfinals | Spring Nationals rounds 3 onward |
| New content? | Yes, full adaptation of that portion of the manga | Yes — these are not recaps |
| Status | Complete | Ongoing; next entry confirmed for 2027 |
The TV anime and the movie sequels are not two versions of the same story — they are sequential. The four seasons cover Karasuno’s run through the Spring Nationals up to the quarterfinals, and the 2024-onward films continue directly from there. There is no overlap to worry about and no need to rewatch anything between them.
Why Haikyuu’s Watch Order Is Messier Than Most Sports Anime
Most long-running shonen anime interleave a handful of recap specials between seasons; Haikyuu released six of them across just three years (2014-2017), more than almost any other sports anime of its era. That volume is partly a reflection of how popular the franchise was at the time — movie theater re-airings were a reliable revenue stream between seasons — but it also means the official viewing order listed on streaming platforms often includes four films that contribute nothing to the plot.
If you’re coming to Haikyuu after finishing a different sports or shonen series and want more recommendations that don’t have this kind of bloated watch order, our guide to must-see anime picks sorts genuinely essential series by genre rather than by studio release calendar.
Sources: Box office figures from Box Office Mojo. Watch order and OVA/movie breakdown cross-referenced with Wikipedia and ONE Esports’ Haikyuu watch-order guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I watch Haikyuu in?
Watch the four TV seasons in release order (2014, 2015-2016, 2016, 2020), then Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (2024), then Haikyuu VS The Little Giant when it releases in 2027. The OVAs and recap movies in between are optional except for the 2020 “Land vs. Sky” OVA, which contains manga content the anime never adapted.
Are the Haikyuu movies canon or just recaps?
Both. Owari to Hajimari, Shousha to Haisha, Sainou to Sense, and Concept no Tatakai are recap compilations of the TV seasons with little to no new footage. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (2024) and the upcoming Haikyuu VS The Little Giant (2027) are different: they contain entirely new content continuing the story past where the anime stopped.
Is there a new Haikyuu movie coming out?
Yes. Haikyuu VS The Little Giant is confirmed for 2027 as a direct sequel to The Dumpster Battle, picking up with Hinata’s match against Kamomedai’s Korai Hoshiumi. A companion special covering the Fukurodani vs. Mujinazaka match is also expected in 2027.
Do I need to watch the Haikyuu OVAs?
Only one is required: “Land vs. Sky” (2020) is the sole OVA that adapts real manga content. The others, including “The Arrival of Lev!” and “Vs. Failing Grades,” are optional side stories that don’t affect the main plot.
