Steins;Gate tells an exciting and complex story about time travel, full of unexpected twists. It’s crucial to watch the anime in the correct order to fully enjoy the experience.
Originally, Steins;Gate was a video game released in 2009 for the Xbox 360. Due to its success, it was later adapted into an anime, which became much more well-known. The story follows self-proclaimed “mad scientist” Rintarou Okabe, who, along with his friends, develops a working time machine.
However, their discovery doesn’t go unnoticed. The secret organization “SERN” becomes aware of the group and starts hunting them down. What follows is a tense race against time, one that comes with sacrifices. The Steins;Gate franchise includes several series, bonus episodes, and even a movie, raising the question of the best viewing order. Fans often debate how to approach it, but there are essentially two ways.
The Chronological Order
For a more in-depth experience, the chronological order is the best way to dive into the world of Steins;Gate. This option takes more effort but rewards you with a deeper understanding of the characters and the story. Here’s the full chronological order:
- Steins;Gate (Episodes 1 to 22, Series, 2011)
- Steins;Gate: Missing Link of the Boundary (Bonus episode, 2015)
- Steins;Gate 0 (Series, 2018)
- Steins;Gate (Episodes 23 to 24)
- Steins;Gate: Egoistic Poriomania (Bonus episode, 2015)
- Steins;Gate – The Movie (Film, 2013)
The Simple Order
If the chronological order feels too complicated, you can skip the bonus episodes and simply watch the series and the movie in their release order. The simple order looks like this:
- Steins;Gate (Series, 2011)
- Steins;Gate – The Movie (Film, 2013)
- Steins;Gate 0 (Series, 2018)
Whichever order you choose, Steins;Gate offers a gripping and emotional experience that definitely deserves a spot on any list of the best anime.