My Hero Academia Watch Order: Seasons, Movies & OVAs

The cleanest My Hero Academia watch order is simply release order, because the TV seasons run in a straight line and the extras rarely affect the main plot. Over eight seasons, four theatrical movies, and a handful of OVA shorts, the only question is where to drop the films and specials. This guide gives you the full chronological-by-release list, explains which extras you can skip, and confirms how the series ends.

The quick list (release order)

Watch the eight seasons in number order. The movies are side stories you can watch in release order or skip; the OVAs are short bonus episodes. Here is the mainline spine:

1. Season 1 (2016)
2. Season 2 (2017)
3. Season 3 (2018)
4. Season 4 (2019)
5. Season 5 (2021)
6. Season 6 (2022)
7. Season 7 (2024)
8. Season 8 (2025) — the final season

If you are new to the genre, our best anime for beginners list pairs well with MHA, which is itself one of the friendliest entry points in modern shonen.

Full watch order with movies and OVAs

This table folds the films and OVA shorts into release order. The movies are non-canon or side-story adventures, so their placement is about release timing, not plot necessity.

Scattered through those years are short OVAs bundled with manga volumes or shown at events — including Save! Rescue Training!, Training of the Dead, All Might Rising, and a few comedic shorts like Hero League Baseball. They are fun but entirely optional and do not advance the main story, so watch them whenever you like or skip them without worry.

Where the movies fit

All four films are side stories set alongside the TV timeline rather than essential chapters:

• Two Heroes (2018) — a standalone adventure best watched after Season 2 or 3.
• Heroes Rising (2019) — a fan-favorite set after Season 4’s events.
• World Heroes’ Mission (2021) — a globe-trotting mission that fits after Season 5.
• You’re Next (2024) — set around the end of Season 6 and the start of Season 7, which is the ideal spot to watch it.

Because the films are not strictly canon, you can enjoy the whole series without them. They are best treated as bonus episodes for when you want more hero action between seasons.

How does My Hero Academia end?

Season 8 is the final season. It aired in late 2025 (October to December) and ran a compact 11 episodes, concluding the anime adaptation of Kohei Horikoshi’s manga. A bonus TV special adapting a late bonus chapter followed in 2026. As of 2026, there are no further mainline seasons planned — Season 8 is the finish line, so your watch order ends there.

Release order vs chronological order

For almost everyone, release order is the right choice: it is how the story was built, the pacing was designed around it, and the movies and OVAs reference events you will already have seen. A strict in-universe chronological order exists that interleaves OVAs and film events between specific episodes, but it is fiddly and offers little benefit. Stick with release order unless you are doing a deep rewatch and want to experience every side story in timeline sequence.

Want more shonen roadmaps? Compare with our Demon Slayer watch order and Jujutsu Kaisen watch order, or browse everything in the anime hub. Watching with friends who prefer the English cast? See our sub vs dub guide.