If you are a fan of isekai anime, you should watch Overlord. The series has a clever and unusual premise, even in a crowded genre filled with such concepts.
Plus, it’s not hard to find where to watch Overlord online. I found the series at Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Apple TV, Google Play, Tubi, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and VRV. This article can help you separate the good streaming choices from the not-so-good ones.
Intro to the Overlord Anime Series
In Overlord, a salaryman accidentally finds himself stuck in a video game world. He gains the abilities and ghoulish appearance of his character, a powerful, evil lich named Ainz Ooal Gown.
Ainz is an interesting character — a former human forced to play the role of an evil overlord. As time goes on, he seems to get more into character.
Like a lot of isekai anime series, Overlord started out as a novel, not a manga. Kugane Maruyama created the series. The first anime season started in 2015. So far, there have been four seasons (the most recent in 2022), and two films.
According to reports, a third movie, Overlord: The Holy Kingdom, should arrive by the end of 2022. And fans hope that a fifth season will be made.
Where to Watch Overlord Online
- Crunchyroll
- Netflix
- Apple TV
- Tubi
- Funimation
1. Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll has all four seasons of Overlord (which not every streaming service has) in several languages. That’s why Crunchyroll scores high in our list.
(Crunchyroll also streams Isekai Quartet, if you want to see the sillier side of Ainz.)
The streaming service is available in many locations around the globe — although admittedly, you may run into geo-locking. Fortunately, you can use a VPN, such as NordVPN, to get around the geo-locking problem.
How to Watch Overlord on Crunchyroll from Anywhere
The following method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets:
- Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. NordVPN works.
- In the settings, choose United States as your location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait.
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Crunchyroll (browser or app).
- Search “Overlord” in Crunchyroll and you should see Overlord pop up.
Enjoy! If Crunchyroll doesn’t update, you may have to clear the Crunchyroll cache and try again.
To do this on mobile, go to settings -> apps -> Crunchyroll -> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your browser.
Pros
- Huge library of recent and classic anime hits
- Good language options
Cons
- Geo-locking may affect service in some areas
Language options: Japanese with English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian subtitles. Also has English, Spanish, and Portuguese dubs.
Monthly price: Free, limited viewing is possible. $7.99 for “fan” level; $9.99 for “mega fan”; and $14.99 for “ultimate fan.”
Watch Overlord on Crunchyroll.
2. Netflix
Netflix has Overlord in Japan and South Korea. Japan has all four seasons, while South Korea only has the first three. Hopefully, the fourth season will show up in Korea eventually.
Unfortunately, neither version comes with English subtitles. But if you understand Korean or Japanese, you can use a VPN to watch Overlord on Netflix South Korea. (With any luck, Netflix could decide to add English translations.)
How to Watch Overlord on Netflix from Anywhere in the World
Like all anime, Overlord may sometimes be only available on Netflix in certain countries. If you log on and can’t find Overlord in your Netflix library, don’t worry! You can get around that problem by using a VPN.
As of the writing of this article, Overlord is available on Netflix South Korea. All you have to do is use a VPN to fake a South Korean IP address.
The following method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets:
- Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. NordVPN works.
- In the settings, choose South Korea as your location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait for it.
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Netflix (browser or app).
- Search “Overlord” in the Netflix search bar and you should see Overlord pop up.
Enjoy! Please note that if your Netflix library doesn’t update to reflect the country you selected in your VPN, you may have to clear the Netflix cache and try again.
To do this on mobile, go to settings -> apps -> Netflix -> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your browser.
Pros
- A good selection of anime and non-anime titles
Cons
- Geo-locked in some regions (but that can be solved with a VPN)
- Limited language options
Language options: Japanese with Korean subtitles
Monthly price: $9.99 basic; $15.49 standard; $19.99 premium.
3. Apple TV
Apple has three seasons of Overlord. But it hasn’t caught up with season 4 yet.
If you watch episodes this way, please note that you are buying a permanent copy, not streaming. You also have to pay for subbed and dubbed separately.
Pros
- Apple is theoretically international
Cons
- Geo-locking may affect service
- Buying is more expensive than streaming
- Subtitles and dubbing come separately
Language options: Japanese with English subtitles; or English dubbed
Price: English dubbed episodes: $1.99; Japanese with subtitles: $2.99. Season 1, subtitles: $15.99; Season 1, dubbed: $26.99. All other seasons: $26.99.
4. Tubi
Tubi is a free streaming service. You don’t need a subscription, but you will need to register if you want to make a watchlist. Registration is free.
The service is also ad-supported. Although my ad blocker wasn’t able to eliminate the ads, you might get lucky.
Pros
- Free
- No registration needed
Cons
- Limited to a few countries beyond the U.S.
- Ads
Language options: Japanese with English subtitles
Price: Free
5. Funimation
I added Funimation to this list because you can watch the two Overlord movies if you subscribe to the premium service. Funimation also has all four seasons of the anime.
Overlord: The Undead King and Overlord: The Dark Warrior are mostly just movie-length recaps of the series. But this does seem to suggest that Funimation might stream the third film, Overlord: The Holy Kingdom, when it arrives. The third film will be based on the Holy Kingdom arc of the light novels.
Pros
- Has the movies
- Free trial period
Cons
- Service outside the U.S. limited to Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia
- Need premium to unlock everything
Language options: Japanese with English, Latin American Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. Also English, Spanish, and Portuguese dubs.
Price: Free, limited viewing option available; Premium, $7.99/ month; Premium Plus, $9.99/ month
