If you want to watch Blue Exorcist without getting tripped up by Season 1’s anime-original ending, the Kyoto Saga reset, OVAs, the movie, and newer arcs like Shimane Illuminati, Beyond the Snow, and The Blue Night Saga, this guide breaks down the cleanest watch order from start to finish. We’ll cover the recommended viewing order, release order, chronological notes, which episodes you can skip, which extras are optional, and where to find JPBound’s separate streaming guide.
Blue Exorcist, also known as Ao no Exorcist, follows Rin Okumura after he learns he is the son of Satan and decides to become an exorcist instead of becoming anyone’s demonic inheritance plan. The main watch-order problem is simple but annoying: the first anime season goes anime-original near the end, while Kyoto Saga continues from the manga timeline and ignores that ending.
Blue Exorcist Watch Order: Quick Answer
- Blue Exorcist Season 1 — Watch episodes 1–17 for the manga-canon route.
- Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga — Watch next; this continues from the canon Season 1 timeline.
- Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Saga — Watch after Kyoto Saga.
- Blue Exorcist: Beyond the Snow Saga — Watch after Shimane Illuminati.
- Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga — Watch after Beyond the Snow.
If you only want the main manga story, skip Season 1 episodes 18–25. Episodes 6 and 11 are standalone filler, but they do not break continuity. The movie and OVAs are optional extras; watch them only after you understand the main cast.
Blue Exorcist Basics
Blue Exorcist is based on Kazue Kato’s manga, which began in Jump Square in 2009 and was still ongoing as of 2026. The 2011 TV anime by A-1 Pictures introduced Rin, Yukio, True Cross Academy, the Exorcist Cram School, and the conflict between Assiah, the human world, and Gehenna, the demon world.
The franchise now has 73 main TV episodes across the 2011 series, Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga. There is also Blue Exorcist: The Movie and several OVAs/special episodes. The important thing for new viewers is that the anime returned to the manga route after Season 1. That means the original Season 1 ending is not the path later seasons follow.
The Best Blue Exorcist Watch Order
- Blue Exorcist Season 1 — Episodes 1–17
Start here. These episodes introduce Rin, Yukio, Mephisto, Shiemi, Bon, Shima, Konekomaru, Izumo, and the True Cross Academy setup. Episodes 1–3 and 16–17 include mixed canon/filler material, but they are still the correct entry point. - Blue Exorcist: Kuro Runs Away from Home OVA — Optional
This short Kuro-focused OVA is optional character material. Watch it after Season 1 episode 10 or after finishing the canon portion of Season 1. It is not required before Kyoto Saga. - Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga — 12 episodes
Watch this after Season 1 episode 17. Kyoto Saga adapts the Kyoto Impure King material and continues from the manga timeline, not from Season 1’s anime-original finale. If characters seem to have forgotten the last stretch of Season 1, they have. Not your fault. - Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga OVAs — Optional
The Snake and Poison and Spy Game OVAs are side stories bundled with manga releases. Watch them after Kyoto Saga if you want extra cast material, especially around Izumo and Shima. They are not required for the next season. - Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Saga — 12 episodes
Watch after Kyoto Saga. This season adapts the material following Kyoto and moves deeper into the Illuminati plot, Izumo’s story, and the larger conflict beyond the academy. - Blue Exorcist: Beyond the Snow Saga — 12 episodes
Watch after Shimane Illuminati Saga. This is the first half of the 2024–2025 continuation and should not be watched before Shimane. - Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga — 12 episodes
Watch after Beyond the Snow Saga. This arc digs into Rin and Yukio’s origin, Shiro, Yuri, Satan, and the Blue Night itself. It is late-series material, so starting here would be maximum chaos. Stylish chaos, but still chaos. - Blue Exorcist: The Movie — Optional / non-essential
The movie is a standalone anime-original story. For release-order viewers, watch it after Season 1. For manga-route viewers, save it until after episode 17 or after Kyoto Saga as a bonus. It is not required for any later TV arc.
Blue Exorcist Release Order
| Order | Title | Format | Year | Watch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Exorcist | TV, 25 episodes | 2011 | Watch 1–17; 18–25 optional/skip |
| 2 | Kuro Runs Away from Home | OVA | 2011 | Optional |
| 3 | Blue Exorcist: The Movie | Movie | 2012 | Optional / standalone |
| 4 | Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga | TV, 12 episodes | 2017 | Required |
| 5 | Kyoto Saga OVAs | OVA specials | 2017 | Optional |
| 6 | Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Saga | TV, 12 episodes | 2024 | Required |
| 7 | Blue Exorcist: Beyond the Snow Saga | TV, 12 episodes | 2024 | Required |
| 8 | Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga | TV, 12 episodes | 2025 | Required |
Release order is fine for completionists, but it is not the cleanest first-time route because Season 1’s final anime-original arc clashes with the way Kyoto Saga begins.
Blue Exorcist Chronological Order
For the manga-continuity route, chronological order is basically the recommended watch order: Season 1 episodes 1–17, Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga. The movie and OVAs can be slotted in as bonuses, but they do not drive the main chronology.
The only real split is Season 1 episodes 18–25. Those episodes create an anime-original ending that belongs to its own continuity. You can watch them after episode 17 if you are curious, but mentally put them in a side-route folder before starting Kyoto Saga.
Is Blue Exorcist Filler Heavy?
Blue Exorcist has moderate filler overall, but the filler is concentrated in one obvious place: the back end of Season 1. Episodes 18–25 are the main anime-original ending, and later TV seasons do not continue from it. Episodes 6 and 11 are also filler-style standalones, but they are harmless compared with the continuity split at episode 18.
For a first watch, the safest rule is: watch Season 1 through episode 17, then go straight to Kyoto Saga. If you want more of the 2011 anime’s self-contained version, come back to episodes 18–25 later. Just do not use them as your bridge into the rest of the series.
Blue Exorcist Filler List: Episodes You Can Skip
| Episodes / Entry | Arc / Title | Type | Skip or Watch? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Opening setup | Mixed Canon/Filler | Watch | Essential introduction to Rin, Yukio, Fujimoto, and the world. |
| 4–5 | Academy setup | Manga Canon | Watch | Core cast and Cram School material. |
| 6 | The Phantom Chef | Filler | Optional / skip | Standalone comedy-flavored story. Safe to skip. |
| 7–10 | Early missions and Kuro | Manga Canon | Watch | Important character and familiar setup. |
| 11 | Demon of the Deep Seas | Filler | Optional / skip | Standalone beach/mission material. Not required. |
| 12–15 | Training and team material | Manga Canon | Watch | Leads into the canon handoff before Kyoto. |
| 16–17 | Pre-Kyoto handoff | Mixed Canon/Filler | Watch | Important stopping point before the anime-original ending begins. |
| 18–25 | Season 1 anime-original ending | Filler / alternate anime ending | Skip for manga route | Later seasons ignore this route. Watch later only if curious. |
| Kyoto Saga | Kyoto Impure King arc | Manga Canon | Watch | Direct continuation from the canon Season 1 route. |
| Shimane Illuminati | Illuminati / Izumo material | Manga Canon | Watch | Major plot continuation after Kyoto. |
| Beyond the Snow / Blue Night | Late-series origin material | Manga Canon | Watch | Explores Yukio, Rin, Shiro, Yuri, and the Blue Night. |
Which Blue Exorcist Filler Episodes Are Worth Watching?
- Episode 6 — “The Phantom Chef”: Optional. Watch if you like lighter Cram School downtime; skip if you want the fastest route.
- Episode 11 — “Demon of the Deep Seas”: Optional standalone material. It will not matter for Kyoto, Shimane, or later arcs.
- Episodes 18–25: Worth watching only as an alternate 2011 anime ending. Do not treat it as canon setup for Kyoto Saga.
- Movie and OVAs: Better for fans than first-time main-story viewers. Add them after the canon route is clear.
Where Do the Blue Exorcist Movie, OVAs, and Specials Fit?
| Entry | Best Placement | Canon / Status | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuro Runs Away from Home | After Season 1 episode 10 or after episode 17 | Optional side story | Optional |
| Blue Exorcist: The Movie | After Season 1 episode 17, after Season 1, or after Kyoto Saga | Standalone anime-original story | Optional / non-essential |
| Snake and Poison | After Kyoto Saga | OVA side story | Optional |
| Spy Game | After Kyoto Saga | OVA side story | Optional |
Best Blue Exorcist Watch Order by Viewer Type
First-time viewers
Watch Season 1 episodes 1–17, then Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga. Save the movie, OVAs, and Season 1 episodes 18–25 for later.
Manga readers
Use the manga-continuity route and skip Season 1’s anime-original ending. Kyoto Saga is where the anime returns to the source-material path.
Completionists
Watch everything in release order, but keep your continuity labels straight: Season 1 episodes 18–25 and the movie are anime-original side material, while the later TV seasons follow the manga route.
Returning fans
If you watched the 2011 anime years ago and got confused when Kyoto Saga started, rewatch episodes 1–17, then continue from Kyoto Saga. That fixes most of the continuity whiplash.
Where to Watch Blue Exorcist Online
If you also need legal streaming options, use JPBound’s dedicated guide to where to watch Blue Exorcist online. This article is focused on watch order, canon/filler status, movie placement, OVAs, and the Season 1 continuity split.
Blue Exorcist Watch Order and Filler FAQ
Can I skip Blue Exorcist filler?
Yes. For the main manga route, skip Season 1 episodes 18–25. Episodes 6 and 11 are also skippable standalone filler, though they are much less disruptive.
Why does Kyoto Saga ignore the end of Season 1?
Because the end of Season 1 went anime-original. Kyoto Saga returns to the manga continuity and picks up from the point before that original ending took over.
Should I watch Blue Exorcist in release order or canon order?
First-time viewers should use canon order: Season 1 episodes 1–17, then Kyoto Saga and the later seasons. Release order is fine for completionists who understand the anime-original detour.
Is Blue Exorcist: The Movie canon?
The movie is best treated as standalone anime-original material. It is safe to watch after Season 1 episode 17 or after finishing Season 1, but it is not required for Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati, Beyond the Snow, or The Blue Night Saga.
Where do Shimane Illuminati, Beyond the Snow, and Blue Night fit?
They come after Kyoto Saga in this order: Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, then The Blue Night Saga. Do not jump to the newer seasons before watching Kyoto.
Where can I watch Blue Exorcist legally?
Use JPBound’s separate Blue Exorcist where-to-watch guide for current legal streaming options. This page does not duplicate that streaming table.
Recap
For most viewers, the best way to watch Blue Exorcist is Season 1 episodes 1–17, Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga. Skip Season 1 episodes 18–25 if you only want the main manga route, and treat the movie and OVAs as optional bonuses. For streaming availability, use JPBound’s separate where-to-watch guide.
