If you want to watch Food Wars! without getting lost in season subtitles, OVAs, specials, and filler lists, this guide breaks down the best watch order from start to finish. We’ll cover the recommended viewing order, release order, chronological notes, which episodes you can skip, where the OVAs fit, and where to find JPBound’s separate streaming guide.
Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma follows Soma Yukihira as he enters the elite Totsuki Culinary Academy and turns cooking into a full-contact shonen battleground. The good news: the main anime is easy to watch in release order. The annoying part: the OVA placement is scattered across seasons like someone dropped recipe cards on the floor.
Food Wars Watch Order: Quick Answer
- Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma — Season 1, episodes 1–24
- Food Wars! OVA — Optional; best after Season 1, with the first two OVAs fitting around late Season 1
- Food Wars! The Second Plate — Season 2, episodes 1–13
- The Second Plate OVA — Optional; watch after Season 2
- Food Wars! The Third Plate — Season 3 part 1, episodes 1–12
- The Third Plate OVA: Erina’s New Life — Optional but useful; watch after The Third Plate part 1
- Food Wars! The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc — Season 3 part 2, episodes 13–24
- Food Wars! The Fourth Plate — Season 4, episodes 1–12
- Food Wars! The Fifth Plate — Season 5, episodes 1–13
If you only want the main story, watch the five TV seasons in order and skip the OVAs. Food Wars! has no widely recognized pure filler episodes in the 86-episode TV anime, but the OVAs are optional side stories rather than required main-plot chapters.
Food Wars Basics
Food Wars! is based on the manga by Yūto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki, with Yuki Morisaki credited for culinary supervision. The anime was produced by J.C.Staff and aired from 2015 to 2020 across five main “plates,” which is the series’ way of saying seasons. Because apparently “Season 3 Part 2” was not dramatic enough.
The TV anime has 86 episodes: 24 in Season 1, 13 in The Second Plate, 24 across the two parts of The Third Plate, 12 in The Fourth Plate, and 13 in The Fifth Plate. There are also five main OVAs/special episodes connected to the first three seasons. The anime adapts the core rise of Soma, Megumi, Erina, the Polar Star crew, the Autumn Election, Central, the Régiment de Cuisine, and the final BLUE material. As of 2026, the main anime is complete.
The Best Food Wars Watch Order
- Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma Season 1 — Episodes 1–24
Start here. Season 1 introduces Soma, Totsuki Academy, Erina Nakiri, Megumi Tadokoro, the Polar Star Dormitory, the Training Camp, and the early Autumn Election setup. Watch all 24 episodes. - Food Wars! OVA — Optional side stories
The first two OVAs, “Takumi’s Downtown Battle” and “Erina’s Summer Vacation,” work best after you know the early cast. If you want tighter placement, watch them after Season 1 episode 19 or after finishing Season 1. They are fun extras, not required plot. - Food Wars! The Second Plate — Episodes 1–13
Watch after Season 1. This season continues the Autumn Election, gives several rivals more focus, and moves into the Stagiaire material. It is short, direct, and fully part of the main route. - The Second Plate OVA — Optional, 2 episodes
Watch these after Season 2. The hot springs and Totsuki Elite Ten-focused OVA material is side-story content that fits between The Second Plate and The Third Plate. Completionists should include it here. - Food Wars! The Third Plate — Episodes 1–12
Watch next. This begins the Moon Festival and Central storyline, which changes the whole power structure at Totsuki. Do not jump to later seasons before this. - The Third Plate OVA: Erina’s New Life — Optional but useful
Watch after The Third Plate part 1. This OVA focuses on Erina at Polar Star Dormitory and helps bridge her character position before the Totsuki Train/Régiment de Cuisine stretch. - Food Wars! The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc — Episodes 13–24
This is the second half of Season 3, not a separate spin-off. Watch it immediately after The Third Plate part 1 and the optional Erina OVA. - Food Wars! The Fourth Plate — Episodes 1–12
Continue here for the climax of the Central conflict and the Régiment de Cuisine. This season pays off a lot of Season 3’s setup. - Food Wars! The Fifth Plate — Episodes 1–13
Watch last. This is the final TV season and covers the BLUE competition and the anime’s ending. It has a different feel from the earlier school-battle arcs, but it is still the end of the main anime route.
Food Wars Release Order
| Order | Title | Format | Year | Watch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma | TV, 24 episodes | 2015 | Required |
| 2 | Food Wars! OVA | OVA, 2 episodes | 2016 | Optional |
| 3 | Food Wars! The Second Plate | TV, 13 episodes | 2016 | Required |
| 4 | The Second Plate OVA | OVA, 2 episodes | 2017 | Optional |
| 5 | Food Wars! The Third Plate | TV, 12 episodes | 2017 | Required |
| 6 | The Third Plate OVA: Erina’s New Life | OVA, 1 episode | 2018 | Optional / useful |
| 7 | The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc | TV, 12 episodes | 2018 | Required |
| 8 | Food Wars! The Fourth Plate | TV, 12 episodes | 2019 | Required |
| 9 | Food Wars! The Fifth Plate | TV, 13 episodes | 2020 | Required |
Release order is the best order for first-time viewers. The only adjustment worth making is slotting the OVAs where they fit naturally instead of treating them as mandatory interruptions.
Food Wars Chronological Order
For the main TV anime, chronological order is basically the same as release order. Soma’s school journey moves forward season by season, and the anime does not have a prequel movie, alternate-timeline season, or sequel film that needs special handling.
The OVAs are the only wrinkle. “Takumi’s Downtown Battle” and “Erina’s Summer Vacation” are best treated as Season 1-era side stories. The Second Plate OVAs fit after Season 2 and before Season 3. Erina’s New Life fits after The Third Plate part 1, before the Totsuki Train/Régiment de Cuisine continuation.
Is Food Wars Filler Heavy?
No. Food Wars! is a low-filler anime. The 86-episode TV run has no widely recognized pure filler episodes, so new viewers should not try to carve out random TV episodes. The story is already compact compared with long-running shonen series, and most episodes move Soma, Erina, Megumi, the Elite Ten, or the current competition forward.
The OVAs are the skippable part. They include character-focused side stories, comedy, downtime, and small connective moments, but they are not required to understand the main plot. If this is your first watch and you want the cleanest route, watch the TV seasons first. If you like the cast and want more flavor between arcs, add the OVAs. Yes, that pun was unavoidable. Move on.
Food Wars Filler List: Episodes You Can Skip
| Episodes / Entry | Arc / Title | Type | Skip or Watch? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 episodes 1–24 | Totsuki introduction, Training Camp, Autumn Election setup | Manga Canon / main story | Watch | Core introduction to Soma, Erina, Megumi, Polar Star, and early rivals. |
| Food Wars! OVA episodes 1–2 | “Takumi’s Downtown Battle” / “Erina’s Summer Vacation” | Optional OVA / side story | Optional / skip for fast route | Best after Season 1 episode 19 or after Season 1. Not required for the main plot. |
| The Second Plate episodes 1–13 | Autumn Election finals and Stagiaire | Manga Canon / main story | Watch | Required continuation after Season 1. |
| The Second Plate OVA episodes 1–2 | Hot springs and Elite Ten side material | Optional OVA / side story | Optional | Fits after Season 2 and before Season 3. Good for fans, skippable for plot-only viewers. |
| The Third Plate episodes 1–12 | Moon Festival and Central setup | Manga Canon / main story | Watch | Required setup for the Central conflict. |
| Erina’s New Life OVA | Erina at Polar Star Dormitory | Optional OVA / character side story | Optional / watch if you like Erina | Useful character material after The Third Plate part 1, but not mandatory. |
| Totsuki Train Arc episodes 13–24 | Central and Régiment de Cuisine setup | Manga Canon / main story | Watch | Second half of Season 3. Required. |
| The Fourth Plate episodes 1–12 | Régiment de Cuisine climax | Manga Canon / main story | Watch | Required payoff to the Central arc. |
| The Fifth Plate episodes 1–13 | BLUE / final season | Main story / final arc adaptation | Watch | Final TV season and ending. |
Which Food Wars Filler Episodes Are Worth Watching?
- “Takumi’s Downtown Battle”: Worth watching if you like Takumi and Isami Aldini. It is a light side story that works best once Season 1 has established the cast.
- “Erina’s Summer Vacation”: Optional character comedy. Watch it after Season 1 if you want more early Erina material before the story gets heavier.
- The Second Plate OVAs: Good for completionists who want more Polar Star and Elite Ten downtime between Season 2 and Season 3.
- “Erina’s New Life”: The most useful OVA for character context. It is still optional, but it fits well after The Third Plate part 1.
If you are watching with someone impatient, skip all OVAs and stick to the TV seasons. If you already like the cast, the OVAs are harmless bonus courses.
Where Do the Food Wars OVAs and Specials Fit?
| Entry | Best Placement | Canon / Status | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Wars! OVA episode 1 — “Takumi’s Downtown Battle” | After Season 1 episode 19 or after Season 1 | Optional side story | Optional |
| Food Wars! OVA episode 2 — “Erina’s Summer Vacation” | After Season 1 episode 19 or after Season 1 | Optional side story | Optional |
| The Second Plate OVA episode 1 | After The Second Plate | Optional side story | Optional |
| The Second Plate OVA episode 2 | After The Second Plate | Optional side story / Elite Ten material | Optional |
| The Third Plate OVA: Erina’s New Life | After The Third Plate episodes 1–12 | Optional character side story | Optional but useful |
| Movies | N/A | No required movie | Skip / not applicable |
There is no canon Food Wars! movie you need for the main anime watch order. The franchise is mostly TV seasons plus OVAs, which keeps things simpler than it looks at first glance.
Best Food Wars Watch Order by Viewer Type
First-time viewers
Watch the five TV seasons in order. Add the OVAs only if you want extra character material and do not mind briefly stepping away from the main competition flow.
Fast-track viewers
Skip every OVA. Watch Season 1, The Second Plate, The Third Plate, Totsuki Train Arc, The Fourth Plate, and The Fifth Plate. You will understand the story just fine.
Completionists
Use release order, but place the OVAs after the season they belong to: Season 1 OVAs after Season 1, The Second Plate OVAs after Season 2, and Erina’s New Life after The Third Plate part 1.
Where Can You Stream Food Wars?
JPBound already has a separate where-to-watch guide for the legal streaming side, so this article is staying focused on order and filler. For platform availability, use our updated guide: 5 Best Places to Watch Food Wars Online (Shokugeki no Soma).
Streaming catalogs change often, so use the dedicated guide instead of trusting an old platform list pasted into a watch-order article. Cleaner. Less cursed.
Food Wars Watch Order FAQ
Do I need to watch the Food Wars OVAs?
No. The OVAs are optional. They add comedy, downtime, and character moments, but the main TV story still works if you skip them.
Does Food Wars have filler episodes?
The main TV anime has no widely recognized pure filler episodes. The OVAs are the skippable side material.
Should I watch Food Wars in release order or chronological order?
Release order is best. Chronological order is almost the same, except you can slot the OVAs after the seasons they connect to.
Is The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc Season 3 or Season 4?
It is the second half of Season 3. Watch The Third Plate episodes 1–12 first, then Totsuki Train Arc, then The Fourth Plate.
Is Food Wars finished?
Yes, the main anime finished with Food Wars! The Fifth Plate in 2020. There is no required sequel movie after it.
Recap
The best Food Wars! watch order is simple: watch the five TV seasons in release order, with The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc treated as the second half of Season 3. The OVAs are optional side dishes: fun for fans, skippable for anyone focused on the main story.
For the fastest route, watch Season 1, The Second Plate, The Third Plate, Totsuki Train Arc, The Fourth Plate, and The Fifth Plate. Skip the OVAs unless you want extra character downtime. No complicated timeline surgery required. Finally, a cooking anime that does not make the watch order taste like paperwork.
