If you want to watch Steins;Gate without getting tangled in alternate episode 23 routes, Steins;Gate 0, OVAs, movie placement, and canon debates, this guide breaks down the cleanest watch order from start to finish. We’ll cover the recommended viewing order, release order, chronological order, which entries are optional, and what you can safely skip.
Steins;Gate follows self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe and the Future Gadget Laboratory after a microwave experiment turns into a time-travel disaster. It is a compact franchise, but one alternate episode changes the route into Steins;Gate 0. Tiny switch. Huge headache. Very on brand.
Steins;Gate Watch Order: Quick Answer
- Steins;Gate Episodes 1–24 — Best first-time route and the original main story.
- Steins;Gate Episode 25 / OVA: “Egoistic Poriomania” — Optional epilogue after the original ending.
- Steins;Gate: The Movie – Load Region of Déjà Vu — Optional anime-original sequel after episode 25.
- Steins;Gate Episode 23β: “Open the Missing Link – Divide by Zero” — Required bridge before Steins;Gate 0.
- Steins;Gate 0 Episodes 1–23 — Watch after 23β.
- Steins;Gate 0 OVA: “Valentine’s of Crystal Polymorphism” — Optional bonus episode after you know the 0 cast.
If you only want the main story, watch Steins;Gate episodes 1–24, episode 23β, and Steins;Gate 0 episodes 1–23. There are no pure filler episodes in the original TV anime or Steins;Gate 0. The OVA episodes, movie, and IBM shorts are optional bonuses.
Steins;Gate Basics
Steins;Gate began as a visual novel from 5pb. and Nitroplus, part of the larger Science Adventure series. The 2011 TV anime by White Fox adapts the original visual novel across 24 episodes and is the entry most people mean when they say “watch Steins;Gate.”
The anime franchise also includes an OVA-style episode 25, the 2013 movie Load Region of Déjà Vu, the alternate episode 23β, and the 2018 sequel/alternate-route series Steins;Gate 0. For new viewers, the safest answer is simple: start with the original anime. Do not begin with Steins;Gate 0, and do not watch 23β before you understand what episode 23 is changing.
The Best Steins;Gate Watch Order
- Steins;Gate Episodes 1–24
Watch this first. The original series is designed as a complete experience, and its slow-burn first half pays off heavily in the second half. Do not jump to Steins;Gate 0 early just because it has a zero in the title. - Steins;Gate Episode 25 / OVA: “Egoistic Poriomania”
Optional but easy to watch here. It works as a light epilogue after the original ending. It is not required for the core plot, but fans usually enjoy seeing the cast breathe after the chaos. - Steins;Gate: The Movie – Load Region of Déjà Vu
Optional anime-original sequel. Watch it after the original series and OVA if you want more Kurisu and Okabe material. It is not necessary before Steins;Gate 0. - Steins;Gate Episode 23β: “Open the Missing Link – Divide by Zero”
Watch before Steins;Gate 0. This special rewrites the turning point of episode 23 and creates the route that leads into Steins;Gate 0. If you skip it, 0 starts feeling like it came from another timeline. Which, technically, it did. - Steins;Gate 0 Episodes 1–23
Watch after 23β. Steins;Gate 0 is not a normal sequel to the happy ending of the original anime; it explores the failed route that helps make the original ending possible. - Steins;Gate 0 OVA: “Valentine’s of Crystal Polymorphism”
Optional. Save this until after Steins;Gate 0, or at least until you know the 0 cast dynamic. It is a lighter bonus episode rather than a required timeline chapter. - Steins;Gate: Sōmei Eichi no Cognitive Computing shorts
Optional / non-essential. These IBM collaboration shorts are tiny side stories. Watch them after the original anime if you are curious, but do not treat them as part of the main route.
Steins;Gate Release Order
| Order | Title | Episodes / Format | Year | Watch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steins;Gate | TV, episodes 1–24 | 2011 | Required |
| 2 | Steins;Gate Episode 25 / OVA: “Egoistic Poriomania” | OVA / special episode | 2012 | Optional epilogue |
| 3 | Steins;Gate: The Movie – Load Region of Déjà Vu | Movie | 2013 | Optional |
| 4 | Steins;Gate: Sōmei Eichi no Cognitive Computing | Shorts | 2014 | Optional / non-essential |
| 5 | Steins;Gate Episode 23β: “Open the Missing Link – Divide by Zero” | Alternate episode special | 2015 | Required before 0 |
| 6 | Steins;Gate 0 | TV, episodes 1–23 | 2018 | Required for 0 route |
| 7 | Steins;Gate 0 OVA: “Valentine’s of Crystal Polymorphism” | OVA / bonus episode | 2018 | Optional |
Release order is the best order for most first-time viewers. It preserves the original anime’s emotional structure before using 23β to open the door into Steins;Gate 0.
Steins;Gate Chronological Order
Chronological order is useful only after you understand the original ending. If you want the timeline route that flows into Steins;Gate 0, use this order:
| Step | Entry | Placement | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steins;Gate Episodes 1–22 | Start with the original timeline setup. | Watch |
| 2 | Steins;Gate Episode 23β | Alternate version of episode 23 that leads into 0. | Watch |
| 3 | Steins;Gate 0 Episodes 1–23 | The failed-route story. | Watch |
| 4 | Steins;Gate 0 OVA | Light bonus around the 0 cast. | Optional |
| 5 | Steins;Gate Episodes 23–24 | Return to the original true-ending route. | Watch |
| 6 | Steins;Gate Episode 25 / OVA | After the true ending. | Optional |
| 7 | Load Region of Déjà Vu movie | After the original ending/OVA. | Optional |
That said, I do not recommend this as your first watch. The chronological route is clever, but it interrupts the original series right before its climax. Watch release order first; use chronological order for a rewatch if you want the full timeline puzzle.
Is Steins;Gate Filler Heavy?
No. Steins;Gate is a low-filler franchise. The original TV anime is a tight adaptation of the visual novel’s main route, and Steins;Gate 0 is also story-focused. There are no long anime-original filler arcs, no recap maze, and no comedy detour you must surgically remove to understand the plot.
The confusion comes from optional side material, not filler. Episode 25, the movie, the Steins;Gate 0 OVA, and the IBM shorts are extras. Episode 23β is different: it is not filler if you plan to watch Steins;Gate 0. It is the bridge.
Steins;Gate Filler List: Episodes You Can Skip
| Entry | Type | Skip or Watch? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steins;Gate Episodes 1–22 | Canon / main story | Watch | Core setup and escalation. Do not skip the slow early episodes; they matter later. |
| Steins;Gate Episode 23 | Canon / true-ending route | Watch | Required in release order. Chronological-route rewatches temporarily swap in 23β here. |
| Steins;Gate Episode 24 | Canon / original ending | Watch | Completes the original anime. |
| Steins;Gate Episode 25 / OVA | Anime-original epilogue | Optional | Fun after-story material, but not required for the main plot. |
| Load Region of Déjà Vu movie | Anime-original sequel film | Optional | Best after episode 25. Worth watching for fans, but skippable for the core timeline. |
| Sōmei Eichi no Cognitive Computing shorts | Promotional side shorts | Optional / skip | Non-essential mini stories. Watch only if you want every animated extra. |
| Steins;Gate Episode 23β | Alternate canon bridge | Watch before 0 | Required setup for Steins;Gate 0. |
| Steins;Gate 0 Episodes 1–23 | Main 0 route | Watch | Story-important alternate-route sequel. |
| Steins;Gate 0 OVA | Bonus episode | Optional | Light side material; safe to skip if you only want plot. |
Which Steins;Gate Filler Episodes Are Worth Watching?
- Steins;Gate Episode 25 / “Egoistic Poriomania”: Worth watching after the original finale if you want a softer epilogue with the main cast.
- Load Region of Déjà Vu: Optional, but worthwhile if Kurisu and Okabe are the reason you are here. It is anime-original, so do not treat it as required visual-novel canon.
- Steins;Gate 0 OVA / “Valentine’s of Crystal Polymorphism”: A light bonus for completionists. Not essential, but harmless once you know the 0 cast.
- Cognitive Computing shorts: Tiny promotional extras. Cute curiosity, not necessary viewing.
Where Do the Steins;Gate Movie, OVAs, and Specials Fit?
| Entry | Best Placement | Canon / Status | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 25 / “Egoistic Poriomania” | After Steins;Gate episode 24 | Anime-original epilogue | Optional |
| Load Region of Déjà Vu movie | After episode 25, or after episode 24 if skipping the OVA | Anime-original sequel film | Optional but fan-friendly |
| Episode 23β / “Open the Missing Link” | After finishing the original anime, before Steins;Gate 0 | Alternate route bridge | Required for 0 |
| Steins;Gate 0 OVA | After Steins;Gate 0 | Bonus side episode | Optional |
| Sōmei Eichi no Cognitive Computing shorts | Anytime after the original anime | Promotional side stories | Optional / skip |
Best Steins;Gate Watch Order by Viewer Type
First-time viewers
Watch the original Steins;Gate episodes 1–24 first. Then add episode 25 and the movie if you want extras. After that, watch 23β and continue into Steins;Gate 0.
Chronological-route rewatchers
Use the 1–22 → 23β → 0 → 23–24 route. It is satisfying once you already know the ending, but it is too disruptive for a first watch.
Completionists
Watch everything: original TV anime, episode 25, movie, Cognitive Computing shorts, 23β, Steins;Gate 0, and the 0 OVA. Just keep the shorts and OVAs in the “bonus” pile.
Main-story-only viewers
Watch Steins;Gate episodes 1–24, 23β, and Steins;Gate 0 episodes 1–23. Skip the movie, episode 25, the 0 OVA, and the IBM shorts.
Where to Watch Steins;Gate Online
If you also need streaming options, use our dedicated guide to where to watch Steins;Gate online. This article is focused on watch order, filler status, and how episode 23β connects the original anime to Steins;Gate 0.
Steins;Gate Watch Order and Filler FAQ
Should I watch Steins;Gate 0 before Steins;Gate?
No. Watch the original Steins;Gate first. Steins;Gate 0 depends on your understanding of episode 23 and the original ending.
What is Steins;Gate episode 23β?
Episode 23β, “Open the Missing Link – Divide by Zero,” is an alternate version of episode 23. It creates the timeline route that leads into Steins;Gate 0.
Can I skip the Steins;Gate movie?
Yes. Load Region of Déjà Vu is optional anime-original material. Watch it after the original series if you want more, but it is not required before Steins;Gate 0.
Is Steins;Gate episode 25 filler?
It is best treated as an optional anime-original epilogue. It is not required for the core plot, but it is worth watching if you like the cast.
Does Steins;Gate have filler episodes?
Not in the usual long-running-shonen sense. The main TV episodes are story-focused. The skippable material is mostly OVAs, shorts, and the optional movie.
Recap
The best Steins;Gate watch order for new viewers is release order: Steins;Gate episodes 1–24, optional episode 25, optional movie, episode 23β, then Steins;Gate 0. There are no major filler arcs to remove. Treat the OVAs, movie, and shorts as bonuses, but do not skip 23β if you plan to watch Steins;Gate 0. For streaming availability, use the separate JPBound Steins;Gate where-to-watch guide.
