How to Watch Complete Bungo Stray Dogs in Watch Order (Guide 2026)

Bungo Stray Dogs’ watch order matters a lot for various reasons, as branching storylines and a copious amount of characters can feel quite overwhelming at first. Currently, there are nine anime entries if you’re starting this anime in 2026.

This roster includes five main seasons, one feature film, one standalone original video animation, and two chibi spin-off seasons, so it is bound to get a bit confusing here and there. But don’t worry, we got you.

Quick Answer: The Best Bungo Stray Dogs Watch Order

The simplest watch order is the straight release order for the mainline anime, and then watching the OVA and spin-offs after you catch up to the mainline story. This method is easiest for new viewers. By consuming the main seasons exactly as they were broadcast, you experience the flashback arcs when the studio intended.

• Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1
• Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2
• Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple (Movie)
• Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3
• Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4
• Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5
• Bungo Stray Dogs OVA (Walking Alone)
• Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! Season 1
• Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! Season 2

Bungo Stray Dogs Chronological Order

The chronological timeline is a bit complex. The actual story spans over a decade, with multiple light novels serving as prequels to the main manga storyline. Because of this, there are two main protagonists. When we are in the current time, we follow Atsushi, the new recruit in the Armed Detective Agency, and during flashback arcs, we follow Dazai, who is a former member of the Port Mafia.

These origin stories are put into the first few episodes of later seasons instead of making separate movies or OVAs. Here’s the proper order if you want to stick to the chronological order:

1. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4 (Episodes 38-40)

Chronologically, the timeline begins in Season 4. Episodes 38 through 40 adapt the “Untold Origins of the Detective Agency” light novel. This arc is set more than a decade before the main events, revealing how Yukichi Fukuzawa and Ranpo Edogawa established the Armed Detective Agency to begin with.

2. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3 (Episodes 26-28)

Now we are at Season 3’s opening arc. Episodes 26 through 28 cover the “Fifteen” arc, and this part takes place several years before Atsushi joins the Armed Detective Agency. This arc shows how teenage Dazai and Chuuya first met and started working together. Chronologically, these three episodes should be viewed right after the Season 4 flashback arc.

3. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episodes 13-16)

Episodes 13 through 16 cover the “Dark Era” arc. This happens four years before Season 1, and still focuses on Dazai during his days in Port Mafia. This arc is the high point of the franchise, as it contained the moments that made Dazai a fan favorite. Furthermore, this is the arc that explores the hidden depth of Dazai.

4. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1 (Episodes 1-12)

Season 1 is the introduction for the modern timeline. We meet Atsushi Nakajima, and the ability-based power system is introduced. The pacing here is standard, though arguably not as polished as the later seasons. There are no flashback arcs in this season to complicate the watch order.

5. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episodes 17-24)

After finishing Season 1, you return to Season 2. Episodes 17 through 24 deal with the Guild’s invasion of Yokohama. The timeline returns to the present day, immediately after the conclusion of Season 1.

6. Bungo Stray Dogs OVA (Walking Alone / Episode 25)

The OVA “Walking Alone” is a self-contained story focusing on Doppo Kunikida, the current work partner of Dazai. Chronologically, this OVA occurs right after the finale of Season 2 and before the events of the Dead Apple movie. The story forces Kunikida to confront a terrorist threat, aggressively challenging his strict ideals.

7. Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple

Dead Apple is the franchise’s only movie, and many viewers unfortunately miss this. Chronologically, this movie is set right after the OVA and before the start of the present-day events in Season 3. The plot revolves around a massive incident where ability users are mysteriously committing suicide. The antagonist, Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, is properly introduced.

8. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3 (Episodes 29-37)

After Dead Apple, the rest of Season 3 can be watched. In this, we are in the present timeline. The primary focus shifts to the conflict with Fyodor Dostoevsky, who is the primary antagonist of the franchise, and the introduction of the Rats in the House of the Dead.

9. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4 (Episodes 41-50)

We are still in the present day, continuing the conflict. The Armed Detective Agency is framed for terrorism by the Decay of the Angel. They become fugitives. Now that all major characters and factions have been introduced, the pacing picks up in this season.

10. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 (Episodes 51-61)

Season 5 is completely linear without any flashback arcs. It picks up exactly where the cliffhanger of Season 4 leaves off. This season covers the climax of the Kamui Revelation arc and the battle at the airport to stop a global terrorism plan. Chronologically, this is the most recent entry in the franchise.

11. Bungo Stray Dogs Spin-off (Wan! and Wan! 2)

Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! and its sequel Wan! 2 are chibi comedy spin-offs. Chronologically, they do not have a strict placement, and the stakes are zero. While they loosely reference events from the main timeline of the anime, they don’t fit anywhere either.

Bungo Stray Dogs Release Order

This anime has been running since the spring of 2016, so now, it has been a decade. Studio Bones handled the animation for every single anime or movie, ensuring consistency. The release order is the intended broadcast sequence. It is the exact timeline in which the studio adapted the source material.

Here is the complete release order:

Entry Title	Release Date	Format	MAL Rating (as of May 12, 2026)
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1	April 2016	TV Series	7.80 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2	October 2016	TV Series	8.16 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs OVA (Walking Alone)	August 2017	OVA	7.66 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple	March 2018	Movie	7.91 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3	April 2019	TV Series	8.20 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Wan!	January 2021	Spin-off TV Series	7.98 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4	January 2023	TV Series	8.42 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5	July 2023	TV Series	8.61 / 10
Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! 2	July 2026	Spin-off TV Series	N/A

Are there any fillers in the Bungo Stray Dogs anime?

Bungo Stray Dogs has an incredibly low filler rate for the main timeline. The story of this anime is mostly adapted from the original manga and the light novels that are canon as well. However, the Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! anime is technically separate from the mainline manga, as it is a gag spin-off. While everything that happens in this spin-off is canon, it doesn’t serve anything to the main timeline.

Where to watch Bungo Stray Dogs?

As of 2026, the first two seasons of the anime can be streamed via Crunchyroll and Prime Video, and the rest via the Crunchyroll Amazon channel. The Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple movie is also available to stream on Crunchyroll, along with Bungo Stray Dogs Wan!.

All five main seasons are available to watch on Apple TV. However, the OVA, Spin Off anime, and the canon movie are not available to watch on the platform; there is no single platform for you to watch everything this anime has to offer. You will need to switch between services here and there.

Are you excited to start your journey with this story? Let us know in the comments.

Bungo Stray Dogs is streaming on Crunchyroll and Apple TV.