Slime Anime Watch Order 2026 – That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Complete Guide

Spoiler warning: this guide references major plot beats up through Season 4 so we can place everything in the correct order. If you’re brand new, stick to the “Quick Watch Order” section and skip the Season 4 details for now.

Quick Watch Order – Recommended for New Viewers

If you just want to start watching without overthinking it, this is the order that gets you through the story cleanly:

This is close to release order, with one adjustment: Scarlet Bond is best watched right after Season 2 rather than waiting, since it’s set in that gap of the timeline and its side characters get referenced again later. The Slime Diaries works as a palate cleanser before Season 3’s heavier political arcs.

Alternative: Strict In-Universe Chronological Order

If you’re rewatching, or you just want events in the exact order they happen in-story rather than release order, use this instead:

1. Season 1 (Episodes 1–16)
2. The Slime Diaries
3. Season 1 (Episodes 17–24)
4. OVA 1–5
5. Season 2 (Parts 1 & 2)
6. Scarlet Bond
7. Season 3
8. Tears of the Azure Sea
9. Season 4

This version is more useful for catching foreshadowing on a second pass, but it’s rougher for first-timers since it splits Season 1 in half. For a full breakdown of how the timeline slots together — including where each arc lands relative to the light novel and manga — see our Slime anime full guide and timeline breakdown.

Season-by-Season Breakdown

Season 1 (2018–2019)

Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old office worker, dies and wakes up reincarnated as a slime in another world. Taking the name Rimuru Tempest, he befriends the Storm Dragon Veldora, unites the surrounding monster tribes into the Jura Tempest Federation, and builds out the early cast — Benimaru, Shion, Shuna — while fending off conflicts with orc armies. This season is doing double duty: it’s an adventure story on the surface, but it’s also quietly laying out the political rules the rest of the franchise runs on. For more on how Rimuru’s skill set evolves from here, check our Rimuru Tempest character guide, and our Season 1 recap for a full episode-by-episode breakdown.

OVA Episodes (1–5)

The OVAs are lighter in tone, and the first two are skippable comedy shorts. OVAs 3–5 adapt the Ingrassia arc, where Rimuru fulfills a promise to Shizu — this one matters, since it pays off in Season 2. Watch at minimum OVA 3–5 before starting Season 2.

Season 2 (2021–2022)

Split into two cours, Season 2 shifts from monster-of-the-week adventure into nation-level politics. The Falmuth Kingdom invades Tempest, Rimuru awakens as a True Demon Lord, and the Walpurgis summit introduces the Octagram — the council of Demon Lords who shape most of the series’ later conflicts. If Season 1 is about building a home, Season 2 is about defending it and discovering what the cost of that defense actually is. Full details in our Season 2 recap.

Scarlet Bond (2022 Movie)

Set between Seasons 2 and 3, Scarlet Bond follows Rimuru into a new kingdom connected to the movie-original character Hiiro and Queen Towa. It’s a semi-canon story with an original script supervised by series creator Fuse — not required to follow the main plot, but it expands the world and gives a couple of characters extra depth that pays off in small ways later.

The Slime Diaries (Spin-off)

A slice-of-life spin-off covering festivals, daily routines, and lower-stakes character interactions in Tempest. It’s genuinely canon, but nothing here changes the main storyline — it’s there to make the cast feel lived-in before Season 3 gets heavier. See our Slime Diaries review for a full breakdown.

Season 3 (2024)

Season 3 is where the show fully commits to being a political thriller with occasional huge fights. Rimuru gets a rematch with Hinata Sakaguchi, the Seven Luminaries conspiracy gets exposed, and the Founder’s Festival shows off just how far Tempest has developed as a nation, including the early stages of the Tempest Labyrinth. It’s dense, but it’s also the season that pays off most of what Seasons 1–2 set up. Full recap here: Season 3 full recap & review.

Tears of the Azure Sea (2026 Movie)

The second Tensura film, released in Japan on February 27, 2026 and rolled out internationally by Crunchyroll starting in April 2026 (U.S./Canada theatrical release: May 1, 2026). It’s set about a month after the Founder’s Festival from Season 3, following Rimuru and the crew on a vacation to a resort island at the invitation of Elmesia of the Sorcerous Dynasty Thalion — a trip that gets complicated once a woman named Yura shows up connected to a stolen relic. Like Scarlet Bond, it’s an original story overseen by Fuse rather than a light novel adaptation, and it sits chronologically right before Season 4 picks up.

Season 4 (2026): What’s New

Season 4 premiered April 3, 2026 on Nippon TV and BS11, produced again by Studio 8bit (confirmed via the official Tensura anime staff announcement following Season 3’s finale). It’s structured as five cours total, with the first two cours — 24 episodes — airing back-to-back starting in April. Release windows for the remaining three cours haven’t been confirmed as of this update, so treat any specific episode counts beyond that first 24 as unconfirmed until Crunchyroll or the official site posts a schedule.

Story-wise, this season pushes further into human–monster coexistence, with Granville Rozzo and Maribel Rozzo emerging as antagonists opposed to Rimuru’s approach, large-scale conflict brewing with the Eastern Empire, and continued expansion of the Tempest Labyrinth. It’s the biggest structural commitment the franchise has made to a single season, and it’s adapting some of the most consequential material from the light novels.

Where to Watch Slime in 2026

• Crunchyroll— Subbed and dubbed, the primary global home for the franchise, including every TV season, the movies, and the latest Season 4 episodes.
• Netflix— Available in selected regions, though the catalog varies by country.

If you’re looking for the newest episodes, check our Season 4 Release Date & Episode Schedule for the latest broadcast information, confirmed episode rollout, and streaming updates before you start watching.

Streaming through official platforms is the only way to ensure you’re watching the correct subbed or dubbed version while supporting the creators and the anime industry.

FAQ

What is the correct watch order for TenSura in 2026?

Season 1 → OVA 1–5 → Season 2 → Scarlet Bond → The Slime Diaries → Season 3 → Tears of the Azure Sea → Season 4.

Is The Slime Diaries canon?

Yes, but it doesn’t move the main plot forward — it’s a slice-of-life spin-off you can watch whenever fits best for you.

Do I need to watch the movies (Scarlet Bond and Tears of the Azure Sea)?

Not strictly, but both are recommended. They’re semi-canon stories supervised by creator Fuse that add worldbuilding and character depth without being required to follow the core plot.

When does Season 4 air, and how many episodes does it have?

Season 4 premiered April 3, 2026. It’s planned across five cours; the first two cours (24 episodes) are confirmed and airing back-to-back, while the release schedule for the remaining three cours is unconfirmed as of this update.

Where can I watch That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime?

Crunchyroll is the primary global platform for every season and both movies, with Netflix and Hulu available in select regions.

Sources: Official Tensura anime staff announcement (Sept 27, 2024, post–Season 3 finale); Crunchyroll seasonal announcement for Season 4 (Spring 2026 lineup); Wikipedia episode listings for Season 4; Anime Corner and Oricon coverage of Tears of the Azure Sea release dates.

Next up: Want to know how the strongest characters stack up going into Season 4? Read our strongest Demon Lords in Slime, ranked.