DanMachi, or Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, takes place around the city of Orario in a world where gods and humans co-exist. Each of the gods runs a Familia, a group of humans that work together in a specific area, such as adventuring in the dungeon or blacksmithing weapons.
All DanMachi Series, Movies and OVAs
First of all, here is all the anime content that has been created for the DanMachi series so far.
Is Watching DanMachi: Sword Oratoria Necessary?
You don’t technically need to watch Sword Oratoria to enjoy the DanMachi anime. However, it does offer more of an insight into the story’s deep world. Sword Oratoria is essentially a parallel version of season 1. While the main story follows Bell Cranel’s adventures, Sword Oratoria takes place at the same time but follows Bell’s love interest, Ais Wallenstein. While the anime series itself isn’t highly rated as an adaptation, the story is canon and comes from the spin-off light novels of the same name, written by the main series’ author Fujino Omori.
Do You Need to Watch the DanMachi Movie?
No, you don’t need to watch the DanMachi movie, Arrow of the Orion. Arrow of the Orion was an original story created for the movie, designed to carry on interest in the series between seasons 1 and 2. Many fans have noted that the movie has significant plot holes and flaws which make it impossible to place in the story’s timeline. Fujino Omori, despite working on the script, joked on Twitter that he doesn’t want to turn it into a light novel. Overall, the reaction to the movie was mixed. Fans of the franchise might find the movie enjoyable as a standalone experience, but if you’re trying to catch up, feel free to skip this.
Are the DanMachi OVA’s Canon?
None of the DanMachi OVA’s are canon – these are just light-hearted stories involving many of the popular characters. Each of the three OVAs was released at the end of a season of the TV series. While the OVAs are separate from the story, they can involve characters or locations that appeared previously. So, if you’re going to watch, viewing them in order after each season is recommended. Sometimes, the OVAs appear on streaming sites as the last episode in their respective seasons. For example, Is It Wrong to Expect a Hot Spring in a Dungeon sometimes appears as the last episode in season 1.
What’s the Best DanMachi Watch Order?
If you want to watch all the best bits of DanMachi to catch up to the current run, the best order is the order of release. If you want a complete experience, watching each season of the TV series is a must. While each season has a largely self–contained story, each adds new characters and dynamics which create the ecosystem of characters seen in later seasons. The Past & Future recap isn’t recommended for new viewers, as it is only one episode long. It’s mainly designed to be a refresher before the new season starts, similar to DanMachi Season 4’s Episode 0. I’m recommending Sword Oratoria as Ais Wallenstein is a crucial character in almost every part of the story. Watching Sword Oratoria provides more context to Ais and her behaviours, and is a fairly enjoyable show in its own right.
The Complete DanMachi Watch Order
Of course, if you’re somebody who wants to max out the series, here is a watch order for all content: While Arrow of the Orion is a side story, it’s supposed to take place after season 1 and before season 2. As a result, you’ll want to watch season 1 and Sword Oratoria before viewing the movie for more context. Hopefully, this watch guide will help you discover all the fantasy-adventure wonders in DanMachi!
