The Prince of Tennis watch order

Twelve-year-old prodigy Ryoma Echizen comes home from America and joins the tennis club at Seishun Academy (Seigaku), which is chasing the national middle-school title. Takeshi Konomi's sports manga, famous for increasingly superhuman matches, with a long TV run, OVAs that finish the first story, and the ongoing Prince of Tennis II.

First time? Watch the TV series episodes 1–128 (skipping the filler), then 177–178, then the three National Tournament OVAs, which are the real ending. Then continue with Prince of Tennis II, vs Genius 10 and the U-17 World Cup seasons.

Story order

The canon path is the TV series, the three National Tournament OVAs, then Prince of Tennis II. The films and side OVAs are anime-original or retellings with no fixed place, so they're grouped where they make most sense: the 2005 films after the TV run, the rest after the Nationals, and Ryoma! right before Prince of Tennis II, where it's set. Game of Future is listed last because it imagines Hyotei and Rikkai after the current third-years have stepped down.

The Prince of Tennis, episodes 1–128 TV, 2001–04, 128 episodes
Ryoma joins Seigaku and the team works through the district, city and Kanto tournaments, ending with the Kanto final against Rikkai (116–128). Episodes 106–115 are an anime-original training camp, and episode 64 is a set of chibi shorts.
The Prince of Tennis: Hagoita no Ouji-sama (New Year special) (optional) Special, 2002, 1 episode
A New Year's special: the first-years look back on the year and the team plays a hanetsuki (battledore) tournament. A comedy extra; optional.
The Prince of Tennis: A Day of the Survival Mountain (optional) OVA, 2004, 1 episode
A 30-minute Jump Festa special: a one-day mountain training camp and a match against university students. Side story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis, episodes 129–178 TV, 2004–05, 50 episodes
Almost all anime-original: comedy episodes, the Junior Selection camp and matches against an American team (136–160), and in-school ranking matches (166–176). Only the last two episodes, Ryoma vs. Tezuka and the Nationals opening ceremony, follow the manga.
The Prince of Tennis: Two Samurais, The First Game (optional) Movie, 2005
Anime-original film on a cruise ship, where Ryoma meets his adopted older brother Ryoga. Not canon, though Ryoga later becomes part of the story in Prince of Tennis II. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis: A Gift from Atobe (optional) Movie, 2005
A 30-minute comedy short shown with Two Samurais: a birthday party for Atobe with dancing, swimming, soccer and a relay. Fan service, not story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament OVA, 2006–07, 13 episodes
Picks up directly after TV episode 178 and adapts the manga's Nationals: Seigaku against Higa and the quarterfinal rematch with Hyotei. The canon continuation, not an extra.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Semifinal OVA, 2007–08, 6 episodes
The semifinal against Shitenhoji from Osaka.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Final OVA, 2008–09, 7 episodes
The final against Rikkai and the end of the original manga's story.
The Prince of Tennis OVA Another Story: Messages from Past and Future (optional) OVA, 2009, 4 episodes
Character side stories released after the Nationals OVAs. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis OVA Another Story II: Ano Toki no Bokura (optional) OVA, 2011, 4 episodes
More side stories about the characters' pasts, such as how Shiraishi became Shitenhoji's captain. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis: Eikokushiki Teikyuu Shiro Kessen! (English Tennis Castle) (optional) Movie, 2011
Anime-original film set after the Nationals: Seigaku, Hyotei, Shitenhoji and Rikkai are invited to a junior tournament in England. Not canon; watch after the National Tournament Final. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis: Best Games!! (optional) OVA, 2018–20, 4 episodes
Re-animated retellings of fan-favourite matches, starting with Tezuka vs. Atobe from the Kanto tournament. Nothing new story-wise; optional.
Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis (optional) Movie, 2021
A 3DCG musical film set in the three months between the original story and Prince of Tennis II, while Ryoma is in America: he and Sakuno slip back in time to his father Nanjiro's last US Open final. Original story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis II TV, 2012, 13 episodes
The sequel manga: months after the Nationals, the best middle-schoolers are invited to the Under-17 national training camp, where they must fight high-schoolers for a place. Ryoma rejoins after returning from America.
The Prince of Tennis II OVA (optional) OVA, 2012–13, 7 episodes
One episode per Blu-ray/DVD volume of the 2012 series: extra matches inside the camp, such as Yukimura vs. Sanada. Side material; optional.
The Prince of Tennis II OVA vs Genius 10 OVA, 2014–15, 10 episodes
Continues the main story: the camp's overseas expedition team returns, and the middle-schoolers challenge the Genius 10, the top high-schoolers at the camp. Needed before the U-17 World Cup.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup TV, 2022, 13 episodes
The World Cup begins. Ryoma leaves the camp and plays for Team USA alongside his brother Ryoga, while Tezuka represents Germany.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Semifinal TV, 2024, 13 episodes
The semifinal between Japan and Germany.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Final Member Selection Match TV, 2026
Airing from October 2026: coach Mifune holds a selection match to pick Japan's line-up for the World Cup final against Spain.
The Prince of Tennis II: Hyotei vs. Rikkai – Game of Future (optional) ONA, 2021, 2 episodes
An original exhibition match between Hyotei and Rikkai, hosted by Atobe's family company, with Hiyoshi as Hyotei's new captain. A standalone what-if for fans of both teams; optional.

Release order

The New Year special aired early in the TV run, and the two 2005 films opened while the last TV episodes were airing. The Nationals were released straight to video from 2006, and Prince of Tennis II began on TV in 2012.

The Prince of Tennis, episodes 1–128 TV, 2001–04, 128 episodes
Ryoma joins Seigaku and the team works through the district, city and Kanto tournaments, ending with the Kanto final against Rikkai (116–128). Episodes 106–115 are an anime-original training camp, and episode 64 is a set of chibi shorts.
The Prince of Tennis: Hagoita no Ouji-sama (New Year special) (optional) Special, 2002, 1 episode
A New Year's special: the first-years look back on the year and the team plays a hanetsuki (battledore) tournament. A comedy extra; optional.
The Prince of Tennis: A Day of the Survival Mountain (optional) OVA, 2004, 1 episode
A 30-minute Jump Festa special: a one-day mountain training camp and a match against university students. Side story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis, episodes 129–178 TV, 2004–05, 50 episodes
Almost all anime-original: comedy episodes, the Junior Selection camp and matches against an American team (136–160), and in-school ranking matches (166–176). Only the last two episodes, Ryoma vs. Tezuka and the Nationals opening ceremony, follow the manga.
The Prince of Tennis: Two Samurais, The First Game (optional) Movie, 2005
Anime-original film on a cruise ship, where Ryoma meets his adopted older brother Ryoga. Not canon, though Ryoga later becomes part of the story in Prince of Tennis II. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis: A Gift from Atobe (optional) Movie, 2005
A 30-minute comedy short shown with Two Samurais: a birthday party for Atobe with dancing, swimming, soccer and a relay. Fan service, not story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament OVA, 2006–07, 13 episodes
Picks up directly after TV episode 178 and adapts the manga's Nationals: Seigaku against Higa and the quarterfinal rematch with Hyotei. The canon continuation, not an extra.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Semifinal OVA, 2007–08, 6 episodes
The semifinal against Shitenhoji from Osaka.
The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Final OVA, 2008–09, 7 episodes
The final against Rikkai and the end of the original manga's story.
The Prince of Tennis OVA Another Story: Messages from Past and Future (optional) OVA, 2009, 4 episodes
Character side stories released after the Nationals OVAs. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis OVA Another Story II: Ano Toki no Bokura (optional) OVA, 2011, 4 episodes
More side stories about the characters' pasts, such as how Shiraishi became Shitenhoji's captain. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis: Eikokushiki Teikyuu Shiro Kessen! (English Tennis Castle) (optional) Movie, 2011
Anime-original film set after the Nationals: Seigaku, Hyotei, Shitenhoji and Rikkai are invited to a junior tournament in England. Not canon; watch after the National Tournament Final. Optional.
The Prince of Tennis II TV, 2012, 13 episodes
The sequel manga: months after the Nationals, the best middle-schoolers are invited to the Under-17 national training camp, where they must fight high-schoolers for a place. Ryoma rejoins after returning from America.
The Prince of Tennis II OVA (optional) OVA, 2012–13, 7 episodes
One episode per Blu-ray/DVD volume of the 2012 series: extra matches inside the camp, such as Yukimura vs. Sanada. Side material; optional.
The Prince of Tennis II OVA vs Genius 10 OVA, 2014–15, 10 episodes
Continues the main story: the camp's overseas expedition team returns, and the middle-schoolers challenge the Genius 10, the top high-schoolers at the camp. Needed before the U-17 World Cup.
The Prince of Tennis: Best Games!! (optional) OVA, 2018–20, 4 episodes
Re-animated retellings of fan-favourite matches, starting with Tezuka vs. Atobe from the Kanto tournament. Nothing new story-wise; optional.
The Prince of Tennis II: Hyotei vs. Rikkai – Game of Future (optional) ONA, 2021, 2 episodes
An original exhibition match between Hyotei and Rikkai, hosted by Atobe's family company, with Hiyoshi as Hyotei's new captain. A standalone what-if for fans of both teams; optional.
Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis (optional) Movie, 2021
A 3DCG musical film set in the three months between the original story and Prince of Tennis II, while Ryoma is in America: he and Sakuno slip back in time to his father Nanjiro's last US Open final. Original story; optional.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup TV, 2022, 13 episodes
The World Cup begins. Ryoma leaves the camp and plays for Team USA alongside his brother Ryoga, while Tezuka represents Germany.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Semifinal TV, 2024, 13 episodes
The semifinal between Japan and Germany.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Final Member Selection Match TV, 2026
Airing from October 2026: coach Mifune holds a selection match to pick Japan's line-up for the World Cup final against Spain.

Explained

How much of the TV series is filler?

About 80 of the 178 episodes. The early tournaments are mostly canon with scattered filler, but almost everything from episode 129 to 176 is anime-original: comedy episodes, a Junior Selection camp and a series of matches against an American team. Skipping straight from 128 to 177 loses nothing from the manga story.

Where is the real ending of the first series?

In the National Tournament OVAs (2006–09), not the TV series. TV episode 178 ends at the Nationals opening ceremony, and the first OVA picks up directly from there. The three OVA sets (13, 6 and 7 episodes) adapt the rest of the original manga.

Are the movies canon?

No. Two Samurais and the 2011 English Tennis Castle film are anime-original stories, and Ryoma! is an original film set in the gap between the two series. They're fun extras for fans of the cast; none of them is needed to follow Prince of Tennis II.

What do I need before Prince of Tennis II?

The original story through the National Tournament Final. After that, the main line is the 2012 TV series, vs Genius 10 (an OVA, but it carries the main plot), the U-17 World Cup, the Semifinal and the 2026 Final Member Selection Match. The 2012 OVA and Game of Future are optional side matches.

Is it dubbed?

Partly. Viz dubbed the first 50 TV episodes in the 2000s, and Crunchyroll has since added a new dub for more of the original series. The U-17 World Cup seasons, Game of Future and Ryoma! have English dubs. Many of the early OVAs and extras are subtitled only, if they're available at all.