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Strike Witches watch order

In an alternate 1940s, an alien enemy called the Neuroi has overrun much of the world, and the only real defense is girls with magic who fly with mechanical leg units called Striker Units. The World Witches franchise follows Yoshika Miyafuji and the 501st Joint Fighter Wing across three TV seasons, OVAs and a film, plus the spin-offs Brave Witches and Luminous Witches.

First time? Watch Strike Witches Seasons 1 and 2, the three Operation Victory Arrow OVAs, The Movie and Road to Berlin. Add Brave Witches once you like the setting.

First-timer order

The 501st's story straight through, then the spin-offs. Brave Witches and Luminous Witches have their own casts and only cross paths with the main series, so they're easier to enjoy once you know the setting.

  1. Strike Witches TV, 2008, 12 episodes

    Season 1, set in 1944: Yoshika, a girl from Fuso (the series' Japan) with strong healing magic, joins the 501st Joint Fighter Wing in Britannia and helps drive the Neuroi out of Gallia. Start here. The TV broadcast censored some fan service that the home video release restores.

  2. Strike Witches 2 TV, 2010, 12 episodes

    Season 2, set in 1945, months after Season 1: the 501st is re-formed to defend Romagna (the series' Italy) from a new Neuroi hive.

  3. Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow OVA, 2014–15, 3 episodes

    Three 30-minute OVAs (Thunder of St. Trond, Goddess of the Aegean Sea and Arnhem Bridge), each following a few 501st members on missions after Season 2. They were made after the movie but happen before it, so watch them first.

  4. Strike Witches: The Movie Movie, 2012, 1 episode

    Set in summer 1945: Yoshika, her magic gone after Season 2, sets off to study medicine in Helvetia, and a new Neuroi threat brings her and the 501st back. Leads into Road to Berlin.

  5. Strike Witches: Road to Berlin TV, 2020, 12 episodes

    Season 3, a direct sequel to the movie, set from late 1945: the 501st is pulled together again for the push on the Neuroi hive over Berlin. The current end point of the main story.

  6. Brave Witches (episodes 1–7) TV, 2016, 7 episodes

    A sister series with a new cast, starting in September 1944 just after Season 1: Hikari Karibuchi, the less gifted younger sister of a famous witch, ends up with the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing on the Eastern Front near Petersburg.

  7. Brave Witches: Petersburg Daisenryaku Special, 2017, 1 episode

    Released as episode 13 after the series, but set between episodes 7 and 8. Watch it there.

  8. Brave Witches (episodes 8–12) TV, 2016, 5 episodes

    The rest of Brave Witches, building to the 502nd's big operation against the Neuroi hive near Petersburg. The story ends there; the 502nd's witches show up again in the comedy spin-off World Witches Take Off!

  9. Luminous Witches (optional) TV, 2022, 12 episodes

    A spin-off about a band of witches who can't fight but tour the world singing to raise morale, set during the same months as Season 1 (with a 1941 prologue). It's lighter and has almost no combat. Optional, and it works best after Season 1.

  10. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! (optional) TV, 2019, 12 episodes

    A comedy spin-off in 15-minute episodes with simplified designs: Yoshika joins the 501st, and with no Neuroi attacking, the unit's days are mostly cooking, laundry and goofing off. Not part of the story. Optional.

  11. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! The Movie (optional) Movie, 2019, 1 episode

    A half-hour film follow-up to Take Off! in the same comedy style. Optional.

  12. World Witches Take Off! (optional) TV, 2021, 12 episodes

    The second comedy short series, a what-if where the Neuroi never turn up, now with Brave Witches' 502nd alongside the 501st. Not part of the story. Optional; best after both Season 1 and Brave Witches.

Story order

In-universe timeline. Luminous Witches and Brave Witches both run in late 1944, alongside or just after Season 1, so they sit before Season 2 here; Victory Arrow goes before the movie. The comedy spin-offs don't fit a timeline and come last.

  1. Strike Witches OVA (pilot) (optional) OVA, 2007, 1 episode

    An eight-minute promotional pilot sold at Comiket before the TV series, with an early take on the premise. Optional; the TV series starts the story from scratch.

  2. Strike Witches TV, 2008, 12 episodes

    Season 1, set in 1944: Yoshika, a girl from Fuso (the series' Japan) with strong healing magic, joins the 501st Joint Fighter Wing in Britannia and helps drive the Neuroi out of Gallia. Start here. The TV broadcast censored some fan service that the home video release restores.

  3. Luminous Witches (optional) TV, 2022, 12 episodes

    A spin-off about a band of witches who can't fight but tour the world singing to raise morale, set during the same months as Season 1 (with a 1941 prologue). It's lighter and has almost no combat. Optional, and it works best after Season 1.

  4. Brave Witches (episodes 1–7) TV, 2016, 7 episodes

    A sister series with a new cast, starting in September 1944 just after Season 1: Hikari Karibuchi, the less gifted younger sister of a famous witch, ends up with the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing on the Eastern Front near Petersburg.

  5. Brave Witches: Petersburg Daisenryaku Special, 2017, 1 episode

    Released as episode 13 after the series, but set between episodes 7 and 8. Watch it there.

  6. Brave Witches (episodes 8–12) TV, 2016, 5 episodes

    The rest of Brave Witches, building to the 502nd's big operation against the Neuroi hive near Petersburg. The story ends there; the 502nd's witches show up again in the comedy spin-off World Witches Take Off!

  7. Strike Witches 2 TV, 2010, 12 episodes

    Season 2, set in 1945, months after Season 1: the 501st is re-formed to defend Romagna (the series' Italy) from a new Neuroi hive.

  8. Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow OVA, 2014–15, 3 episodes

    Three 30-minute OVAs (Thunder of St. Trond, Goddess of the Aegean Sea and Arnhem Bridge), each following a few 501st members on missions after Season 2. They were made after the movie but happen before it, so watch them first.

  9. Strike Witches: The Movie Movie, 2012, 1 episode

    Set in summer 1945: Yoshika, her magic gone after Season 2, sets off to study medicine in Helvetia, and a new Neuroi threat brings her and the 501st back. Leads into Road to Berlin.

  10. Strike Witches: Road to Berlin TV, 2020, 12 episodes

    Season 3, a direct sequel to the movie, set from late 1945: the 501st is pulled together again for the push on the Neuroi hive over Berlin. The current end point of the main story.

  11. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! (optional) TV, 2019, 12 episodes

    A comedy spin-off in 15-minute episodes with simplified designs: Yoshika joins the 501st, and with no Neuroi attacking, the unit's days are mostly cooking, laundry and goofing off. Not part of the story. Optional.

  12. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! The Movie (optional) Movie, 2019, 1 episode

    A half-hour film follow-up to Take Off! in the same comedy style. Optional.

  13. World Witches Take Off! (optional) TV, 2021, 12 episodes

    The second comedy short series, a what-if where the Neuroi never turn up, now with Brave Witches' 502nd alongside the 501st. Not part of the story. Optional; best after both Season 1 and Brave Witches.

Release order

The order everything came out in Japan. The Victory Arrow OVAs came after the movie but take place before it.

  1. Strike Witches OVA (pilot) (optional) OVA, 2007, 1 episode

    An eight-minute promotional pilot sold at Comiket before the TV series, with an early take on the premise. Optional; the TV series starts the story from scratch.

  2. Strike Witches TV, 2008, 12 episodes

    Season 1, set in 1944: Yoshika, a girl from Fuso (the series' Japan) with strong healing magic, joins the 501st Joint Fighter Wing in Britannia and helps drive the Neuroi out of Gallia. Start here. The TV broadcast censored some fan service that the home video release restores.

  3. Strike Witches 2 TV, 2010, 12 episodes

    Season 2, set in 1945, months after Season 1: the 501st is re-formed to defend Romagna (the series' Italy) from a new Neuroi hive.

  4. Strike Witches: The Movie Movie, 2012, 1 episode

    Set in summer 1945: Yoshika, her magic gone after Season 2, sets off to study medicine in Helvetia, and a new Neuroi threat brings her and the 501st back. Leads into Road to Berlin.

  5. Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow OVA, 2014–15, 3 episodes

    Three 30-minute OVAs (Thunder of St. Trond, Goddess of the Aegean Sea and Arnhem Bridge), each following a few 501st members on missions after Season 2. They were made after the movie but happen before it, so watch them first.

  6. Brave Witches (episodes 1–7) TV, 2016, 7 episodes

    A sister series with a new cast, starting in September 1944 just after Season 1: Hikari Karibuchi, the less gifted younger sister of a famous witch, ends up with the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing on the Eastern Front near Petersburg.

  7. Brave Witches (episodes 8–12) TV, 2016, 5 episodes

    The rest of Brave Witches, building to the 502nd's big operation against the Neuroi hive near Petersburg. The story ends there; the 502nd's witches show up again in the comedy spin-off World Witches Take Off!

  8. Brave Witches: Petersburg Daisenryaku Special, 2017, 1 episode

    Released as episode 13 after the series, but set between episodes 7 and 8. Watch it there.

  9. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! (optional) TV, 2019, 12 episodes

    A comedy spin-off in 15-minute episodes with simplified designs: Yoshika joins the 501st, and with no Neuroi attacking, the unit's days are mostly cooking, laundry and goofing off. Not part of the story. Optional.

  10. Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! The Movie (optional) Movie, 2019, 1 episode

    A half-hour film follow-up to Take Off! in the same comedy style. Optional.

  11. Strike Witches: Road to Berlin TV, 2020, 12 episodes

    Season 3, a direct sequel to the movie, set from late 1945: the 501st is pulled together again for the push on the Neuroi hive over Berlin. The current end point of the main story.

  12. World Witches Take Off! (optional) TV, 2021, 12 episodes

    The second comedy short series, a what-if where the Neuroi never turn up, now with Brave Witches' 502nd alongside the 501st. Not part of the story. Optional; best after both Season 1 and Brave Witches.

  13. Luminous Witches (optional) TV, 2022, 12 episodes

    A spin-off about a band of witches who can't fight but tour the world singing to raise morale, set during the same months as Season 1 (with a 1941 prologue). It's lighter and has almost no combat. Optional, and it works best after Season 1.

Explained

Where do the Victory Arrow OVAs go?

Between Season 2 and the movie. They were released in 2014–15, after the 2012 film, but their missions happen in the months after Season 2, and the movie and Road to Berlin follow on from them.

Do I need Brave Witches?

No, but it's well liked. It's a separate series about the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing on the Eastern Front, set right after Season 1, with only brief links to the 501st. Watch the Petersburg Daisenryaku special between episodes 7 and 8, where it takes place, even though it was released as episode 13.

What are Take Off! and Luminous Witches?

The two Take Off! series and the Take Off! movie are short comedy spin-offs with simplified art, not part of the story. Luminous Witches is a full 12-episode spin-off about a singing unit of witches who can't fight, set at the same time as Season 1; it has its own cast and is optional.

Is it censored?

The franchise is known for heavy fan service, starting with the uniforms, which don't include trousers. The original TV broadcast of Season 1 covered up some nudity, and the Blu-ray and DVD versions are uncensored, so which version you see depends on where you watch.

Is there more coming?

Road to Berlin (2020) is the latest chapter of the main 501st story, and no new World Witches anime has been announced. Vertex Force, the 2026 original series by Season 1 director Kazuhiro Takamura, is a separate show, not part of this franchise.