Anime / Black Butler
Black Butler Watch Order: Seasons, OVAs and Movie
Find which Black Butler Season 1 episodes to watch or skip, then follow Circus, Murder, Atlantic, Public School and Emerald Witch in order.
For the manga-adapted Black Butler storyline, begin with Season 1 episodes 1–6 and 13–15, then watch Book of Circus → Book of Murder, both parts → Book of the Atlantic → Public School Arc → Emerald Witch Arc. Skip Black Butler II on that route. If you want the older anime-original story as well, use the full release-order table below.
The confusing part is not the number of seasons: it is the change of continuity. The end of the first TV series and Black Butler II tell an alternate story. Later arcs do not ask you to carry that ending forward.
In this guide
Route 1: follow the manga-adapted storyline
Which Season 1 episodes should you watch or skip?
| Season 1 episodes | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1–6 | Watch first |
| 7–12 | Skip on this route |
| 13–15 | Watch the Indian Butler story; episode 15 ends with anime-original material that does not carry into Circus |
| 16–24 and Black Butler II | Skip on this route; continue with Book of Circus |
These ranges follow Crunchyroll’s arc breakdown, with an important caveat: episode 15 ends with anime-original material. Keep the Indian Butler story, but do not treat that ending as setup for Circus. Even the retained episodes are not scene-for-scene copies of the manga.
Book of Circus resumes the later adapted-arc sequence
Continue with Circus at episode 1. If you already watched all of Season 1 or II, there is no need to start again: keep the character introductions in mind and treat the anime-original conclusion as a separate version.
Route 2: Black Butler anime in release order
Use this longer route if you want the older anime-original branch too. Watch all 24 episodes of the 2008 series, then II, before the later adaptations. Book of Circus returns to the manga-adapted storyline; it does not continue II’s ending.
Scroll sideways to see all columns →
| Order | Title | Format | First release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Butler | TV series | 2008 |
| 2 | Black Butler II | TV series; older anime-original branch | 2010 |
| 3 | Black Butler: Book of Circus | TV series | 2014 |
| 4 | Black Butler: Book of Murder | Two-part OVA | 2014 theatrical previews |
| 5 | Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic | Animated movie | 2017 |
| 6 | Black Butler: Public School Arc | TV series | 2024 |
| 7 | Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc | TV series | 2025 |
This table covers the main anime productions, not the live-action film or stage adaptations. Bonus OVAs can be added after their associated seasons; the two Murder parts already have their own place because they advance the manga-adapted story.
Book of Circus, then both Book of Murder OVAs
Book of Circus is the next full television installment
Circus is often called Season 3 because it followed the original series and II. That is release numbering, not a requirement to watch II first.
Book of Murder is a two-part story, not a bonus to skip
Watch both parts of Book of Murder after Circus. “OVA” describes how the episodes were released; it does not mean they are filler. A TV-only season menu can hide this two-part mystery even though it belongs before the Atlantic film.
Its official announcement confirms two limited theatrical previews in October and November 2014. Those screenings explain the film-like listings; you are looking for both parts, not a separate movie plus a duplicate OVA.
Where Book of the Atlantic goes
Watch Book of the Atlantic after both Murder parts and before Public School Arc. It is a separate animated feature, so you may need to find it outside your service’s season menu.
The live-action Black Butler film and stage musicals are different adaptations, not missing steps in this animated route.
Public School Arc, then Emerald Witch Arc
After the Atlantic film, watch all 11 Public School episodes, followed by all 13 Emerald Witch episodes. Public School began in 2024 and Emerald Witch in 2025; the latter is a continuation of the adapted-arc route, not a new start for Ciel and Sebastian.
The official episode lists confirm Public School’s 11 episodes and Emerald Witch’s 13. If your library stops at Public School, do not assume you have reached the end of the available anime sequence.
Use the named arcs when searching. Different catalogs or guides may divide the newer productions into numbered seasons differently, and a bare “Season 4” or “Season 5” can hide which arc is actually listed. Public School Arc and Emerald Witch Arc identify the works directly.
OVAs, season 2 and other common questions
Is Black Butler Season 2 canon to the manga?
No. Black Butler II belongs to the older anime-original branch. You can enjoy that version without treating it as something the later arcs must resolve. “Skip” in the table means unnecessary for the manga-adapted route, not that you are watching incorrectly if you choose it.
Are all Black Butler OVAs optional?
No: Book of Murder’s two parts are required for the route above. The 2008 series’ His Butler, On Stage special and the six Black Butler II bonus OVAs are optional; watch those after their associated television seasons.
What should I watch after my last completed entry?
- Finished Season 1 or II? Start Book of Circus, treating the old ending as a separate version.
- Finished Circus? Find Book of Murder, parts 1 and 2.
- Finished Murder? Watch Book of the Atlantic.
- Finished Atlantic? Begin Public School Arc.
- Finished Public School? Continue to Emerald Witch Arc.
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