Why the Made in Abyss Watch Order Is Non‑Negotiable

Made in Abyss isn’t a series you can dip into randomly. It builds a dense mythology, a literal descent that mirrors emotional unraveling, and each chapter adds irreversible weight to the journey. Watching out of order undercuts the carefully calibrated sense of dread, discovery, and heartbreak that makes the story so potent. This guide lays out the only sequence that preserves the narrative’s emotional architecture – including the essential movie – while also mapping optional content and expansion materials for completists.

Setting the Stage: The World of the Abyss

Before jumping into episodes, it helps to understand the geography and rules of the pit. The Abyss is a colossal vertical chasm on the island of Orth, divided into distinct layers, each with unique ecosystems, relics, and escalating danger. Delvers – called Cave Raiders – are ranked by whistle color, with only legendary White Whistles permitted to explore the deepest known strata.

The Abyss exerts a “Curse” on anyone ascending. The deeper you go, the more severe the physical and psychological strain becomes. Layer 1 brings mild dizziness; by Layer 6, ascending results in loss of humanity or outright death. This mechanic isn’t just worldbuilding trivia – it’s the engine of the show’s tension and defines the impossible choices characters face. Knowing these fundamentals makes the watch order feel less like a checklist and more like a descent you participate in.

The Canon Watch Order: Only Three Steps (With One Crucial Caveat)

The core story unfolds across one TV season, one feature film, and a second TV season. Watching them in any other sequence will either spoil critical events or leave you confused. Here’s the definitive path:

  1. Made in Abyss (Season 1) – 13 episodes
  2. Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul (Movie 3, 2020)
  3. Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun (Season 2, 2022)

Do not skip the movie. Dawn of the Deep Soul adapts the manga’s “Ido Front” arc and directly leads into Season 2. Without it, the backstories, new characters, and the emotional foundation of the second season will feel disjointed. The film is a stand‑alone theatrical release, not a recap. Treat it as Season 1.5.

What About the Recap Movies?

The first two films, Made in Abyss: Journey’s Dawn and Made in Abyss: Wandering Twilight, compress Season 1 with a handful of new or extended scenes. They’re viable if you need a refresher, but they trim character moments and minor subplots. For a first‑time watch, the full 13‑episode season is the richer, intended experience.

Season 1: The Descent Begins

The inaugural season covers the manga’s first four volumes. It introduces Riko, an orphan living at the Belchero Orphanage, who dreams of following her mother Lyza the Annihilator, a White Whistle who vanished into the Abyss years earlier. When a mysterious robot boy named Reg arrives and a message from Lyza surfaces, the two embark on a forbidden journey into the depths.

The season’s strength lies in how it weaponizes its adorable art style. Acclaimed studio Kinema Citrus (with direction by Masayuki Kojima) renders lush, Ghibli‑esque environments and character designs that make the accumulating danger feel like a betrayal of innocence. Episodes 10 through 13 in particular mark a tonal pivot that the series will never reverse. This is where viewers learn that the Abyss doesn’t just test bodies – it corrodes souls.

Streaming: Season 1 is available on HIDIVE (worldwide) and Amazon Prime Video (select regions). A Blu‑ray release from Sentai Filmworks also exists for collectors.

Dawn of the Deep Soul: The Movie That Changes Everything

This 2020 film adapts around 15 manga chapters and is not to be mistaken for a side story. It picks up immediately after Season 1, with Riko, Reg, and their newly befriended bun‑like hollow Nanachi arriving at the Fifth Layer’s Ido Front base. There, they meet the White Whistle Bondrewd, whose deceptively warm demeanor masks one of the most chilling antagonists in anime.

The movie’s run time (105 minutes) allowed the team to maintain the manga’s unflinching horror while elevating the action sequences with theatrical‑grade animation. Kevin Penkin’s score, returning from the series, reaches operatic heights. The film is rated R‑15 in Japan and carries content warnings for a reason – scenes of body horror and experimentation are graphic, but they never feel gratuitous because they serve the narrative’s thematic obsession with sacrifice and scientific atrocity.

Once you’ve seen Dawn of the Deep Soul, you’ll understand why it is mandatory viewing. It introduces Prushka, reveals the mechanics of the Curse in terrifying new detail, and profoundly changes Nanachi. Without this chapter, the emotional beats of Season 2 lose their anchor.

You can rent or purchase the movie on Amazon, Apple TV, or check HIDIVE for availability.

The Golden City of the Scorching Sun: Season 2 and the Sixth Layer

The 12‑episode second season (premiering Summer 2022) dives into the Iruburu arc of the manga. It plunges the trio into the Sixth Layer, the Capital of the Unreturned, a sprawling hollow domain where value becomes currency and a bizarre society of Narehate (former humans twisted by the Abyss) lives under its own rules. The season explores the origin of the village, the trauma of a character named Vueko, and the haunting mythology of the “Golden City.”

Narratively, Season 2 is the most ambitious, weaving multiple timelines and unreliable perspectives. New protagonist Faputa – a creature of pure id and vengeance – steals every scene she’s in, and the climax delivers some of the most cathartic and horrific moments of the entire franchise. The season’s pacing can feel dense, but that density rewards rewatches. It’s a testament (avoid "testament" – I'll rephrase: it demonstrates) how deeply the story has matured from a simple cave‑exploration fantasy into a meditation on community, memory, and self‑destruction.

Season 2 is streaming on HIDIVE. Note that the first episode is double‑length, effectively serving as an in‑media‑res hook that the subsequent episodes then unravel.

Where Does the Manga Fit In?

For readers who want to go further, the manga by Akihito Tsukushi (serialized in Web Comic Gamma) is the source material. The anime stays remarkably faithful, though the manga includes additional worldbuilding art and some nuance that the anime compresses. The chronological reading order mirrors the anime, but after Season 2, the manga continues with the current arc (from Volume 10 onward). Because the manga releases chapters irregularly, many fans alternate between the two mediums. It’s also worth noting that Tsukushi’s art style, often described as soft and rounded, makes the horror that much more jarring – a quality the anime faithfully translates.

Viewing Advisory: This Is a Seinen Series

Made in Abyss is not a children’s show despite its first‑glance aesthetic. The anime includes intense sequences of violence, body mutilation, psychological torment, and existential dread. Several episodes and the movie carry strong viewer discretion warnings. If you’re sensitive to depictions of suffering in young characters, this series will test your limits. However, its mature approach to consequences – no plot armor for emotional comfort – is precisely what makes it an exceptional piece of science‑fantasy. Go in prepared, and you’ll come out moved.

Optional Content: OVAs, Shorts, and the Game

While not essential to the main story, these side materials add texture for the devoted:

  • Marulk’s Everyday – A collection of four short episodes (included with the Season 1 Blu‑ray) that show life at the Seeker Camp in the Fourth Layer. Lighthearted but canonical.
  • The Time of the Essence – A 20‑minute OVA that originally released with the Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness video game. It follows a new Cave Raider and fits around the Season 1 timeline.
  • Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul – Special Episode – A brief after‑credits scene that bridges emotional continuity into Season 2. Don’t miss it.

None of these are required to understand the core plot, but they enrich the world and reward fans who crave more time with the characters.

Common Watch Order Questions

Can I watch only the recap movies and then Dawn of the Deep Soul?

You can, but you’ll miss small character nuances and a couple of important side scenes that the TV season includes. The recap movies are best used as a memory refresher, not as a replacement for a first viewing. The full season remains the definitive version.

Is there a Season 3?

As of early 2025, no third season has been officially announced. The manga is currently in the middle of a new arc, but given the pace of the source material and the production time required for the high‑quality animation, a sequel could be several years away. Keep an eye on the official Made in Abyss anime website for updates.

Do I need to play the game to understand anything?

No. Binary Star Falling into Darkness (2022) re‑tells the Season 1 story while offering an original player‑created character exploration mode. It’s a companion piece, not a narrative necessity.

What’s the best region for physical media?

Sentai Filmworks handles the North American distribution. UK fans can import the Blu‑ray from MVM Entertainment. Both releases include English dubs and sub options.

Final Passage Into the Abyss

The Made in Abyss watch order is mercifully straightforward once you commit to the movie as an integral bridge. The real challenge lies in surviving the plummet – emotionally and viscerally. Start with the 13 episodes, brace yourself for Dawn of the Deep Soul, and then let The Golden City of the Scorching Sun reshape how you think about found family and monstrous legacies. The Abyss is patient, and so should you be. Watch in order, without guides that spoil the discoveries, and you’ll earn every haunting note of Kevin Penkin’s score that stays with you long after the credits roll.