Ranked · Difficulty · Updated June 2026
The Most Confusing Watch Orders, Ranked
Some franchises hand you a tidy "start here" — these laugh at the very idea. From a 13-game saga that demands a flowchart to anime cut into release-vs-chronological civil wars, these are the orders fans argue about hardest. If any franchise justifies this whole site, it's these.
- 1 See the order
- 2 See the order
- 3 See the order
- 4 See the order
- 5 See the order
- 6 See the order
- 7 See the order
- 8 See the order
- 9 See the order
- 10 See the order
- 11 See the order
- 12 See the order
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EFrequently asked questions
Which of these is genuinely the hardest to get into?
Kingdom Hearts, hands down. Its story spans handheld spin-offs, mobile games, and numbered titles that skip around, so even fans rely on a chronological flowchart to make sense of it.
Should I watch in release order or chronological order?
It depends. For Star Wars and X-Men, release order preserves the reveals; for anime like Fate or Monogatari, creators often suggest broadcast order, while purists swap to chronological on a rewatch.
What's the best entry point for a total newcomer?
Pick the most self-contained piece: Star Wars Episode IV, Fate/Zero or Unlimited Blade Works for Fate, and Dragon Ball Z Kai for Dragon Ball. Master one thread before tackling the spin-offs.