Date A Live is an anime series that constitutes romance, fantasy, sci-fi, and a bit of mecha. While at first glance it may seem a bit cliche of the Mecha genre, it is unique in its own way. It has some aspects of the overused plot of the Mecha genre, like how there is an extraterrestrial force trying to invade Earth, and there are protectors who want to save Earth from them.
The unique aspect of the anime is that it has many cute girls. So, there is a ton of fan service for the Ecchi fans. Another unique aspect is that the main character has to beat the extraterrestrial invaders (the cute girls) and make them fall in love with him. This is so as the main character is the only one on Earth who has the capability to kiss the invaders and keep their powers at bay.
Since the girls are pretty much color-coded, with each new season, we get a new girl and are able to remember them with ease because of the colors. Even for someone who does not like the harem and mecha genre, the storyline, with its unique aspect and a tinge of love comedy, makes it lovable and watchable.
List of Date A Live Series in Order
- Date A Live (2013)
- Date A Live: Date to Date (2013)
- Date A Live II (2014)
- Date A Live II: Kurumi Star Festival (2014)
- Date A Live Movie: Mayuri Judgement (2015)
- Date A Live III (2019)
- Date A Bullet: Dead or Bullet (2020)
- Date A Bullet: Nightmare or Queen (2020)
- Date A Live IV (2022)
Date A Live Series Watch Order in Details
Date A Live (2013)
This series is the first installment of the franchise and focuses on how a girl (one of the invaders) used to be a human and got superpowers to destroy humanity. She has destroyed humanity before and is back for a second time. But the main character stops her from harming any more people.
Not only that he gets beat up, but he still manages to make the girl (Tohka) fall in love with him. He starts dating her and living with her just to keep her powers in check. He is given this task by a secret organization that protects humanity from these invaders. The only way to contain the powers of these girls is by kissing them from time to time and absorbing the powers into the main character’s body.
- Type: TV Series
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Date A Live: Date to Date (2013)
This is a special episode or an OVA, as some would call it. This is a part of the first season and focuses on both the cute girls (Tohka and Origami) with the main character (Shido). Just a filler to keep the fans engaged and know about another girl who is introduced to the series.
- Type: OVA
- Episodes: 1
- Where to Watch: (No Official Website)
Date A Live II (2014)
This series brings about three more girls into the scene and more girls for Shido to manage. Also, by now, Shido has already ensnared three girls and has to get the new three girls also in his love so that they do not destroy humanity. Each of the invaders has a special trait, and Shido has to fight against each of them.
He manages to make them fall for him by the end of the series but finds it hard to satisfy all the girls. It definitely is tough to have a harem and manage all the girls equally with love and time, or else they get jealous and start fighting each other.
- Type: TV Series
- Episodes: 10
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Date A Live II: Kurumi Star Festival (2014)
Kurumi, another girl who is one of the invaders and has the ability to tamper with time, asks Shidou out on a date on the day of the Tanabata Festival. She has been introduced many times by now, both as a friend and a villain with her own motives. She might seem suspicious, but she still has a soft side to her and wants someone to care for her.
While Shidou and Kurumi enjoy their date without telling others, the rest of the harem girls are searching for Shidou at the festival and enjoying the festival at the same time.
- Type: OVA
- Episodes: 1
- Where to Watch: (No Official Website)
Date A Live II: Mayuri Judgement (2015)
The storyline brings about a new hidden spirit named Mayuri. A mysterious sphere appears in the sky, which is only physically visible to Shidou and can be tracked on sensors but is not visible to others. The sphere is giving out waves similar to that of the spirits, so he dates all the girls he has ensnared by now individually, only to know about Mayuri, a new spirit.
- Type: Movie
- Episodes: 1
- Where to Watch: (No Official Website)
Date A Live III (2019)
Just when Shidou thought his life has finally calmed down and nothing more can go wrong, something happens. Another spatial quake occurs and produces another spirit, Natsume. A spirit who dresses like a witch is a Loli but uses magic to appear as a grown-up. All attacks are rendered useless as she changes them to something out of a comic book.
Shidou had become friends with Natsume and earned her trust somehow, but a mistake resulted in all things going haywire. Natsume decides to destroy the reputation of Shidou at school. But this plan is put to a stop by Tohka and Origami at the school, so Natsume resorts to something a bit more extreme.
- Type: TV Series
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Date A Bullet: Dead or Bullet (2020)
After her travel to another world, Kurumi goes fond of a white cat but the two soon part ways. Kurumi then meets a quasi-spirit who has white hair, Hibiki. Hibiki explains to Kurumi that they have been summoned into the center of a killing game among the quasi-spirits. They both form a temporary alliance to get out of this world.
- Type: Movie
- Episodes: 1
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Date A Bullet: Nightmare or Queen (2020)
This serves as a sequel to the previous Date A Bullet Film and concludes the story of the new world and killing game of the quasi-spirits.
- Type: Movie
- Episodes: 1
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Date A Live IV (2022)
Even though Shidou has suffered so much and tried to bring his life back on track, he does not wish for anyone else to suffer the same way. So, when he sees a starving woman at the side of the road, he takes her to her house to care for her. But this girl reveals herself to be a spirit, and she knows about Shidou’s secret Spirit operation.
She challenges Shidou to test his powers firsthand over a date, just like he usually seals the powers of any other spirit. As Shidou gets to know more about her past with Deus Ex Machina Industries, he gets more curious to find out about his own past, a part that he does not remember properly.
- Type: TV Series
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
