# Armored Trooper Votoms Watch Order Franchise: Armored Trooper Votoms Canonical: https://www.animechrono.com/franchise/armored-trooper-votoms Markdown: https://www.animechrono.com/franchise/armored-trooper-votoms/order.md Also known as: Soukou Kihei Votoms, VOTOMS, Votoms Pailsen Files, Votoms Alone Again, Votoms Chirico's Return, Votoms Phantom Arc, Roots of Ambition, Origin of Ambition, Votoms Die Graue Hexe, 装甲騎兵ボトムズ Last updated: 2026-11-09 Last checked against current sources: 2026-11-09 Entries: 10 Source: AnimeChrono, community-curated (https://www.animechrono.com/franchise/armored-trooper-votoms) Cite: AnimeChrono, "Armored Trooper Votoms Watch Order", https://www.animechrono.com/franchise/armored-trooper-votoms (updated 2026-11-09). Where to start Armored Trooper Votoms: for a first watch, start with the 1983 TV series (Episodes 1-13), The Last Red Shoulder, Episodes 14-52 and The Big Battle, then the prequels. This Votoms watch order is in story order, so it lists the prequels Roots of Ambition and Pailsen Files (12 OVA episodes) first; both came out after the TV series and spoil its twists. After the TV series come Brilliantly Shining Heresy, Alone Again and Phantom Arc, the latest point in Chirico's story. Mellowlink, Case;Irvine and Finder are optional side stories. Mamoru Oshii's two-part Die Graue Hexe is a new story; Part 1 opens in Japan on November 20, 2026. ## Recommended first watch First watch: TV Episodes 1-13, The Last Red Shoulder, Episodes 14-52, then The Big Battle. Then the prequels Roots of Ambition and Pailsen Files, then Shining Heresy, Alone Again and Phantom Arc. The list below is story order, which puts the prequels first; most guides save them because they spoil the TV series. Mellowlink, Case;Irvine and Finder are optional side stories. ## Start here Start with Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition. 1 entry is optional: Pailsen Files the Movie (Pailsen compilation). The story still tracks without them. Filler and skip notes: - **Pailsen Files the Movie (Pailsen compilation)** — Optional 2009 theatrical recut of the Pailsen Files OVA. ## Why this order The chronological list is story order: when the events happen, not when they aired. A season is split into episode ranges where a movie, OVA, or special sits in the middle of it. Quote that list unless Recommended first watch names a different place to start. Release order further down is the same entries sorted by air date. It is not the default order to quote. Each entry is one line: the title, then type, episodes (start-end, when the order stores a range), run (how many episodes that range covers), essential or optional, aired (YYYY-MM-DD), format (the AniList format of an episode block, when this page already knows it), and note. A field is omitted when this order has no value for it. Minute runtimes are not stored, so none are printed. ## The chronological order 1. Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition | type: ova | essential | aired: 1988-03-19 | note: Earliest point in the story (1988 OVA): Chirico's Red Shoulder training under Pailsen. Made after the TV series; most fans watch it later. 2. Pailsen Files | type: ova | episodes: 1-12 | run: 12 episodes | essential | aired: 2007-10-26 | note: 12-episode CG prequel (2007-08) after Roots of Ambition, late in the war. It spoils TV twists, so most guides save it for after the series. 3. Pailsen compilation: Pailsen Files the Movie | type: movie | optional | aired: 2009-01-17 | note: Optional 2009 theatrical recut of the Pailsen Files OVA. Skip if you watched the 12 episodes. 4. Armored Trooper Votoms: Episodes 1-13 | type: episodes | episodes: 1-13 | run: 13 episodes | essential | aired: 1983-04-01 | format: TV | note: Uoodo arc (1983): Chirico is betrayed after a secret mission and goes on the run. Stop after episode 13 for The Last Red Shoulder. 5. The Last Red Shoulder | type: ova | essential | aired: 1985-08-21 | note: 1985 OVA set between the Uoodo and Kummen arcs: Chirico and ex-Red Shoulders strike back at Pailsen. Watch after episode 13. 6. Armored Trooper Votoms: Episodes 14-52 | type: episodes | episodes: 14-52 | run: 39 episodes | essential | aired: 1983-07-01 | format: TV | note: Kummen, Sunsa and Quent arcs (1983-84): the rest of the TV series and the truth behind Chirico's past. 7. The Big Battle | type: ova | essential | aired: 1986-07-05 | note: 1986 OVA set after the Quent climax and before the epilogue of episode 52. Self-contained; best right after the series. 8. Kakuyaku taru Itan: Brilliantly Shining Heresy | type: ova | episodes: 1-5 | run: 5 episodes | essential | aired: 1994-03-21 | note: Direct sequel (5 episodes, 1994) set 32 years after the TV series. Also called Shining Heresy. 9. Koei Futatabi: Alone Again (Chirico's Return) | type: ova | essential | aired: 2011-01-08 | note: 2011 OVA set between Shining Heresy and Phantom Arc, though it came out last. Also sold as Chirico's Return. 10. Genei-hen: Phantom Arc | type: ova | episodes: 1-6 | run: 6 episodes | essential | aired: 2010-03-26 | note: Phantom Arc (6 episodes, 2010): the latest point in Chirico's story, with Gotho, Vanilla and Coconna. Watch after Alone Again. ## Release order Sorted by air date. This follows when each entry aired, which may differ from the chronological watch order. 1. Armored Trooper Votoms: Episodes 1-13 | type: episodes | episodes: 1-13 | run: 13 episodes | essential | aired: 1983-04-01 | format: TV | note: Uoodo arc (1983): Chirico is betrayed after a secret mission and goes on the run. Stop after episode 13 for The Last Red Shoulder. 2. Armored Trooper Votoms: Episodes 14-52 | type: episodes | episodes: 14-52 | run: 39 episodes | essential | aired: 1983-07-01 | format: TV | note: Kummen, Sunsa and Quent arcs (1983-84): the rest of the TV series and the truth behind Chirico's past. 3. The Last Red Shoulder | type: ova | essential | aired: 1985-08-21 | note: 1985 OVA set between the Uoodo and Kummen arcs: Chirico and ex-Red Shoulders strike back at Pailsen. Watch after episode 13. 4. The Big Battle | type: ova | essential | aired: 1986-07-05 | note: 1986 OVA set after the Quent climax and before the epilogue of episode 52. Self-contained; best right after the series. 5. Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition | type: ova | essential | aired: 1988-03-19 | note: Earliest point in the story (1988 OVA): Chirico's Red Shoulder training under Pailsen. Made after the TV series; most fans watch it later. 6. Kakuyaku taru Itan: Brilliantly Shining Heresy | type: ova | episodes: 1-5 | run: 5 episodes | essential | aired: 1994-03-21 | note: Direct sequel (5 episodes, 1994) set 32 years after the TV series. Also called Shining Heresy. 7. Pailsen Files | type: ova | episodes: 1-12 | run: 12 episodes | essential | aired: 2007-10-26 | note: 12-episode CG prequel (2007-08) after Roots of Ambition, late in the war. It spoils TV twists, so most guides save it for after the series. 8. Pailsen compilation: Pailsen Files the Movie | type: movie | optional | aired: 2009-01-17 | note: Optional 2009 theatrical recut of the Pailsen Files OVA. Skip if you watched the 12 episodes. 9. Genei-hen: Phantom Arc | type: ova | episodes: 1-6 | run: 6 episodes | essential | aired: 2010-03-26 | note: Phantom Arc (6 episodes, 2010): the latest point in Chirico's story, with Gotho, Vanilla and Coconna. Watch after Alone Again. 10. Koei Futatabi: Alone Again (Chirico's Return) | type: ova | essential | aired: 2011-01-08 | note: 2011 OVA set between Shining Heresy and Phantom Arc, though it came out last. Also sold as Chirico's Return. ## Side branches Part of Armored Trooper Votoms, but outside the chronological order above. - **Armor Hunter Mellowlink** (OVA · 12 episodes · 1988): Same war, different lead. Fully independent of Chirico's story; watch any time. - **Case;Irvine** (OVA · 2010): One-shot about Battling pilot Irvine Lester. Not connected to Chirico's story. - **Votoms Finder** (OVA · 2010): Alternate-universe one-shot with new characters and Altro mecha. Not part of the main timeline. - **Votoms: Die Graue Hexe** (Film · 2 parts · Part 1 Nov 20, 2026 (Japan)): Mamoru Oshii's new story, set late in the Hundred Years' War with new leads. Not part of Chirico's story. Part 2 date not announced. ## FAQ **What order should I watch Armored Trooper Votoms in?** First watch: TV Episodes 1-13, The Last Red Shoulder, Episodes 14-52, then The Big Battle. Then the prequels Roots of Ambition and Pailsen Files, then Shining Heresy, Alone Again and Phantom Arc. The list below is story order, which puts the prequels first; most guides save them because they spoil the TV series. Mellowlink, Case;Irvine and Finder are optional side stories. **Where should I start Armored Trooper Votoms?** Start with the 1983 TV series, episode 1. Watch The Last Red Shoulder after episode 13 and The Big Battle after episode 52, then the prequels Roots of Ambition and Pailsen Files. **Should I watch Pailsen Files first?** Only for strict chronology. It is a prequel, but it was made in 2007 and spoils twists from the TV series, so most guides watch it after the series. **Where do The Last Red Shoulder and The Big Battle fit?** The Last Red Shoulder is set between episodes 13 and 14. The Big Battle is set just before the epilogue of episode 52, so watch it right after the series. **What order are the sequels in?** Brilliantly Shining Heresy, then Alone Again (Chirico's Return), then Phantom Arc. Alone Again came out last but is set between the other two. **Is Die Graue Hexe a sequel?** No. Mamoru Oshii's two-part film is a new story with new leads, set late in the Hundred Years' War. Part 1 opens in Japan on November 20, 2026. **What is the chronological order of Armored Trooper Votoms?** Start with Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition, then continue with Pailsen Files, Pailsen Files the Movie (Pailsen compilation), Episodes 1-13 (Armored Trooper Votoms), The Last Red Shoulder, and Episodes 14-52 (Armored Trooper Votoms), followed by 4 more entries. The full Armored Trooper Votoms watch order on this page has 10 entries across 9 series, listed in chronological viewing order. **What is the release order of Armored Trooper Votoms?** In the order they aired, start with Episodes 1-13 (Armored Trooper Votoms), then Episodes 14-52 (Armored Trooper Votoms), The Last Red Shoulder, The Big Battle, Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition, and Brilliantly Shining Heresy (Kakuyaku taru Itan), followed by 4 more entries. Release order follows air dates and is not the recommended chronological order. **How many episodes is Armored Trooper Votoms?** Armored Trooper Votoms has 52 TV episodes in this order, plus 1 movie and 7 OVAs. **Where do the Armored Trooper Votoms movies fit in the watch order?** Pailsen Files the Movie comes right after Pailsen Files. **Can I skip anything in Armored Trooper Votoms?** Yes. 1 entry is marked optional: Pailsen Files the Movie (Pailsen compilation). Everything else is part of the main story. **Is Armored Trooper Votoms finished?** Yes. Armored Trooper Votoms has finished airing, and this order covers everything released so far in chronological viewing order. --- Something wrong or out of date? Anyone can edit this order at https://www.animechrono.com/franchise/armored-trooper-votoms. Every change is versioned.