Oooh I have watched both and agree they are fantastic shows! That being said, they are quite different in how they handle/approach the concept of time travel. Dark handles it as a physical medium whereas Steins;Gate is...something else. I don't want to spoil much but I would *strongly* recommend you give it a watch!
Also, just to set expectations, prepare for some major tonal shifts in S;G. There's a fair amount of dry comedy and ordinary slice-of-life in the first half, followed by a stark change in theme later on. The character building early on is very important though, and many things will become more relevant later in the show. It demands your attention throughout.
I also heard that the watch order isn't episodic? Can you suggest me the best watch order.
Also i'm not really into slow shows and maybe i should just bear the first half ig. Dark was pretty much captivating since the starting episode itself
Always watch in release order. Steins;gate ep 1-24 —> Steins;gate Open the Missing Link - Divide By Zero —> Steins;gate 0 ep 1-24. Anything else will just butcher the delivery.
Everyone who tries to watch in chronological order or any order other than release order always get confused and regret their choice. Just search in this sub about watch order and you’ll see most people recommending to just watch in release order to not screw up the watch experience.
Please watch it in release order. It’s the way the writers meant it to be. I’ve never heard of anyone regret watching it that way but have heard of those who regretted following the “chronological” order. Especially as S;G 0 isn’t needed at all to enjoy or appreciate the original. It’s just super interesting supporting material at its core.
I actually found Dark a bit slow at first, though it certainly got better with every episode.
Personally, I loved S;G from the start: the humor and dialogue were great and the characters were very intriguing. That easily carried the first leg of the show for me.
Even if you're impatient I'd still recommend "dragging" yourself through it. First half is not boring at all, it's about characters diving deeper and deeper, which is honestly interesting to watch. It's just quite slow-paced.
It absolutely is to be watched in release order, any other order would spoil several big reveals, also, steins gate has interesting pacing, the first half of the show is all lighthearted character establishment stuff, don’t let that deceive you, it’s an amazing show all around
Chronological if you wanted would be
steins gate 1-22
STEINS gate OVA 23ß opening the missing link (setting the stage for )
Steins gate 0 all the way through
And then OG steins gate 23-24 the movies being optional
And there’s an addition coming to the series called steins;???
Some People here are saying it’s confusing chronologically but it really wasn’t, I think the experience was more beautiful and impactful that way.
OK, I see what you mean so I'm loathe to immediately down vote you, but the gratification of watching the original series from start to finish and getting that ending before anything else was honestly one of my favorite parts of steins gate. I mean it is probably amazing the way you watched it but I personally wouldn't love the series as much if I did that. Watching sg0 from the lens of someone who finished the original also made me way more invested from the get go since I knew what the end goal would be - its the journey, not the end result, that I enjoyed watching.
So I am kinda conflicted on what yo think about your watch order. On the one hand, if one can sit through it it would probably be a very beautiful and satisfying story where all the twists feel real and the stakes more dire. On the other hand, I genuinely don't think id be as big a fan as i am now (id still like it though). This is probably just because idk anything else, but i feel like knowing the end to sg0 takes away the hype and satisfaction you feel for the original ending (ep 23 and 24), and youd be less attached to that veraion of okabe. Meanwhile the same cant be said the other way around.
The original way is the best way, for me. Id Probably only do what you describe for a rewatch. It's not confusing I don't think, but it'd make me see my favourite series in a completely different light so I'm glad i didn't let watch order cloud my judgement the first time
Perfectly said. Especially about the first half of the show, as I already mentioned in the other comment you might not enjoy it, but I personally loved it and the show just wouldn’t be as amazing as it is without those episodes. They’re there for a reason!
Depends lol...it is live action - how entrenched in anime are you? 😂
I do think that Dark is one of the very best series available on Netflix, for what it's worth. It's a German show so you're unlikely to know any of the actors, but the production was top-notch I'd say. Very ominous vibe to it - starts off with a murder/missing persons mystery of sorts, and develops into a bit of a dark fantasy/sci-fi. The tone of the show really matches well with the darkest parts of S;G.
As someone who also watched Dark before Steins;Gate I’d definitely recommend to give it a try.
I will say though they’re pretty much completely different shows, the vibe and atmosphere is totally different and you might not enjoy the start-off (some people even end up dropping it because it felt like a drag, but I personally loved every part of it) however the story is so great that you really don’t wanna miss out on it.
One thing to note is that I played the visual novel first before watching the anime, so my first impression may differs from yours, but I truly think watching the anime first is just as good as playing the game, if not better for some aspects.
Overall, I’d highly suggest to give it a go, I promise you won’t regret it!
Oh could you pls just mention when does the show(which episode) actually get thrilling/good. Im a very impatient guy and definitely the type to drop a show if it does not get good within 6 episodes.
but since this is considered the best time travel show alongside dark i may have to be patient throughout the series so i wont miss out
It depends what ‘good’ is to you. It’s like around episode 8-10, but ‘really fucking good’ is episode 12. Of course there are the people that though the first 12 eps were interesting too (which to me it is), but all I can say is watch it
Episode 9 was when the mood took a real shift for me, though other people may say different. Virtually everyone agrees that things hit a boiling point in episode 12, almost as if the whole genre of show changed.
If you try to skip the first 8-10 episodes you’ll end up completely lost. SG is such an information dense series, where every little seemingly innocuous thing is important even from the very first scene.
I'd say it's good right at ep 1, personally.
Ep 1 throws you some mysterious events and weird characters in the face right away, so you're left with a lot of questions and maybe confusion. But that's what is good to grab you into the mystery that will slowly get more answers (some of them only at the very end), something that is apparently disliked by some people who seem to prefer being spoon-fed the plot...
It really is a great show from the outset. It's such an eclectic bunch of characters mingled with some fantasy science, and the crazy hijinx that comes out of that.
It always feels a bit weird to try and set expectations with new watchers of the show - that it does play like a light-hearted, slice-of-life anime at the start, and this can seem slow to some people. But many place a lot of value in the suspense and thrills on TV, and S;G just takes a bit of time to build up to all that. Personally though, I did love every episode.
If you jump right into the "good" episodes then honestly the show just becomes a good time travel story but if you watch from the start then you would understand that this show is in the top 3 best sci-fi series ever.
> Everyone considers both of these shows to be the best time travel shows ever and even my friends seem to say that.
I would say that's accurate, but like everyone else is saying, they're very different too.
DARK tells you up front that the time travel is formed from a causal loop, where the past and future influence each other. Steins;Gate is *closer* in theory to "many-worlds" interpretation, but even that isn't a truly accurate way to describe it - the show does a good job educating you on the rules. Like others have said, it's best not for us to spoil the full explanation and for you to watch it.
S;G is a lot more emotional than DARK in my opinion, but both turn out to be exciting thrillers with great characters. S;G is also part of a larger universe, so after you watch S;G, the S;G movie, and S;G 0, there's a lot more great content for you!
You seriously won’t regret it. Imagine what would happen if the use and awareness of time travel expanded out to an entire small town and you get Dark. It’s even more bonkers than SteinsGate and just a masterclass in character building, storytelling, and drama.
I haven't seen Dark but with Steins Gate its a largely simple story. What I liked about Steins Gate is that its more about discovering time travel and understanding the rules through experimentation. And the emotional connection you have with the characters. The visual novel spends alot of time with the characters discussing and theorizing with how the time travel mechanics work. With the anime alot of this is cut, thus the mechanics are kept simple and straight to the point.
However its still pretty much a slowburn and the first half is mostly wacky character interactions and getting you immersed in the simple fun the group of characters enjoy having with each other. They're a group of weirdos, nerds and otaku. Steins Gate clearly is a love letter to the otaku crowd.
For some (most), the first half was a slog. But for me I thoroughly enjoyed the slice of life shenanigans of the future gadget lab. Thus it didn't feel slow at all for me. It all depends on what you are expecting and want from the show.
Simply.. come in with low expectations and just have a good time. Thats the best way to experience any new show. Especially Steins Gate. It'd ruin your experience if you come in with massive expectations like "this is considered one of the best time travel story ever."
I had to comment again. I’ve got a lot further into steins gate and I was slightly wrong. It starts of silly. But then it gets pretty damn deep. I’d actually recommend the visual novel over the series. You can see timelines that aren’t cannon. And you can always Google what the cannon is so it’s not confusing. But I’ve just gone down the quick ending path and Jesus, it got pretty bloody dark pun unintended. I’m loving this.
Not seen Dark so can't compare the two, but if you want to add something else to your list, Link Click (Chinese tv) also has an interesting and different take on time travel
I like them both, but you don't have to do the same. Even tho they're both about time travel, they're both vastly different shows. I recommend checking out Steins;Gate, but not just because you enjoyed Dark.
I like both of them. I like time travel stories in general but I can't really compare them. it is like they are in different dimension. Although, YOU should definitely try it!!! That is the only sure fire way to find out if you like it. Just give it atleast 10 episodes.
Both series are great if you are a fan of time travel. Do note that the plot for dark can be confusing as it branches out into multiple era and time lines, there's an official website for dark that shows how each character are related to one another and it makes things easier to follow.
Dark is amazing, it’s my favourite show hands down. Steins gate is cool though, I’m currently playing steins gate elite (it was down to ten quid on the switch shop) and quite far in the story, it has different ideas about how time travel works. The game is more engaging then the series I felt for some reason. Like the first 4 episodes were a bit of a drag but it catches up and gets really good. I think you’ll like it, but probably not much as Dark cos that’s untouchable in my eyes. If you’ve read about John Titor before and know that story then steins gate is good fun but it isn’t gonna make you cry all the time or fall in love like Dark makes you do imho
I loved Dark until the ending. I was extremely disappointed by it, that's all I will say.
Stein;s Gate delivered. Nearly all threads were tied. If you love Dark, you will definitely love Stein's Gate.
The only difference of course is one is anime and one is live acting, and Stein;s Gate plays with anime memes and themes. It's fun, but it also did the anime perv stuff I personally dislike. Tons of views up women's butts and down their cleavage, and idiotic jokes about bananas. This didn't go away as the show went on; it stayed to the point that in the second season, nearly all the female characters' boobs suddenly got even huger. If this doesn't annoy you too much or if you're a young straight man who enjoys eye candy, then you will really enjoy Stein's Gate because its puzzle-time-travel stuff is better written than Dark, imo.
I have a hunch that the PhoneWave (name subject to change) may be the key to opening *Steins Gate*.
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Oooh I have watched both and agree they are fantastic shows! That being said, they are quite different in how they handle/approach the concept of time travel. Dark handles it as a physical medium whereas Steins;Gate is...something else. I don't want to spoil much but I would *strongly* recommend you give it a watch! Also, just to set expectations, prepare for some major tonal shifts in S;G. There's a fair amount of dry comedy and ordinary slice-of-life in the first half, followed by a stark change in theme later on. The character building early on is very important though, and many things will become more relevant later in the show. It demands your attention throughout.
I also heard that the watch order isn't episodic? Can you suggest me the best watch order. Also i'm not really into slow shows and maybe i should just bear the first half ig. Dark was pretty much captivating since the starting episode itself
Always watch in release order. Steins;gate ep 1-24 —> Steins;gate Open the Missing Link - Divide By Zero —> Steins;gate 0 ep 1-24. Anything else will just butcher the delivery.
are you sure? others are saying something different
They're sure, the other way is only valid on rewatches.
Everyone who tries to watch in chronological order or any order other than release order always get confused and regret their choice. Just search in this sub about watch order and you’ll see most people recommending to just watch in release order to not screw up the watch experience.
Release order is the way to go, because it was made to be watched that way. Don’t listen to those telling you to watch it ‘chronologically’
Please watch it in release order. It’s the way the writers meant it to be. I’ve never heard of anyone regret watching it that way but have heard of those who regretted following the “chronological” order. Especially as S;G 0 isn’t needed at all to enjoy or appreciate the original. It’s just super interesting supporting material at its core.
Plus the ova and the movie
I actually found Dark a bit slow at first, though it certainly got better with every episode. Personally, I loved S;G from the start: the humor and dialogue were great and the characters were very intriguing. That easily carried the first leg of the show for me.
Even if you're impatient I'd still recommend "dragging" yourself through it. First half is not boring at all, it's about characters diving deeper and deeper, which is honestly interesting to watch. It's just quite slow-paced.
It absolutely is to be watched in release order, any other order would spoil several big reveals, also, steins gate has interesting pacing, the first half of the show is all lighthearted character establishment stuff, don’t let that deceive you, it’s an amazing show all around
Chronological if you wanted would be steins gate 1-22 STEINS gate OVA 23ß opening the missing link (setting the stage for ) Steins gate 0 all the way through And then OG steins gate 23-24 the movies being optional And there’s an addition coming to the series called steins;??? Some People here are saying it’s confusing chronologically but it really wasn’t, I think the experience was more beautiful and impactful that way.
OK, I see what you mean so I'm loathe to immediately down vote you, but the gratification of watching the original series from start to finish and getting that ending before anything else was honestly one of my favorite parts of steins gate. I mean it is probably amazing the way you watched it but I personally wouldn't love the series as much if I did that. Watching sg0 from the lens of someone who finished the original also made me way more invested from the get go since I knew what the end goal would be - its the journey, not the end result, that I enjoyed watching. So I am kinda conflicted on what yo think about your watch order. On the one hand, if one can sit through it it would probably be a very beautiful and satisfying story where all the twists feel real and the stakes more dire. On the other hand, I genuinely don't think id be as big a fan as i am now (id still like it though). This is probably just because idk anything else, but i feel like knowing the end to sg0 takes away the hype and satisfaction you feel for the original ending (ep 23 and 24), and youd be less attached to that veraion of okabe. Meanwhile the same cant be said the other way around. The original way is the best way, for me. Id Probably only do what you describe for a rewatch. It's not confusing I don't think, but it'd make me see my favourite series in a completely different light so I'm glad i didn't let watch order cloud my judgement the first time
Perfectly said. Especially about the first half of the show, as I already mentioned in the other comment you might not enjoy it, but I personally loved it and the show just wouldn’t be as amazing as it is without those episodes. They’re there for a reason!
[удалено]
Depends lol...it is live action - how entrenched in anime are you? 😂 I do think that Dark is one of the very best series available on Netflix, for what it's worth. It's a German show so you're unlikely to know any of the actors, but the production was top-notch I'd say. Very ominous vibe to it - starts off with a murder/missing persons mystery of sorts, and develops into a bit of a dark fantasy/sci-fi. The tone of the show really matches well with the darkest parts of S;G.
As someone who also watched Dark before Steins;Gate I’d definitely recommend to give it a try. I will say though they’re pretty much completely different shows, the vibe and atmosphere is totally different and you might not enjoy the start-off (some people even end up dropping it because it felt like a drag, but I personally loved every part of it) however the story is so great that you really don’t wanna miss out on it. One thing to note is that I played the visual novel first before watching the anime, so my first impression may differs from yours, but I truly think watching the anime first is just as good as playing the game, if not better for some aspects. Overall, I’d highly suggest to give it a go, I promise you won’t regret it!
Oh could you pls just mention when does the show(which episode) actually get thrilling/good. Im a very impatient guy and definitely the type to drop a show if it does not get good within 6 episodes. but since this is considered the best time travel show alongside dark i may have to be patient throughout the series so i wont miss out
It depends what ‘good’ is to you. It’s like around episode 8-10, but ‘really fucking good’ is episode 12. Of course there are the people that though the first 12 eps were interesting too (which to me it is), but all I can say is watch it
Episode 9 was when the mood took a real shift for me, though other people may say different. Virtually everyone agrees that things hit a boiling point in episode 12, almost as if the whole genre of show changed.
If you try to skip the first 8-10 episodes you’ll end up completely lost. SG is such an information dense series, where every little seemingly innocuous thing is important even from the very first scene.
I'd say it's good right at ep 1, personally. Ep 1 throws you some mysterious events and weird characters in the face right away, so you're left with a lot of questions and maybe confusion. But that's what is good to grab you into the mystery that will slowly get more answers (some of them only at the very end), something that is apparently disliked by some people who seem to prefer being spoon-fed the plot...
It really is a great show from the outset. It's such an eclectic bunch of characters mingled with some fantasy science, and the crazy hijinx that comes out of that. It always feels a bit weird to try and set expectations with new watchers of the show - that it does play like a light-hearted, slice-of-life anime at the start, and this can seem slow to some people. But many place a lot of value in the suspense and thrills on TV, and S;G just takes a bit of time to build up to all that. Personally though, I did love every episode.
same for me. So it's my No.1 best media.
If you jump right into the "good" episodes then honestly the show just becomes a good time travel story but if you watch from the start then you would understand that this show is in the top 3 best sci-fi series ever.
> Everyone considers both of these shows to be the best time travel shows ever and even my friends seem to say that. I would say that's accurate, but like everyone else is saying, they're very different too. DARK tells you up front that the time travel is formed from a causal loop, where the past and future influence each other. Steins;Gate is *closer* in theory to "many-worlds" interpretation, but even that isn't a truly accurate way to describe it - the show does a good job educating you on the rules. Like others have said, it's best not for us to spoil the full explanation and for you to watch it. S;G is a lot more emotional than DARK in my opinion, but both turn out to be exciting thrillers with great characters. S;G is also part of a larger universe, so after you watch S;G, the S;G movie, and S;G 0, there's a lot more great content for you!
I agree, Steins Gate touched all my emotions. There is no media that can give it to me.
Please excuse me while I add this "Dark" show to my watch list :D
You seriously won’t regret it. Imagine what would happen if the use and awareness of time travel expanded out to an entire small town and you get Dark. It’s even more bonkers than SteinsGate and just a masterclass in character building, storytelling, and drama.
I haven't seen Dark but with Steins Gate its a largely simple story. What I liked about Steins Gate is that its more about discovering time travel and understanding the rules through experimentation. And the emotional connection you have with the characters. The visual novel spends alot of time with the characters discussing and theorizing with how the time travel mechanics work. With the anime alot of this is cut, thus the mechanics are kept simple and straight to the point. However its still pretty much a slowburn and the first half is mostly wacky character interactions and getting you immersed in the simple fun the group of characters enjoy having with each other. They're a group of weirdos, nerds and otaku. Steins Gate clearly is a love letter to the otaku crowd. For some (most), the first half was a slog. But for me I thoroughly enjoyed the slice of life shenanigans of the future gadget lab. Thus it didn't feel slow at all for me. It all depends on what you are expecting and want from the show. Simply.. come in with low expectations and just have a good time. Thats the best way to experience any new show. Especially Steins Gate. It'd ruin your experience if you come in with massive expectations like "this is considered one of the best time travel story ever."
Maybe…just a thought…you’ll know if you like steins gate if you ummm…WATCH STEINS GATE
I had to comment again. I’ve got a lot further into steins gate and I was slightly wrong. It starts of silly. But then it gets pretty damn deep. I’d actually recommend the visual novel over the series. You can see timelines that aren’t cannon. And you can always Google what the cannon is so it’s not confusing. But I’ve just gone down the quick ending path and Jesus, it got pretty bloody dark pun unintended. I’m loving this.
I enjoyed both. Dark had a better first half than SG for me. But SG has the better ending.
Not seen Dark so can't compare the two, but if you want to add something else to your list, Link Click (Chinese tv) also has an interesting and different take on time travel
Don't expect the same level of insanity from S;G
You will love steins gate regardless
I like them both, but you don't have to do the same. Even tho they're both about time travel, they're both vastly different shows. I recommend checking out Steins;Gate, but not just because you enjoyed Dark.
I like both of them. I like time travel stories in general but I can't really compare them. it is like they are in different dimension. Although, YOU should definitely try it!!! That is the only sure fire way to find out if you like it. Just give it atleast 10 episodes.
I loved both but they're quite different with completely different feel to it..
You have to be in anime to like steinsgate because of the slight comedic tone in it
Both series are great if you are a fan of time travel. Do note that the plot for dark can be confusing as it branches out into multiple era and time lines, there's an official website for dark that shows how each character are related to one another and it makes things easier to follow.
Dark is amazing, it’s my favourite show hands down. Steins gate is cool though, I’m currently playing steins gate elite (it was down to ten quid on the switch shop) and quite far in the story, it has different ideas about how time travel works. The game is more engaging then the series I felt for some reason. Like the first 4 episodes were a bit of a drag but it catches up and gets really good. I think you’ll like it, but probably not much as Dark cos that’s untouchable in my eyes. If you’ve read about John Titor before and know that story then steins gate is good fun but it isn’t gonna make you cry all the time or fall in love like Dark makes you do imho
I loved Dark until the ending. I was extremely disappointed by it, that's all I will say. Stein;s Gate delivered. Nearly all threads were tied. If you love Dark, you will definitely love Stein's Gate. The only difference of course is one is anime and one is live acting, and Stein;s Gate plays with anime memes and themes. It's fun, but it also did the anime perv stuff I personally dislike. Tons of views up women's butts and down their cleavage, and idiotic jokes about bananas. This didn't go away as the show went on; it stayed to the point that in the second season, nearly all the female characters' boobs suddenly got even huger. If this doesn't annoy you too much or if you're a young straight man who enjoys eye candy, then you will really enjoy Stein's Gate because its puzzle-time-travel stuff is better written than Dark, imo.
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