What Are OVA Episodes in Anime? Answered

Anime is one of the biggest markets for fandoms worldwide, growing at an impressive rate to already be worth over $20bn annually. The concept of anime itself emerged from Japan specifically, with it essentially being used to refer to Japanese animation, whether hand-drawn or computer animated. But for viewers of recent anime looking into older content, or noticing certain animations only appearing on certain media, the questions arise of what OVA episodes are in Anime.

What Are OVA Episodes in Anime?

OVA, or “Original Video Animation,” are anime episodes or longer-format animated specials that are made to release straight to home video format instead of being broadcast first. They typically are made with a much higher production budget than a typical anime episode and can be one-shot adaptations like the Sonic the Hedgehog OVA, or a series of stories meant to be watched in sequence.

Famous examples like this include Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin or Legend of the Galactic Heroes, the latter boasting an astounding 110 episodes. OVA specifically was meant to refer to VHS releases, but would later apply to Laserdisc and other home video media. The term Original Animation DVD (OAD) is also closely related to this, DVDs bundled with the manga they adapt.

Related: How to Watch Mobile Suit Gundam in Order

OVA anime episodes are relevant because they can do anything from expanding upon an existing story (like Love Hina Again) or telling entirely new ones, or even simply side stories. But in an age where streaming is becoming more commonly a dominant method to consume entertainment, direct-to-video doesn’t necessarily apply the same way.

What Are ONA?

ONA, or Original Net Animation, is an anime term much like OVA but refers to episodes, specials, or features sent directly to streaming platforms. For those curious about good examples of great ONA to emerge over the past few years, consider the following:

• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
• Romantic Killer
• Devilman: Crybaby
• Record of Ragnarok
• Baki
• Star Wars: Visions

There are numerous other examples, but these are just a tiny, tiny sliver of the options made available first online. Some like Record of Ragnarok and Romantic Killer are original Japanese series being adapted to anime but put exclusively on Netflix. Others, like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and arguably Star Wars: Visions are anime based on Western IPs adapted by renowned studios. But one thing held in common by each of these is they are often massively popular, and easily consumed by the masses thanks to their broad reach.

It’s important to recognize this distinction, however, as to be considered an ONA or an OVA, the anime episodes can’t have been aired before this. So for Oshi no Ko and other hit anime like Hell’s Paradise, while they are simulcast with the original TV broadcast, this doesn’t quite make them ONA, although it’d be understandable to believe them to be so.