Finding exactly where to watch 7 deadly sins has become surprisingly annoying lately. You’d think a massive global hit would just be sitting there in one neat pile, but the licensing for Meliodas and his crew is spread across a few different corners of the internet, especially if you're trying to track down the newest sequels or the weirdly specific "holy war" specials. Honestly, if you just search "Seven Deadly Sins" on some apps, you might end up halfway through a spin-off movie before you even realize you missed the first three seasons.
It’s a mess.
Let’s get the big one out of the way first: Netflix. For the vast majority of people on this planet, Netflix is the undisputed home of the franchise. They didn't just buy the rights; they branded it as a "Netflix Original," which is why you see that big red 'N' on the thumbnail. They have the core series—all five seasons of it—including the Signs of Holy War arc that people often mistake for a full season even though it’s only four episodes long.
The Netflix Monopoly (And Where it Cracks)
If you have a subscription, you’ve basically got the keys to the kingdom. You can start with the Seven Deadly Sins (the original 2014 run) and go all the way through Dragon's Judgement.
But here is where it gets kinda tricky.
Netflix also holds the exclusive rights to the sequel series, The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse. If you finish the main story and want to see what happens next with Percival, you aren't going to find it on Crunchyroll or Hulu. It’s locked behind that Netflix paywall. Same goes for the CGI movies like Grudge of Edinburgh.
Why does this matter? Because if you’re a purist who hates Netflix's compression or their specific subtitles, you’re basically out of luck unless you want to start hunting for physical media.
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What about Crunchyroll?
People ask this constantly. "Is Seven Deadly Sins on Crunchyroll?"
Technically, sort of, but mostly no.
In the United States, you won't find the main series there. However, due to the way international licensing works, some regions in Europe or Asia might see different availability. But for the average viewer in North America or the UK, Crunchyroll is a ghost town for Meliodas. It’s one of those weird casualties of the "streaming wars" where a massive shonen title just... isn't on the biggest anime platform in the world.
Buying vs. Streaming: The Permanent Collection
Maybe you’re tired of subscriptions. I get it. Prices keep going up, and shows disappear when contracts expire. If you want to own it, you have a few digital storefront options:
- Amazon Prime Video: You can buy individual episodes or full seasons here. It's expensive. Like, really expensive compared to a monthly sub. But it’s there.
- Apple TV / iTunes: Usually has the best bit-rate if you care about the animation looking crisp during the high-octane fights.
- Google Play Store: Good for Android users, obviously, though the interface for watching anime is a bit clunky.
Buying the Blu-rays is actually a power move here. The TV broadcast of The Seven Deadly Sins (especially in the later seasons like Imperial Wrath of the Gods) famously suffered from some... let’s call it "hurried" animation. The home video releases often touch up these frames. If you want the version where the characters actually look like they have faces during the wide shots, the physical discs are the only way to go.
Regional Availability and the VPN Factor
If you are traveling, the "where to watch" answer changes. In Japan, the show airs on TV Tokyo and hits various local streaming sites like dAnime Store. If you're using a VPN to look at other libraries, you'll find that the subtitles vary wildly.
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The Netflix subs are "dubtitles" sometimes—meaning they reflect the English voice acting script rather than a direct translation of the Japanese audio. Some fans hate this. If you want the most authentic translation, you're usually looking at fan-subbed communities, but for legal streaming, Netflix's internal translation is what you’re stuck with.
Don't skip the "Specials"
A lot of people skip Signs of Holy War because they think it's filler.
It isn't.
Well, it mostly is, but it bridges the gap between the first and second seasons. If you jump from Season 1 straight to Revival of the Commandments, you’re going to be a little confused about where certain characters stand emotionally.
The Watch Order You Actually Need
Don't just click the first thing you see. Follow this path:
- The Seven Deadly Sins (24 Episodes)
- Signs of Holy War (4 Episodes - Often listed as Season 2 on Netflix, but it's a bridge)
- Revival of The Commandments (24 Episodes)
- Movie: Prisoners of the Sky (Non-canon, but fun. Watch it whenever)
- Imperial Wrath of the Gods (24 Episodes)
- Dragon's Judgement (24 Episodes)
- Movie: Cursed by Light (This is actually canon and fits after the finale)
- The Two-Part Movie: Grudge of Edinburgh (The bridge to the sequel)
- Four Knights of the Apocalypse (The current sequel series)
Is it on Hulu or Disney+?
Short answer: No.
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Longer answer: Disney+ has started picking up a lot of anime (like Bleach and Heavenly Delusion), but Seven Deadly Sins is firmly entrenched in the Netflix ecosystem. There were rumors a few years back about a shift in licensing, but with the production of the new movies and the sequel series being tied directly to Netflix's funding, don't expect it to move anytime soon.
A Note on "Free" Sites
Look, we all know they exist. But honestly, for a show like this, those sites are a nightmare. The pop-ups are aggressive, and the video quality is usually capped at 720p or looks like it was recorded on a potato. Given that Seven Deadly Sins relies heavily on its vibrant color palette and (eventually) massive scale magic attacks, watching a low-res version kind of ruins the experience. Plus, Netflix allows for offline downloads, which is a lifesaver for flights or commutes.
Why the Animation Quality Changes
You might notice a shift around Season 3. This is because the studio changed. A-1 Pictures handled the beginning (which looked great), and then Studio Deen took over. Deen then outsourced much of the work to Marvy Jack. This is why the search for "where to watch" often leads to forums where people are arguing about which version looks better.
Regardless of the studio drama, the story stays consistent with Nakaba Suzuki’s manga. If you find the animation in the later seasons too distracting on Netflix, that is the exact moment you should switch to reading the manga volumes alongside the show.
Actionable Steps for New Viewers
If you're ready to dive in, start by checking your Netflix region settings. If you don't have Netflix, your best bet is to grab a one-month subscription specifically to binge the series, as buying the seasons individually on Amazon will cost you upwards of $150 for the full run.
Check for the Four Knights of the Apocalypse listing specifically if you think you've "seen it all." Many long-time fans actually missed that this sequel started airing because it's listed as a separate show entry rather than "Season 6."
Verify your "Maturity Rating" settings on your profile too. Because the show has some... eccentric... character traits (looking at you, Meliodas) and a fair amount of blood, it sometimes gets filtered out of "Kids" or "Teen" profiles depending on how strict the settings are. Set it to TV-MA to ensure you're seeing the uncensored version of the battles.
The landscape for streaming is always shifting, but for the foreseeable future, your journey begins and ends with Netflix. Grab some snacks, ignore the Season 3 animation memes, and enjoy the ride.