Last updated: 10 November 2026
Angel Beats! is a 13-episode original anime from P.A.Works that aired in spring 2010. Created and written by Jun Maeda of Key, it follows Otonashi, a boy who wakes up in an afterlife school and joins the Afterlife Battlefront, a group of students fighting the student council president they call Angel. It mixes comedy, action and rock concerts with some of the most emotional goodbyes in anime, and the whole story is complete in one season.
About Angel Beats!
Otonashi wakes up in a schoolyard with no memory of his life and learns he is dead. The school is a holding place for teenagers who died with regrets, and a rebel group called the Afterlife Battlefront spends its days battling Angel, the calm student council president. As Otonashi joins their missions and concerts, he slowly recovers his past and starts to understand what this world is really for, and what it costs to stay.
Angel Beats! is a TV anime from 2010, first released in Spring 2010. It belongs to the Action and Comedy and Drama genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Story & Plot
Yuzuru Otonashi opens his eyes on the grounds of a large boarding school and remembers nothing, not even how he died. A girl with a sniper rifle, Yuri Nakamura, fills him in fast: this is the afterlife, everyone here is already dead, and her group, the Afterlife Battlefront, is at war with God for the unfair lives they were given. Their target is the student council president, a soft-spoken girl with strange powers whom they call Angel. Otonashi joins up mostly because he has nowhere else to go, and at first the war looks like a game, with trap-filled corridors, staged battles and diversion rock concerts by the in-house band Girls Dead Monster.
The joke stops being funny as Otonashi gets to know the members. Every student in this school died young, many of them badly, and the place exists so they can finish the lives they were denied. One by one, his new friends face the memories they have been avoiding, and each farewell hits harder than the last. Otonashi also recovers his own past in pieces: a sick little sister, a decision to become a doctor, and a train crash that took his life before he could save anyone else.
In the final stretch, Otonashi befriends Angel, whose real name is Kanade Tachibana, and learns she was never an enemy at all. Working together, the two try to help the remaining students make peace and move on before strange shadow creatures start turning residents into empty shells. The series ends with a small, quiet graduation ceremony that pulls together everything the show has been saying about gratitude, regret and the lives we leave behind.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Angel Beats! anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome to the Afterlife Battlefront | 1 to 3 | 2010 | Otonashi arrives with no memories, joins the SSS and takes part in his first missions against Angel. |
| Girls Dead Monster and Moving On | 3 to 6 | 2010 | The band's lead singer Iwasawa finds peace through her music, and deputy president Naoi's hypnosis restores part of Otonashi's past. |
| Befriending Angel | 7 to 10 | 2010 | Otonashi learns Kanade's real name and her true role, while Yui takes over the band and gets her own farewell. |
| Shadows and Graduation | 11 to 13 | 2010 | Shadow creatures threaten the school, Yuri faces the source, and the last students hold a graduation before moving on. |
Why Watch Angel Beats!
- A complete 13-episode story with a planned ending, no filler and no sequel needed
- Created and written by Jun Maeda of Key, the studio brand behind Clannad and Air
- Girls Dead Monster concerts double as some of the show's biggest emotional scenes
- Swings from slapstick school comedy to serious grief, often in the same episode
- Music by Jun Maeda and Anant-Garde Eyes, with songs that became fan favourites
Who Is It For?
Angel Beats! suits teens and up. It has cartoon gun battles with no lasting harm, but the themes are heavy: every main character died young, and several episodes deal with loss, illness and family tragedy. It is funny on the surface and very sad underneath, so sensitive younger viewers may find it tough.
Main Characters
View all characters →Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Angel Beats!.
- Yuzuru OtonashiAmnesiac newcomer who becomes the heart of the groupJapanese voiceHiroshi Kamiya
- Yuri NakamuraFounder and leader of the Afterlife BattlefrontJapanese voiceHarumi Sakurai
- Kanade TachibanaStudent council president, called Angel by the SSSJapanese voiceKana Hanazawa
- Hideki HinataCo-founder of the SSS and Otonashi's closest friendJapanese voiceRyohei Kimura
- Yui (Angel Beats)Girls Dead Monster fan who becomes its lead singerJapanese voiceEri Kitamura
Staff & Production
- Director
- Seiji Kishi
- Original Creator and Script
- Jun Maeda
- Animation Studio
- P.A.Works
- Original Character Design
- Na-Ga
- Music
- Jun Maeda, Anant-Garde Eyes
Manga & Source Material
Angel Beats! is an original anime, not an adaptation. Jun Maeda of the visual novel brand Key conceived the story and wrote every episode, and the project grew into a wider media mix around the TV series.
- Original work created by Jun Maeda, with original character designs by Na-Ga, both from Key
- The 13-episode TV series aired in Japan from 3 April to 26 June 2010
- Two OVA episodes followed: Stairway to Heaven in December 2010 and Hell's Kitchen in June 2015
- Manga and short story spin-offs ran in Dengeki G's Magazine, including the prequel Heaven's Door
- A visual novel version, Angel Beats! 1st Beat, was released by Key in June 2015
- North American home video was handled by Sentai Filmworks, with Aniplex of America later taking over the licence
Music
Jun Maeda wrote the theme songs himself and composed the score with Anant-Garde Eyes, released on Key Sounds Label. The in-story band Girls Dead Monster performs insert songs through the series, with marina singing for Iwasawa and LiSA singing for Yui.
Opening Themes
- “My Soul, Your Beats!”by LiaMain opening for the series; a version sung by LiSA as Yui is used in episode 4
Ending Themes
- “Brave Song”by Aoi TadaMain ending theme, sung over the quiet closing scenes
Series Timeline
- 2009
The project is developed by Key with Aniplex and P.A.Works, and prequel short stories begin in Dengeki G's Magazine.
- April 2010
The TV series premieres in Japan on 3 April 2010 and runs for 13 episodes.
- December 2010
The extra episode Stairway to Heaven is released with the home video edition.
- 2011
Sentai Filmworks releases the series with an English dub in North America.
- June 2015
The second OVA, Hell's Kitchen, and Key's visual novel Angel Beats! 1st Beat are released in Japan.
Release Schedule
- Episodes
- 13 TV episodes, plus 2 OVA episodes
- First aired
- 3 April 2010 (Japan)
- Final episode
- 26 June 2010 (Japan)
- Studio
- P.A.Works
- Status
- Finished, complete story
The series is complete and no sequel has been announced. Details as of 10 November 2026.
Quick Answers
Is Angel Beats! finished?
Yes. Angel Beats! has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Angel Beats!?
Angel Beats! is a Action and Comedy and Drama anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Angel Beats! release?
Angel Beats! first released in Spring 2010. It is a TV series.
How many episodes is Angel Beats!?
The TV series has 13 episodes, aired from April to June 2010. There are also two extra OVA episodes, Stairway to Heaven (2010) and Hell's Kitchen (2015), which are comedy side stories.
Is Angel Beats! sad?
Yes, be ready for that. It is often very funny, but every main character is a teenager who died with regrets, and the final episodes focus on goodbyes. Many viewers count it among the saddest anime ever made.
Do I need to play the visual novel or read the manga first?
No. The anime is the original work and tells a complete story on its own. The manga Heaven's Door is a prequel about how the Battlefront formed, and the visual novel expands the cast's routes, but both are extras.
Who is Angel in Angel Beats!?
Angel is the nickname the Afterlife Battlefront gives to Kanade Tachibana, the student council president. Her calm manner and strange powers make them believe she serves God, but the truth about her role is a key part of the story.
Will there be an Angel Beats! Season 2?
No second season has ever been announced, and the story was written to end with the 13 episodes. Later Angel Beats! projects were the two OVAs and the 2015 visual novel, not a continuation.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Angel Beats! and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Angel Beats! (TV, 2010)The complete 13-episode main story. Start and finish here.
- 2Angel Beats! Stairway to Heaven (OVA, 2010)A comedy extra episode released with the home video set. Watch any time after episode 10.
- 3Angel Beats! Hell's Kitchen (OVA, 2015)A second comedy extra about a picnic mission, released with the Blu-ray box. Optional viewing after the series.
Where to Watch
Angel Beats! is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.