Content:Episodes

You know an Episode for an Anime that's not listed...

AniDB is a user-driven database and every user can add new episodes. So if you know an episode for an existing Anime-title that's not yet in AniDB we encourage you to add it. We also ask you to include as much info as possible when adding a new episode, it's for all users' benefit.

Where can I add new Episodes?!

At the bottom of every anime entry is a link named "Add Episode". Once you click it you're on the "Add Episode" page. There's a lot of info you can input here.

Basic Episode Information

Episode Number

Be careful with different episode orders here. For the moment the Japanese "how it was supposed to be shown" order is our standard.

"Prologue" and "Episode 0" Episodes

"Prologue" and "episode 0" episodes represent a deviation from standard episode numbering, where the first episode aired for an anime is numbered and/or classified as something other than episode #1. For AniDB purposes, we try to match the intent of the publisher in how we record the episodes in AniDB.

Classification

1. By default, when it comes to episodes that are numbered as "Prologue" or "00", an "episode 0" will be considered an S episode on AniDB.
2. However, if there is a "clear indication" that an "episode 0" SHOULD be considered as the first episode of the regular airing sequence, then only on those exceptions would we number the "episode 0" as the first episode (i.e. episode 1) of the regular airing sequence.

Documentation

1. For both S episode and regular episode classifications, always add an episode note to provide a brief description if "Episode 0" is not already in the title. The note can be as simple as "Episode 0" -- more detail is always appreciated if available.
2. For exceptions where the "episode 0" is treated as the first episode of the regular airing sequence, we will explicitly indicate in the episode title that this episode is an "episode 0" -- see the exception titling policy for detail.

Examples
Examples of common "episode 0" instances where we enter the "episode 0" as an S episode:

1. Macross Delta -- episode S1, Battlefield Prologue, this is essentially a trailer of the first episode
2. Chaos;Child -- episode S1, Chaos;Head, this is a recap episode of the prequel series

For reference, this policy is confirmed here .

Type

• Normal Episode
• Special/Extra Episode (BD/DVD Specials, Bonus eps) (S1, S2, ...)
  • Default rule: something presented on the BD/DVD disk as "bonus content" would generally count as an S episode.
    • No Credit Openings / Endings (NCOP / NCED) are classified as C episodes.
    • Trailers/Promos/Commercials are classified as T episodes.
  • BD/DVD exclusive episodes are classified as S episodes.
  • Bonus material, such as clean video extracts from main episodes (e.g. eyecatches, transformation sequences, etc) are classified as S episodes.
  • Live-action bonus material included with a BD/DVD release are classified as S episodes.
  • Live-action material that was released standalone should not be added; rare exceptions may apply.
  • Do not add BD/DVD menus.
  • Do not add advertisements / commercials that do not advertise the anime itself. For example, do not add commercials for Gundam Wing figurines as an S episode to the Gundam Wing anime entry.
    • Advertisements / commercials for the anime itself are added to T episodes.
• Opening/Ending Episode (C1, C2, ...)
  • Refer to our C Episode Guidance page for details.
• Trailer/Promo/Commercial (T1, T2, ...)
• Parody Episode (P1, P2, ...)
• Other Episode (official repackages such as the Psycho-Pass New Edit , US Chopjobs, certain supportfiles (AC3 modpacks, fontpacks).) (O1, O2, ...)

Note	"Other" is not meant for OST's, Manga, AMV's or any other not official Special! Disc menu animations are also not welcome in AniDB. Please do not add them.

Episode Title

Refer to our Episode Title page for details.

Play Length

The play length of this episode. If over 10 minutes, round UP to the nearest multiple of 5 minutes (The only acceptable case to round down would be if it's just a few seconds over the gap. You can file that under cornercase.). If under 10 minutes, rounds UP to the nearest minute.

What non-regular episodes (S, C, T, O) are allowed in AniDB? The "remote control test"

As a general rule on this topic, AniDB prefers to avoid making arbitrary decisions and prefers instead to follow what the producers have decided (Japan, China, or Korea); AniDB would only make our own decision when the producer's choice is clearly unreasonable.

When it comes to bonus material, the closest definition to "producer's intention" is the remote control test: "what has the producer defined as standalone selectable content on a BD/DVD menu, that the home viewer can select with a remote control on a BD/DVD set-top box for your TV?"

This way, AniDB mirrors what the producer has decided, rather than making our own decisions.

However, given the impracticality of testing this rule for ourselves in most cases, we need to define data sources that we consider as sufficiently credible. They are as follows, in order of precedence:

1. Primary source: The BD/DVD menu itself: via screenshot / picture of someone playing the BDMV, either on their TV, or through MPC-HC or some other player that can read raw BDMV.
2. Secondary source: The back of the BD/DVD box.
3. Tertiary source: The official listing of the contents of the BD/DVD, such as on the official anime website, or on Amazon Japan's official product listing.
4. If still unable to find a valid source: add using best assumptions, decided on a case by case basis.

Even with this list of sources, we understand that it may still not be possible to perfectly validate the "correct" answer. As such, this information should be added to AniDB on a best efforts basis. If the facts are unclear, file a CREQ and ask a moderator for assistance, or defer adding the data to AniDB until more information is available.

Ordering of S Episodes -- GENERAL GUIDANCE

There are no hard rules regarding the ordering of S episodes. However, the following general rules of thumb should be applied:

1. "Actual episodes" should come first before recaps. Example: Bakemonogatari episodes 13 to 15 (S1 to S3)
2. "Recaps" should come first before "specials". Example: 91 Days episode S2
3. "Specials" Specials (e.g. web streamed specials, DVD and BD bonus content, etc) should come first before live action entries.

Further to the above, the following overall guidance should be used to group and order the above subgroups:

• Internally within the above categories, group like items together. Example: Girls und Panzer specials, similar specials are grouped together (e.g. the "War" BD specials, Tank Courses, Character Pictures, etc)
• Internally within the above grouped like items, sort episodes by release date

Above all else, common sense should apply. These are general guidelines, and each anime should be looked at on a case-by-case basis.

Guidance for C Episodes

Main article: Content:C Episode Guidance

Guidance for O episodes

General Guidance

O episodes are not intended as proper episode entries. O episodes are used as a placeholder for entries that are a chopjob, re-cut, or other combination of regular (R), special (S), Opening/Closing (C), and/or Trailer/Promo (T) episode types.

1. To ensure that mylist statistics work correctly, it is mandatory that all files contained in O episodes are also assigned other episodes using file-episode relations.
   1. Use file-episode relations to mark which episode(s) the O episode covers.
   2. Assign percentages based on how much of the target episode this file covers. For example, if an O episode covers time timestamps from 20% to 40% of episode 1, and timestamps from 65% to 90% of episode 2, add these as the percentages in the file-episode relations.
2. If an O episode covers multiple regular episodes, for example a single release covers episode 1, 2, and 3 of the main series, THIS IS NOT AN O EPISODE. Instead, add the file to episode 1, and create file-episode relations to episode 2 and 3.

Movies subsequently redistributed in TV series format

Some anime series are distributed in both a movie and a TV series format with minimal edits between each other, except for the addition of opening and ending segments; the first airing or screening of the anime determines the anime type set on the anime entry as is usual. In case of a movie released also in an episodic format, the episodic version is to be added using a set of O (Other) episodes.

Example: Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These (2019)

Files for a TV distribution like this are expected to be added into said O episodes. However, to make mylist statistics for said anime to work correctly, it is mandatory to also assign the file to the episode entry of the relevant movie, using an additional file-episode relation; there is no difference in treatment from the general guidance.

The start and end positions saved into this relation also make the part number inside the movie entry explicit. Therefore, notes such as "Part X of Y" are generally considered both duplication of information and an unwelcome complexity. Use of these types of notes are discouraged, especially given that the average user usually only cares about the TV edit episode number in these circumstances. These notes can be allowed if their use clearly adds clarity to the case, but always ask a mod first before adding such notes.

Other Info

First Aired/Released Date

Main article: Content:Anime#General Guidance

Generally, the Japanese/Chinese/Korean/Asian air date is the first and most precise airing/release date worldwide for both individual episodes and the anime as a whole. Check the official Asian page, allcinema, the Japanese TV Guide (explained here), or other pages listed here.

The Western air date should only be used if the Western airing is materially earlier than the Asian one. Otherwise, use the air date in the home market. For example:

• When the Western simulcast of a Japanese anime is 5 hours earlier, causing a 1-day date mismatch with Japan due to timezones, use the Japanese date.
• When the Western TV premier is 3 months earlier than the Japanese release, use the earlier Western date. For example, FLCL Progressive first aired on US channel Adult Swim's Toonami block as a 6-episode series from 03.06.2018 till 07.07.2018. It did not air in Japan until 28.09.2018, where it was released in a movie format.

Japanese TV Schedule Timestamps

Be careful with shows that have 24:00 and later air hours - this means that show will air on the night after the specified date. For the purposes of AniDB, a show listed as airing between 00:00 and 23:59 is added with the listed date; any show airing on 24:00 or later is added with the "first aired" date of the next day.

Example:

Japanese TV schedule says: 24.03.2005 25:30
this means it aired:       25.03.2005 01:30.

Such an episode would be added as "first aired on 25.03.2005".

Recap Episodes

The recap flag should only get used for pure recaps!

For anime where a sequel is released, recap episodes are often published to summarize what occurred in the prequel, for the benefit of the sequel viewer to refresh their memory (for those that watched the prequel) or gain some baseline understanding of the previous plot (for those that have not watched the prequel). When this happens, there is a practical question: which anime entry on AniDB should be assigned the recap episode? Does the recap episode go with the prequel entry or sequel entry?

The following general criteria, ranked in order of importance, should be considered when deciding which anime entry to place the recap episode:

1. Does the recap episode cover the prequel's content with little to no alteration, (place with prequel) or does it introduce significant new content (place with sequel)?
2. Does syoboi group the recap episode with the prequel anime or sequel anime?
3. Is the air date of the recap episode closer to the prequel (e.g. 2 months after the prequel ended, and a year before sequel starts), or closer to the sequel (e.g. a year after the prequel ended, and 1 month before the sequel starts)?
4. Does the BD/DVD home release group the recap episode with the prequel anime or sequel anime?

As a general principle, if both #1 and #2 agree on placement, that is where the recap episode should be placed. Discretion should be applied by moderators on a case by case basis. Further, #3 will generally override #4; only consider #4 if syoboi is ambiguous.

This policy was confirmed here .

Notes

Extra information about the episode, such as unusual airing arrangements, etc.

Note	Do not use this field to mark "filler" episodes or write general episode summaries!

How to Remove Bad Entries

If you added a bad entry yourself you can remove it as long as no one added a file to this entry. Otherwise, please post the eid of and a link to the entry to be removed here: Change Requests forum