History Main / SlidingScaleOfContinuity

* The early installments in the Creator/MarvelComics movies fall here. Until ''Film/IronMan1'', each IP was licensed to a different studio, so although some of them got sequels each series is unconnected to the others. The films in this category are the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'', ''Film/BladeTrilogy'', ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', ''Film/FantasticFour2005'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''/''Film/{{Elektra}}'', ''[[Film/GhostRider Ghost]] [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance Rider]]'', ''Film/ThePunisher2004'' and ''Film/PunisherWarZone''. ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' is the odd man out, with ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' written as a BroadStrokes sequel rather than a straight reboot (although it is not canonical to the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which the latter is a part of).[[note]]Though there was an earlier attempt to create a [[SharedUniverse shared cinematic universe]] with the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies, as well as plans for a Silver Surfer spin-off movie, an X-Men/Fantastic Four/Daredevil crossover movie, and adding ComicBook/TheInhumans and ComicBook/BlackPanther into the Fantastic Four sequels; there had been separate attempts to add the Spider-Man Trilogy and the Amazing Spider-Man series into the MCU before rebooting the film franchise completely; and ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' was intended to take place in the X-Men film universe but its TroubledProduction and BoxOfficeBomb nixed the idea.[[/note]]

* The early installments in the Creator/MarvelComics movies fall here. Until ''Film/IronMan1'', each IP was licensed to a different studio, so although some of them got sequels each series is unconnected to the others. The films in this category are the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'', ''Film/BladeTrilogy'', ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', ''Film/FantasticFour2005'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''/''Film/{{Elektra}}'', ''[[Film/GhostRider Ghost]] [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance Rider]]'', ''Film/ThePunisher2004'' and ''Film/PunisherWarZone''. ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' is the odd man out, with ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' written as a BroadStrokes sequel rather than a straight reboot (although it is not canonical to the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which the latter is a part of).[[note]]Though there was an earlier attempt to create a [[SharedUniverse shared cinematic universe]] with the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies, as well as plans for a Silver Surfer spin-off movie, an X-Men/Fantastic Four/Daredevil crossover movie, and adding ComicBook/TheInhumans and ComicBook/BlackPanther into the Fantastic Four sequels; there had been separate attempts to add the ''Spider-Man'' Trilogy and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2 series]] into the MCU before rebooting the film franchise completely; and ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' was intended to take place in the X-Men film universe but its TroubledProduction and BoxOfficeBomb nixed the idea.[[/note]]

* While ''Franchise/DragonBall'' has a great amount of continuity about it, in a larger sense the various entries into the franchise almost always invoke Negative Continuity in relation to each other, [[WordOfGod especially if they aren't written]] by Creator/AkiraToriyama. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' manga forms the base from which all others are related by, but almost no works that expand the plot can ever be compatible with the others. [[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' contradicts with ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', which itself is based upon [[Anime/DragonBallZ the anime]], not the manga. Meanwhile, ''[[Anime/DragonBallEpisodeOfBardock Episode of Bardock]]'' was referenced in the manga, but would later be contradicted with ''Dragon Ball Minus'', which means ''Episode of Bardock'' is only canon to the anime.[[/note]] Movies get this the worst, slotting themselves into a hypothetical status quo that is similar to but not exactly the same as a point in time in the show. [[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallZTheTreeOfMight'' has Goku alive and use the Kaio-Ken technique, alongside his friends Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Piccolo. However in the show Goku learns Kaio-Ken after being killed, and by the time he's restored back to life, his aforementioned friends are dead themselves. Various machinations in the story mean that Goku and his remaining pals are too injured and/or busy for the film to slot in neatly.[[/note]] Trying to sort this out causes more harm than good for many fans, and [[ShrugOfGod the creators are none too bothered by it]] and prefer to instead focus on writing [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools interesting and]] [[RuleOfCool cool stories]] than be bothered about how every single entry fits with the rest.

* The ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise as a whole. Certain games may share a continuity but have a completely different cast between games (such as ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'' ''[[VideoGame/Persona3 3]]'', ''[[VideoGame/Persona4 4]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/Persona5 5]]'') and there's rumblings in certain games that the franchise is part of a massive neverending conflict that transcends time and space, but to most people they all might as well be completely unrelated stories that only share basic themes such as AllMythsAreTrue, TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed and OrderVsChaos with the ability to TakeAThirdOption in the conflict.

* Both ''VisualNovel/{{Higurashi|WhenTheyCry}}'' and ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' count. Ye gads, get out of order or miss a segment or two in either, and you can end up so lost. And, this is the same, whichever medium you're playing/ watching/ reading them in.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is mostly like this -- while the [[FanNickname Gaang]] is always traveling the world to find bending masters to teach Aang and there are plenty of episodes that belong on Level 3, there are pretty steady continuous developments on the villainous side that would be very jarring to anyone who just watched individual episodes here and there. Episodes almost always air with PreviouslyOn segments, though they don't explain everything.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is mostly like this -- while the [[FanNickname Gaang]] is always traveling the world to find bending masters to teach Aang and there are plenty of {{Filler}}s that belong on Level 3, there are pretty steady continuous developments on the villainous side that would be very jarring to anyone who just watched individual episodes here and there. Episodes almost always air with PreviouslyOn segments, though they don't explain everything.

** ''KOF'' currently has four {{arc}}s: The [[SNKBoss Rugal]] Saga (the first title, ''[='94=]''), The {{Orochi}} Saga (''[='95=]''-''[='98=]''), The [[NebulousEvilOrganisation NESTS]] Chronicles (''[='99=]''-''2002''), and The Tales of [[TheTrickster Ash]] (the most recent saga to date, ''2003''-''XIII''). [[note]]Also note that ''[='98=]'', ''2002'', and their [[UpdatedRerelease Updated Re-releases]] are actually non-canon {{Dream Match Game}}s that [[TheBusCameBack bring back]] [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters all the playable fighters from the previous entries]], even the [[KilledOffForReal dead ones]].[[/note]] While it's not too bad with The NESTS Chronicles (as the protagonist of those titles, K', distances himself from previous hero Kyo despite [[CloneByConversion being genetically engineered with his DNA]]), The Tales of Ash almost ''requires'' that you played the first four games given that ''2003'' introduces a plot to [[SealedEvilInACan unseal]] [[BigBad Orochi]] and the children of Rugal. This is made worse if you look past the main plot and focus on the supporting cast, as you then have to deal with allusions and plot points carried over from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'', ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}''[=/=]''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', ''Buriki One'', etc. as well as interconnected subplots involving the Dragon Spirit inside of [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Kensou]] and the Hizoku clan of assassins [[ArcFatigue that haven't been resolved]] since they first appeared in ''1999''. While it's ContinuityPorn and {{Fanservice}} for those who have followed Creator/{{SNK}} since its heyday, it's borderline ContinuityLockout for anyone else. Remember that this series [[ContinuityCreep originally]] existed as [[MascotFighter a storyless gathering of fighters]].

* ''The Literature/LandOfOz'' hovers between 2 and 3 on the scale, mostly because Baum was [[CreatorBacklash burned out on the series]], and [[MoneyDearBoy grinding them out ahead of the bill collectors]] by [[FranchiseZombie demand of his publisher]]. There are some elements that carry over (like Ozma taking the throne in the second book, Dorothy moving to Oz by the 6th book, the magic belt), but most books are standalone and many elements can contradict one another, especially after Baum started phoning it in.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' has lots of WhamEpisode worth of character deaths, revelations, and plotwists. You miss one chapter or episode, and the next one has you lost.

** ''KOF'' currently has four {{arc}}s: The [[SNKBoss Rugal]] Saga (the first title, ''[='94=]''), The {{Orochi}} Saga (''[='95=]''-''[='98=]''), The [[NebulousEvilOrganisation NESTS]] Chronicles (''[='99=]''-''2002''), and The Tales of [[TheTrickster Ash]] (the most recent saga, ''2003''-''XIII''). While it's not too bad with The NESTS Chronicles (as the protagonist of those titles, K', distances himself from previous hero Kyo despite [[CloneByConversion being genetically engineered with his DNA]]), The Tales of Ash almost ''requires'' that you played the first four games given that ''2003'' introduces a plot to [[SealedEvilInACan unseal]] [[BigBad Orochi]] and the children of Rugal. [[note]]Also note that ''[='98=]'', ''2002'', and their [[UpdatedRerelease Updated Re-releases]] are actually non-canon {{Dream Match Game}}s that [[TheBusCameBack bring back]] all the playable fighters from the previous entries, even the [[KilledOffForReal dead ones]].[[/note]] This is made worse if you look past the main plot and focus on the supporting cast, as you then have to deal with allusions and plot points carried over from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'', ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}''[=/=]''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', ''Buriki One'', etc. as well as interconnected subplots involving the Dragon Spirit inside of [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Kensou]] and the Hizoku clan of assassins [[ArcFatigue that haven't been resolved]] since ''1999''. While it's ContinuityPorn and {{Fanservice}} for those who have followed Creator/{{SNK}} since its heyday, it's borderline ContinuityLockout for anyone else. Remember that this series [[ContinuityCreep originally]] existed as [[MascotFighter a storyless gathering of fighters]].

** ''XIV'', though appearing to be [[SoftReboot a standalone jump-on point]] as opposed to the beginning of a new arc outright, has its fair share of this. Notably, though the FinalBoss has the look of a GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere at first glance, it's later revealed to be [[spoiler:a byproduct of the TemporalParadox Ash caused at the end of ''XIII'']] and, according to Geese, was foretold in the Jin Scrolls that lied at the center of 1995's ''Fatal Fury 3''. There's also the matter of [[spoiler:said TemporalParadox]] opening up a dimensional rift that allowed [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Nakoruru]], Mui Mui, and Love Heart [[note]]hailing the pachinko section of SNK's library (''Dragon Gal'' and ''Sky Love'', respectively)[[/note]] [[TheMultiverse to cross over]], while another subplot involves remnants of NESTS running around in the background, with Angel (a former operative last [[DreamMatchGame canonically]] seen in ''2001'') being on the run from NESTS loyalists whereas newcomer Sylvie Paula Paula was deemed a "defective" experiment by the cartel.

* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' was heavily arc-based, which had the misfortune to occur at the same time Creator/{Syfy}} changed its scheduling strategy to where it would air part of a season, then replace it with another show, then bring the first show back, and so on. The ''SGU'' showrunners partly blame the series' cancellation on the resulting confusion driving away viewers.

* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' was heavily arc-based, which had the misfortune to occur at the same time Syfy changed its scheduling strategy to where it would air part of a season, then replace it with another show, then bring the first show back, and so on. The ''SGU'' showrunners partly blame the series' cancellation on the resulting confusion driving away viewers.

* {{Creator/HBO}} does this too.

* ''Series/RaumschiffGamestar'': The series swung between Level 5 (Full Lockout) in Seasons 1, 2, and 4 and Level 4 (Arc-based Episodic) in seasons 3 and 5, occasionally tapping into Level 3 (Subtle Continuity) at some points in the third and fourth seasons.

** ''KOF'' currently has four {{arc}}s: The [[SNKBoss Rugal]] Saga (the first title, ''[='94=]''), The {{Orochi}} Saga (''[='95=]''-''[='98=]''), The [[NebulousEvilOrganisation NESTS]] Chronicles (''[='99=]''-''2002''), and The Tales of [[TheTrickster Ash]] (the most recent saga, ''2003''-''XIII''). While it's not too bad with The NESTS Chronicles (as the protagonist of those titles, K', distances himself from previous hero Kyo despite [[CloneByConversion being genetically engineered with his DNA]]), The Tales of Ash almost ''requires'' that you played the first four games given that ''2003'' introduces a plot to [[SealedEvilInACan unseal]] [[BigBad Orochi]] and the children of Rugal. This is made worse if you look past the main plot and focus on the supporting cast, as you then have to deal with allusions and plot points carried over from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'', ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}''[=/=]''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', ''Buriki One'', etc. as well as interconnected subplots involving the Dragon Spirit inside of [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Kensou]] and the Hizoku clan of assassins [[ArcFatigue that haven't been resolved]] since ''1999''. While it's ContinuityPorn and {{Fanservice}} for those who have followed Creator/{{SNK}} since its heyday, it's borderline ContinuityLockout for anyone else. Remember that this series [[ContinuityCreep originally]] existed as [[MascotFighter a storyless gathering of fighters]].

* Most [[KidCom KidComs]], in general, are at this level. While they might occasionally have a brief story arc (and by "brief" I mean "the occasional two-parter"), they usually depict the exact same characters in the exact same situations from season to season. TGIF sitcoms are at the high end of this level, since they at least chronicle their main characters growing up and make whatever adjustments are necessary to the status quo to reflect this.

* A rare mixed example can be seen with the main series ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games. They mix this with Level 0. There is continuity in the world, with references to events from previous games and some recurring characters, but every new game starts with you being a new rookie Trainer in a new region fighting a new evil team, and knowing where the recurring characters came from is more a bonus than anything else.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' however, does continue the major events from ''VideoGame/PokemonRedBlueAndYellow''. Definitely a Level 4.

* The ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise as a whole. Certain games may share a continuity but have a completely different cast between games (such as ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'' ''[[VideoGame/Persona3 3]]'', ''[[VideoGame/Persona4 4]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/Persona5 5]]'',) and there's rumblings in certain games that the franchise is part of a massive neverending conflict that transcends time and space, but to most people they all might as well be completely unrelated stories that only share basic themes such as AllMythsAreTrue, TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed and OrderVsChaos with the ability to TakeAThirdOption in the conflict.
* There are certain games within the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' that are directly related to each other (''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' being a distant prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'', and similarly ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' being a distant prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'' being the only non-number pairs,) but otherwise are unrelated games that merely share similar battle systems and DeconstructorFleet storywriting tendencies.

Realizing where a work falls on the Sliding Scale of Continuity is often essential to being able to enjoy a series for what it is. In many cases, series on the lower side of the continuity scale often rely on a [[StrictlyFormula recurring structure]] or at least a consistent tone and mood - when deciding whether or not to watch an episode, a viewer will have some idea of what to expect beforehand. High-continuity series are usually expected to offer the viewer a sense of change or progress between installments, in terms of both [[CharacterDevelopment characters]] and [[StoryArc plot]]. This allows for more complex and detailed storytelling, spanning multiple chapters, at the cost of requiring more involved viewing. A lot of popular works attempt to combine the best of both worlds: offering self-contained episodes with [[FandomNod something extra]] for those who take the time to [[ContinuityNod watch all of it]], or offering "progress" between seasons.

The different installments of the series are only nominally the same work; every new installment concerns different characters, or possibly the 'same' characters but in an AlternateUniverse, such that the stories are explicitly disconnected and obviously not meant to be part of a continuity of any sort. Within any given installment, it can be assumed that every other installment either never happened or is at least completely irrelevant to the current one. What they share to make them a series is usually thematic, world or (for video games) gameplay elements, with possible minor recurring creatures, objects, etc. NonLinearSequel is the specific trope for this. If done to an entire series you've got a ThematicSeries. In some cases, the rights-holders use the already-popular name that they own for [[CashCowFranchise marketing reasons,]] regardless of whether or not an installment fits in with previous ones in the series.

[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' is split up into multiple [[AlternateUniverse alternate]] and equally separate continuities. The original manga, by which all the animated versions are based around; the Creator/MamoruOshii movies, which are [[AdaptationDistillation condensed retellings]] of the manga with a bit of artistic license thrown in; ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', the TV series that only loosely recreates and references scenes from the manga while telling a story all it's own; and finally ''Anime/GhostInTheShellArise'', which serves as a prequel of sorts to the whole franchise- even to the original manga- but still remains as a completely disconnected continuity in itself. Each version all contain the same characters and their own interpretations of them there-in.
* Each episode of ''Anime/SpaceDandy'' has the core crew of Dandy, Meow, and QT in common and little else. While they behave the same from episode to episode, the stories tend to end with one or more of them getting killed and/or horrible, irreparable damage to their universe. This goes beyond a SnapBack in that the art style, genre, soundtrack, and writing style also change from episode to episode, especially in Season 2, to where they would look like different series if not for the main characters' presence. However, the show shifts to a Level 4 in episodes 23 through 26 while keeping the wildly divergent art styles and episodic format: 23 to 25 gradually explain the nature of why there's no continuity at all with 26 displaying the end result when someone tries to exploit it.

[[AC: ComicBooks]]

* The early installments in the Creator/MarvelComics movies fall here. Until ''Film/IronMan1'', each IP was licensed to a different studio, so although some of them got sequels each series is unconnected to the others. The films in this category are the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'', ''Film/BladeTrilogy'', ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', ''Film/FantasticFour2005'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''/''Film/{{Elektra}}'', ''[[Film/GhostRider Ghost]] [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance Rider]]'', ''Film/ThePunisher2004'' and ''Film/PunisherWarZone''. ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' is the odd man out, with ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' written as a BroadStrokes sequel rather than a straight reboot (although it is not canonical to the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which the latter is a part of).[[note]]Though there was an earlier attempt to create a [[SharedUniverse shared cinematic universe]] with the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies, as well as plans for a Silver Surfer spin-off movie, an X-Men/Fantastic Four/Daredevil crossover movie, and adding in ComicBook/TheInhumans and ComicBook/BlackPanther onto the Fantastic Four sequels; there had been separate attempts to add the Spider-Man Trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man series into the MCU before rebooting the film franchise completely; and ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' was intended to take place in the X-Men film universe but its TroubledProduction and BoxOfficeBomb nixed the idea.[[/note]]

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* The seasons of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' in relation to each other are this, the only similarities being the basic premise of "Blackadder surrounded by idiots" (and not even that considering the first season). However, the episodes within a season can be from levels 1-2.

* On average, Creator/{{Toei}}-produced {{Tokusatsu}} (particularly the long-running ''Franchise/KamenRider'' and ''Franchise/SuperSentai'') fall under here. CrisisCrossover may happen from time to time (especially during MilestoneCelebration movies/series, in which case it can range from anywhere from Level 1-4 below), but a regular Sentai / Rider series is usually a self-contained storyline.

[[AC: {{Radio}}]]
* ''Radio/TheGoonShow'', befitting its anarchic, surrealist nature. The characters were dropped into entirely different scenarios every week (often in a different country or century) and seldom remembered each other -- and even when Bluebottle did recognise Neddie, it was as [[NegativeContinuity “the one who]] [[TheyKilledKennyAgain deads me every week”]].

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series. A couple of games had sequels or spin-offs; the others are each their own reality with their own characters, their own plot, their own setting... However, they share various nods to one another such as similar monsters, summons, chocobos, and characters named Cid.

** The [[Videogame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2 second game]] takes place in an AlternateUniverse from [[Videogame/HyperdimensionNeptunia the first]] and [[Videogame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory Victory]] involves the protagonist and her sister from the second game {{Trapped In Another|World}} AlternateUniverse. Despite having the same characters, the games taking place in AU versions of the same world and with AU versions of the cast make this a level 0.
** The continuity progresses with ''VII'', which features ''mk2s'' cast dealing with a new crisis and new characters in their home world, as well as Neptune and Nepgear ending up in another AlternateUniverse [[spoiler:that isn't actually one]]. ''Victory's'' Ultradimension is not mentioned for the most part outside of a quick recap at the very beginning, although a couple of elements from there do have considerable plot relevance. [[spoiler:Namely Croire, the power of [[DimensionalTraveler Tari's CPU]], and [[BrickJoke Ultradimension Neptune]]]]. This in turn brings it up to somewhere between a level 2 and 3.

** The ''Pokemon'' games are generally set in different regions, and each of the installments are usually set several years apart form each other. Characters from previous games make a few appearances here and there, but each game's plot is generally self-contained and you always start off with a new protagonist. The main exceptions to this are the [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Gen 2 games]] (which share continuity with the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Gen 1 games]]) with and ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'', which have direct sequels, ''Black 2 and White 2''.

* The ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise as a whole. Certain games may share a continuity but have a completely different cast between games (such as ''Persona'' 3-5,) and there's rumblings in certain games that the franchise is part of a massive neverending conflict that transcends time and space, but to most people they all might as well be completely unrelated stories that only share basic themes such as AllMythsAreTrue, TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed and OrderVsChaos with the ability to TakeAThirdOption in the conflict.

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]

* While ''Franchise/DragonBall'' has a great amount of continuity about it, in a larger sense the various entries into the franchise almost always invoke Negative Continuity in relation to each other, [[WordOfGod especially if they aren't written]] by Creator/AkiraToriyama. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' manga forms the base from which all others are related by, but almost no works that expand the plot can ever be compatible with the others.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' contradicts with ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', which itself is based upon the [[Anime/DragonBallZ anime]], not the manga. Meanwhile, ''[[Anime/DragonBallEpisodeOfBardock Episode of Bardock]]'' was referenced in the manga, but would later be contradicted with ''Dragon Ball Minus'', which means ''Episode of Bardock'' is only canon to the anime.[[/note]] Movies get this the worst, slotting themselves into a hypothetical status quo that is similar to but not exactly the same as a point in time in the show.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallZTheTreeOfMight'' has Goku alive and use the Kaio-Ken technique, alongside his friends Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Piccolo. However in the show Goku learns Kaio-Ken after being killed, and by the time he's restored back to life, his aforementioned friends are dead themselves. Various machinations in the story mean that Goku and his remaining pals are too injured and/or busy for the film to slot in neatly.[[/note]] Trying to sort this out causes more harm than good for many fans, and [[ShrugOfGod the creators are none too bothered by it]] and prefer to instead focus on writing [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools interesting and]] [[RuleOfCool cool stories]] than be bothered about how every single entry fits with the rest.

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* The [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Disney Duck comics]] by Creator/CarlBarks and many other writers. Creator/DonRosa's stories, however, are level 2.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/FlightOfTheConchords[='=]'' second season had several episodes end with the guys having, say, lost all their furniture, or fallen below zero on Murray's friendship graph, with the next merrily restoring the status quo without so much as a mention. The first season, however, is level 2-3, making it an example of [[InvertedTrope inverted]] ContinuityCreep.
* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' alternates between level 0 and level 1, with some recurring sketches and characters.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': The reset button is often applied offscreen (such as one episode ending with the entire family except Lisa in jail) and characters fail to recognize each other despite all the adventures they've had together. However, there are also occasional {{Continuity Nod}}s and permanent changes such as Lisa permanently becoming a vegetarian or [[spoiler: Maude Flanders's death]]

Here StatusQuoIsGod. While there is an established canon and different episodes or installments will usually try not to contradict one another, there will be no, or next to no, changes in the setting that aren't [[ResetButton reset before the end of the episode]]. There may be {{Continuity Nod}}s, but if you haven't seen what is being referenced, they might as well just be {{Noodle Incident}}s. The basic situation at the beginning of an episode in season seven will probably be exactly (or almost exactly) the same as the situation at the beginning of an episode in season two, so that it makes little difference in what order you watch them.

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]
* While the games have a vague level from 0 to 4, the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime is completely set in the status quo, with the only real cast being Ash, Pikachu and Team Rocket. New companions join, and new Pokémon are caught, but Ash will ''always'' lose the league at the end of a series, and the ResetButton is pushed so that the whole series might as well [[CanonDiscontinuity have never happened]]. Rinse and repeat. This has resulted in Ash being no closer to his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master than he was in ''[[LongRunners 1997]]'', and he probably never will.

[[AC: ComicBooks]]

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* The Literature/SherlockHolmes stories can be read in any order (with a very few notable exceptions like ''The Final Problem'' and ''The Empty House''). And after the first few stories, they aren't all set in the order they were written in, anyway. Conan Doyle deliberately wrote them like this so that readers would not quit following the series just because they had missed a story or two.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]

* Most [[KidCom KidComs]], in general, are at this level. While they might occasionally have a brief story arc (and by "brief" I mean "the occasional two-parter"), they usually depict the exact same characters in the exact same situations from season to season. [=TGIF=] sitcoms are at the high end of this level, since they at least chronicle their main characters growing up and make whatever adjustments are necessary to the status quo to reflect this.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* A rare mixed example can be seen with the main series ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games. They mix this with level 0. There is continuity in the world, with references to events from previous games and some recurring characters, but every new game starts with you being a new rookie trainer in a new region fighting a new evil team, and knowing where the recurring characters came from is more a bonus than anything else.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' is a Level 3 in at least UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks -- while Mort Weisinger was the editor, his supporting cast, RoguesGallery, and mythology were slowly built upon, without readers requiring to have read any previous stories most of the time. ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' (also edited by Weisinger) followed this model but often moved into Level 4 as she was more likely to be involved in two or three part stories.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]

* Creator/DavidDrake's ''Literature/{{RCN}}'' novels make {{Call Back}}s to earlier books but mostly stand on their own. In only one case so far has a novel had an actual SequelHook, which turned out to be mostly a RedHerring: ''What Distant Deeps'' has Adele discover intelligence that sends Daniel and the crew to the location of ''The Road of Danger'', but once he gets there the information is handed off to a HeroOfAnotherStory and the heroes go off and do something else.

* Sitcoms that aren't level 2 tend to be this, e.g. ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' and ''Series/{{Friends}}''.

* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' falls here. Although story arcs are present from time to time and it has seen main characters get replaced, any differences between the episodes tend to be mostly cosmetic- the vast majority of episodes are simply the MysteryOfTheWeek where the storyline is introduced and wrapped up in the same episode, with arcs operating mostly in the background.
* From season 3 on, ''Series/BlueBloods'' drops the MythArc format for Jamie Reagan's plots and becomes much more episodic. There's still consistent CharacterDevelopment going on but there's no longer a formal story arc.

* ''Series/{{Unforgettable}}'' spent season 1 at level 4 but was switched to here after being UnCanceled and {{retool}}ed as a summer series. The MythArc of Carrie Wells investigating the cold case of her sister's murder is dropped completely, though it gets a ContinuityNod every once in a while.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* The ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' games have a stronger (level 4) continuity between cases within each game, but are this with respect to one another, featuring the same characters (bar ''Apollo Justice'') and explaining things like spirit mediums at the beginning of each game but otherwise having independent stories and not depending on the player knowing the previous games.
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' is level 0 without DLC. Each level is completely stand alone as far as the game leads you to believe. With the release of the DLC, it jumps to level 3 as we find out that the survivors ended up transitioning from one area to the next. ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' is pretty firmly level 3, with the start of the next area being a direct result of what happened at the end of the last. For example: fueling up a race car to escape from a zombie infested mall only results in them abandoning the car when they reach blocked traffic, thus having to travel through a dilapidated carnival on foot.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is a level 3, there are {{Continuity Nod}}s and {{Call Back}}s to previous episodes but with the exception of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon cer]][[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony tain]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E1TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 two]]-[[Recap/MyLittleponyFriendshipIsMagicS2E2TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 part]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 ep]][[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart2 is]][[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 od]][[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 es]] All the episodes are stand-alone.
** Moved up to a level 4 in season 4, having an arc related to [[spoiler:opening the box from the season beginning two parter.]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' is normally level 3 but occasionally goes into level 4, especially when a major event happens or characters go through major CharacterDevelopment, as well as in season 18.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', although episodic, does have CharacterDevelopment, [[CallBack Call Backs]], and status quo changes. Outside of Season Premieres, it's easy to understand what's going on even if you had never seen a single episode.

* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse that started with ''Film/IronMan'' is in this category, courtesy of Marvel deciding to create its own movie label after they were bought by Creator/{{Disney}}.
** The individual films (the ''Iron Man'' series, ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'', ''Film/{{Thor}}'', and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'') are pretty self-contained but each contributes to an ongoing MythArc that hit a climax with ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', which in turn used TheStinger to set up the next major villain, ComicBook/{{Thanos}}, who would take part in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''. Meanwhile Phase 2 of the MCU deals directly with some of the fallout from the climax of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' (i.e. ''Film/IronMan3'' Tony Stark has PTSD after nearly dying at the climax, ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' Loki is chastised for causing the alien invasion, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' SHIELD is gung-ho about stopping threats before they become threats).
** ''The Winter Soldier'' itself has its own ramifications for the MCU with the revelation that [[spoiler: HYDRA rebuilt itself from within SHIELD]]. While the only effect it has in later films is that the Avengers now work independently, in the TV series ''Series/AgentsOfShield'', the [[spoiler: revelation of HYDRA's continued existence]] loses some impact if you haven't seen ''The Winter Soldier'' before watching the final third of Season 1.

** The [[spoiler: Infinity Stones/Gems and their build-up to ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'']] will be lost on anyone who hasn't seen the key films where five of the six have respectively appeared so far.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' slides quickly from level 3 to here as the books become less "investigating a case" and more "investigating something deeply connected to just about everything else while dozens of old characters reappear and [[ChekhovsGun stuff that happened five books ago suddenly turns out to be vitally important]]," though there is still a plot with its own resolution in each book.
* Most of the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books are level 4.

* Most of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', though it started to [[ContinuityCreep edge towards level 5]] as the series went on.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'' would have about a fifty-fifty shot between standalone "monster of the week" episodes and heavy-duty MythArc. The MythArc eps sometimes cranked the scale all the way up to five, while monster of the week episodes were a 2.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' tends to do this in later seasons, as compared to the level 3 of the earlier ones. As it recaps all plot points relevant to the episode right before the episode, it's in no real danger of becoming level 5.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' post-2005. Pre-2005 ''DW'' is more a hybrid of level 4 and level 3, with 4-6 episode story arcs that have a strict continuity in themselves but overall have virtually no connection to each other. The only difference a casual viewer would notice between a season 10 story and a season 20 story is the [[TheNthDoctor new lead actor.]]
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and the series that followed it, ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' and ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]],'' wavered between this and level 3, but their use of longer-running arcs (compared to previous series) bumps them up the scale.

* The ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series is notably more lax about its continuity than its sister series ''Mass Effect'': while there are definitely several enduring {{Myth Arc}}s, each installment so far (including supplemental novels and comic mini-series) is a largely self-contained story that happens to push one or more overarching plots along. This is helped by the fact that individual installments usually focus on different (albeit often [[CharacterOverlap overlapping]]) main characters and are set in different parts of the world at different times; also, an occasional {{retcon}} by the writers prevents the established canon from being too reliable.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''

** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' have direct sequels and are the only main series games to do so. ''Black 2 and White 2'' can be played with no problems to their story, but it it is appreciated more if you've played ''Black and White'' first. There's even a feature where you can connect a ''Black 2'' or ''White 2'' game to a ''Black'' or ''White'' game and transfer the latter's data (such as the player's name and what team they had) to enhance the story further.

* ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' lands here, with the games themselves being standalone, but characters frequently reference past adventures, and the plotlines sometimes lead into one another, like the events of VideoGame/KingsQuestV being set into motion over events in VideoGame/KingsQuestIII (the BigBad of that game takes revenge for his brother being turned into a cat), and the events of VideoGame/KingsQuestVI built on events in VideoGame/KingsQuestV with many references to VideoGame/KingsQuestIII in dialogue and flavor text. There's also an incriminating letter in VideoGame/KingsQuestVI that hints that at least three of the previous villains may have been working together. It can get up to a 5 if you get your hands on a FanRemake or FanSequel like Creator/AGDInteractive's remakes of KQII and KQIII or ''VideoGame/TheSilverLining''.

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' is divided into storylines, which, while not necessarily self-contained, are by themselves more a bit more accessible than the comic-spanning larger story, which requires a full understanding of most things that have happened before to follow. And the EGS:NP {{B Side Comic|s}} is mostly level 1 with a few storylines having level 3 continuity with the main comic and one (the Playing With Dolls storyline) having level 5 continuity.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is mostly like this -- while the [[FanNickname Gaang]] is always traveling the world to find bending masters to teach Aang and there are plenty of {{Filler}}s that belong on level 3, there are pretty steady continuous developments on the villainous side that would be very jarring to anyone who just watched individual episodes here and there. Episodes almost always air with PreviouslyOn segments, though they don't explain everything.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' became this in season 4, having an arc related to [[spoiler:opening the box from the season beginning two parter.]], and having details of season 2 episodes come up in the season finale. Season 5 seems to be setting a similar trend.

* The eighteenth season of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' has each episode picking up from where the previous episode left off or takes a minor plot point from an earlier episode and goes into greater detail with it. This is lampshaded in episode 2, in which the unexpected increase in continuity plays a role in the plot.
* ''Franchise/{{Tabaluga}}'' animated adaptation season 3. Earlier seasons had only some changes, mostly near the beginning and end of series.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' jumped from what appeared to be Level 3 to 4 after the events of the two-parter "Mirror/Ocean Gem". With the introduction of [[spoiler:alien Gem Lapis Lazuli,]] it became apparent the Crystal Gems were on Earth for a reason and appear to be fearing contact with others off-planet. After the events of "The Message", [[spoiler:Peridot and Jasper]] shook up the status quo in a major way. Although many episodes feature self-contained stories, the show has a tendency to sneak in bits of characterization and seemingly innocuous dialogue that can pop up in later episodes to be revealed as critical to the plot without warning. The most important details will be briefly summarized, but most of the significant CharacterDevelopment and hints of it's MythArc will not, and rewards careful examination of background details. After a few episodes in season 2, the show's jumped to level 5.

* In general, Full Lockout is extremely common in anime. Especially in 13 or 26 episode series as they are devoid of filler and even more so when they are short anime series based on pre-existing material (usually manga).

* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', especially as it goes on (though the Parallel Works are level 0).

* Many {{Crisis Crossover}}s assume that not only have you read all the previous and tie in issues of the event but also that you are familiar with events published much further in the past. Fallout from the original ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths affected the DCU from 1986 until the new-52 reboot in 2011.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'' later on, though the first season or so was more level 4.
* ''Series/{{Damages}}'' is level 5, due to the AnachronicOrder and following the case instead of a MonsterOfTheWeek format.

* ''Series/RaumschiffGamestar'': The series swung between level 5 (Full Lockout) in seasons 1, 2, and 4 and level 4 (Arc-based Episodic) in seasons 3 and 5, occasionally tapping into level 3 (Subtle Continuity) at some points in the third and fourth seasons.

* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' fits here to a similar degree as ''Series/BabylonFive'', with the first season and a half being pretty episodic but featuring continuous story arcs in the background. After about the middle of season 2, the importance of knowing the continuity rapidly ramps up because the show starts to verge on LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters and the various arcs begin to interconnect frequently.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' may perhaps be the most continuity-heavy cartoon to date. Barring the first season, each season directly leads into the next, with the resulting fallout shaping the events of each. Although the villains and arcs they generate were separate, the characters and global politics constantly changed. By season 3, it'd more or less become an adult drama that just so happened to be in animated form.
* Though covered on the earlier point, ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' received a further jump midway through season 2 and hasn't looked back. The show's gone beyond the occasional two-part episode and heavy background plot to long stretches of continuous storytelling. The Peridot arc featured 4 episodes, took a brief respite to detail Garnet's backstory and a one-off episode, followed by 3 episodes in a row to resolve it, then 6 episodes in a row dealing with the Cluster and its aftermath. The season 3 finale featured a four-parter, and the fourth season arc to [[spoiler:retrieve Greg from Blue Diamond]] was a five-parter that leaves off seconds after the last episode stops, hinging on the aforementioned Garnet backstory. If you missed that one, you're going to be very confused.

** ''KOF'' currently has four {{arc}}s: The [[SNKBoss Rugal]] Saga (the first title, ''[='94=]''), The {{Orochi}} Saga (''[='95=]''-''[='98=]''), The [[NebulousEvilOrganisation NESTS]] Chronicles (''[='99=]''-''2002''), and The Tales of [[TheTrickster Ash]] (the most recent saga, ''2003''-''XIII''). While it's not too bad with The NESTS Chronicles (as the protagonist of those titles, K', distances himself from previous hero Kyo despite [[CloneByConversion being genetically engineered with his DNA]]), The Tales of Ash almost ''requires'' that you played the first four games given that ''2003'' introduces a plot to [[SealedEvilInACan unseal]] [[BigBad Orochi]] and the children of Rugal. This is made worse if you look past the main plot and focus on the supporting cast, as you then have to deal with allusions and plot points carried over from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'', ''Athena''/''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', ''Buriki One'', etc. as well as interconnected subplots involving the Dragon Spirit inside of [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Kensou]] and the Hizoku clan of assassins [[ArcFatigue that haven't been resolved]] since ''1999''. While it's ContinuityPorn and {{Fanservice}} for those who have followed Creator/{{SNK}} since its heyday, it's borderline ContinuityLockout for anyone else. Remember that this series [[ContinuityCreep originally]] existed as [[MascotFighter a storyless gathering of fighters]].

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. From [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories the second game]] onward the games head straight into KudzuPlot with any detail potentially {{foreshadowing}} future games (Xigbar's cryptic lines in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'' being an example). ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'' has "memoirs" thought that record the plots of the preceeding games and unlocks them when a ContinuityNod[=/=]CallBack to the respective game first occurs. This makes the series a Level 4 at least, though without that game it still remains at 5.

* When it comes to the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' franchise, if you aren't starting from [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid square one]] (or the ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater other]]'' square one, or the ''[[VideoGame/MetalGear other]]'' other one), you'll be able to make more sense of a story by vomiting up alphabet soup, since the series has an ''extremely'' complex, continuity-driven plot that is still almost impossible to decipher even if you play the games in order.

* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' currently has four {{arc}}s: The [[SNKBoss Rugal]] Saga (the first title, ''[='94=]''), The {{Orochi}} Saga (''[='95=]''-''[='98=]''), The [[NebulousEvilOrganisation NESTS]] Chronicles (''[='99=]''-''2002''), and The Tales of [[TheTrickster Ash]] (the present-day saga, having started in ''2003''). While it's not too bad with The NESTS Chronicles (as the protagonist of those titles, K', distances himself from previous hero Kyo despite being genetically-engineered with his DNA), The Tales of Ash almost ''requires'' that you played the first four games. This is made worse if you look past the main plot and focus on the supporting cast, as you then have to deal with allusions and plot points carried over from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'', ''Athena''/''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', ''Buriki One'', etc. While it's ContinuityPorn and {{Fanservice}} for those who have followed Creator/SNKPlaymore since its heyday, it's borderline-ContinuityLockout for anyone else. Remember that this series [[ContinuityCreep originally]] existed as [[MascotFighter a storyless gathering of fighters]].
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. From the second game onward the games head straight into KudzuPlot with any detail potentially {{Foreshadowing}} future games (Xigbar's cryptic lines in ''II'' being an example). ''Dream Drop Distance'' has "memoirs" thought that record the plots of the preceeding games and unlocks them when a ContinuityNod[=/=]CallBack to the respective game first occurs. Making the games a Level 4 at least. (though without that game it still remains at 5)

* While ''Franchise/DragonBall'' has a great amount of continuity about it, in a larger sense the various entries into the franchise almost always invoke Negative Continuity in relation to each other, [[WordOfGod especially if they aren't written]] by Creator/AkiraToriyama. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' manga forms the base from which all others are related by, but almost no works that expand the plot can ever be compatible with the others.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' contradicts with ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', which itself is based upon the [[Anime/DragonBallZ anime]], not the manga. Meanwhile, ''[[Anime/DragonBallEpisodeOfBardock Episode of Bardock]]'' was referenced in the manga, but would later be contradicted with ''Dragon Ball Minus'', which means ''Episode of Bardock'' is only canon to the anime.[[/note]] Movies get this the worst, slotting themselves into a hypothetical status quo that is similar to but not exactly the same as a point in time in the show.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallZTheTreeOfMight'' has Goku alive and use the Kaio-Ken technique, alongside his friends Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Piccolo. However in the show Goku learns Kaio-Ken after being killed, and by the time he's restored back to life, his aforementioned friends are dead themselves. Various machinations in the story mean that Goku and his remaining pals are too injured and/or busy for the film to slot in neatly.[[/note]] Trying to sort this out causes more harm than good for many fans, and [[ShrugOfGod the creators are none too bothered by it]] and prefer to instead focus on writing [[TropesAreTools interesting and]] [[RuleOfCool cool stories]] than be bothered about how every single entry fits with the rest.

* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'' is becoming this.

* There are certain games within the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' that are directly related to each other (''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' being a distant prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'', and similarly ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' being a distant prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfZesteria'' being the only non-number pairs,) but otherwise are unrelated games that merely share similar battle systems and DeconstructorFleet storywriting tendencies.

* There are certain games within the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' that are directly related to each other (the only one that isn't a numbered sequel is ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' being a distant prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'',) but otherwise are unrelated games that merely share similar battle systems and DeconstructorFleet storywriting tendencies.

* The early installments in the Creator/MarvelComics movies fall here. Until ''Film/IronMan1'', each IP was licensed to a different studio, so although some of them got sequels each series is unconnected to the others. The films in this category are the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'', ''Film/BladeTrilogy'', ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', ''Film/FantasticFour2005'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''/''Film/{{Elektra}}'', and ''[[Film/GhostRider Ghost]] [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance Rider]]''. ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' is the odd man out, with ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' written as a BroadStrokes sequel rather than a straight reboot (although it is not canonical to the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which the latter is a part of).[[note]]Though there was an earlier attempt to create a [[SharedUniverse shared cinematic universe]] with the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies, as well as plans for a Silver Surfer spin-off movie, an X-Men/Fantastic Four/Daredevil crossover movie, and adding in ComicBook/TheInhumans and ComicBook/BlackPanther onto the Fantastic Four sequels; there had been separate attempts to add the Spider-Man Trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man series into the MCU before rebooting the film franchise completely; and ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' was intended to take place in the X-Men film universe but its TroubledProduction and BoxOfficeBomb nixed the idea.[[/note]]

* The early installments in the Creator/MarvelComics movies fall here. Until ''Film/IronMan1'', each IP was licensed to a different studio, so although some of them got sequels each series is unconnected to the others. The films in this category are the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'', ''Film/BladeTrilogy'', ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', ''Film/FantasticFour2005'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''/''Film/{{Elektra}}'', and ''[[Film/GhostRider Ghost]] [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance Rider]]''. ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' is the odd man out, with ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' written as a BroadStrokes sequel rather than a straight reboot (although it is not canonical to the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which the latter is a part of).[[note]]Though there was an earlier attempt to create a [[SharedUniverse shared cinematic universe]] with the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies, as well as plans for a Silver Surfer spin-off movie and adding in ComicBook/TheInhumans and ComicBook/BlackPanther; there had been separate attempts to add the Spider-Man Trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man series into the MCU before rebooting the film franchise completely; and ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' was intended to take place in the X-Men film universe but its TroubledProduction and BoxOfficeBomb nixed the idea.[[/note]]

* While ''Manga/DragonBall'' has a great amount of continuity about it, in a larger sense the various entries into the franchise almost always invoke Negative Continuity in relation to each other, especially if they aren't written by [[WordOfGod Akira Toriyama]]. The manga forms the base from which all others are related by, but almost no works that expand the plot can ever be compatible with the others.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' contradicts with ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', which itself is based upon the [[Anime/DragonBallZ anime]], not the manga. Meanwhile, ''[[Anime/DragonBallEpisodeOfBardock Episode of Bardock]]'' was referenced in the manga, but would later be contradicted with ''Dragon Ball Minus'', which means ''Episode of Bardock'' is only canon to the anime.[[/note]] Movies get this the worst, slotting themselves into a hypothetical status quo that is similar to but not exactly the same as a point in time in the show.[[note]]For example, ''Anime/DragonBallZTheTreeOfMight'' has Goku alive and use the Kaio-Ken technique, alongside his friends Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Piccolo. However in the show Goku learns Kaio-Ken after being killed, and by the time he's restored back to life, his aforementioned friends are dead themselves. Various machinations in the story mean that Goku and his remaining pals are too injured and/or busy for the film to slot in neatly.[[/note]] Trying to sort this out causes more harm than good for many fans, and [[ShrugOfGod the creators are none too bothered by it]] and prefer to instead focus on writing [[TropesAreTools interesting and]] [[RuleOfCool cool stories]] than be bothered about how every single entry fits with the rest.