Are you thinking of watching the fate anime series but confused about where to start? What is the fate anime series in order? Then firstly, congratulations. You are not alone!
You are among the thousands of this Dark Fantasy Seinen lovers who are looking for a fate series watch order. Since the saga of fate series debuted in 2006 and includes four seasons and more episodes, it creates confusion due to its long journey and lots of extras/specials.
So, this is why I’m here to break this confusion and tell you the right order of the fate series and where to watch the fate/zero anime series. Read the post till the end to avoid further confusion. Let’s start.
What is Fate anime series? | Fate series watch order
The Fate series is an adaptation of the original Fate/stay night visual novel, which was authored by Type-Moon and published in 2004.
Shirou Emiya, the protagonist, is compelled to participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War, a competition where strong Masters gather Servants and engage in combat for control of the Holy Grail, which will award the winner one desire.
Because there are so many graphic novels, game consoles, anime adaptations, spin-offs, and movies in the fate franchise, it can be hard to comprehend the franchise as a whole (and this is why I’m here!).
Shirou Emiya, the main character of Fate Night’s distinctive visual fiction, is followed in the first way. He runs into Servants Lancer and Saber one day, and the latter claims him to be her Master, irrespective of the fact that he is only a student in high school and a novice mage.
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If you’re interested in learning more about the Fate universe, you should try to figure out how the series should be watched and where it all started. Must follow the below chronological order.
Fate anime series watch order? Where to start watching Fate series?
I’m going to tell you the right fate series watch order; regardless of what other people believe, I’m presenting my personal perspective whether you agree with me or not. But if you adhere to the timeline I’m going to share, I promise you won’t look back on it. Let’s begin.
Note:- There is a lot of confusion due to the visual novel and their anime adaptation as well due to its prequels/sequels/extras and all. So, there are two ways to follow the right order of fate/stay/zero, as mentioned below. This anime series is available on Netflix, and I’m adding the fate series link for your convenience.
Chronological order –
- Fate/Zero (2011-12)
- Fate/stay night 2006
- Unlimited Blade Works (2014-15)
- Heaven’s Feel Trilogy (2017)
Released order –
- Fate/stay night 2006
- Fate/Zero (2011-12)
- Unlimited Blade Works (2014-15)
- Heaven’s Feel Trilogy (2017)
As you can see, the only difference in both of them is the watch order of the 1st and 2nd parts. I would recommend watching the chronological order rather than the actually released order. It means you must follow fate watch orders like Fate zero, Fate stay night, unlimited blade works, and heavens feel.
Because Fate/zero, which was released later, is actually the prequel to Fate zero and contains a lot of spoilers that definitely disappoint you. Now, I’m going to discuss you in little detail so that you can understand why you should follow the recommended chronological order.
1. Fate/Zero (2011-12) – The First Fate Series In Watch Order
This is meant to be a precursor to Fate/Stay Night, actually occurring ten years earlier than later. Since seeing Fate/Stay Night before this will be pointless if you get to see the historical events after they have truly occurred, I will recommend that you watch this first.
You might be a little perplexed if you watch Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works or the 2006 adaption before Fate/Zero. Additionally, some of the series’ heroes simply appear without much background information, although Fate/Zero does provide some of it.
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Even though die-hard fans might object, this is the perfect place to begin for people who are new to the series and want to get a feel for the story.
2. Fate/stay night 2006 – The Second Fate Series In Watch Order
Although chronologically the first path in the Fate series, this adaptation does a poor job of staying close to the original (Visual Novel). Furthermore, the other versions are much superior to this one. The plot is based on the Fate path, although it incorporates elements from other paths, making it a cliffhanger.
Fate/Stay Night (2006) takes the crown for the most spoilers you’ll get from the other 2 routes, in contrast to Fate/Zero, about which some Fate fans grumbled about the minor ones.
3. Unlimited Blade Works 2014 – The Third Fate Series In Watch Order
The second adaption, which debuted in 2014 and was entirely distinct from the first two, was produced by the renowned animation company (UFOTABLE).
It reflects the Unlimited Blade Works track and, to a significant extent, the second way of the visual novel in the franchise. This anime adaptation was made with top-notch animation and cinematography.
The very same tale is presented in two very distinct timescales in the two forms of Unlimited Blade Works: a television series and a motion picture. Without a doubt, the series is the better option here. Tohsaka Rin is the primary central character in this adaptation, which is based on the Unlimited Blade Works option.
4. Heaven’s Feel Trilogy 2017 – The Fourth Fate Series In Watch Order
UFOTABLE released a three-part film adaptation of Heaven’s Feel. The first two films are already available, and the third, whose release was delayed by COVID, will be available very soon.
Since Ufotable’s Fate projects are best experienced as successors to one another, Heaven’s Feel presupposes that spectators have watched Unlimited Blade Works and possibly Fate/Zero.
Another darker option is all that the movie is interested in exploring. Though some people contend that II. Lost Butterfly, the sequel, is even better than the first in the franchise.
Fans lacking knowledge of the light novel’s setting could still discover a lot to appreciate in the films, which look stunning and are done with usual Ufotable excellence.
The Spin-offs
Although the original Fate series watch order is already discussed above yet, you can enjoy some spin-offs if you still love to watch more.
These are standalone narratives that take place in the Fate universe or alternate worlds, as some people prefer to refer to them. Although the individuals are different, the structure is the same in the spin-offs and the original one.
These include the recently released Fate/Grand Order, Fate/Extra Last Encore, and Fate/Apocrypha. Since they don’t, as far as I’m aware, have anything to do with the plot of Fate/Stay Night, you are free to watch them in any sequence you choose.
However, you don’t need to follow any order to watch fate spin-offs; I still recommend the following order:
- Fate/kaleid
- Carnival Phantasm
- Fate/Apocrypha
- Fate/Extra: Last Encore
Final words
This is the Fate series watch order that you must follow, in my opinion, if you beginning to watch the fate anime series.
Normally, the anime series has the same release and chronological order, which make it quite easier for viewers about what to watch and what should be followed by other.
But this is not the case for the Fate/zero/stay anime series. If you follow the wrong order, you will be disappointed due to spoilers in succeeding parts.
For example, Fate/stay night and Fate/Zero were released over a gap of 6 years. Now, if you watch Fate/stay first (which comes first), then you will not able to enjoy Fate/zero as you already know a bit of background.
That’s why it is a must to follow the right fate series watch order, as discussed in this article. If you have already watched all four parts, then you can go for spin-offs/extras. However, if you’re a die-hard fan of the fate series, you probably watched every episode.
In this case, I request you to leave your valuable comment on the right order of fate anime series that should be followed. I love to hear your opinions.