Although the ‘Fate’ series is massively successful, beginners find it hard to go through this anime series. Often things get confusing as beginner weebs do not understand Fate series watch order. Studio Deen was the one who started the anime adaptations of Fate, but it was Fate/Zero by Studio Ufotable that began all the craze! Even Netflix has some of its original Fate series!
The Fate anime series gets so confusing at times that even the most hardcore fans find it difficult to follow the completely different timelines interwoven with complex characters. So, we present to you the complete guide to watch the Fate anime series.
What is Fate?
Fate was originally a visual light novel which is an interactive computer game where the players interact with a story and take different routes depending on the choices. The original plot offered three routes which were later adapted as different anime series. Another game called Hollow ataraxia also released in 2005.
Many spin-offs, novels, manga, anime and more set-in alternate timelines and universes have since been released as part of the Fate series. Fate anime series are tied together by the Holy Grail war, which is a battle royal between seven Masters and seven Servants they summon. Each Servant is based on a legendary hero from the past like Hercules, William Shakespeare and others, though their names are different.
It has been running for quite a long time, for which catching up with all the parts of the Fate anime series might be quite hectic right now. However, there are some ways you can watch it all in chronological order. There’s a chronological way to watch the completely different timeline of the Fate series, which is based on the release time.
However, if you do not want to enter the Fate universe, we have an order for you to follow while you watch the Fate series. The story revolves around the Holy Grail wars, and the Fate world begins in the Fifth Holy Grail war. Of course, there are certain spin-offs and movies too. We will explain everything as we proceed with the article!
Chronological Order to Watch the Fate Series
1. Fate/Zero
The first in the Fate franchise is Fate/Zero, a light novel by Gen Urobuchi. It is the prequel of Fate/stay night and tells the story of Fate 10 years ago. It was also a game produced by Type-Moon. Watch Fate/Zero at first to understand the Fate anime series better. The first Fate/Zero is the place where everything began and should be the first in the fate series watch order.
Starting from the Masters and Servants- all the events about the Holy Grail war, Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven’s feel started here. It features the younger versions of the Fate/Stay Night characters. The protagonist is Kiritsugu Emiya of the Emiya family, the foster father of Shirou Emiya and stars other characters like their parent’s relatives.
You will understand the Fate series the best if you start with Fate/Zero as it tells the story of obtaining the Holy Grail, a magical chalice.
2. Fate/Stay Night
Next is to watch Fate/stay night was actually a visual novel. Type moon developed the game Fate as a trilogy with three Fate routes. The three Fate routes are Fate, Unlimited Blade Works, and Heaven’s Feel. Studio Deen later made the anime version in 2006. This is the fate franchise’s original Fate/stay night TV anime.
The manga series was developed after the visual novel, which gained immense popularity. This part is about the Fifth Holy Grail War, where warriors fight at the behest of some families and summon heroes throughout human history to combat their opponents. The battle is for the Holy Grail, where Masters call on a Servant to fight on their behalf.
The simple teenager- Shirou Emiya, enters the war. He trains himself to become a mage to fight in the Holy Grail War. He has to do so because Lancer chased him and witnessed the Holy Grail war. The Servant wins by killing the other Servants or by eliminating their Master.
Saber comes to his aid at the last minute, and the story starts! Shirou enters as a Master after the emergence of some markings on his palm. Saber is extremely powerful, and we later get to know that the winner of the Fourth Holy Grail War was Saber.
3. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works occurs after Fate/Stay Night. This timeline differs from Fate/Stay Night’s actual plot. The story picks up with Rin Tohsaka, a mage girl from Shirou’s school. She could use magic quite fiercely. Rin summons Archer w Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works’ route proceeds with the protagonist- Archer as the servant of Rin.
Following the events of Fate/Stay Night, when Lancer almost kills Shirou, Rin gets Sakura Matou to revive him. After many struggles, Archer and Saber are successful in destroying the Holy Grail. Unlimited Blade Works’ True Ending shows that Rin and Saber go to London and get into a relationship while studying magic.
4. Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel
This is the third final route of the original Fate series. After the Unlimited Blade Works events, the anime picks up its pace with Sakura Matou. We later get to know that she is actually Rin’s sister. Produced by Studio Ufotable, Sakura and Shirou deal with the hurdles of the war of the Holy Grail, helping each other.
The visual novel of Type-Moon: Fate/Stay Night was adapted by Studio Ufotable to turn into a trilogy. Having three parts set in an alternate universe, Shirou and Sakura fight hard, and Shirou saves Sakura two times. This is the main order of watching Fate.
You can watch different routes later to understand more about the events of Fate. Of course, there are other spin-offs and movies of the anime series. But, if you watch these, all your questions will be answered.
5. Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya
Next in the series Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya, which follows an elementary student. Illyasviel von Einzbern is a regular elementary school student who transforms into a magical girl after the magical Kaleidostick Ruby decides she is a better master than Rin Tohsaka, the sorceress. The wizard Zelretch told rin to gather the Class Cards containing the Heroic Spirits from legend.
She finds herself unable to persuade Ruby to change her mind and must instead supervise Illya in accomplishing the mission. During Illya’s adventures, she meets Miyu, the contractual master of the Kaleidostick Sapphire, which had abandoned its former master and Rin’s competitor, Luvia Edelfelt, in a similar fashion.
Kuro, a dark-skinned girl who bears a striking likeness to Illya, appears and complicates their life by attempting to eliminate Illya. Irisviel, Illya’s mother, appears suddenly and states that Kuro would’ve been the Holy Grail in the Holy Grail War.
The trio encounters Gilgamesh, Class Card 7, who reveals that Miyu was the Holy Grail in a parallel world before she got absorbed. Illya gives Kuro the mana she needs to keep her physical form alive and welcomes her into the Einzbern family. Bazett Fraga McRemitz, previously in-charge of obtaining the Class Cards, attacks the group. A truce is agreed upon when Rin reveals an eighth Class Card.
Illya transforms into Kaleido Liner Zwei by combining the Kaleidostick Ruby and Sapphire, giving her the ability to fight Gilgamesh and save Miyu. This triumph is short-lived, as Miyu is abducted and carried away into the parallel universe by the Ainsworth family.
6. Fate/Grand Order (Anime Movie)
After Prisma Illya, next in chronological order is an anime movie called Grand Order. The year is 2015, and this is the final age of magic. Caldea is an organization created to keep an eye on both the magical and scientific worlds and prevent humanity’s extinction.
The organization issues a Grand Order for a “Holy Grail Expedition” intending to explore, expose, and possibly destroy the singularity that caused humanity’s extinction.
Ritsuka Fujimaru will have to make some tough decisions and sacrifices that will affect whether they become a savior or a killer. Ritsuka has been tasked with overseeing the Singularity Subspecies once more and uncovering the deeper mysteries of their existence. Goredolf Musik would then be in charge of Chaldea.
Goredolf was revealed to be a scapegoat in a hostile takeover by an unknown organization working with the Foreign God to destroy Chaldea and contemporary human history, reverting the globe to the Age of Gods. Ritsuka, Mash, and the other Chaldea members boarded the Shadow Borde, an autonomous warship.
7. Fate Apocrypha
Next in the Fate series is Apocrypha. Fate/stay night occurs in a parallel universe to Fate/Apocrypha. Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia captures the Greater Grail during the Third Holy Grail War. The Yggdmillennia clan launches war on the Mage’s Association, pitting two teams of Servants against one another. Kairi Shishigou, a necromancer hired by the Clock Tower, summons the Saber-class Mordred.
Shirou and his Servant, Semiramis, conquer the other Red masters by absorbing their command spells. Yggdmillennia relies on homunculi to provide the mana required to keep the Servants alive. Astolfo aids a fleeing male homunculus. Siegfried makes the ultimate sacrifice by giving the infant his lovely heart when the homunculus is badly damaged during the escape attempt.
8. Fate Extra Last Encore
Another wholly separated timeline is that of Extra Last Encore in the Fate series. In a parallel universe, the 50-year-old theft of the Holy Grail sparks a new conflict between the Mages Association and the rebellious Ygdillemna Family. Tsukimihara Academy is populated by Earth-projected souls with even the tiniest chance of becoming a “Master.”
The Academy begins a purge after selecting all of the Masters, destroying all living lifeforms. After waking up in a pool of his own blood, Hakuno Kishinami refuses to die. He resolves to fight for his life, motivated by enigmatic feelings of hatred.
While attempting to elude a relentless pursuer, Hakuno uncovers a crimson sword hidden in the ground; by retrieving it, he summons his Servant, Saber, who kills his pursuer in a shower of rose petals. Hakuno now has to continue his journey to the Moon.
9. Fate Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia
The final edition in the Fate anime series is Grand Order: Zettai Majju Sensen Babylonia. After winning the Camelot Singularity, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight are transported to the last Singularity. They embark on a quest to ensure the survival of humanity in Ancient Mesopotamia.
Ritsuka and Mash must now work together to destroy the three wicked Goddesses’ alliance and put an end to the bloodthirsty creatures that are threatening humanity’s future. Uruk, a fortress city that acts as the forefront in the struggle against the monsters, is humanity’s last stronghold amid chaos and terror.
King Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, is in charge of the battlefront. The foundations of mankind have been set ablaze by the Mage King Solomon. Chaldea, a secret guild of magicians dedicated to rescuing humanity’s destiny, predicted humanity’s demise in 2015. The operation to restore the Singularities in history produced by Holy Grails spread throughout time and space began with Effort Grand Order.
Release Order of the Fate Series
1. Fate/Stay Night (Anime)
- Director: Yuji Yamaguchi
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Noriaki Sugiyama, Kate Higgins, Candice Moore.
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Site: Netflix
- Year: 2006
2. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works (Movie)
- Director: Takahiro Muira
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Mela Lee, Bryce Papenbrook, Noriaki Sugiyama.
- IMDb Ratings: 8
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2010
3. Fate/Zero (Anime)
- Director: Ei Aoki
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Ayako Kawasumi, Kari Wahlgren, Sayaka Ôhara.
- IMDb Ratings: 8.3
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2011
4. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works (Anime)
- Director: Takahiro Miura
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Noriaki Sugiyama, Ayako Kawasumi, Junichi Suwabe, Kana Ueda, Hiroshi Kamiya.
- IMDb Ratings: 8
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2014
5. Fate/Grand Order-First Order (TV Anime Movie)
- Director: Hitoshi Nanba
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Rie Takahashi, Madoka Yonezawa.
- IMDb Ratings: 5.6
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2016
6. Fate/Apocrypha (Anime)
- Director: Erica Mendez
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Maaya Sakamoto, Rumi Okubo.
- IMDb Ratings: 6.5
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2016
7. Fate/Stay Night Heaven’s Feel (Movie Trilogy)
- Director: Tomonori Sudô
- Writer: Kinoko Nasu
- Cast: Yu Asakawa, Mai Kadowaki, Jôji Nakata.
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2017
8. Fate/Extra Last Encore (Anime)
- Director: Yukihiro Miyamoto
- Writer: Robina
- Cast: Atsushi Abe, Christine Marie Cabanos, Jessica Gee-George.
- IMDb Ratings: 5.4
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Year: 2018
Fate/Stay, Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero are the three authentic main routes incorporated in the visual novel. There are three main routes, each route having an individual love interest. The spin-off series is as follows:
- (2013) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya
- (2014) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!
- (2015) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei Herz!
- (2016) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 3rei!!
- (2017) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Oath Under Snow
Other than these spin-off series, another web-based anime series that airs monthly is Today’s Menu for the Emiya family. This series doesn’t focus on the Holy Grail War at all. Rather it shows anime fans their favorite Fate characters preparing home-cooked meals together. It showcases traditional Japanese home recipes explained cutely by Shirou.
You can avail all of the Fate anime spin-offs on Netflix.
What Route Should You Follow?
For beginners who are planning to get started with the Fate anime, this is the main and original route to follow. Fate/Zero- Fate/stay night- Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works- Fate/stay night Heaven’s Feel is the ultimate order if you want to know the entire series in a short period of time. You can watch the side stories or a spin-off later at your convenience.
There are other ways of starting Fate-
1. You can Complete the Series by Watching Only the Anime.
Studio Deen and Studio Ufotable made all the TV anime series. Here, it will be easier for you to navigate through the series as the movies, spinoffs, and OVAs might be too difficult to grasp together at once. Out of which, you are bound to enjoy the Ufotable version more as fans claim it makes more sense.
2. You can Include Visual Novels too.
The unadulterated route of Fate can only be found via its visual novels. You can avail all the information about anime best if you start through this route. You can play the games and then starts with the Blade Unlimited Works.
3. You can Follow that Anime with Regard to the Release Order
Different versions of the anime have been released at different times with an individual route. Many fans try to do this, but the popularity of this method varies from person to person.
The fanbase of the anime series- ‘Fate’ is vast indeed. So, you won’t face a problem getting any help once you start watching Fate. Comment down below which Fate anime adaptations are your personal favorite, and don’t forget to share with your friends! Do let us know if we have missed out on anything.
