If there’s this anime that has gained a considerable amount of praise among its fans compared to other shows, it has to be “Fate/stay night.” Its story is epic.
Now “Fate/stay night” is actually a franchise consisting not only of visual novels but also light novels, animes, and movies. Similar to animes like “Dragon Ball,” “Fate/stay night” comes as a series.
So for those who want to watch the anime chronologically in order to witness the story unfold in a proper timeline, you might want to check out this guide which will discuss the appropriate order to watch the “Fate/stay night” animes and movies. Let’s get started.
The Watch Order For The ‘Fate’ Series Canon
With so many shows under the “Fate” series, things can really get confusing, and you don’t want to get mixed up with the flow of the story. So, refer to this list to know which show to get started with, as well as what to skip. The main watch order for the “Fate” series is as follows:
- “Fate/Zero” (2011)
- “Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” (2014)
- “Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel” (movie trilogy)
- “Fate/stay night” (2006) (optional)
Following are further details about each of them.
‘Fate/Zero’ (2011)
“Fate/Zero” is an anime adaptation of the “Fate” series’ light novels, written by Gen Urobuchi. This anime follows the famous mage killer, Kiritsugu Emiya. Originally, the anime is a prequel.
Moreover, “Fate/Zero” also offers a substantial depth into the history of the Grail Wars, including its complexities. The anime follows Kiritsugu as he joins the Fourth Holy Grail War.
“Fate/Zero” happens in the city of Fuyuki and serves as the main bridge between the other two animes. It consists of two seasons.
‘Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works’ (2014)
Obviously, if you refer back to the list earlier, “Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” is a sequel to “Fate/Zero.” But it differs because it focuses on an orphan, Shirou Emiya, whom the late Kiritsugu raised. Before he passed away, Kiritsugu taught Shirou all the essentials of magecraft and passed on his principles to the latter.
Aside from Shirou, the story also gives the spotlight to Rin Tohsaka, the leading lady in this series, who is also a powerful mage and Shirou’s love interest throughout the story. Forming a strong bond with friends and rivals, they fight in the Holy Grail War.
“Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” also follows Shirou’s participation in the Fifth Holy Grail War, becoming the master of Kiritsugu’s servant, Artoria Pendragon. The anime spans two seasons.
‘Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel’ Movie Trilogy
To follow the events in the series in the correct order, the next you should find yourself watching is the “Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel” film trilogy. The films in this trilogy are as follows:
- Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel Part 1 – presage flower (2017)
- Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel Part 2 – lost butterfly (2019)
- Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel Part 3 – spring song (2020)
The trilogy actually serves as a finale of the canon story of the series. In this movie trilogy, alongside Shirou, the leading lady, Sakura Matou, is his friend from childhood.
Aside from being connected with the Holy Grail Wars’ history, Sakura’s past is also tied with the person behind the murders of the Grail War participant.
The end of the third part, “spring song,” marks the canonical ending of the series.
If you wish to keep going, but what follows is totally optional, you may want to watch the 2006 “Fate/stay night.”
‘Fate/stay night’ (2006)
Unlike “Unlimited Blade Works,” this 2016 story has characters more fleshed-out.
It is recommended that you watch this too, but if not, it is totally fine as well.
The Other ‘Fate’ Series
But wait, there are more shows in the series that you might want to watch, especially if you want to draw yourself closer to the story. Aside from the shows enumerated above, the rest of the “Fate” series serves as spin-offs. There is no particular order of watching, but the shows we are talking about are as follows:
- “Fate/Grand Order”
- “Fate/Apocrypha”
- “Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya”
- “Fate/EXTRA Last Encore”
- “Fate/Prototype”
- “Fate/Strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn”
Take note that “Fate/Strange Fake” is the only anime on the list that takes place in a whole new different visual novel universe, the Tsukihime.
Also note that though you can watch these spin-offs in any order, “Fate/Grand Order” and “Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya” have multiple sub-series under their wings. Here, there is a watch order. Keep reading to find out.
‘Fate/Grand Order’
The sub-series under “Fate/Grand Order” are as follows (in order):
- “Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia – Initium Inter”
- “Fate/Grand Order Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot – Wandering; Agateram” (movie)
- “Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot 2 – Paladin; Agateram” (film and sequel to “Camelot”)
- “Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia”
- “Fate/Grand Order: Final Singularity Grand Temple of Time: Solomon”
‘Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya’
“Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya” also has sub-shows under its wing. They are as follows. You can watch them in this order:
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya”
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!”
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei! Herz”
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya 3rei!”
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow”
- “Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Licht Nameless Girl”
- An upcoming film with no title yet
‘Fate/Zero’ And ‘Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works’: Clearing The Doubts
What you learned about above are the shows in the “Fate” series and their watch order. However, you may raise your concerns over which to watch first: “Fate/Zero” or “Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works”? You are not alone.
While we have set out that the first to watch is “Fate/Zero,” some visual novel readers say it makes more sense to begin with “Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” since this part clears out the questions in the story more than the other.
Newbies can actually start with either of the two, but if you ask us, we recommend starting with “Fate/Zero,” as what’s been pointed out earlier since this serves as the prequel. The events in “Fate/Zero” are the main events of the story it sets out.
About The ‘Fate’ Franchise
As a way to conclude, we are going to tell you about the “Fate” franchise. We prefer going this way since there are various titles under this series, not just “Fate/stay night.”
“Fate” is a franchise that has evolved from being a Japanese visual novel, at first, to being adapted not just to anime series but also to movies and even games. Since the shows in the franchise are varied, there are also various main characters.
