The Fate anime series and movies can seem daunting to jump into, especially if you feel like you’re late to the party and have no clue where to begin. But fear not—you’re not the only one who’s felt that way! We’ve taken on the challenge of offering our own perspective on the most enjoyable order to watch the Fate anime movies and series.
1. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works | Series
The Fate franchise (which has some of the best anime characters of all time) is actually based on a visual novel (VN) made by Type-Moon. In typical VN fashion, the original game has multiple endings, so the goal of a few of its anime adaptations has been to reflect those routes in their own individual stories. It’s a nice convenience for viewers to have a contained story to follow.
What is it about? It follows the story of Emiya Shirou and Rin Tohsaka as they battle in a Holy Grail war with their servants, reincarnated versions of legendary heroes.
Why we like it: As a TV series that serves as one of the three main routes in the VN, Unlimited Blade Works is a pretty convenient start. It eases you into the stakes while providing an authentic sense of grandeur, thanks to the amazing animation by Ufotable. If you’re going to watch the Fate anime in order, start here.
2. Fate/Zero | Series
What is it about? This entry in the Fate series is actually a prequel to Unlimited Blade Works, so it gives some more context to Emiya and a few characters in the world of Fate/Stay Night. Yet we recommend that you watch it after Unlimited Blade Works, thanks to its exploration of Shirou Emiya’s adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the characters in UBW and experience a more complicated tale at the same time.
Why we like it: Fate/Zero has a darker tone and delves a bit deeper into the magic of the Fate series, so you’ll be better equipped to follow along after seeing UBW.
3. Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel (1, 2, 3) | Movies
Once you’re done with UBW and Fate/Zero, you’ve pretty much given yourself a respectable level of Fate knowledge, and you can move on to the movies that were released over the course of 4 years.
What is it about? Heaven’s Feel follows an alternate route to the Fate/Stay Night story and gives viewers more time with the characters on an emotional level. After soaking in the first two entries on this list, you’ll feel far more invested in the story of Heaven’s Feel as it follows Shirou’s childhood friend, who is dealing with a pretty complicated connection to the Holy Grail war and her servant.
Why we like it: The movies delve deeper into the backgrounds and motivations of key characters such as Shirou Emiya, Sakura Matou, and Rin Tohsaka. This allows fans to connect with the characters on a more personal level and understand their actions within the context of the story.
4. Fate/Apocrypha | Series
After completing the stories that generally involve Emiya and Saber, it’s time to tackle some more Fate if you can’t get enough of the Holy Grail war and the Master/Servant dynamics.
What is it about? Fate/Apocrypha takes place in an alternate timeline, which works quite nicely for fans who are drawn to the historical fiction aspects of the series. In this anime, there technically isn’t a Holy Grail war going on. Instead, we’ve got a Greater Grail War, which actually plays out more like a typical war thanks to the division of its participants into Black and Red factions, with the winning faction taking victory.
Why we like it: The personalities and interactions between these new characters will have you on your feet. If you’re a fan of a fierier and flashy style of anime in addition to the other elements we mentioned, you’re going to have a great time watching this.
5. Fate/Grand Order: First Order | Movie
What is it about? The Fate/Grand Order timeline revolves around a new set of characters on a time-travelling mission from 2015 aimed at preventing the coming end of the world, which was predicted to happen in 2016. The Chaldea Security Organization tasks our main characters with figuring out how to stop this doomsday with only one clue. The clue is linked to the Fifth Holy Grail War in 2004, which is also the setting of Fate/Stay Night.
Why we like it: You’ll enjoy this one if you’re happy to experience classic Fate characters through the eyes of new protagonists.
6. Fate/Grand Order: THE MOVIE – Divine Realm of The Round Table: Camelot (1, 2) | Movies
What is it about? A continuation of the Grand Order adventures, the protagonists are tasked with repairing another singularity related to the earth’s destruction.
Why we like it: While Fate/Grand Order is a handful, thanks to its presence as an adaptation of an extremely long video game, the movies do a good job of providing a solid narrative that doesn’t suffer due to a lack of the overall plot in view. These movies are a great example of that, showcasing a contained story that is satisfyingly concluded.
7. Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia | Movie
What is it about? In this entry to Grand Order, we learn the origins of Fate’s most infamous hero, Gilgamesh. The protagonists of Grand Order travel to ancient Mesopotamia in the city of Uruk.
Why we like it: This movie gives us a nice dose of Gilgamesh, so fans of the Fate/Stay Night stories will enjoy witnessing the King of Heroes in his prime.
8. Fate/Grand Order: Final Singularity – Grand Temple Of Time: Solomon | Movie
What is it about? As the protagonists of the Grand Order series gear up for their final battle, this movie serves as a nice conclusion to the time-travelling adventures we’ve followed these characters through. It also reveals the sinister entity responsible for the troubles faced by their world.
Why we like it: The movie features intense and visually stunning battle sequences, showcasing the protagonists’ heroic struggles against powerful enemies. Fans are captivated by the high-stakes confrontations and the spectacle of seeing their favourite characters in action. If you’re going to watch the Fate anime in order, end here.
We’ve added some of the most popular and highly acclaimed stories about the Holy Grail Wars to this list. If you can’t get enough of Fate after exhausting the above anime entries, feel free to dive into any other Fate content that appeals to you. After all, you’re basically a Fate pro at that point.
Tell us, have you watched the Fate anime series and movies in order? Check out our list of the best Fate anime series of all time or our list of the oldest anime characters of all time.
