The Fate series features thrilling battles, complex characters, and captivating lore.

But with multiple series, branching storylines, and prequels, the question about the Fate series watch order is enough to leave even the most seasoned anime fans scratching their heads.

If you’re looking to participate in the Holy Grail War, this Fate series watch order guide equips you to navigate this rich world and decide on the perfect “how to watch Fate series” plan for you.

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Whether you crave the action-packed core series, Fate/stay night, or the grand adventure of Fate/Grand Order, this guide ensures you start your Fate journey with the right knowledge.

What is the Fate series about?

The Fate series is a multimedia franchise originating from a visual novel titled Fate/stay night, released in 2004. It has since exploded into a vast universe encompassing anime, light novels, video games, and more.

Fate’s core concept revolves around the Holy Grail War, a hidden magical conflict where mages, known as Masters, summon legendary heroes and spirits — Servants — to fight for their desires.

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These Servants hail from myth and history, from King Arthur to Gilgamesh, wielding incredible powers and wielding iconic weaponry. The last Master-Servant pair standing claims the Holy Grail, a powerful artifact capable of granting any wish.

The brilliance of Fate lies in its branching storylines. Fate/stay night, for example, presents three routes with different heroines and perspectives, each exploring themes of ideals, sacrifice, and the cost of victory.

This complexity extends to the characters, who are rarely one-dimensional heroes or villains. Masters and Servants grapple with their motivations and desires, creating a morally ambiguous narrative that draws viewers in.

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Fate/stay night’s success spawned numerous anime adaptations, with some being more faithful than others. Notably, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014) and the Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel movie trilogy (2017-2020) offer exceptional animation and storytelling.

Beyond the core series, spin-offs like Fate/Grand Order, a mobile game with its own narrative and massive cast, have further expanded the Fate universe.

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Now that you have learned more about the franchise, let’s find out the Fate series watch order and know more about how to watch Fate series.

Fate series watch order: Find out how to watch Fate series

The Fate series can be confusing to navigate due to its branching storylines and shows set before others (prequels). This guide will break it down for you!

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Instead of a single watch order, we’ll categorize the Fate anime based on when the stories take place:

  1. Fate/stay night – This core series has three separate routes, each with a different story focus.
  2. Fate/Grand Order – This separate series has its own storyline and can be watched independently.
  3. Spin-offs and movies – There are many other Fate series anime that aren’t directly connected to the main storylines. These can be watched in any order after you’ve explored Fate/stay night or Fate/Grand Order if you’d like.

Fate/stay night anime watch order

  1. Fate/stay night (2006)
  2. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014-2015)
  3. Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel movie trilogy (2017-2020)
    • presage flower
    • lost butterfly
    • spring song
  4. Fate/Zero (2011)
  5. Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note (2019)
  6. Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family (2018-2019)
  7. Fate/strange Fake (2023-2024)
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Fate Grand Order watch order

  1. Fate/Grand Order: First Order (2016)
  2. Fate/Grand Order: Divine Realm of the Round Table – Camelot Wandering; Agateram (2020)
  3. Fate/Grand Order: Divine Realm of the Round Table – Camelot Paladin; Agateram (2021)
  4. Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia (2019-2020)
  5. Fate/Grand Order: Final Singularity – Grand Temple of Time: Solomon (2021)
  6. Fate/Grand Order: Moonlight/Lostroom (2017)
  7. Fate/Grand Carnival (2020-2021)

Fate-related spin-off anime and movies

  1. Fate/Apocrypha (2017)
  2. Carnival Phantasm (2011)
  3. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya (2013)
  4. Fate/Extra Last Encore (2018)
  5. The Garden of Sinners film series (2007-2013)
    • 1/ Overlooking View
    • 2/ A Study in Murder – Part 1
    • 3/ Remaining Sense of Pain
    • 4/ The Hollow Shrine
    • 5/ Paradox Spiral
    • 6/ Oblivion Recording
    • 7/ A Study in Murder – Part 2

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