Someone please help me start the Fate franchise...

I see like 15 gazillion shows and it scares me. I'm not looking to get too deep into the series as I don't want to focus too much of my attention on it, but I wanted to give it a proper try, also I don't want to watch too many series as 2026 winter anime season will be stacked so I need to create some time for them, I also saw the "Fate/strange fate" trailer and it looked pretty good.

Thank you very much for your help!

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the-big-dingo2025-12-24 01:43

Google fate series watch order & either check one of the 20 other Reddit posts or the websites that pop up

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:45

I did but those were quite confusing too, as they all gave different answers

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:57

Thanks for all the dislikes very kind, I was originally recommended to start with Zero by friends so I just felt like i needed to ask...

newier2025-12-24 02:19

Probably going to get the same kind of responses here too

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:26

"Google it" I get 15 different responses, just like here... mb that I wanted to make sure 🫠

Ahs5654512025-12-24 01:51

Honestly, I would start with fate stay night and go from there, but also YouTube has fantastic fate abridged series on power with Dragon Ball Z abridged

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:57

Thanks you! I was originally recommended to start with Zero by friends so I just felt like i needed to ask...

Kookospuuro2025-12-24 01:52

I'd say the core of the franchise (with the least amount of material) would be Ufotable's adaptations of Unlimited Bladeworks, Heavens Feel movie trilogy and Fate/Zero.

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:58

Okay thank you!

AppleDemolisher562025-12-24 01:52

Just watch unlimited blade works

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:58

Thanks you! I was originally recommended to start with Zero by friends so I just felt like i needed to ask...

GallicaEnjoyer2025-12-24 02:00

Watch zero then unlimited blade works. After that you can watch whatever really

Visible-Sherbet73122025-12-24 02:04

Zero spoils a lot of great reveals in ubw, so I personally recommend watching ubw first. There are many arguments either way, but I think the general opinion leans towards first ubw then zero.

GallicaEnjoyer2025-12-24 02:09

That’s fair I didn’t consider that I watched zero long ago and watched Ubw when it aired but that’s cool you can watch it either way

Zeallfnonex2025-12-24 04:50

Ehhh not so many reveals in UBW, but it definitely spoils the main reveals in Heaven’s Feel

abandoned_idol2025-12-24 02:20

Apparently, you're supposed watch the prologue (Zero) after\* UBW, but as an anime only, UBW just came off as dull and immature compared to Zero.

I only liked Fate Zero.

UBW is supposedly way better written in the original media (a videogame visual novel).

Most of the "Fate" shows are technically spinoffs, so there isn't really that much that you need to see. It's probably just the first visual novel that you need to worry about.

Fate Zero was so much fun to watch, I was apathetic towards everything else. Just make sure you watch Fate Zero BEFORE you think of dropping the entire thing, heh.

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:27

Alr thank you for your help!

Wolfe2442025-12-24 02:49

Both work as a starting place. They both sorta spoil each other

Quiddity1312025-12-24 05:00

Fate Zero is a prequel, I think you'll get more out of it if you watch the original timeline first, primarily Unlimited Blade Works and the 3 Heaven's Feel movies.

The other downside of watching Fate Zero first is that because its the best Fate content, everything else will be a disappointment compared to it.

Nomar_952025-12-24 01:55

Main story:

* Fate/stay night (2006) **(DISCLAIMER: primarily follows the Fate Route, but incorporates some elements from the other two. I like it enough to recommend it, so I will. But even aside from that, it's still part 1 of the main story so it should be seen anyway. If you don't want to watch it, the other alternative is to experience the Fate Route as it is in the Visual Novel, whether by playing it yourself or watching a walkthrough.)**
* Unlimited Blade Works (2014)
* Heaven's Feel Trilogy

Prequel:

* Fate/Zero **(DISCLAIMER: if you just want to watch one great show and then dip from the franchise, it's a perfectly fine standalone (not gonna gatekeep). However, don't start with it if you plan to commit)**

Spinoffs:

* Carnival Phantasm **(needs some knowledge from Tsukihime as well, but there's no anime of that 😎)**
* Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya
* Fate/Apocrypha
* Today's Menu for the Emiya Family **(jokingly referred to as "Fate/Cooking")**
* Fate/Extra: Last Encore
* Lord El-Melloi II Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note **(needs Fate/Zero for context)**
* Fate/Grand Order:
- First Order **(Prologue)**
- Divine Realm of the Round Table - Camelot **(6th Singularity)**
- Absolute Demonic Front - Babylonia **(7th Singularity)**
- The Grand Temple of Time - Solomon **(Final Singularity & End of Part 1)**
- Moonlight/Lostroom **(prelude/setup for Part 2)**
- Fate/Grand Carnival **(the Grand Order version of Carnival Phantasm)**
* Fate/strange Fake

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 01:59

Thanks!

TheDopplegamer2025-12-24 01:57

The Studio Deen adaption of Fate Stay/Night isnt perfect, but is the perfect introduction for someone with NO Fate knowledge. After that watch the Fate/Zero prequel, which is peak Fate IMO

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:07

Thanks

newier2025-12-24 02:12

It's incredible getting small glimpses of alternate universes where google doesn't exist.

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:20

It's incredible when you google it and the websites, just like the comments around you, give 15 different answers, no need to a be a prick, you can also just not comment... I was here trying to ask nicely from people I thought were going to be helpful, I've asked friends, google and chatgpt, all gave different answers, just like the community now...

timpkmn892025-12-24 03:35

It's also been asked here several times this week already

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 14:41

And that is a reflection on the lack of guidance from the community, since no one can make up their mind

UMP45isnotflat2025-12-24 02:12

unironically try Fate Prisma Illya, its self contained but you will get a feel for the world of fate. (its also the best fate)

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:24

Thanks I'll make sure to look into it

nimbat10032025-12-24 02:16

Fate/zero first it's the most standalone and one of the best, if U like it go from there.(Technically it spoils stuff but everything spoils something outside of the game first)

Fate unlimited blade works and the heavens feel movies are the next after that but technically skip the original fate route of the game which they build upon.

technically it's best to play the game for that main story you should should already know if Ur game for a 100 hour visual novel.

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:25

Alr thanks

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 02:28

hm alr, so I should just go into the deep end with zero and if i like it look around for the other ones?

nimbat10032025-12-24 02:35

Yep unlimited blade works also works but I prefer zero as a show and if U do love the idea and world you have much more to jump into if U don't it's the most self contained and can call it with that.

DaDidko2025-12-24 03:17

If you ask 5 people you'll get 6 different answers, so probably best to just do as you please.

That being said, I recommend, zero, stay night, unlimited blade works, heavens feel, then apocrypha.

After all that you'll be well versed enough to decide what to watch next yourself

xSamuraiDom2025-12-24 03:33

Thank you very much for actually giving a solid explanation, unlike some of the others! I’ll definitely look at this list with care see where to proceed from here

Sirion82025-12-24 05:03

The Fate/stay night Visual Novel is the first and main story that was released back in 2004. Its 3 routes/alternate storylines all received their own anime adaptations across the years. They are in order:

>Fate/stay night (2006) made by studio Deen

>Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014) by studio Ufotable

>Fate/stay night: Heaven's feel movie trilogy (2017-2020) also by Ufotable

The first one is older and by a different studio so its production values are much lower than the other two. If you can deal with a rather mediocre adaptation, then start with it. If you want to start with a higher quality anime, then feel free to skip it and start with the next one, Unlimited Blade Works instead. You'll be missing some context provided by the first anime but it's still understandable enough on its own.

As for Fate/zero, it's a light novel series released in 2006 as a spin off/prequel of Fate/stay night to expend on events that happened 10 years before in the story. It was meant for people who had finished Fate/stay night and casually talks about lots of background information that was meant to be big reveals in Fate/stay night.

However, it became a popular entry point for anime watchers when it received an anime adaptation by Ufotable in 2011. That's the main reason why the watch order for the anime is a fucking mess as people will put Fate/zero in basically whatever order.

The more casuals anime will generally put it first while the more invested Fate fans will generally put it after Fate/stay night because that's what was originally intended by the author.

Hopefully, you can properly pick your poison with that information. Personally I just went ahead and started with the Fate/stay night Visual Novel which I loved and think is the best version of the story but not everyone is willing to try it out.

Other Fate stories are more or less unrelated spinoffs, so don't worry about them before being done with the shows I mentioned.

Pretend-Tangerine-222025-12-24 06:53

You should at least watch Zero and Unlimited Blade Works. Other helpful series are Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files and Grand Order Babylonia, because some of the characters are in Strange Fake.