Fate series watch order help

So I stated watch Fate Zero thinking it should be the first I should watch before watching Strange Fake eventually but after looking around it states I should watch Fate Stay Night UBW and Stay/Night before it, I am currently on episode 17 and was warned about some spoilers present for UBW should I stop where I am at and watch the Stay Night UBW? Can’t find the 2006 Stay night on CR only the one that I was told is a good adaptation.

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AutoModerator2026-01-10 00:06

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xdarkskylordx2026-01-10 00:14

People will disagree with me, but I say its fine to watch either Zero or UBW first depending on whether you'd like to watch it chronologically vs with cameo knowledge. As for the OG Stay/Night, my own personal thoughts are that its a bit strange to start with, but is still good to watch for the lore bits, so I usually suggest watching it after the other 2 I suggested.

I haven't started Strange Fake yet, but I do know it contains a character from Zero and another show (El Melloi), so that's probably why its suggested to watch Zero first.

archangel8902026-01-10 00:16

Yeah I wanted to watch UBW and Zero for sure either way just to kind of sorta get the gist of what the world is about based on what I read. I know there is a ton of spin offs and other timelines and such that are not necessarily required to watch but can be a good watch if I chose too.

xdarkskylordx2026-01-10 00:22

Story wise and Lore wise, I'd say those two (Zero and UBW) together are the best for new people. The other 2 main timelines can be a little daunting for some regarding those aspects and the spin-offs while fun, go crazy sometimes.

Theonewhoknocks4202026-01-10 00:19

IMO Fate/Zero is a perfectly fine entry point. Nothing of significance is spoiled, you will just have more background for certain characters than as originally presented. From your perspective, anything that would be considered a spoiler would just seem like what happens next. Like it was never a prequel. You are deep enough that it doesn't really matter anyways, may as well finish it before starting another series.

NamerNotLiteral2026-01-10 02:34

More to the point, Zero sets things in FSN up with suspense rather than surprise (remember the old Hitchcock explanation).

For example, rather than being surprised that Illya is Kiritsugu's daughter, you're left in suspense about what happened to her - how did the Einzberns treat her after Kiritsugu's betrayal, will she learn the truth about her parents, etc.

Like 80% of the "spoilers" in Zero are just information revealed in the Fate route, which anyone not reading the VN skips anyway. I'll go as far as to say the UBW anime specifically intends viewers to come from watching Zero and not F/SN 2004 or the VN.

Theonewhoknocks4202026-01-10 02:39

Agreed. Zero feels more like a starting point to me than a prequel. It is also good at introducing new viewers to the world since that Grail War and the master/servant relationships are the closest to how the wars are described in the ep1 info dumps. It has its fair share of shenanigans and ulterior motives, but it stays mostly a true Grail War until near the end, at least compared to all the others we see.

mad007din2026-01-10 00:19

Tbh, for the story itself the order isn't that important. Zero is the prequel and UBW stay/Night are alternative story lines. You can start with zero but it might be that some story lines are more understandable after watching UBW/ Stay/Night.

UBW is recommended because it has a really good introduction into the universe

Gusthell2026-01-10 00:20

Fate is strange series no one knows how to watch.
Watch by time it was released.

oh-hey__2026-01-10 00:25

This is heavily debated. The fandom is highly concerned about spoilers but in my experience its pretty irrelevant at this stage. I would say you are fine to finish fate Zero. I got spoiled for fate zero by watching UBW first but its really not the end of the world.

There are 3 routes from fate which are; fate/stay night, UBW, Heaven's Feel. Fate/stay night is regarded as shit because it is not ufotable by some. Id say watch fate zero, then UBW (ufotable) then the heavens feel movies and then you can watch anything else you want to watch. There is also the visual novel you can play but thats like 100 hours of time.

n080dy1232026-01-10 00:40

It's a matter of which spoilers you care about more, Zero spoils UBW/HF and UBW/HF spoil Zero.

I'm of the opinion of Zero first if only because anecdotally more people seem to get into the franchise via Zero than UBW, but it really doesn't matter if someone is committed to watching both and HF. So long as HF isn't before UBW, lol.

n080dy1232026-01-10 00:35

Zero spoils Unlimited Blade Works/Heaven Feel and UBW and HF spoil Zero, don't worry about it. It's the nature of Zero being a prequel made after the 2006 FSN anime, and then UBW and HF being made with callbacks to Zero added in. Carry on as you were.

Also '06 FSN is objectively *not* a good adaptation, it's the only one roughly adapting the Fate route (of the three VN routes, the others being UBW and HF) but it also crammed elements of UBW and HF in which messes up the story. Whether it's worth watching is up for debate but if you don't watch it you aren't losing much.

Also 06/UBW/HF are not necessary for SF, neither was Zero but Zero is more relevant to SF, the others are almost entirely irrelevant.

WakandaNowAndThen2026-01-10 00:38

You already got important spoilers, just no context to them. You would be fine to continue however you want.

dlshadow1102026-01-10 00:52

Personally i'd say it's sort of better to watch zero, at least u'll understand some stuff of the series better.

In my case i watched UBW first and I got confused about a certain plot point regarding about an object that itsnt really explained well or Ufotable assumed u watched their previous adaptation of Zero. Only after watching that i understood what they were talking about in UBW.

Mr-Nightmare_4202026-01-10 00:52

Like other's have said, Fate Zero is a good way to start the series. It lays the foundation and lore surrounding the reason the Grail is what it is, and why Magi fight for it. Zero concentrates more on all the characters, and makes you sympathize with their causes(with the exception of some assholes lol). While UBW concentrates more on few select characters much more than others. Like a normal Shonen series.

Fate Stay Night(2006) from the DEEN adaption is an attempt to combine the different routes from fate stay/night into one route, which is why many recommend to be avoided as a first entry into the series.

Heaven's Feel is the third route of FSN, and the final adaption from Ufotable turned into 3 movies instead of a show. A much more dark route in comparison to the first two routes adapted. But it's ultimately optional to watch.

That said, Strange Fake can be watched on its own. It can be considered it's own story, just with a similar set of rules as FSN/Zero.

My take on the watch order for you is:

Fate Zero

UBW

Heaven's feel(OPTIONAL, only if you really like the characters of FSN and want to see a different way the story goes)

Strange/fake

Railgun_8S2026-01-10 00:54

I also started with Zero (Fate/UBW wasn't out back then), and honestly it doesn't destroy anything for the experience IMO. But you should definitly watch UBW before you watch the Heavens Feel Movies. So yeah just continue watching it.

And to make it simple for everything else, after watching Fate/Zero, UBW and Heavens Feel you can go with pretty much anything you like to watch next even with Fate/Strange Fake, though I probably would recommend to watch El Melloi before Strange Fake but its not fully necessarie (but it is a Fun watch).

But thats just my opinion.

Arighetto2026-01-10 00:56

You’re good bro just keep watching Zero then watch UBW and Heavens Feel. After that you can watch whatever you want.

Miteigi742026-01-10 01:19

You start with Stay Night. But you're already too deep on Zero so I won't say change it

Tatted_ramenboi2026-01-10 01:30

Zero-UBW-Heavens Feel
If you’re feeling freaky the studio dean series and then their UBW movie. Has a special place in my heart and honestly I reckon the OST from studio deen is sooo litty

Pretend-Tangerine-222026-01-10 02:33

Just finish it and watch UBW after it.

chickadee-guy2026-01-10 04:39

Ubw(ufotable remake) -> heavens feel trilogy -> zero

OodlesOfNipples2026-01-10 07:32

I’ve seen many Fate shows. My entry point was Zero. If I am being honest, nothing else has topped that.

The only Fate series I’ve enjoyed have been Zero, and Unlimited Blade Works.

Not trying to be a negative Nancy, just my two cents.

notatoaster002026-01-10 08:59

**Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works**
\- [Unlimited Blade Works Episode 0](https://myanimelist.net/anime/27821/Fate_stay_night__Unlimited_Blade_Works_Prologue)
\- [Unlimited Blade Works Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/22297/Fate_stay_night__Unlimited_Blade_Works)
\- [Unlimited Blade Works Season 2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28701/Fate_stay_night__Unlimited_Blade_Works_2nd_Season)

**Fate Stay Night Heavens Feel Movie Trilogy**
\- [First](https://myanimelist.net/anime/25537/Fate_stay_night_Movie__Heavens_Feel_-_I_Presage_Flower)
\- [Second](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33049/Fate_stay_night_Movie__Heavens_Feel_-_II_Lost_Butterfly)
\- [Third](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33050/Fate_stay_night_Movie__Heavens_Feel_-_III_Spring_Song)

**Fate Zero** this is actually a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, but is meant to be watched after as it's a prequel **sequel**. This is pretty much the end of the *main* fate series so everything after this is watchable generally whenever.

\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/10087/Fate_Zero)
\- [Season 2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/11741/Fate_Zero_2nd_Season)

**Today's Menu for the Emiya Family** (cute short 13min episodes with really nice art style from Ufotable. Features the Fate Stay Night cast. Last like 3-4 minutes of each episode is about a food recipe) Not a mandatory watch.
\- [Season 1](https://www.myanimelist.net/anime/37033)

**Lord El Melloi II** Best watched after Fate Zero.

\- [Episode 0](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38936)
\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38959)
\- [Movie: Magic Lantern](https://myanimelist.net/anime/49361)

**Fate Apocrypha** Usually the first spinoff I recommend after El Melloi.

\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34662)

**Fate Extra** - This anime is a loose adaptation of the Fate Extra game. It adapts a route that does not actually happen in it. Not the greatest adaptation, but a unique one. It's animated by Studio SHAFT, having a very Madoka-iy look. Like Fate (Season 1 is the first batch of episodes, the last 3 came out later due to production issues)

\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33047)
\- [Last 3 Episodes](https://myanimelist.net/anime/37651)
Also the game is receiving a remake coming out next year. [Trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJNxMqkgThs) (note it was delayed to 2026) I'd personally suggest seeing it after playing the game at this stage since it's so close.

**Fate Grand Order** An adaptation of the Fate/Grand Order gacha game. It's not the best but it generally serves its purpose. Some of it will be way better than the others. First Order is the prologue of the game, and then skips 5 arcs to Camelot so it's gonna be a bit of a jarring jump. Just keep that in mind and you'll be fine. Not totally 1:1 but if you've played the Persona games think of FGO as palaces on a world level.

\- [First Order](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34321)
\- [Camelot Movie 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38085)
\- [Camelot Movie 2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38086)
\- [Babylonia Episode 0](https://myanimelist.net/anime/40206)
\- [Babylonia Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38084)
\- [Solomon Movie](https://myanimelist.net/anime/41497)
\-- [Moonlight Lostroom](https://myanimelist.net/anime/36915) (can honestly skip this ova. it is insanely confusing if you haven't played FGO.)

**Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya**
(this anime is ultra controversial, there are elementary school girls tongue kissing in it. A shame because it's **actually** a really good story. You can skip if you'd like. There's two really great characters that make an appearance in it that unfortunately don't have any other current anime appearances. They will show up in Carnival Phantasm at the bottom of this list, which is a gag anime.)

\- [Season 1: Prisma Illya](https://myanimelist.net/anime/14829)
\-- [Season 1 Shorts](https://myanimelist.net/anime/19109)
\-- [Season 1 OVA: Dance at the Sports Festival](https://myanimelist.net/anime/18851)
\- [Season 2: 2Wei!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/20509)
\-- [Season 2 Shorts](https://myanimelist.net/anime/25011)
\-- [Season 2 OVA: Hot Spring Inn](https://myanimelist.net/anime/26057)
\- [Season 3: 2Wei Herz!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/27525)
\-- [Season 3 Shorts](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31056)
\- [Season 4: 3rei!!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31706)
\-- [Season 4 Shorts](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33456)
\- [Movie 1: Vow in the Snow](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34100)
\-- [Movie 1 OVA Sakuras Room](https://myanimelist.net/anime/36833)
\- [Movie 2: Licht Nameless Girl](https://myanimelist.net/anime/42030)
\- [Movie 3: Zoku-hen](https://myanimelist.net/anime/49703/Fate_kaleid_liner_Prisma%E2%98%86Illya_Zoku-hen) (release date unknown, probably the final movei?)

(For Fate Illya you can skip the OVAs and shorts. While there is some comedy that ISNT attached to lolicon bait, pretty much all of it is. The only one I wouldn't skip is Movie 1 OVA Sakuras Room)

**Fate Strange Fake** Fate Strange Fake is a love letter to the Fate series from Ryohgo Narita, author most famous for Baccano and Durarara (both excellent series with excellent anime adaptations). Strange Fake is going to start airing January 3rd 2026. If you're wondering why I put it down here, it's because it contains references big and small to pretty much everything above. You can technically watch it after Apocrypha, or El Melloi or even Zero, but you'd be missing some really cool references. It's a story that's greatly enhanced by knowledge, as much of it as possible.

\- [Episode 0: Whispers of Dawn](https://www.myanimelist.net/anime/53127) (this will most likely be aired alongside episode 1 on Jan 3rd if I'm hearing correctly)

\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55830/Fate_strange_Fake) (starting January 3rd 2026)

**Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners**
Garden of Sinners is Nasu's first work, and these movies are PHENOMENAL. Animated by ufotable. You'll be immensely surprised how beautiful the animation is given they were releasing from 2007 to 2013. They're ordered in release order, Should be noted the stories themselves are chronologically all over the place but it's intended.

\--[Manners Movies](https://myanimelist.net/anime/23697) (these stop motion shorts played in theaters to tell the audience to mind their manners. Very cute. I suggest interweaving them with each movie.)

\- [Movie 1: Overlooking View](https://myanimelist.net/anime/2593)
\- [Movie 2: Murder Speculation Part 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3782)
\- [Movie 3: Remaining Sense of Pain](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3783)
\- [Movie 4: The Hollow Shrine](https://myanimelist.net/anime/4280)
\- [Movie 5: Paradox Spiral](https://myanimelist.net/anime/4282)
\- [Movie 6: Oblivion Recording](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5204)
\-- [Movies 1-6 Recap: Gate of Seventh Heaven](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6624) (recaps the movies if confused, can skip if not. Pretty good though.)
\- [Movie 7: Murder Speculation Part 2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5205)
\- [Movie 8: Epilogue](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6954)
\- [Movie 9: Future Gospel](https://myanimelist.net/anime/14807)
\- [Future Gospel: Extra Chorus](https://myanimelist.net/anime/22763)

**Mahoyo/Witch on the Holy Night** (Technically prequel to Tsukihime, leads me to believe Ufotable will do a Tsukihime anime adaptation afterwards)

\- [Movie](https://myanimelist.net/anime/50668) (not out yet, but this is most probably where I'd put it.)
[Here's a trailer.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML10KNGEif8)

**Carnival Phantasm** - Time for the treats. Funny gag section of pretty much all of the Fate content you just watched. So many memes. Includes Tsukihime characters, but don't worry about it. Tsukihime will for sure get an anime adaptation at some point (totally not coping)

\- [Season 1: Carnival Phantasm](https://myanimelist.net/anime/10012)
\- [Season 1 OVA: Carnival Phantasm EX](https://myanimelist.net/anime/12187)
\- [Carnival Phantasm: HibiChika Special](https://myanimelist.net/anime/15927)
\- [Fate Prototype](https://myanimelist.net/anime/12565) This is the original draft of Fate Stay Night, animated in a short 12 minute episode.
\- [Fate Kaleid: Illya Prisma Phantasm!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38897)
\- [Learning with Manga: FGO!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/38958)
\- [Fate Grand Carnival](https://myanimelist.net/anime/44248)

You could if you wanted to watch Fate 2006 at this point, as there's literally nothing else to watch but I'd play the VN for Fate route or wait hopefully for a ufotable adaptation.

Other things that might interest you (all steam links)

Games:

[Fate Stay Night Remastered](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2396980/Fatestay_night_REMASTERED/) - The remaster of the OG visual novel. Strongly recommend playing.

[Fate Hollow Ataraxia Remastered](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2396990/Fatehollow_ataraxia_REMASTERED/) - The Sequel to Fate Stay Night.

[Witch on the Holy Night](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2052410/WITCH_ON_THE_HOLY_NIGHT/) - Witch on the Holy Night visual novel. Getting an anime movie from ufotable as mentioned earlier.

Tsukihime - Visual novel of Tsukihime, not currently on steam but the remake is on switch and ps4.

[Fate Samurai Remnant](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1902690/FateSamurai_Remnant/) - Action RPG set in the Edo period. I have not yet played it myself but it has very positive reviews.

[Fate Extella](https://store.steampowered.com/app/511680/FateEXTELLA/) - Action RPG. Sequel to Fate Extra. Would recommend waiting for the Fate Extra Record game coming out in 2026 before playing.

[Fate Extella Link](https://store.steampowered.com/app/622220/FateEXTELLA_LINK/) - Sequel to Fate Extella