I have absolutely no idea how to get into the fate series

I have seen some people talk about the new series after/ strange fake.

I have heard that there are three time lines the series splits up into but I have no idea how they work.

is it like a hard reboot for each series( do they restart the series for each time line)?

It would be great if someone could give a list of what I should watch unwatchable order.

if possible I prefer to watch stuff in release date but I'm not sure if it is better to watch the series in another way.

NOTE : I have no idea about anything else about the series

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Commentaires

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fightforhits2026-01-18 20:23

My homie told me to start with fate/zero. I totally feel you on preferring to watch in release date order but since he loves the series I’m deferring to the expert. Hopefully I can get into it since it seems like a fun fanbase to be a part of especially considering they keep getting new shows lmaooo

Unusual_Rush_11892026-01-18 20:38

I agree with the 'start with Zero' recommendation. Zero is really good, and offers a decent explanation of what is going on so that you don't get lost. It is more popularly recommended to start with Unlimited Blade Works so that you don't ruin certain surprises as well as the fact that UBW has more action while Zero is a slower burn.

If it helps also, the 2006 Fate/Stay Night was the first one made (which is also a decent place to start).

Fate/Stay Night was originally a Visual Novel game, and as you played the game and made decisions you would unlock different story paths and different endings. The 3 different versions of Stay Night - the OG, Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel - are (sort of) three different paths you can take in the game.

So, starting with Zero and moving to either 2006 or UBW (it is widely accepted that Heaven's Feel should be watched last) is a perfectly enjoyable way to view it, and then you can branch off from there.

doomwipeout2026-01-18 21:07

To give you more information i am more of a savour the best for last type of person and also I do not want to get spoiled on stuff like plot twists or deaths, etc. So is there an exact order u can watch by

doomwipeout2026-01-18 21:10

Simply I don't mind watching a slow season first as long as I don't get spoiled later on

ClassyPerson2026-01-18 21:17

Regardless of the order you choose, you will be spoiled, information is shared between shows, so story beats will be less impactful independent of the order you choose. Heaven's Feel spoils Zero and vice-versa.

RikudouGoku2026-01-18 21:12

You always get spoiled with one or another thing no matter which order. Think of it like watching the Star Wars Episodes 1-3 before 4-6 or vice versa. Fate Zero would be Ep 1-3 and UBW would then be 4-6 in a way.

wloff2026-01-18 22:17

So, basically you have two potential good ways to go.

**Unlimited Blade Works -> Heaven's Feel -> Fate/Zero**

or

**Fate/Zero -> Unlimited Blade Works -> Heaven's Feel**.

Fate/Zero is a prequel to the original story, and some people will recommend doing it first because it's maybe the easiest standalone series to get into.

The downside of that is that it is the *prequel*, and it's not the *intended way* to experience the story. It's kinda like watching the Star Wars prequels first and then going into the original trilogy already knowing who Luke's father is.

From what you describe, it sounds to me like the "UBW first" way would be more what you're looking for. It's the closest you can get to the originally intended experience.

(Even better would be reading the visual novel first, and it is fantastic; but I know that's an annoying recommendation, and it's obviously totally valid to only be interested in watching anime.)

Snowblynd2026-01-18 21:13

I'm a massive Fate fan, and I always recommend Fate Zero as well as an entry point for new viewers. It's a single story, no timeline shenanigans, it's well-written, and well animated. You can watch it by itself and have a complete and high-quality experience.

Some people complain that it's a "prequel" and spoils events in Fate Stay Night, but either series will spoil events in the other, and Fate SN/UBW/HF are kind of a nightmare to figure out for a newcomer if they don't want to play the VN. Better to enjoy Zero, and if they like it they can take the plunge further.

doomwipeout2026-01-18 21:20

Just for clarification is fate zero the one you are talking about released on 2011/ 2012

Fiberglass_Pelican2026-01-18 21:41

Yes. It has two seasons. I would watch Fate/Zero, and then you basically have enough info to watch Fate/strange Fake. If Fate seems like your jam, then you have the choice to watch other things. Fate/stay Night was a visual novel that most of this originated from (and takes place pretty much right after Fate/Zero). Visual novels allow you to pick different story "routes", and there is an anime for each of the three routes: The 2006 Fate/Stay Night covers one, Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works covers another, and the three Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel movies cover the third. There are also lots of side stories. I enjoyed Fate/Apocrypha and The Case Files of Lord El Melloi II well enough. Fate/Zero is my favorite, but Fate/strange Fake seems pretty great so far.

Snowblynd2026-01-18 22:05

Yep, that one!

bandibuzz2026-01-18 20:27

I started with Fate/Zero and Fate/stay night a long time ago and also saw Heavens Feel trilogy. I think those were all I’ve seen and am heavily enjoying fake

tigerheartlion2026-01-18 20:29

To get you started:
Fate Zero first.
Fate stay night 2006 then Fate stay night unlimited blade works then Fate stay night heavens feel - movie trilogy.
After this you can spin the wheel lol

InfinitePluribius2026-01-18 20:33

The OG Fate/Stay Night game had three routes: Fate, Unlimited Blade Works, and Heaven's Feel. These three routes correspond to different heroine: Saber, Rin Tohsaka, and Sakura. It also thematically correspond to the main character Shirou's development in which he sticks to his ideals, in which he compromises and resolve his ideals with reality, and one where he abandons his ideal altogether.

When adapted to anime, the original 2006 anime by Studio Deen that mostly followed the Fate route with some influences from the other routes thrown in.

The 2014 anime series by Ufotable, Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, covered the Unlimited Blade Works route and was regarded to be superior in every way to the 2006 Deen adaptation. It's also a more faithful adaptation of the UBW route.

Ufotable would also release three movies to cover the Heaven's Feel route: Presage Flower, Lost Butterfly, and Spring Song. They're all worth the watch for Ufotable's animation alone.

To date, there is no faithful adaptation of the Fate route although there is hope that Ufotable may make an anime series in the future to cover that route.

Finally, there is Fate Zero which covers the events prior to Fate/Stay Night and follows Shirou's adoptive father. It's worth the watch to get context to the conflict in Fate/Stay Night. It's also made by Ufotable.

All the other Fate media are spinoffs that are set in their own continuity (with similar or the same characters), have independent stories altogether, or are more comedic/light-hearted stories than the main Fate/Stay story. They're worth a watch if you're really interested.

Personally, for a mostly complete and satisfying telling of the Fate/Stay Night story, I'd go: Fate Zero, 2006 Deen, UBW, and Heaven's Feel movies.

CerberusZX2026-01-18 20:38

Simple answer: If you want to watch Fate/strange Fake, you can just watch Fate/strange Fake.

Most Fate properties are about battle tournaments in which mages summon famous figures from history and myth and fight over the Holy Grail said to have the power to grant wishes. Each main entry is its own tournament, so you can use any non-spinoff as an entry point.

Knowledge of the extended Nasu multiverse enhances the experience but is not necessary to enjoy an individual main entry of Fate.

Complex answer:

The thing about 3 timelines is specific to Fate/Stay Night, which is the first Fate property. It originally released as a visual novel with 3 distinct routes, so it's essentially 3 timelines. There are 3 Fate/Stay Night adaptations, one which mostly follows the Fate route but includes elements of others and then the other 2 follow specific routes (Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel).

There is also Fate/Zero which takes place before Fate/Stay Night but was made after. Details in Fate/Zero spoil aspects of Stay Night, but aspects of Stay Night spoil Zero. Because of this there are arguments to be made about which is the ideal watch order.

There are a bunch of spin-offs, many of which are contradictory and yet still canon because the Nasu multiverse is a multiverse and it runs on "rule of cool." Rules for how magic and stuff work are largely shared across Type Moon properties and cameos between different series are quite common. Fate/strange Fake has the most references to other Type Moon works and therefore to get the most out of the series you would need to read several visual novels, play several games, and watch a few anime. However, Fate/strange Fake was made to be enjoyable on its own, so you can still go into it without knowledge of the super fleshed-out Nasu multiverse. You just won't get as hyped about cameos as other fans would.

Fusifufu2026-01-18 21:27

Thanks, I had the same confusion as OP and wondered if I would even bother watching it. I was mostly intrigued by the large fanbase it seems to have on Reddit, judging by the comments on the episode threads (though this might also be a negative signal), but not intrigued enough to play a visual novel, read a LN and then watch a prequel to prepare for it.

Does the multiverse aspect of it make things less meaningful in the series? Kind of a taste-question I suppose, but I sometimes feel such setups can have a "nothing matters" vibe. Which is fine if it's just about anime battles, of course.

CerberusZX2026-01-18 22:26

Many Type Moon works are video games and visual novels with multiple routes. This then becomes an issue when you want to make a sequel since there are different ways the previous title could have ended. As a result the sequel typically takes place in its own universe with its own canon, often incorporating aspects of multiple routes. Each entry has its own well thought out story full of emotional moments and so they are worth experiencing for their own sake and not just as homework to understand the greater narrative.

Some entries such as Fate/EXTELLA (a sequel to Fate/EXTRA) incorporate the existence of multiple timelines into their main plot, but most do not.

I feel it's also worth mentioning that the Nasuverse isn't just Fate. There's also Tsukihime, Melty Blood, Witch on the Holy Night, The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II, Garden of Sinners, and more. Cross-series cameos are frequent, and since many entries have multiple timelines you need to have a multiverse rather than one main universe.

DragoSphere2026-01-19 04:35

The multiverse aspect stems from the original visual novel having three possible routes split between three heroines. The routes rapidly diverge from each other quickly

Since they didn't want to make one girl the "canon" winner, they turned them into parallel timelines to make all routes canon.

Each story since then works under the assumption it's in its own timeline to give more creative freedom for a given writer (since Fate has dozens of writers) to not be rigidly beholden to a single canon.

For example, Fate/Zero is a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, but due to some character inconsistencies needed for the sake of the story the writer wanted the tell it cannot have taken place in the exact same timeline. However it's stated that the events in Fate/Zero are essentially the same as what happened before Fate/Stay Night, so for all intents and purposes it's a "prequel"

Similarly, Strange Fake takes place after Fate/Stay Night, but is also a different timeline that's ambiguous about what exactly happened in its version of FSN, otherwise they'd be committing to a "canon" route.

And then sometimes, the universes are just explicitly different, like with Fate/Apocrypha or Fate/Grand Order

If that premise sounds like it would make things feel meaningless, that's up to your own judgement

Fusifufu2026-01-19 10:28

Cool, thanks. That seems limited enough that it doesn't make things feel arbitrary.

Solinvictusbc2026-01-18 22:19

So if I've watched zero, one of the stay nights, and the spin off lord el melloi case files, I should be good to go to watch fake and all the others?

I've been putting off watching all the other spin offs cause I wasn't sure what prerequisite knowledge was needed.

CerberusZX2026-01-18 22:37

Absolutely. The only spin-off I'm aware of that's not covered by those would be Fate/EXTRA: Last Encore which is a spin-off of Fate/EXTRA, but that was made to be enjoyed on its own so even then you're good to go.

Kayneth_Kotomine2026-01-18 20:44

I would recommend watching Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works (series) > Fate/Stay Night Heavens Feel (3 movies) > Fate/Zero (prequel series to the prior two). These are the mainline Fate series. Now you could watch Zero first since F/SN spoils its outcome but UBW is the better introduction to what Fate is about.

The way the "lines" or Routes work is that they are three different stories which branch off from the same starting point. These three routes are:

Fate/Stay Night (no suitable anime adaptation)
Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade works
Fate/Stay Night Heavens feel

All three have the same cast but different character choices and events cause the stories to diverge from one another.

Fate/Strange Fake is a "soft" sequel to the mainline fate series, by which I mean a version of the mainline series has happened in its setting.

Although if you just want to watch Strange Fake just go ahead with it, you don't need to do all the homework to "catch up" if you don't feel like it. It should still be an enjoyable experience.

Playest_42472026-01-18 20:49

Good luck man

GrizzlySofa2026-01-18 20:52

I personally went with chronological release order (this means starting with Stay Night) because I can somewhat accept the real-time retcons and lore enhancements with each and every series, almost as if pacing myself in the same way to see how the series' plot grows and stacks ontop of itself.

As much as going by chronology has itself be the most simple way for all this information to enter your brain, I just like seeing the value of a series appreciate over time with each and every new entry.

gorambrowncoat2026-01-18 20:53

From what Im told, havent started myself yet, all you need to do for Fake is read up on the general concept of fate (tournament, servants etc).

8turuin2026-01-18 20:53

this not gonna help you of what you should watch first but the three timeline thing is more an alternate route in a video game than an event that you can put chronologically (like monogatari for example) given the original fate stay night is a visual novel game.

the first route is just "stay night" which is the route of saber.
the second route is unlimited blade work which is rin's route (the twintail hair girl).
the third route is heaven's feel which is sakura's route (the purple hair girl).

2 of the route ubw and hsf is already animated by ufotable except stay night as it was already animated by studio deen before, deen's fate stay night is a mixed bad for a lot of people and often considered a mediocre adaptations compare to the later iterations.

other fate series is more a spin off with a lot of a callback and reference to the original fate stay nights.

the best medium for the og fsn is the visual novel which you can buy in steam now. if you don't have pc there's the browser version but that version had a lot of problem imo even if it's impressive as fan project.

also don't watch fate zero first, it's prequel but not prequel that friendly for newcomer, i ended up watch zero first given i thought it might be good starting point but ended up confuses and dropping it in eps 6 or 7 as it's clear it's kind of prequel that expect you to watch the sequel first to understand what really happen.

Dull_Spot_82132026-01-18 21:00

I like starting with Fate/Zero.

beerantula2026-01-18 21:00

Fate Stay/Night, Fate/Zero, Fate UBW, Fate Strange fake is how I'm watching it so far and I'm having a blast. Don't think it matters too much as most of the iterations are self contained. Just start watching and enjoy this amazing series

Tracker_Nivrig2026-01-18 21:29

You HAVE to watch Heaven's Feel. They are my favorite anime movies of all time. Definitely check it out if you're enjoying the series.

beerantula2026-01-18 21:30

Oh yes, I did watch Heavens Feel too, very good

Careless-Spare8972026-01-18 21:00

anime (what i recommend) route: fate/zero -> fate stay night ubw -> fate stay night heavens feel

vn route: fate stay night -> do what you want

SirRHellsing2026-01-18 21:08

Yes it's basically a hard reboot for each series

ClassyPerson2026-01-18 21:16

At the start of everything you have a VN that is Fate/Stay Night, the novel has 3 routes, FATE, Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel, which are meant to be played in this order, each route has an anime **Fate/stay night (2006), Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014)** and **Fate/stay night:** **Heaven's Feel** (series of movies). If the world was perfect, you could just start with the one that adapts the FATE route, but that anime is dated and kind shit, so, just start with Unlimited Blade Works (UBW) and you are good.

You also have **Fate/Zero**, which is a prequel to the story that happens in the 3 routes of Stay/Night

So go either:

**Unlimited Blade Works -> Heaven's Feel -> Fate/Zero**

or

**Unlimited Blade Works -> Fate/Zero -> Heaven's Feel**

Some people will argue about watching HF or Zero first, but in the end, regardless which one you watch, some plot points of the other show will be spoiled.

After that, you can watch whatever, **Carnival Phantasm** is a comedy sketch featuring the characters from Stay/Night (and Tsukihime), **PRISMA ILLYA** features characters from Stay/Night and is a Magical Girl show, **Grand Order** is a mobile game and the anime that have titles like so are adapting arcs from the game. There are dozens of fate shows, it will always feel like some information is missing, because that are things of the VN and games that have never been adapted into an anime, but they don't necessarily hinder the viewer experience, and a quick google solves the problem anyway.

[](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=53adf50e10334de7&rlz=1C1UEAD_enUS1068US1068&sxsrf=ANbL-n6xUpqz2DTq1WRwZ6UVNT7JfxAVBw:1768764674109&q=fate+heaven%27s+feel&si=AL3DRZGCxGzwbgyAu8Lfv0zqCCxzdaezgsOsPGMHyS6q2qVMn_nQHQLD-hhvZyYGqniIhPvI28Vv85zGh035zIqkJ8guag_fXnZkPOPaSkDmI7rrEF4UCSAuTetFPyUzfMteG_7YkV7p&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRr93w6ZWSAxW7qJUCHbpkOgAQyNoBKAB6BAgYEAA&ictx=1)

Alone-Meeting28622026-01-18 21:18

I had to google it. I didn’t watch them ALL but I watched 2 in its correct order and was obsessed. But after that life hit, I had to do other things and years later, Don’t have the energy to want to get back into them because I’d have to re-watch like one piece.

Tracker_Nivrig2026-01-18 21:27

Okay the community is extremely split and that is the reason it seems hard to get into. In reality it isn't.

### Long version:

Original Fate was a visual novel with 3 routes for 3 heroines. They MUST be played in a specific order.

The first route you are meant to play has a bad anime adaptation that nobody really recommends.

The second route is Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works. This is in anime form animated by ufotable. According to pretty much every die hard fan this is the correct option to start. Watching this gives you "spoilers" for Fate/Zero but Fate/Zero was created under the assumption you already knew these spoilers.

The third route is Fate/Stay Night Heaven's Feel. This is a movie trilogy animated by Ufotable and must be watched after Unlimited Blade Works.

There is also a prequel called Fate/Zero that is also animated by ufotable. Most anime-only fans recommend starting with this. Watching this spoils Heaven's Feel, and Heaven's Feel DOESN'T intend you to know this information.

Literally any other series is a spin off and you can watch it whenever you want. Knowing stuff from these core ones obviously makes the spin offs way better though.

### Short version:

**Fate/Stay Night UBW**: Massive fans who read the source material say start here. Will give information about Fate/Zero that is intended to know.

**Fate/Zero**: Anime only fans sometimes recommend starting here instead. Will spoil some information in the "sequel" to UBW.

**Fate/Stay Night Heaven's Feel**: Watch after UBW. No other notes.

**Fate/Strange Fake**: Spin off. Has connections to characters in the other series, but is largely independent to my knowledge. Most Fate spin offs are the same.

notatoaster002026-01-18 21:33

**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 started airing on 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) (watch this first)

\- [Season 1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55830/Fate_strange_Fake) (started 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

doomwipeout2026-01-18 21:53

Thanks for all of this but I heard there was 3 time lines. Fate UBW and heavens feel. Is the first fate series worth watching. In your list it says UBW first so does that mean I do not need to watch the fate series.

notatoaster002026-01-18 22:44

That is correct I actually mention that one after Carnival Phantasm:
> "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."

The 2006 Fate adaptation is severely flawed and I'd just recommend playing the VN for it. But if you want to watch anime you don't need it for the time being.

Keanotaku_Returns2026-01-18 21:47

I will explain it as best as I can and hopefully it will clear your confusion and offer you a coherent watch-order.

>I have heard that there are three time lines the series splits up into but I have no idea how they work.
is it like a hard reboot for each series( do they restart the series for each time line)?

The Fate franchise started as the visual novel Fate/stay night. Fate/stay night is a typical visual novel of its era with different routes focusing on different heroines - it is a highly well-written and convoluted visual novel with fantasy action and intricate lore and themes but it is still a visual novel focused on different heroine routes nonetheless.

The confusion about 'the timelines' comes from the fact it was a visual novel with 3 different routes for the 3 different heroines (Saber, Rin and Sakura).

Furthermore, the confusion comes from the way in which the 3 routes have been adapted - Saber's route (Fate) was adapted into an anime in 2006 by Studio Deen but also has elements of the other routes shoehorned into it so everyone hates this adaptation and will tell you not to watch it since it's not fully a true adaption.

Unlimited Blade Works, Rin's route, was adapted later by studio Ufotable as an anime series while the third route, Heaven's Feel - Sakura's route - was adapted as a trilogy of movies which makes the whole thing more confusing.

Then there is Fate/Zero, a prequel novel by Urobuchi Gen. The writing of Fate/Zero is different to Fate/stay night featuring an adult cast with lots of tragedy rather than having a teenage protagonist and a semi-Young Adult feel. Because of this - and because it was adapted by Ufotable - the Fate/Zero anime was very well received by broader anime fans - *this is why everyone tells you 'you should watch Fate/Zero first.'*

The problem is that Fate/Zero **was always meant to be a prequel** and as such technically spoils Fate/stay night.

Other than Zero there are many other spin-offs that are practically all AU 'what-if' scenarios unrelated to the main plotline and as such LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE FRANCHISE IS OPTIONAL AND NOT NECESSARY TO THE MAIN PLOT

let me repeat that

**LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE FRANCHISE OTHER THAN FATE/STAY NIGHT AND FATE/ZERO IS OPTIONAL AND NOT NECESSARY TO THE MAIN PLOT**

**(YES, THIS INCLUDES FGO)**

With all that out of the way, in summary regarding the watch-order, it goes like:

*1. Fate/stay night (2006) - the Fate route/Saber's route*

*2. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014-15) (ufotable) - Rin's route*

*3. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel (movie trilogy) (ufotable) - Sakura's route*

*4. Fate/Zero (2011) (ufotable) - the prequel to Fate/stay night*

*5. Everything else (Fate/Apocrypha, Strange Fake etc) -* ***these can be watched in any order that you like, so don't worry about it***

Any other watch-order than this invites confusion and makes it where different parts of the main plot get spoiled in different ways.

"B-but the 2006 adaption is bad, they should skip it and--"

**Any other watch-order than this invites confusion and makes it where different parts of the main plot get spoiled in different ways. There is no getting around this.**

I hope that helps and I'm sorry for the wall of text but it can't be helped.

EDIT: just to pre-empt this obvious question: in regards to "why are you recommending to actually watch the hated 2006 stay night anime as the starting point when everyone else ITT says to skip it" - this is because you will literally not know much of anything about Saber's character or really be invested in her as a character AT ALL all the way until Zero if you don't watch it simply due to the fact that she isn't that relevant in UBW and HF. This is an absolutely crucial point that a lot of Fate fans never seem to take into consideration for some reason when it comes to recommending a watch-order but Saber will absolutely be lost on you as a character if you just skip straight to UBW (you will also not really know much about or have any real investment in other characters who get sidelined in UBW like Illya or Kirei too if you do this).

As 'bad' as many will tell you the 2006 adaption of the Fate route is, it does introduce and showcase all of the characters and introductory concepts in a well-rounded way better than any of the following route adaptations do so I really would not recommend skipping it; you simply have to just get past the filter of how dated it looks.

ve_rushing2026-01-18 21:52

IMO what do you need as minimum to get Strange Fake, in chronological order:

Fate/Zero

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014)

Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I-II-III

at least the first 3-4 episodes of The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II

There are tons of references to other stuff, but at least you will know the core.

DragoSphere2026-01-19 04:40

If you're watching Zero first, there's no need to see Heaven's Feel before Strange Fake. Arguably you don't even need UBW, though at least that will introduce you to Berserker

ve_rushing2026-01-19 10:17

>If you're watching Zero first, there's no need to see Heaven's Feel

And miss some major revelations about the origins of the war?

>Arguably you don't even need UBW

Naaah, you need it for more Gil and Kirei stuff. Also more details how the Holly Grail works, more ways to cheat the rules and what faker is.

DragoSphere2026-01-19 10:28

> some major revelations about the origins of the war

Major revelations that don't exactly apply to Strange Fake

> Naaah, you need it for more Gil and Kirei stuff.

Gil and Kirei barely interact in UBW, as they're on screen together like 3 times and it's mostly just them being cryptic together. Not to mention Kirei isn't in Strange Fake

FSF's grail doesn't work like FSN's grail, so it doesn't matter. The ways the rules are broken don't work the same, and Shirou being a faker isn't relevant to Strange Fake either

ve_rushing2026-01-19 10:45

>Gil and Kirei barely interact in UBW

I didn't meant it as them interacting, just stuff about the one and the oher.

>Not to mention Kirei isn't in Strange Fake

But we have another priest and drawing parallels is what Strange Fake does.

>FSF's grail doesn't work like FSN's grail

See "drawing parallels is what Strange Fake does".

>The ways the rules are broken don't work the same

Yep, that's the point - we have rules in F/Z, we have how they can be broken in F/SN all and how they can be broken even more in F/SF. An arm race with magical weapons of sorts.

Doktorkev2026-01-18 23:23

This is a pretty exhaustive guide that not only explains the whole three routes thing for Fate/Stay Night, but discusses the pros and cons of which Fate/Stay Night anime to start with, before also covering every other Fate-related anime:

[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2024-12-18/fate-anime-where-to-start-and-what-worth-watching/.214626](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2024-12-18/fate-anime-where-to-start-and-what-worth-watching/.214626)

sonalper2026-01-18 23:40

Late to the discussion and there are a lot of answers. People tend to be very opinionated about the series, and there are always arguments you can make for either side of a debate. I just want to make two points and have OP decide from there.

1. **Fate/Zero is intended to be experienced after Fate/stay night.** The visual novel was first released in 2004, and people who had already experienced Fate through the VN would be experiencing Zero afterward, whether through the LN in 2006 or the anime in 2011. So for the people who say Zero and stay night spoil each other, that’s technically not wrong, but I don’t agree with that kind of perspective at all. Watching Zero first spoils stay night. Watching stay night first “spoils” Zero and it is a feature, not a bug. It does **not** affect your viewing experience of Zero provided you’re approaching Zero from the correct viewing lens. Zero is at its best when the focus is not on the events of the plot but on its characters, because that is the entire point of the story.
2. **Your viewing experience of Fate/strange fake will be worsened without the prerequisite understanding of the Fate universe.** I highly disagree with the sentiment that you can just pick up any Fate work and have that be your gateway into the Fate universe. To even properly comprehend strange fake, I believe both the Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven’s Feel anime adaptations as well as Fate/Zero should be watched at minimum. Ideally, stay night should be experienced through the VN, but I get many people are averse to playing VNs because of the format and timesuck. strange fake draws elements from Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai, Fate/Prototype, Fate/Apocrypha, Case Files, Fate/Grand Order, and potentially others I’m missing or forgetting. The more Nasuverse content you consume, the more enjoyable the strange fake experience is; it is absolutely by design that strange fake is written this way. If you come into strange fake blind, **you will ruin your experience.** This last sentence is subjective, but that’s the stance I have.