Fate/Explained

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upper intermediate
intermediate
by暁のルナ
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The Fate franchise can be kinda intimidating to explore. So I'm (gradually) annotating all the Fate (and other Type Moon) stuff on the site. In honor of Fate/Stay Night's 20th anniversary :)

Where to start, tldr: Fate/Zero OR Fate/Stay Night - Unlimited Bladeworks (2014) OR Fate/Stay Night visual novel (about 60 hrs playtime. Remaster will be out on Switch & Steam in 2024). It doesn't matter which one!!

Visual Novels:

  • Fate/Stay Night (also has a web version)
  • Fate/Hollow Ataraxia (takes place after FSN: Heaven's Feel)
  • Tsukihime (predates Fate, mostly shares the same universe, but barely any direct connections)
Fate/Zero
TV Series
Level 39
Start Here (1/2). This is the one easy entry point, and is a prologue to events of Fate/Stay Night (10 years earlier). It doesn't matter whether you start w/ this or UBW - both will spoil points in the other. Personally, This was my starting point, and I'm glad. This show is a lot more serious, complex, and darker than UBW. You get a better understanding of the underlying lore, how things work, what's at stake, etc. Language-wise, it's a lot harder than Fate/Stay Night (definitely not as hard as the VN tho).
Start Here (1/2). This is the one easy entry point, and is a prologue to events of Fate/Stay Night (10 years earlier). It doesn't matter whether you start w/ this or UBW - both will spoil points in the other. Personally, This was my starting point, and I'm glad. This show is a lot more serious, complex, and darker than UBW. You get a better understanding of the underlying lore, how things work, what's at stake, etc. Language-wise, it's a lot harder than Fate/Stay Night (definitely not as hard as the VN tho).
Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]
TV Series
Level 30

Start Here (2/2). The easiest entry into the series, Ufotable's 2014 adaptation is one of 2 starting points. It adapts the visual novel's 2nd arc Unlimited Blade Works. Personally, I enjoy this show more than Fate/Zero, but I'm glad I watched Zero first. Language-wise, this is a lot easier.

Note: the initial episode, titled Prologue, is filed under Season 3. You'll find it referred to as Ep 0 elsewhere, and if you need subs, grab one of the [Kamigami] zips here

Start Here (2/2). The easiest entry into the series, Ufotable's 2014 adaptation is one of 2 starting points. It adapts the visual novel's 2nd arc Unlimited Blade Works. Personally, I enjoy this show more than Fate/Zero, but I'm glad I watched Zero first. Language-wise, this is a lot easier.

Note: the initial episode, titled Prologue, is filed under Season 3. You'll find it referred to as Ep 0 elsewhere, and if you need subs, grab one of the [Kamigami] zips here

劇場版Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] シリーズ
Movie Series
L29-31
Ufotable's adaptation of the 3rd route of the visual novel. It's split into 3 movies, which I thought was a poor format for adapting the most dense and complex of the 3 routes. Definitely only watch it after Unlimited Bladeworks. While I dislike the adaptation, many of the other entries refer to or spoil things in Heaven's Feel... so it's a good idea to watch.
Ufotable's adaptation of the 3rd route of the visual novel. It's split into 3 movies, which I thought was a poor format for adapting the most dense and complex of the 3 routes. Definitely only watch it after Unlimited Bladeworks. While I dislike the adaptation, many of the other entries refer to or spoil things in Heaven's Feel... so it's a good idea to watch.
カーニバル・ファンタズム S1
TV Season
Level 28
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A hilarious parody of Fate/Stay Night & Tsukihime characters, based on the manga TAKE MOON. The episodes are about 10-13 min each. You can watch this at earliest, after Fate/Stay Night - Unlimited Bladeworks (ufotable), and it works perfectly fine.

That said, it involves characters from games/VNs: Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, Tsukihime, Kagetsu Tohya, and Melty Blood (and various very obscure manga). For the fullest experience, check those out (but watch/read Heaven's Feel before Hollow Ataraxia). Really it's ok if you've only seen UBW tho.

A hilarious parody of Fate/Stay Night & Tsukihime characters, based on the manga TAKE MOON. The episodes are about 10-13 min each. You can watch this at earliest, after Fate/Stay Night - Unlimited Bladeworks (ufotable), and it works perfectly fine.

That said, it involves characters from games/VNs: Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, Tsukihime, Kagetsu Tohya, and Melty Blood (and various very obscure manga). For the fullest experience, check those out (but watch/read Heaven's Feel before Hollow Ataraxia). Really it's ok if you've only seen UBW tho.

衛宮さんちの今日のごはん S1
TV Season
Level 25??
Emiya Gohan - essentially Fate/Cooking. The most wholesome Fate entry in existence. My contain some minor spoilers for Heaven's Feel, so watch after UBW and Heaven's feel. Optionally play Hollow Ataraxia first, since that seems to be the setting, sort of.
Emiya Gohan - essentially Fate/Cooking. The most wholesome Fate entry in existence. My contain some minor spoilers for Heaven's Feel, so watch after UBW and Heaven's feel. Optionally play Hollow Ataraxia first, since that seems to be the setting, sort of.
Fate/stay night
TV Series
Level 31
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This is Studio DEEN's 2006 adaptation of the Fate route. It has a fairly bad reputation, which I think is a bit undeserved. It's definitely a bit dated though, and I'd recommend it only after watching the Ufotable adaptation. It adapts a lot of Fate/Stay Night's first route, but mixes in some things from Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel later on.
This is Studio DEEN's 2006 adaptation of the Fate route. It has a fairly bad reputation, which I think is a bit undeserved. It's definitely a bit dated though, and I'd recommend it only after watching the Ufotable adaptation. It adapts a lot of Fate/Stay Night's first route, but mixes in some things from Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel later on.
ロード・エルメロイⅡ世の事件簿 -魔眼蒐集列車 Grace note-
TV Series
Level 33
A spin-off involving one of the characters from Fate/Zero (Waver Velvet, Rider's master) and his apprentice, Grey. It's essentially a mystery/action show, and is mostly independent of anything in the other Fate shows. Though I'd recommend watching it after Fate/Zero, as otherwise you'll be missing backstory, and will slightly spoil some small things about Zero. It adapts the Rail Zeppelin story arc of the light novels
A spin-off involving one of the characters from Fate/Zero (Waver Velvet, Rider's master) and his apprentice, Grey. It's essentially a mystery/action show, and is mostly independent of anything in the other Fate shows. Though I'd recommend watching it after Fate/Zero, as otherwise you'll be missing backstory, and will slightly spoil some small things about Zero. It adapts the Rail Zeppelin story arc of the light novels
Fate/Apocrypha
TV Series
Level 31
A completely alternate timeline to Fate/Stay Night (which is the 5th Holy Grail War). In this timeline, the grail was removed from Fuyuki after the 3rd war (meaning years before Fate/Zero). Like Fate/Stay Night, there's a ton of characters and servants, but it doesn't handle them quite as well. So it can be chaotic to follow. I still enjoyed it, but people who've read the light novels say they're much better
A completely alternate timeline to Fate/Stay Night (which is the 5th Holy Grail War). In this timeline, the grail was removed from Fuyuki after the 3rd war (meaning years before Fate/Zero). Like Fate/Stay Night, there's a ton of characters and servants, but it doesn't handle them quite as well. So it can be chaotic to follow. I still enjoyed it, but people who've read the light novels say they're much better
Fate/kaleid liner プリズマ☆イリヤ
TV Series
Level 27
Do you like Fate? Do you like magical girls? Comedy? Are you ok with a bit of ecchi? If so, then Prisma/Ilya is for you. It's basically Fate meets Card Captor Sakura, and is incredibly hillarious, and also kinda dark at times. Takes place after Fate/Stay Night, and develops on some elements of Hollow Ataraxia (tho it's fine if you haven't played it). At a very minimum, watch Ufotable UBW before this.
Do you like Fate? Do you like magical girls? Comedy? Are you ok with a bit of ecchi? If so, then Prisma/Ilya is for you. It's basically Fate meets Card Captor Sakura, and is incredibly hillarious, and also kinda dark at times. Takes place after Fate/Stay Night, and develops on some elements of Hollow Ataraxia (tho it's fine if you haven't played it). At a very minimum, watch Ufotable UBW before this.
劇場版 Fate/kaleid liner プリズマ☆イリヤ
Movie Series
Level 27
Movies related to Prisma/Ilya... I forget where exactly they fit in (I'm guessing the cover the 3rd arc)... will come back and check later
Movies related to Prisma/Ilya... I forget where exactly they fit in (I'm guessing the cover the 3rd arc)... will come back and check later
Fate/Grand Order -First Order-
Movie
Level 29
Adapts the very first arc of Fate/Grand Order (a mobile gacha game that takes place 11 years after Fate/Stay Night, and incorporates servants and lore from pretty much everywhere in the Nasuverse)
Adapts the very first arc of Fate/Grand Order (a mobile gacha game that takes place 11 years after Fate/Stay Night, and incorporates servants and lore from pretty much everywhere in the Nasuverse)
Fate/Grand Order -神聖円卓領域キャメロット- 前編 Wandering; Agateram
Movie
Level 29
Adaptation of FGO's 3rd singularity, Camelot. Has a mixed reputation, mainly b/c of the 2nd movie, but I loved it overall, and think it's worth watching
Adaptation of FGO's 3rd singularity, Camelot. Has a mixed reputation, mainly b/c of the 2nd movie, but I loved it overall, and think it's worth watching
Fate/Grand Order -絶対魔獣戦線バビロニア- S1
TV Season
Level 29
Adaptation of FGO's 6th Singularity, Babylonia. It features Gilgamesh as a Caster. Best watched if you've played it already in the game. Otherwise can be watched in chronological order with the other FGO adaptations (still adding to the site). Probably the strongest entry of the FGO adaptations
Adaptation of FGO's 6th Singularity, Babylonia. It features Gilgamesh as a Caster. Best watched if you've played it already in the game. Otherwise can be watched in chronological order with the other FGO adaptations (still adding to the site). Probably the strongest entry of the FGO adaptations
Fate/Grand Order -終局特異点 冠位時間神殿ソロモン-
Movie
Level 29
Takes place after FGO Babylonia - the final arc in the Main Story Part 1. I was honestly pretty underwhelmed by it, but will probably give it a second watch, eventually.
Takes place after FGO Babylonia - the final arc in the Main Story Part 1. I was honestly pretty underwhelmed by it, but will probably give it a second watch, eventually.
Fate/Grand Order -MOONLIGHT/LOSTROOM- S1
TV Season
Level 30??
It serves as a transition between Epic of Remnant and Cosmos in the Lostbelt, parts 1.5 and 2 respectively of the story of Fate/Grand Order. I think I watched this before I'd reached that section, and was totally lost. It just felt like a meandering movie at the time. Also on my "I'll probably rewatch" list.
It serves as a transition between Epic of Remnant and Cosmos in the Lostbelt, parts 1.5 and 2 respectively of the story of Fate/Grand Order. I think I watched this before I'd reached that section, and was totally lost. It just felt like a meandering movie at the time. Also on my "I'll probably rewatch" list.
Fate/EXTRA Last Encore S1
TV Season
Level 29
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Adaptation of the video game Fate/EXTRA. The universe of Extra shares the events of the Fate/stay night universe until a "certain major incident" in the 1970s that caused the world's mana to start drying up causing it to split off into its own separate universe. Watch anytime after UBW, since some characters are twists on characters from Fate/Stay Night.
Adaptation of the video game Fate/EXTRA. The universe of Extra shares the events of the Fate/stay night universe until a "certain major incident" in the 1970s that caused the world's mana to start drying up causing it to split off into its own separate universe. Watch anytime after UBW, since some characters are twists on characters from Fate/Stay Night.
劇場版「空の境界」第一章 俯瞰風景
Movie
Level 28
Takes place in an alternate universe from Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime (which are the same-ish universe). Adapts the light novels. It's essentially a retake on Tsukihime, but this time with a female lead. There's a lot of paranormal, and graphic brutality, amongst other things... so I don't particularly recommend it, unless you're into that sorta thing.
Takes place in an alternate universe from Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime (which are the same-ish universe). Adapts the light novels. It's essentially a retake on Tsukihime, but this time with a female lead. There's a lot of paranormal, and graphic brutality, amongst other things... so I don't particularly recommend it, unless you're into that sorta thing.
Fate/strange Fake S1
TV Season
Level 30??
Adaptation of the Fate/Strange Fake light novels. The plot centers around a Grail War faultily copied from the Third Holy Grail War in Fuyuki. After the end of the third Grail War, an organization from the United States that has magi separate from the London-based Mage Association as members took data from Fuyuki's Grail War and planned their own ritual. Watch after Fate/Zero and/or UBW
Adaptation of the Fate/Strange Fake light novels. The plot centers around a Grail War faultily copied from the Third Holy Grail War in Fuyuki. After the end of the third Grail War, an organization from the United States that has magi separate from the London-based Mage Association as members took data from Fuyuki's Grail War and planned their own ritual. Watch after Fate/Zero and/or UBW
Fate/Prototype
Movie
Level 27
A whole 12 minutes long, Fate/Prototype is a reimagined version of Kinoko Nasu's original version of Fate/stay night. The storyline takes place eight years after the tragic Heaven's Feel. Watch after UBW (if you watch before, it won't have any relevance)
A whole 12 minutes long, Fate/Prototype is a reimagined version of Kinoko Nasu's original version of Fate/stay night. The storyline takes place eight years after the tragic Heaven's Feel. Watch after UBW (if you watch before, it won't have any relevance)
真月譚 月姫 S1
TV Season
Level 29
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"There is no Tsukihime anime"... really, I only included this for the sake of completion. It's one of the two worst anime adaptations I've ever seen (the other being xxxHolic). The only reason I'd watch it is b/c those characters show up in Carnival Phantasm... but even then, you're better off just playing/watching the visual novel's first route.
"There is no Tsukihime anime"... really, I only included this for the sake of completion. It's one of the two worst anime adaptations I've ever seen (the other being xxxHolic). The only reason I'd watch it is b/c those characters show up in Carnival Phantasm... but even then, you're better off just playing/watching the visual novel's first route.
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