What Order To Watch Fate Series In

So, you wanna dive into the Fate universe? Awesome! It's like a bottomless pit of epic battles, cool characters, and enough lore to make your head spin faster than a Berserker hopped up on... well, whatever Berserkers hop up on.

But where do you even START? Don't worry, friend. I'm here to guide you through the chaos, armed with nothing but common sense (and maybe a slight obsession with anime swords).

The "Just Get It Over With" Order: Fate/stay night (2006) -> Unlimited Blade Works -> Heaven's Feel

Alright, alright, I get it. You want to see the core story. You want to know what everyone's talking about with Shirou Emiya and his questionable life choices.

Start with Fate/stay night (2006) by Studio Deen. It's...dated, let's be honest. The animation can be a little wonky, like watching a flipbook drawn by a caffeinated squirrel.

But it lays the groundwork! Think of it as the historical text you gotta slog through before the juicy gossip rags come out.

Next up is Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. This is where things start to get pretty! Ufotable took over, and suddenly everyone looks gorgeous.

The story focuses more on Rin Tohsaka, who is awesome. It's like choosing the "Tsundere Route" in a dating sim.

Finally, we have Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel, a trilogy of movies. Prepare for darkness. Prepare for existential dread. Prepare for Sakura Matou to break your heart into a million tiny pieces.

Seriously, this route gets intense. But it's a beautiful, tragic masterpiece.

The "Chronological-ish" Order: Fate/Zero -> Fate/stay night (UBW or HF)

Want to know what happened BEFORE the main story? This order's for you! It's like reading the prequel novel before tackling the main series.

Start with Fate/Zero. It's a dark, gritty, and emotionally devastating prequel to Fate/stay night. Think "Game of Thrones" with more swords and less nudity.

Kiritsugu Emiya, Shirou's adopted dad, is the star here, and his life choices are even MORE questionable. Get ready to question the meaning of justice!

Then, pick your poison: Unlimited Blade Works or Heaven's Feel. Just skip the 2006 series. Trust me on this one.

Watching Zero first adds a ton of context and emotional weight to the main story. But be warned: it can also spoil some plot points.

The "Complete Chaos" Order: Just Watch Whatever Looks Cool

Okay, so maybe you're a rebel. Maybe you laugh in the face of order. Maybe you just want to watch the cool fights and not worry about all the pesky details.

I get it. Fate is overwhelming! If that's you, just pick whatever show looks the coolest and dive in!

Fate/Apocrypha is a fun, over-the-top brawl with tons of Servants. Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia is visually stunning and has a surprisingly engaging story.

Just be prepared to be confused. Like, really confused. But hey, sometimes confusion is half the fun!

A Few Extra Notes

Whatever order you choose, remember that Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya is... different. It's a magical girl spin-off featuring a younger, female version of Illyasviel von Einzbern. It is quite different from main plot.

It's mostly comedic, but it does get surprisingly dark and emotional later on. Watch it whenever you feel like you need a break from all the serious sword fighting.

And don't forget the spin-offs like Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files {Rail Zeppelin} Grace note, which is like a Sherlock Holmes mystery set in the Fate universe.

Ultimately, the "best" order to watch Fate is the one that you enjoy the most. So relax, grab some popcorn, and prepare to enter a world of magic, mayhem, and ridiculously attractive anime characters!