Why settle for stories with ancient heroes when mages can summon these warriors to fight on their behalf? Type-Moon’sFatefranchise combines noble warriors, historic figures, and mythological beings. Moreover, its premise requires them to duke it out in a battle royale that rewards one wish to the victor. Originally just theFate/stay nightvisual novel, theFatefranchise evolved its story across more VNs, light novels, and even anime and film.
Of course, having this much material to view can make any newcomer feel overwhelmed bytheFateanime franchise. Thankfully, following a specific order can help viewers feel more acquainted withFateand the machinations of its Holy Grail War.
Updated on July 30, 2025 by Mark Sammut:At some point in 2025, Fate/strange Fake should make its debut, adding (hopefully) another great entry to theFate anime series. A section dedicated to this show has been added.
ThisFateanimeadaptation stars Shirou Emiya, the sole survivor of an incident that engulfed an area in Fuyuki City in flames. A decade later, Shirou keeps himself busy by the day with schoolwork and some odd jobs. Meanwhile, he also secretly practices basic magic taught by his late adoptive father, Kiritsugu. Despite his ordinary nature, Shirou aspires to live by his adoptive father’s code: becoming a hero of justice. Unfortunately, a series of events would drag Shirou to the Holy Grail War.
Being a 2006 adaptation, fans should only treatFate/stay nightas a base introduction to the franchise. Moreover, given the anime tries to incorporateall three routes in the VN, it’s arguably kind of a mess. However, fans should strictly treat this 2006 anime as an interpretation of the “Fate Route,” focusing on Shirou’s relationship with Saber.
Why Watch It?
Despite reviews,Fate/stay nightremains a decent introduction to theFatefranchise as a whole. It makes a fair attempt to summarize all the routes in the VN, leaving viewers enticed to play the game themselves. This is a great way for viewers to see whether Saber is their best waifu, or if they prefer being closer to Rin Tohsaka or Sakura Matou.
Why Skip Fate/Stay Night?
Despite the original Fate/Stay Night following the original visual novel’s canonical Saber ending, the underwhelming adaptation can turn off fans from watching other anime from the series - particularly those exploring alternate routes and endings. In terms of production, both Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven’s Feel have significantly better approaches to characterization, dialogue, and overall narrative flow. Likewise, fans may have a more fulfilling time playing through the VN instead of this adaptation.
At first glance,Unlimited Blade Worksseems to copy the first few episodes of the originalFate/stay nightadaptation. However, things begin to change when Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka are forced to team up for their survival. This time around, Shirou begins to have a growing friendship with the more experienced magi Tohsaka. At the same time, Shirou explores his immense dislike of her Servant, the mysterious Archer.
This adaptation branches away from the VN’s “Fate Route” and takes its “Unlimited Blade Works Route,” where Rin becomes Shirou’s leading lady. Given its recent adaptation,UBW2014 has quite the striking visuals and morefleshed-out characters.
Given its more updated visuals,UBWfinally gets to showcase the awesome fight scenes that the 2006 anime failed to show and the VN only got to describe in words. Fans of the Nasuverse’s tendencies for technical magical jargon will love the serious take on magic here. This is a perfect gateway toFate/Zero, another anime that tries to get technical on the Holy Grail War.
Why Skip Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
The more tense and action-packedUnlimited Blade Worksmight be worth the skip for fans who want less ofFate’s rather complex terminologies and more of its emotional aspect. This anime is also worth skipping for fans who aren’t into the Shirou-Rin dynamic, and would very much prefer Rin as more of a boyish close friend than a love interest. Likewise, fans who think the action-centric focus ofUnlimited Blade Worksis right up their alley might instead want to finish this arc in the visual novel first. Despite the anime having remarkable production value, reading through Shirou’s thoughts as he braves new threats in the Holy Grail War can makeUnlimited Blade Workstruly feel as though the protagonist is coming to terms with his legacy.
Adapting the thirdroute of ShiEmiya’siya story in theFate/Stay Nightvisual novelisFate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel I Presage Flower, a 2017 film that condenses the first act of “Heaven’s Feel” that focuses on Shiro’s romance with Sakura Matou. When Shiro and Saber are dragged much deeper into the Fifth Holy Grail War’s affairs, the discovery of Sakura being a prime target of shadowy parties forces Shiro to fulfill his adoptive father’s dying wish to become a hero.
Given the nature of “Heaven’s Feel” as a “repeat” of the original route with a different method of escalation,Presage Floweralso rushes the beginning of the story to escalate Sakura’s eventual importance in the plot. The word-heavy nature of the original visual novel is evident in changes inPresage Flower’s narrative, especially with the focus on the relationship of Shirou Emiya with the siblings Sakura and Shinji Matou. Should viewers get past the film’s assumption of being familiar with the source material,Presage Flowercaps the first part of the trilogy with the foreboding feeling of things just about to get worse for the protagonists.
Why Watch It
Regardless of the rushed beginning,Presage Flower’s heavy focus on Shirou and Sakura’s relationship hopes to firmly establish how the two’s lives are intertwined in this retelling of the “Heaven’s Feel” route. Gone is the implied budding romance between Shirou and Saber in the “Fate” route, as well as Shirou and Rin’s rivals-turned-lovers trope in “Unlimited Blade Works.” The story establishing Sakura as a vital part of what keeps Shirou sane in the horrific affairs of the Holy Grail War immediately implies the darker tone of the overall story.
Why Skip Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel I Presage Flower
For a supposed adaptation of a mere route inFate/Stay Night, the presentation ofPresage Floweris among the best inFatemedia. The only reason for fans to skip this entry is if they’re not into the Shirou-Sakura ship, or if they’re content with the endings presented by both the originalStay NightandUnlimited Blade Works. Alternatively, fans who are just about to watch this entry may want to play through this part of the visual novel first, as reading Shirou’s thoughts does an excellent job in framing the initial stakes and the eventual escalation of the Holy Grail War - especially by the time the arc reveals Sakura’s true purpose in relation to the artifact.
Being the second part of the “Heaven’s Feel” trilogy,Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel II Lost Butterflyups the ante for protagonists Shirou Emiya and Sakura Matou at the onset. This time, the protagonists alongside their Servants Saber and Rider, as well as allies Rin Tohsaka and Archer, are confronted with horrors beyond their comprehension. As the Fifth Holy Grail War quickly spirals out of control, tensions escalate with Sakura smack dab at the center of it all.
Both action and narrative get an uptick of escalation inLost Butterfly, especially with the inclusion of the Black Shadows and True Assassin as some of the largest threats in the Fifth Holy Grail War. Relationship dynamics between the cast become more integral in this part of the story, especially when hints of Sakura’s true relationship with the Holy Grail War are being hinted at, and forces begin to dismantle the heroes of their capabilities of saving her from certain doom. Once again,Lost Butterflyends with the implication that all hope is lost, gearing audiences for a tense climax and the hopes of an emotional payoff in the latter part of the trilogy.
It’s withinHeaven’s Feel II Lost Butterflythat the film drives its status as perhaps the “darkest”Fateadaptation home. As though paying homage to the series’ adult visual novel roots, the film features more violence, mature scenes, and psychological horror far contrasting the more romantic shonen of the “Fate” route and the action-packed “Unlimited Blade Works.” Both fans and detractors of the Shirou-Sakura ship can appreciate the depth invested in their relationship, with the first film’s focus on their bond starting to pay off in this sequel.
Why Skip Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel II Lost Butterfly
The escalation of events inLost Butterflymeans viewers should only skip this film if they haven’t watched the preceding entry. This is largely due to the weight ofLost Butterfly’s exposition and its escalation of intensity - not having a clear understanding of the stakes at hand can ruin aLost Butterflywatch-through. Fans who have yet to see this film are recommended to play through the visual novel and reach Sakura’s arc, as the original take onHeaven’s Feelcould help ground not just concepts but also the emotional tension felt throughout the movie.
With odds stacked against them, Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka need to work together inFate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel III Spring Songin order to accomplish the seemingly impossible mission of saving Sakura Matou from certain doom. In this final part of the “Heaven’s Feel” film trilogy adaptation, fans ofFateget a horrific firsthand look at the real nature of the Holy Grail War and how humans like Shirou could attempt to grasp its incomprehensible nature. Shirou and Sakura’s relationship becomes part of the highlights of the film, which some fans may find odd to see considering how this takes away the participation of other integral characters like Ilyasviel von Einsberg and Kirei Kotomine.
However, Rin Tohsaka’s eventual overtake of the spotlight can feel both surprising and satisfying for viewers, especially once they realize her role in the story. DespiteSpring Songtaking the traditional route of desperate heroes attempting to do good, the emotional payoff in this dark story is worthwhile after the film reaches its final scenes.
Being the last part of the “Heaven’s Feel” trilogy,Heaven’s Feel III Spring Songsucceeds in the challenge of creating an adaptation of the grittyFateroute without sacrificing too much in terms of story and narrative. While the film eventually reveals a failure to include other integral cast members in its take on the story,Spring Song’s focus on Shirou, Sakura, and Rin becomes an appropriate endgame with its established relationships. This final film of the trilogy is a must-watch not only because itfinishes the “Heaven’s Feel” adaptations, but it showsFateas a more compact story instead of one with a grand narrative that can isolate viewers.
Why Skip Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel III Spring Song
As a successful finisher to a riveting three-part storyline, the only reason to truly skip this entry is if viewers haven’t seen the two previous films. Aside from this, viewers may prefer deep-diving into the originalFate/Stay Nightvisual novel to tackle Sakura’s arc for themselves. The latter can add a more satisfying depth to the arc’s finish, especially considering how Sakura’s arc is often the final route tackled after Saber’s and Rin’s.
Treading the line between anime and film,Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn, is a 55-minute anime special based on the events of theFate/strange Fakelight novel. Set in 2009, the story ofStrange Fakerevolves around the city of Snowfield, Nevada being the site of a Grail War orchestrated by forces outside the usual Mage Association in London.
Being a mere attempt at the original Holy Grail War, the Snowfield iteration may have attracted similar pairs of Masters and Servants but now have rules beyond their understanding. With the Saber Class lost and the definition of summonable “heroes” being blurred,Fate/strange Fake:Whispers of Dawnadds layers of mysteryon top of the complicated relationships between its participants.
At its core,Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawnshowcases the potential of Fate’s Holy Grail War concept outside the usual confines of Fuyuki City. The underlying “fake” nature of the Snowfield Grail War gives the anime a unique spin on the mystery-thriller idea, with even the characters trying to unravel the events around them. With the original Strange Fake story still ongoing, the anime serves as a decent showcase of its overall plot, leaving questions out in the open that could be satisfyingly left untouched or answered by a full-blown anime.
Why Skip Fate/strange Fake: Whispers Of Dawn
Given the fanfare towardsWhispers of Dawnas being among one of the best recentFateprojects, it can be difficult to skip such an acclaimed entry. However, instead of following the prospect of skipping it entirely, perhapsWhispers of Dawnis best enjoyed after reading the originalStrange Fakeseries of books. Doing this before watchingWhispers of Dawncan help viewers better appreciate the artistic vision put into the anime - especially in terms of character interactions, set design, and even action scenes.
Continuing directly fromFate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn,Fate/strange Fakewill chronicle the Snowfield Holy Grail War, a conflict that does not follow the natural rules that usually govern these events. Ayaka Sajyou, a girl from Japan, enters the city, dragged into the upcoming conflict due to manipulation by external forces. She wants to regain control of her life, but she is also forced to summon King Arthur and, consequently, become a Master in the Holy Grail War.
Fate/strange Fake is based on a fairly popular light novel and manga that both started in 2015 and are still ongoing today. Besides Whispers of Dawn, the anime adaptation has only aired one episode so far, which mostly served as a teaser for things to come. The rest of A-1’s series is expected to drop at some point in 2025, but the studio has yet to confirm the release season.
Fate/strange Fakeshakes up the franchise’s standard formula, while still retaining the same thrills associated with the most beloved entries likeFate/ZeroandFate/stay Night.
Why Skip Fate/strange Fake
While not the most crucial entry to the overall saga, there is no reason to skipFate/strange Fake. That said, people might want to wait until the anime season starts to watch the currently available episode or evenWhispers of Dawn.
Despite the reception towardsFate/stay nightas an interesting take on the battle royale concept, this was not necessarily the first and only version of the story. InFate/Prototype, the story stars Ayaka Sajyou, the last member of the Sajyou family whose destiny calls her to participate in the Second Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. When a warrior saves her from being pursued by a mysterious man and some creatures, she is pulled into the middle of the conflict.
Before Kinoko Nasu’sFate/stay nightbecame the most popular entry of Type-Moon’s Nasuverse, the story of the Fifth Holy Grail War was originally the Second Tokyo Holy Grail War. Being the “original” take on the/stay nightstory, it’s a refreshing take to see the first versions ofFate’s characters, such asArthur Pendragon’s Saberand a louder (and less-armored) version of Gilgamesh.
One of the best elements ofFate/Prototypeis its nature as a 12-minute OVA, making it a pretty condensed piece of media to digest. Being a story set a few Holy Grail Wars before Shiro Emiya’s journey,Fate/Prototypeis an interesting take on a more severe version of the Holy Grail War concept - especially considering Ayaka’s more personal stakes on the Second Holy Grail War. The short nature of the OVA makes it a fascinating look into what theFateseries could offer without diving deep into specifics. Considering it’s a “piece of history” in the context of modernFatestories, the short peek into the overallFatemythos makes this a neat must-watch.
Why Skip Fate/Prototype
Being set up as more of a “hidden pilot episode” than having a direct relation to theFatefranchise, fans can perfectly skipFate/Prototypeand get right into the intensity ofFate/Zero. Perhaps the only reason to truly engage withPrototypeis to get a glimpse of the original plans set up for the core cast and the many changes they underwent - particularly for Arthur and Gilgamesh, whose characters drastically changed in the final release.
Fate/Zeroonce again takes place in Fuyuki City, a decade before the events ofFate/stay night. As this setting implies,Fate/Zeroserves as the prequel to Shirou’s adventures. This time around, Kiritsugu Emiya becomes a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Unlike the innocent Shirou, Kiritsugu has a noticeable edge as the world-renowned mage killer. He also receives the backing of the Einzberns, his wife’s family.
This anime serves as the adaptation of theFate/Zerolight novels. Unlike the main series,Fate/Zerohas a profoundly deeper approach to the complexities of the Holy Grail War. Aside from its stellar animations, its exploration of the themes of sacrifice and ambition earned the praise of viewers and critics.
Fate/Zeroserves as a great third piece of media to bridge the mainFate/stay nightstory and its spinoffs. AfterFate/Zero, fans may also choose to play the/stay nightsequel,/hollow ataraxia.
Arguably one of thebest prequel animeout there,Fate/Zerois a great way to look at the Holy Grail War from the perspectives of more mature audiences. Unlike Shirou Emiya and his desire to be a hero, Kiritsugu Emiya has a darker look at the world – something reflected by most other participants in the war and certainly evident throughout the series. This stark change in tone makesFate/Zeroa worthwhile watch in the entire series.
An argument can be made thatFate/Zeroshould be watched beforeFate/stay night; however, the latter’s visual novel is meant to be read prior to the former’s. Consequently, the same can hold true for the anime versions.
Why Skip Fate/Zero
Despite top-tier production quality from Ufotable and the grim atmosphere ofFate/Zero, the series can be among those “saved the best for last” among works in theFatefranchise. BeyondFate/Zeroare spinoffs set in different timelines and perspectives, making this anime the perfect stopping point to start deep-diving into the core visual novels, games, and even light novels - especially in the case ofFate/Zero. Once fans get a closer look into the intricacies of whatFateas a franchise can offer, they can dive deep into perhaps one of the darkest and most nuanced anime releases associated with the series.
Aside from the gut-wrenching story between Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern inFate/Zero,Waver Velvet’s relationship with his Servant Riderremains one of the most appealing parts of the story. Originally a young mage out to prove himself to his peers in the Mage’s Association, Waver eventually transitions into a professor of the organization. Not only that, but his position as head of the Department of Modern Magecraft, Waver - now Lord El Melloi II - is in charge of solving various mysteries and problems plaguing the world of magic.
Lord El Melloi II’s adventures with his apprentice Gray are explored inLord El Melloi’s Case Files, where their cases eventually lead them deep into the politics of the Association’s deeper echelons in the form of the Clock Tower.
While there are no direct relations to the Holy Grail War inLord El-Melloi II’s Case Files, the anime offers a much-needed look into the deeper aspects ofFatelore. Given how it’s the Mage’s Association’s mission to “regulate” magic around the world, fans ofFatecan get more insights about the world’s lore - especially on the side of technical magic. Viewers planning on getting into moreFatemedia such as theFate/Grand Ordermobile game may appreciate concepts explored inCase Files, especially with how the gacha game emphasizes the narrative.
Why Skip Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files
Fans ofFatewho prefer seeing Masters and Servants duke it out in grand battles where wishes, lives, and principles are at stake won’t necessarily see the same things inLord El-Melloi II’s Case Files. Instead, the anime is more suitable for fans of the franchise who want to get out of the Holy Grail War and look at the more “normal” side of the setting - particularly from the setting of mages and a magical society trying to stay hidden from the rest of mankind.
