Trying to figure out the watch order for the Fate series almost broke me

I decided to get into the Fate anime last month, thinking it would be a fun weekend project. I googled it and found a forum thread with over 300 replies, all arguing about where to start. Some said 'Fate/Zero', others said 'Unlimited Blade Works', and a few said to watch a fan edit from 2008. I spent three whole evenings reading charts and timelines, getting more confused each time. I finally just started with 'Fate/Zero' on a streaming site, but I still feel like I might have messed up the story. Has anyone else actually found a clear answer to this, or is it just a rite of passage for anime fans?

3 comments

3 Comments

jenkins.elizabeth21d ago

Forget the charts and just pick one. I started with the Unlimited Blade Works show and loved it, but my friend swears by the old Fate/Stay Night from 2006 even though the art is rough. @noahgreen is right that you can start with Zero, but that one spoils big twists for the other shows. The real mess is when you try to add all the spin-offs like Apocrypha or Grand Order into the order. That's when you need a spreadsheet.

noahgreen21d ago

Honestly, I started with Zero and it was fine. The whole watch order debate feels like people making it way more important than it actually is. You just watch a show about magic and sword fights. If you like it, you watch the next one. It's not that deep.

wader7121d ago

Seriously, it's just a TV show. People act like picking the wrong order will ruin your life. You watch it, you have fun, or you don't. All this stress over the "perfect" way to watch cartoons is missing the point.