35 Best Anime Like Sword Art Online You Need to Watch
Sword Art Online is a light novel written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. Since April 2009, 26 volumes have been published. It was adapted into several manga but also into a 25-episode animated television series. As far as popularity goes, Sword Art Online is one of the most popular isekai series of the modern era and its legacy is truly amazing, which is why we have decided to talk about the series in this article.
To honor the legacy of Sword Art Online, we have decided to compose a list of the best anime series like Sword Art Online that every fan needs to see. The list is going to include a total of 35 different titles which resemble the Sword Art Online anime in one way or the other.
35. Princess Connect! Re:Dive
Original Run: April 7, 2020 – present
Number of Episodes: 17
On the continent of Astraea, a man falls from the sky, with no other memory than his name, Yuuki. An elf named Kokkoro finds him, introducing herself as her guide in the world they are about to cross. With Kokkoro’s guidance, Yuuki can learn how this world works, from fighting monsters to handling currency.
To earn money for their trip, Yuuki and Kokkoro decide to go to a nearby guild association to accept a simple mission. On their expedition, they meet Pecorine, a somewhat gluttonous but charming girl who is an expert in battle.
34. Overlord
Original Run: July 7, 2015 – present
Number of Episodes: 39 (+ 1 OVA and 34 ONA)
The story begins in Yggdrasil, a very successful online virtual role-playing game, which is about to close for good after 12 years of existence. The main protagonist, Momonga nevertheless finds it difficult to accept it, he has no family, no friends, no girlfriend, and no longer finds meaning in living in “reality”.
He is the leader of one of the 10 best guilds in the game, the Ainz Ooal Gown guild, composed exclusively of “non-human” characters, and whose headquarters is the “Great Tomb of Nazarick”.
33. Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
Original Run: October 2, 2019 – December 27, 2019
Number of Episodes: 12
To manage Geaburande a world with an S-rank salvation difficulty, to which the goddess Ristarte has been assigned, the latter summons a hero to help her in her task in order to become a truly accomplished deity. However, while Seiya Ryūgūin is exceptional in every way, she didn’t expect him to be “incredibly careful”.
And the latter is not a dead hand, he is ready to equip himself heavily by buying several armors at once or by using powerful abilities against small slimes! Rista must therefore resign herself to being accompanied by a very anxious hero to save this fantasy world that looks like a video game.
32. Seven Deadly Sins
Original Run: October 5, 2014 – June 23, 2021
Number of Episodes: 120 + 3 OVA
Liones, Kingdom of Britannia. The Grand Master of the Sacred Knights Zaratras was brutally murdered, and the culprits would be an order of legendary knights numbering seven in the service of the king who wanted to overthrow the throne.
Ten years later, a young girl named Elizabeth Liones goes in search of those mysterious knights who once were the pride of Liones: the Seven Deadly Sins, a group of seven great criminals chosen by the king himself, to foil a schemed plot by the sacred knights against royalty. It was then that she ran aground at the Boar Hat, a tavern owned by a little boy with his pig Hawk.
31. I’m Standing on a Million Lives
Original Run: October 2, 2020 – September 25, 2021
Number of Episodes: 24
transported to another world where they must work together to survive. Yotsuya is a “lone wolf” and has always lived his life satisfying himself, but how will that work now that he is a hero?
30. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Original Run: January 11, 2016 – March 28, 2016
Number of Episodes: 12 + OVA
A boy named Haruhiro awakens along with twelve other people in a world called Grimgar. None of them have any memories of their past other than their own name, and in order to survive they decide to join as soldiers of the Alterna border town’s Volunteer Army. Haruhiro is part of the group composed of Yume, Shihoru, Ranta, Moguzo and led by their leader Manato, who slowly begin to progress in order to survive in this new world.
But just when everything is going its best, Manato is shot to death during a mission, and before expiring he asks Haruhiro to be the new leader of the group. Still upset by the loss of his friend, Haruhiro decides to inherit his will and keep his companions alive.
29. In Another World with My Smartphone
Original Run: July 11, 2017 – September 26, 2017
Number of Episodes: 12
The 15-year-old Tōya Mochizuki is accidentally struck by lightning and killed by God. As an apology, God allows him to be reborn in a fanciful world but very different from his old world with one special request. Tōya uses it to bring his smartphone to the new world with him.
God also amplifies his physical, mental, and magical performance to apologize again for killing him. Enjoying his second life, Tōya befriends many different people in this world. He begins to travel from one world to another.
28. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Original Run: October 4, 1995 – March 27, 1996
Number of Episodes: 26
In 2000, a gigantic explosion occurred in Antarctica. This cataclysm, officially caused by the fall of an asteroid, causes the waters to rise several tens of meters and devastates a large part of the planet, causing the death of two billion people as well as a new world war.
Fifteen years later, mankind has overcome this dramatic event referred to as the “Second Impact” but mysterious giant creatures, the Angels, appear and attempt to destroy Tokyo-3, the new capital-fortress of Japan.
To combat them, the secret organization NERV has developed the “Evangelion” (or “EVA”), humanoid giants of mechanical appearance. Shinji Ikari, a 14-year-old boy, goes to Tokyo-3 at the invitation of his father, director of NERV, whom he has not seen for ten years. Little did he know that he was called to pilot an EVA and take part in the fight against the “Third Angel”.
27. The Familial of Zero
Original Run: July 3, 2006 – March 24, 2012
Number of Episodes: 49 (+ OVA)
In the world of Halkeginia, all nobles are born with a gift that allows them to use magic. However, the young Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière, a student at the Magic Academy of the Kingdom of Tristain, presents such disastrous results in her various attempts that her comrades doubt her powers, hence her nickname of “Louise the Zero”.
Being in her second year, she wishes to take advantage of the familiar ceremony to prove to everyone that she has powers, a ceremony which consists of the summoning of a being who will accompany her mage until the end of her days.
26. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Original Run: April 5, 2020 – September 18, 2021
Number of Episodes: 24 (+ 2 OVA)
Duke Claes’ only daughter, Catarina Claes, was proud and selfish because she was spoiled by her parents. However, when she was eight, her father took her to the royal castle where she bangs her head against a stone. As a result of this, she recovers memories of her previous life as a young otaku girl who lost her life in a traffic accident.
This world seems familiar to her, she notices that it is that of the otome game, “Fortune Lover”, which she played before her accident and of which in reality she has been reincarnated as the rival of the heroine and antagonist of the game.
25. Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!
Original Run: October 7, 2019 – December 23, 2019
Number of Episodes: 12
Misato Kurihara is a genius. This is what she was told ever since her exceptional abilities started to emerge, making people expect a lot of her. But on the day of his high school graduation ceremony, an inattentive driver rushes in the direction of a little girl.
Without thinking, Misato jumped into the street, protecting the little girl at the cost of her life. When she wakes up, she meets God, the Creator, who explains to her that the girl she saved will lead a life of great fame.
24. Kill la Kill
Original Run: October 4, 2013 – March 28, 2014
Number of Episodes: 24 + OVA
We meet a 17-year-old girl, Ryuko Matoi, who arrives in a Japanese city. She walks around with a strange briefcase on her back that contains half of a pair of scissors. Arriving through the slums, it is the target of a few pickpockets. After correcting them, she learns about the city, which is apparently under the yoke of a dictatorship.
It is within the Honnōji Academy that we find the president of the student council, and leader of the totalitarian movement, Satsuki Kiryūin. Matoi decides to enroll in the academy and challenge the president to tell him more about her father’s death and to find her killer, the holder of the second half of the pair of scissors, called, when the halves are joined together, the snipitisnips.
23. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord
Original Run: July 5, 2018 – June 11, 2021
Number of Episodes: 22
Takuma Sakamoto is an ordinary human who is mysteriously transported to the world of his favorite MMORPG, Cross Reverie in the guise of his own character, the mighty Demon King Diablo.
The two young girls who summoned him, Rem and Shera, attempt to use a spell to make Takuma their servant, but the spell is considered and they end up with magical necklaces tied around their necks, thus becoming his slaves.
With a serious case of social anxiety, Takuma still decides to take on the role of his character while interacting with others and uses his high stats and vast knowledge of Cross Reverie to survive in his new environment, traveling with him.
22. Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Original Run: July 8, 2019 – present
Number of Episodes: 16 (+ 2 OVA)
Hajime Nagumo is an ordinary, benevolent high school student who is bullied by the rest of his class because of his special relationship with their “idol”, Kaori Shirasaki. When transported with their teacher to another fantasy world as heroes, while most of his fellow students gain powerful skills including magic and high stats, Hajime only gets a non-combat class of “Synergist”, a kind of technician with mediocre statistics and the ability to transmute solid materials, a common skill of artisans and blacksmiths, this reinforcing the contempt of his peers.
During a dungeon conquest in the Labyrinth of Orcus, helping his comrades and saving Kaori, he is betrayed by one of his fellow students and, except by the latter who refuses, left for dead in the underworld. still unexplored of said dungeon: at the mercy of monsters theoretically too powerful and dangerous for him who infest the place, and doomed to almost certain death, Hajime nevertheless manages to survive.
21. Deadman Wonderland
Original Run: April 17, 2011 – July 3, 2011
Number of Episodes: 12 (+ OVA)
A powerful earthquake ravaged mainland Japan and largely destroyed Tokyo, submerging three-quarters of the city in the ocean. Ten years later, the story centers on Ganta Igarashi, a seemingly ordinary student who attends Nagano Prefecture College.
Although a survivor of the earthquake, Ganta has no memory of the tragedy and has lived an ordinary life. All of this changes when a strange man covered in blood and wearing purple armor floats outside the classroom windows. Smiling like a madman, the Man in Red slaughters Ganta’s entire class and, rather than killing him, embeds a shard of red crystal in his chest.
A few days after the massacre, Ganta is declared the sole suspect and, after a speedy trial, is sentenced to life in prison in Deadman Wonderland, a prison lined with an amusement park.
20. Fate/stay night
Original Run: January 7, 2006 – June 17, 2006
Number of Episodes: 24
The Holy Grail War features seven Masters battling it out in the city of Fuyuki in Japan. Using their magical powers and their previously summoned Servants, the last of them will be able to appropriate the Grail and make their dearest wish come true. FATE is the first accessible scenario, but also the most popular.
The story revolves around Shirō and his Servant, Saber. Here, the hero will believe in his ideals until the end, even if he has to deny reality. The popular view sees Shirō, in this scenario, as a child. The first 2006 anime series by Studio Deen is based primarily on this storyline, although it also picks up some minor elements from the other two.
Datto Nishiwaki’s manga is also a mix between this scenario and Unlimited Blade Works. Unlimited Blade Works is only unlocked after finishing the FATE scenario, preventing Saber from attacking Archer. One can also access this scenario by refusing to cooperate with Rin in FATE, but this inevitably leads to a Bad End. The story focuses on Rin, Shirō, and Archer. The past of the latter, of which we knew nothing in the first scenario, is here considerably developed.
Shirō learns to master his abilities and even manages to defeat several Servants. In this scenario, Shirō becomes much less naive but still wants to follow his ideals: purists see in him the vision of a teenager, halfway between adulthood and childhood.
19. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Original Run: April 4, 2016 – March 24, 2021
Number of Episodes: 50 (+ 2 OVA + 50 ONA)
One day, leaving a convenience store, a Japanese high school student in a tracksuit named Subaru Natsuki is transported to a parallel world without any explanation. While trying to make his mark in this new world, Subaru is attacked by a band of bandits.
On the verge of death, he is saved by a silver-haired half-elf named “Satela,” accompanied by a cat-like spirit, Pack. To reciprocate, he decides to help her with her daily chores, including finding the badge stolen from her by Felt, a young girl living on theft.
Later, in the slums of the city, they are attacked and killed by a mysterious person. Before dying, Subaru promises Satela that he will do anything to save her.
18. Fate/Apocrypha
Original Run: July 2, 2017 – December 30, 2017
Number of Episodes: 25
The story takes place in a world parallel to the original Fate/stay night, where the House of Einzbern have summoned Ruler rather than Avenger in the Third Holy Grail War, and the Holy Grail has been removed from the city Fuyuki to send him to Romania after the war. Thus, the events of Fate/Zero and Fate/stay night never happened. The story focuses on the conflict between the two opposing factions, the Reds and the Blacks, each calling on seven Servants and the Grail itself calling on a special Ruler-class servant to mediate the Holy War.
Members of the Red faction are mages sent by the Clock Tower Mages Association, while members of the Black faction are part of a Romanian family of mages, the Yggdmillennia. And so, the curtain rises on the advent of a new era for the Holy Grail War, with its changed system; a great war on an unprecedented scale is about to break out.
17. Knight’s & Magic
Original Run: July 2, 2017 – September 24, 2017
Number of Episodes: 13
Following a traffic accident in which he dies, Tsubasa Kurata, an otaku genius computer scientist with a passion for mecha and robots, sees his soul reincarnated in a different world where there are giant robots, called “Silhouetted Knights”, who are the main fighting force in this world.
Medieval knights of this world use these giant robots and magic to fight voracious beasts, demons, and animals that devour whatever is within their sight.
Tsubasa is reborn in this new parallel world as Ernesti Echevalier, a boy born into a noble family; he was able to keep his memories and is still enthusiastic about the mechs. Thus, he is determined to achieve his own figure knight in order to defend his kingdom.
16. Guilty Crown
Original Run: October 13, 2011 – March 22, 2012
Number of Episodes: 22
Tokyo, 2039. Having suffered deeply from the epidemic of the Apocalypse virus which occurred on the day of Lost Christmas, which weakened the bases of its power ten years earlier, Japan is now only holding on through the external support of several countries, maintained by the GHQ military regime where the value of every life has become insignificant.
It is in this context that Ouma Shū, a young student who feels bad about himself, finds Inori, singer of the group EGOIST, in his lair: the young girl, injured, has just stolen from Sephirah Genomics a precious cylinder intended for Gai, leader of the terrorist group. Undertaker. Flushed by the Anti-Bodies, an intervention group under the direction of the GHQ, Inori is kidnapped and Shū, helpless, nevertheless decides to complete her mission.
Interrupted by an explosion as he encounters Gai, Shū goes in search of Inori, whom he discovers targeted by two Endlaves (movable armor) as she tries to flee. Stepping in to protect her from their shots, the cylinder containing the Void Genome then shatters and grants Shū a strange power.
15. Gurren Lagann
Original Run: April 1, 2007 – September 30, 2007
Number of Episodes: 27
Tengen toppa Gurren-Lagann takes place in the distant future where humanity has been forced to live underground, creating isolated underground civilizations. These cities have no contact with the surface or with other underground villages. Earthquakes are frequent and cause damage to villages. Individuals, called “excavators”, are designated to dig further underground in order to enlarge the territories.
14. K
Original Run: October 5, 2012 – December 26, 2015
Number of Episodes: 26
In Japan, where different clans with special powers are located, the balance and understanding between them are very fragile. It is in this delicate climate that the murder of one of the members of the Red clan, reputed to be the most violent clan, occurs. Yashiro Isana, nicknamed Shirô, is a rather ordinary student. Although he has no close friends, he is very popular on the campus of Ashinaka High School, where he studies.
But this tranquility is only short-lived. While he was sent on an errand in Tôkyô by one of his classmates, Shirô finds himself targeted by the Red clan who seem to want his skin. And they are obviously not the only ones. Shirou does not understand what is happening to him until a strange video is released. A video where we see him assassinating a member of the Red Clan, before giving himself the title of Colorless King.
13. Berserk
Original Run: October 7, 1997 – March 31, 1998 / 1 July 2016 – 23 June 2017
Number of Episodes: 25 / 24
Berserk tells the story of the meeting of Guts and Griffith, leader of the Falcon Troop, a band of mercenaries in the pay of the kingdom of Midland. From this meeting will be born an ambiguous friendship, but nevertheless efficient: the presence of Guts, warrior with the disproportionate sword, will quickly prove essential to the ambition of the young Griffith, swashbuckler and outstanding tactician.
The anime is thus the account of the rise and fall of the Falcon Troop, and of the relation between Guts and Griffith, particularly complex, between the relation of interest (Griffith uses the force of Guts), mutual respect ( both see each other as soldiers), and deep affection (each inexplicably needs the other’s presence).
12. InuYasha
Original run: October 16, 2000 – September 13, 2004 / October 3, 2009 – March 29, 2010
Number of episodes: 167 + 26
Japan, at the time of countries at war, was known as Sengoku (before 1600). In these times, humans live alongside “Youkai” or “Mononoke” (also called “demons” or “monsters” or “spirits”). These have different powers and appearances and are very varied; however, most share the same thing in common: the envy of human flesh.
This is why they regularly attack the villages and why the humans are all afraid that one of them will attack theirs. Inu-Yasha is a hanyō, that is to say, a being half-demon, half-human.
One day, he attacks the village protecting the pearl of Shikon, then steals it and runs away. The Pearl of Shikon (her real name is Shikon No Tama) would possess unimaginable powers, including greatly increasing the powers of the demon who possesses it. Inu-Yasha, meanwhile, wants to use this power to transform into a full-fledged demon.
11. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Original Run: April 4, 2015 – present
Number of Episodes: 37 (+ 3 OVA)
Commonly referred to as the “Dungeon”, the city of Orario managed by its Guild, has an enormous underground labyrinth in which regularly appears a host of monsters, ranging from goblins to dragons. The gods, having decided long ago to live among mortals, give their “Falna” (blessings) to those with the courage and qualities required to walk the Dungeon: these chosen ones then become adventurers.
By defeating monsters, they obtain crystal fragments which are used to craft magic items, among many other treasures; however, they can also be exchanged for currency. Residents of Orario can join groups called “Familia” which perform a variety of functions, ranging from exploring the Dungeon to crafting items or participating in the active life of the city as well as providing utility services. public.
Each of these Familia is named after the deity who founded it and serves the latter. In the style of role-playing video games, adventurers are distinguished by their orientation as well as their level, which they increase through their training and quests, and gain abilities according to their prowess. The story follows those of Bell Cranel, a young novice aspiring to find love and become the best adventurer, and his little goddess Hestia, a solitary deity in search of followers to create his Familia.
10. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Original Run: October 2, 2018 – June 22, 2021
Number of Episodes: 60 (+5 OVA)
Satoru Mikami is a 37-year-old single salaryman living in Tokyo: he would be almost satisfied with his monotonous life, if he could have had a girlfriend. While he meets his younger brother in the street, who introduces him to his fiancée, panic takes hold of the sidewalk when an imbalance armed with a knife rushes through the crowd.
Satoru is fatally injured in the back while intervening to protect the couple. As he conducts a brief reflection on himself during his agony, a “voice” listens to him and interprets his “last words”.
9. Fullmetal Alchemist
Original Run: October 4, 2003 – October 2, 2004
Number of Episodes: 51
The Elric brothers (Edward and Alphonse) inherited their talent as alchemists from their father, who left the family home without ever returning. Following the death of their mother, the two young people try to revive her through alchemy, by performing a human transmutation despite the ban. The operation fails and the two brothers suffer the backlash.
Al disappears and Ed loses his leg but saves his body-deprived brother by fixing his spirit in the metal body of medieval armor with a transmutation circle drawn with his blood, but must sacrifice an arm for it. Subsequently, he will use mechanical metal prostheses, mecagrafts (1st dubbing) or automails (second dubbing). Ed then passes the exam and becomes a State Alchemist, so he can travel and find the Philosopher’s Stone, for his brother and him to find their bodies.
8. Black Clover
Original Run: October 3, 2017 – March 30, 2021
Number of Episodes: 170
Asta is a determined young boy who lives with his childhood friend, Yuno, in an orphanage in the kingdom of Clover. Since childhood, Asta has had ambitions to become the most powerful magician in the kingdom, “the Mage-Emperor”, which also inspired Yuno to want the same. But unfortunately, Asta was born without any magical talent, while Yuno has spectacular predispositions.
When they turn 15, all the young people of the kingdom are invited to a ceremony where they are given their grimoire: while Yuno receives the legendary grimoire with a four-leaf clover, considered a myth since legend claims that the first Emperor-Mage was also using a grimoire bearing a four-leaf clover, Asta receives nothing. After the ceremony, Yuno is attacked by a brigand who wants to steal his grimoire and then try to sell it.
7. No Game No Life
Original Run: April 9, 2014 – June 25, 2014
Number of Episodes: 12
Sora and Shiro are inseparable brother and sister, both in reality and in video games (they are not actually brother and sister but see each other as such). As a team, their individual skills make them invincible: Sora has a shrewd intuition, great culture, very high intelligence, and unwavering insight, while Shiro possesses an intelligence beyond genius.
In the real world, they are reclusive, antisocial, and hikikomori. In the video game world, they play together as 『 』 (white), a mysterious group of online gamers unaware of defeat, finishing first in every game they participate in. Because character account names are always empty space, they are known as “White”.
6. Fairy Tail
Original Run: October 12, 2009 – September 29, 2019
Number of Episodes: 328
The story focuses mainly on the missions carried out by one of the teams of the Fairy Tail guild, composed of Natsu Dragnir (fire dragon hunter), Lucy Heartfilia (constellationist), and Happy (an Exceed, blue cat that can be done appear wings, fly and speak), who will soon be joined by Erza Scarlett (knight mage) and Gray Fullbuster (Ice mage and later Ice demon hunter), two other members of the famous guild.
They are joined on the adventure by Carla (an Exceed white cat, like Happy), Wendy (Heavenly Dragon Slayer), and many more.
5. Re:CREATORS
Original Run: April 8, 2017 – September 16, 2017
Number of Episodes: 22
At the end of 2016, Sōta Mizushino is a young high school student fan of anime and dreaming of writing his own light novel.
Watching the anime adaptation of mecha Vogelchevalier’s light novel for inspiration, the touchscreen tablet he was watching the series on crashes and pulls him into the anime world, where he witnesses a fight between the character from the anime Celejia Upitiria and a mysterious young girl wearing a military uniform.
After his tablet crashes again, Sōta returns to his world but ends up dragging Celejia with him.
4. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Original Run: April 5, 2009 – July 4, 2010
Number of Episodes: 64
In the land of Amestris, a land where alchemy is elevated to the rank of universal science, two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, roam the country in search of the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. Their father left them and their mother, Trisha Elric, died a few years later of an illness, leaving her two young children behind.
Some time later, the two brothers try to bring her back through alchemy, defying the law which formally prohibits human transmutation. They will pay a heavy price for it. Edward, the eldest, will lose his left leg, his little brother his whole body. Ed will sacrifice his right arm by sealing the soul of his little brother Alphonse in armor.
Edward decides to enlist in the military at the age of 12 as a State Alchemist, passes the exam with flying colors, and gets his alchemist name: Fullmetal. Helped by Edward’s status as a state alchemist, the two brothers will seek, at the risk of their lives, the stone that will give them back what they have lost, but the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone is well kept.
3. The Rising of the Shield Hero
Original Run: January 9, 2019 – present
Number of Episodes: 25
Naofumi Iwatani was summoned to a completely different world with three other boys from parallel Japans to become the “Legendary Four Heroes”, or “Four Ancestral Saints”, of this strange new world. Each of the Heroes was equipped with their own legendary equipment as soon as they were summoned to the strange new world: Naofumi received the “Legendary Shield”, the only defensive equipment of the four, while the others respectively received an offensive weapon.
Due to Naofumi’s lack of charisma and experience, he ended up with only one teammate to accompany him, an attractive young woman, while the others received several: unfortunately, on the second day, Naofumi was betrayed, stripped, and falsely accused by said teammate.
Disgraced and persecuted by everyone in the kingdom, from the king to the peasants, Naofumi’s thoughts are now filled with nothing but revenge and hatred. Thus begins his journey in this world where he will have to progress alone.
2. KonoSuba
Original Run: January 14, 2016 – March 16, 2017
Number of Episodes: 20 (+ 2 OVA)
After an untimely and embarrassing death, Kazuma Satō, a Japanese hikikomori teenager, meets a goddess named Aqua, who offers him to reincarnate in a parallel world with MMORPG elements, where he can embark on adventure and combat. against monsters.
Although offered a divine item or overpowered ability to use in this new world, Kazuma, following a taunt from Aqua, chooses her to accompany him to Axel’s town, where he quickly finds that the latter’s lack of judgment is of little benefit to him.
1. Fate/zero
Original Run: October 1, 2011 – June 23, 2012
Number of Episodes: 25
The story takes place 10 years before the events of Fate/stay night. During the Holy Grail War, seven great mages (Masters) appointed by the Holy Grail will summon seven mythical spirits (Servants) to engage in a fierce battle until only one remains. After three unsuccessful wars, the fight is about to resume for the fourth time, and the mages rush to join Fuyuki, the battlefield, each praying for victory.
Indeed, the Holy Grail will offer the winner the possibility of granting his dearest wish. Among these seven Masters, one of them, Kirei Kotomine, does not seem to show any determination to acquire this Holy Grail, while on the contrary, Kiritsugu Emiya fights with all his might to obtain it. The rivalry between these two men, as well as the course of the various struggles between Masters and Servants, forms the heart of the story.
This story traces the truth of the fourth Holy Grail War which took place 10 years before that of the famous Fate/stay night video game, where it had already been presented in fragments. Light will be shed on the fight that involved Kiritsugu Emiya, Shirō’s adoptive father and hero of this story, Tokiomi Tohsaka, Rin’s father, and the young Kirei Kotomine, the main antagonist.
