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Fairy Tail Watch Order
Watch Fairy Tail by airing run: the 2009 series, the 2014 continuation, and the 2018 Final Series, then the sequel 100 Years Quest. The two films are optional.
Fairy Tail Watch Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Fairy Tail is one of the great long-running shonen adventures, following fire mage Natsu Dragneel, celestial wizard Lucy Heartfilia, and their rowdy guild through a saga of dragons, dark guilds, and time-skips. Because the TV anime aired in three separate runs under slightly different titles, newcomers often worry they are missing a season. The good news is that the watch order is almost entirely linear, so you can follow it straight through without juggling chronology charts.
The watch order is the one you want. Start with the 2009 series, which adapts the early guild arcs and runs through the Grand Magic Games, ending at episode 175. Continue with the 2014 continuation, which picks up the story without a reset and covers the major Tartaros saga before wrapping up its run. Then finish the main story with Fairy Tail: Final Series in 2018-2019, the run that adapts the manga's climax and ending. Each run flows directly into the next, so treat them as one continuous show rather than separate seasons.
After the main series concludes, the sequel Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest (2024) carries Natsu and the gang into a brand-new adventure based on the ongoing follow-up manga by Hiro Mashima and Atsuo Ueda. Watch it last, since it assumes you already know every character and how the original ended.
The two films, Phoenix Priestess (2012) and Dragon Cry (2017), are non-essential side-stories with original plots. They slot in roughly during the main run's timeline but do not affect the canon, so save them for after you finish or skip them entirely. If you enjoy Mashima's style, his earlier work Rave Master and the spin-off Edens Zero share his fingerprints and make natural follow-ups.
How many episodes is Fairy Tail?
Fairy Tail has 353 episodes across the 4 series entries tracked in this guide. 37 of them are marked filler, leaving 316 canon episodes.
See how Fairy Tail compares on the Anime Filler Index →
- Fairy Tail (2009) 175 episodes 2009-2013
- Fairy Tail (2014) 102 episodes 2014-2016
- Fairy Tail: Final Series 51 episodes 2018-2019
- Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest 25 episodes 2024-2025
Timeline 2009-2024
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2009 (2009)
- 2012 Phoenix Priestess
- 2014 (2014)
- 2017 Dragon Cry
- 2018 Final Series
- 6-year gap
- 2024 100 Years Quest
Where to play it today
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Fairy Tail.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I watch Fairy Tail in?
Watch the main TV anime in airing order: the 2009 series, then the 2014 continuation, then Fairy Tail: Final Series (2018-2019). Finish with the sequel Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest (2024). The story is continuous, so treat the three runs as one show.
How many seasons and episodes are there?
The original anime ran for 328 episodes across three broadcast runs (the 2009 series, the 2014 continuation, and the 2018-2019 Final Series). The sequel 100 Years Quest adds its own episode count on top. Some services split these into many labeled seasons.
Do I need to watch the Fairy Tail movies?
No. Phoenix Priestess (2012) and Dragon Cry (2017) are non-essential, original side-stories that do not affect the main canon. You can watch them after the series or skip them entirely without missing anything.
Is Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest a sequel or a remake?
It is a direct sequel set after the original story ends, based on the follow-up manga by Hiro Mashima and Atsuo Ueda. Watch it only after finishing Final Series, since it assumes full knowledge of the characters and ending.
Where does the Tartaros arc fall?
The major Tartaros saga is part of the 2014 continuation, which aired it in 2015. The 2009 series ended at the Grand Magic Games arc (episode 175), so you reach Tartaros once you move into the second run.
Is there anything to watch after Fairy Tail?
If you want more from creator Hiro Mashima, try his spin-off Edens Zero and his earlier series Rave Master, both of which share his art style and adventure tone.
How many Fairy Tail episodes are filler?
Of the 353 episodes tracked in this guide, 37 are marked filler, and the tracker above marks every one so you can skip straight past them.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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