The Fairy Tail manga series has over 72 million copies in circulation, so it’s safe to say that the series is quite popular.
The same can be said for the anime series, which viewers have rated a 4.5 out of 5. Although highly rated, the series is very long, and this can be daunting for some viewers.
The show has 9 seasons (328 episodes), 4 movies, and 9 OVAs (original video animation). If you are a new viewer and you want to watch the whole series, you might be wondering how to watch Fairy Tail in order. Let’s go through it all!
Fairy Tail is a Japanese manga series that was written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. It was adapted into an anime series that was broadcast on TV Tokyo from 2009 to 2019.
How to Watch Fairy Tail in Order
Given the sheer amount of content, some viewers look for the best way to prioritize their time while still getting as much from the series as they can.
To help you sort out the essential from the inessential Fairy Tail content, just note that Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest is a separate manga series written by Hiro Mashima and Atsuo Ueda, and is considered a sequel to the original Fairy Tail series. In 2021, it was announced that it will also receive an anime adaptation.
Release order
In order to prevent confusion, viewers recommend watching the original seasons first, then the movies, and lastly the OVAs. This will give you the best sense of the plot, as we have outlined below.
Fairy Tail Seasons:
Season 1 (48 episodes): These outline how Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia (the protagonists) meet, become friends, and go on adventures trying to earn money.
Season 2 (24 episodes): These focus on Natsu and Lucy’s Fairy Tail guild and its alliances with other guilds as they try to take down Oración Seis, considered to be one of the most dangerous guilds.
Season 3 (28 episodes): Gildarts, a famous mage, arrives and brings bad news about Igneel, a dragon and Natsu’s foster father. Natsu tries to rescue his friends.
Season 4 (25 episodes): Hades, leader of the Grimoire Heart guild, defeats Makarov, guild master of Fairy Tail. The Fairy Tail guild is rescued.
Season 5 (25 episodes): Notably, this is considered a filler season. It focuses on Natsu and the members of the Fairy Tail as they face a group of warriors. Meanwhile, Oración Seis is revived.
Season 6 (25 episodes): Weakened by conflict, Natsu and Lucy’s group decides to join an annual competition to determine the strongest guild.
Season 7 (90 episodes): The group encounters a conspiracy involving a time machine and the imminent destruction of the kingdom.
Season 8 (12 episodes) Natsu and his friend and partner Happy reunite with Lucy after being separated for a year.
Season 9 (51 episodes) Natsu and Lucy try to reassemble their guild and go to war with the military-driven Alvarez Empire.
Fairy Tail Movies
Prologue: The Sunrise: This is a 12-minute teaser that was released before the Phoenix Priestess movie. (This is not essential to watch, but many viewers thoroughly enjoy it.)
Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (2012): The world is on the brink of death because a foolish prince wants limitless power.
The First Morning (2013): This movie is centered around the amnesiac priestess Eclair, who she is, and details her life.
Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry (2017): Dragon Cry, a very important magical artifact, is stolen. Natsu, Lucy, and the Fairy Tail guild attempt to reclaim it.
Fairy Tail OVAs
OVA 1: Welcome to Fairy Hills – Lucy travels to Fairy Hills to help an old woman in response to a strange job request.
OVA 2: Fairy Academy: Yankee-Kun And Yankee-Chan (2011) – Lucy gets transferred to a new school where the people are different from what she’s used to.
OVA 3: Memory Days (2012) – The group is sent to the past, where they have to be careful not to alter their future.
OVA 4: Fairies’ Training Camp (2012) – Mavis, the first guild master of Fairy Tail, attends a training camp with the group.
OVA 5: The Exciting Ryuzetsu Land (2013) – During the tournament known as the Grand Magic Games, the mages go to the popular resort Ryuzetsu Land to relax.
OVA 6: Fairy Tail X Rave (2013) – This is a crossover between two anime shows, Fairy Tail and Rave. The two groups fight together against a powerful enemy.
OVA 7: Fairies’ Penalty Game (2016) – Two groups in team Fairy Tail go head to head to decide who will win. The winner gets to make the other team do whatever they want.
OVA 8: Natsu vs Mavis (2016) – Natsu and his group take up a request to look for a hidden treasure.
OVA 9: Fairies’ Christmas (2016) – The guild helps the town of Magnolia prepare for Christmas.
Chronological Order
Some viewers recommend watching The Fairy Tail anime according to its internal chronology, which is not always consistent with the release order.
Fairy Tail: Season 1 – Season 2 (episode 1 – 68)
Fairy Tail OVA 1: Welcome to Fairy Hills!! (2011)
Fairy Tail OVA 2: Fairy Academy: Yankee-kun And Yankee-Chan (2011)
Fairy Tail OVA 3: Memory Days (2012)
Fairy Tail: Season 2 – Season 4 (episode 69 – 124)
Prologue: The Sunrise (12 min teaser)
Fairy Tail: Phoenix Priestess Movie (2012)
Fairy Tail: Season 4 – Season 5 (episode 125 – 150)
Fairy Tail OVA 6: Fairy Tail X Rave (2013)
Fairy Tail: Season 6 (episode 151 – 154)
Fairy Tail OVA 4: Fairies’ Training Camp (2012)
Fairy Tail: Season 6 (episode 155 -170)
Fairy Tail OVA 5: The Exciting Ryuzetsu Land (2013)
Fairy Tail: Season 6 (episode 171 – 175)
Fairy Tail: The First Morning Movie (2013)
Fairy Tail: Season 7 (episode 176 – 203)
Fairy Tail OVA 7: Fairies’ Penalty Game (2016)
Fairy Tail: Season 7 (episode 204 – 233)
Fairy Tail OVA 8: Natsu vs Mavis (2016)
Fairy Tail OVA 9: Fairies’ Christmas (2016)
Fairy Tail: Season 7 – Season 8 (episode 234 – 277)
Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Movie 2017
Fairy Tail: Season 9 (episode 278 – 328)
Final Thoughts
Now you’re ready to watch Fairy Tail in order! Watching in the in-universe chronological order will make the most sense, but if that seems too confusing, you can always try watching all 9 seasons first, then the movies, and then the OVA’s.
