What is the best order to watch Fairy Tail?

The recommended order is: 1. Rave Master, 2. Fairy Tail, 3. Fairy Tail Series 2, 4. Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess, 5. Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess - The First Morning, plus 4 more entries. This follows release order, which works best for most viewers.

Can I skip the Fairy Tail movies and OVAs?

There are 1 movie and 3 OVA/specials in the franchise. Some are recap compilations you can safely skip, while others add canon story content. When in doubt, watch them in the order listed — you won't regret having the full picture.

Should I watch Fairy Tail in release order or chronological order?

For a first watch, release order is almost always the better choice. The creators designed reveals and character introductions around the release schedule. Chronological order is better suited for a rewatch once you know the full story.

Quick Answer

Rave Master(TV · 51 eps)
Fairy Tail(TV · 175 eps)
Fairy Tail Series 2(TV · 102 eps)
Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess(Movie · 1 eps)
Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess - The First Morning(Special · 1 eps)
Fairy Tail OVA(OVA · 5 eps)
Fairy Tail x Rave(OVA · 1 eps)
...and 2 more below

Total: ~338 episodes / 135h watch time

Fairy Tail Watch Order(2026)

Q: How long does it take to watch all of Fairy Tail?

The entire Fairy Tail franchise is 338 episodes across 9 entries — roughly 135 hours of watch time.

Fairy Tail's watch order is straightforward once you see it laid out. 3 main series, 1 movie, and 3 OVA/specials — all in the right sequence.

9 entries ~135h total3 series1 movie3 OVA/specials

Full Watch Order (Release Order)

Rave Master

7.23TV51 eps~20h2001Studio Deen

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail(you are here)

7.57TV175 eps~70h2009Satelight

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail Series 2

7.66TV102 eps~41h2014A-1 Pictures

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess

7.38Movie1 eps~24minSatelight

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail the Movie: The Phoenix Priestess - The First Morning

7.33Special1 eps~24minSatelight

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail OVA

7.45OVA5 eps~2hSatelight

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail x Rave

7.14OVA1 eps~24minSatelight

Finished Airing

Everlasting Bond

6.08Music1 eps~24min

Finished Airing

Fairy Tail x Mameshiba

5.69CM1 eps~24min

Finished Airing

Tips for First-Timers

What you can skip

Large filler blocks (episodes 70-75, 125-150, 202-226, 268) and the two movies (Phoenix Priestess, Dragon Cry) are optional

Common mistake

Pushing through every filler arc thinking it's mandatory canon, which kills the pacing

Short on time?

Early arcs through Phantom Lord and Tower of Heaven, the Tenrou Island arc, and the Grand Magic Games into Tartaros

Start Watching Fairy Tail

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best order to watch Fairy Tail?

Release order. Start with Rave Master and go down the list. This is how the creators intended the story to unfold — later entries build on what came before, and watching out of order can spoil key reveals.

How long does it take to watch all of Fairy Tail?

About 135 hours total across 338 episodes and 9 entries. At 3-4 episodes per day, that's roughly 97 days.

Can I skip the movies and OVAs?

It depends. Recap movies are always safe to skip — they just compress the TV episodes. Original movies and OVAs range from "fun side stories" to "actually important for the plot." When you're unsure, just watch them where they fall in the list above. Better to have extra context than miss something.

Release order or chronological order?

Go with release order for your first time through. Chronological can be tempting, but shows are written with release order in mind — reveals hit harder and character arcs make more sense. Save chronological for a rewatch if you want a different perspective.