Fairy Tail watch order
Fairy Tail aired as three TV series, but they're one story: watch episodes 1-328 in order. If you want the films, put Dragon Cry before the final arc and Phoenix Priestess anywhere after the Grand Magic Games. Then move on to the sequel, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest.
The "ours" column uses the continuous numbering of our Fairy Tail filler list. Apps that restart the count for each series call episode 176 "episode 1" of the 2014 series, and episode 278 "episode 1" of the final series.
The order
| Step | Watch | Ours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairy Tail (2009 series) | 1-175 | Aired 2009 to 2013. Ends partway through the Grand Magic Games. |
| 2 | Fairy Tail (2014 series) | 176-277 | Aired 2014 to 2016. Picks up where the first run stopped. |
| 3 | Fairy Tail Final Series, episodes 1-7 | 278-284 | Aired from 2018. Finishes the Avatar arc. |
| 4 | Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry (film) | After 284 | Optional. Set between the last two story arcs. |
| 5 | Fairy Tail Final Series, episodes 8-51 | 285-328 | The Alvarez Empire war, to the end. Aired until 2019. |
| 6 | Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest | Separate | The sequel series, 25 episodes from 2024 to 2025. |
Where the Fairy Tail movies fit
Both films are original stories, with Hiro Mashima involved in the planning. Neither is needed for the TV plot.
- Phoenix Priestess (2012) was released while the first series was airing. It doesn't tie into a specific arc. It came out in August 2012, so watching it any time after the Grand Magic Games (203) keeps it from showing you anything early. Some guides place it elsewhere; that only matters for spoilers.
- Dragon Cry (2017) is set between the penultimate and final story arcs. In our numbering, that's after the Avatar arc ends at 284 and before the Alvarez Empire begins at 285.
OVAs
Nine OVAs came out between 2011 and 2016, most with limited editions of the manga. They're mostly comedy side stories, and a few adapt Mashima's bonus chapters. Watch them as extras whenever you like; none affects the main plot.
Fairy Tail watch order without filler
Follow the Fairy Tail episodes to keep: 278 of 328. The biggest cuts are the Key of the Starry Sky (125-150) and the Eclipse Celestial Spirits (204-218), both anime-only.
Not every episode near those runs is filler. Episodes 219, 220, 222-224 and 226 adapt bonus chapters or an official light novel, so they stay in. Our filler picks name the anime-only arcs we'd still watch.
Questions
Is Fairy Tail 2014 a sequel?
No. It's the same story, picked up where the 2009 series stopped. Only the broadcast changed.
Where does 100 Years Quest start?
Straight after episode 328. It's a sequel series of 25 episodes, aired from July 2024 to January 2025. A second season hadn't been announced when we checked. It isn't part of our filler list.
Do I need the movies before 100 Years Quest?
No. Both films are side stories.
Sources and scope
Episode numbers and labels come from our Fairy Tail sources. The film placements are our recommendations, except Dragon Cry's, which follows its published setting.
Series, films and sequel: List of Fairy Tail episodes, Fairy Tail (TV series), Phoenix Priestess, Dragon Cry and Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest (Wikipedia). Checked November 3, 2026.