Only Hiro Mashima can make a guild hall full of loudmouth wizards feel like home. One minute Natsu is flattening a city block, the next everyone’s arguing over dinner as if nothing happened. It’s ridiculous, heartfelt, and somehow never stops being fun.
The Fairy Tail watch order, thankfully, isn’t nearly as chaotic as the guild itself. The main story unfolds in a straightforward timeline, but the OVAs and movies are where most fans require some hand-holding.
That’s where this guide comes in. Below, you’ll find the complete Fairy Tail watch order, including every TV series, movie, and OVA, arranged in the recommended viewing order.
The Complete Fairy Tail Watch Order: Master List
The recommended watch order below includes every animated Fairy Tail release, placing the bonus content where it fits best without interrupting the flow of the main story.
| Order | Title | Type | Episodes | Original Release |
| 1 | Fairy Tail | TV Anime | 175 | 2009–2013 |
| 2 | Fairy Tail OVA 1–5 (Optional) | OVA | 5 | 2011–2013 |
| 3 | Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess | Movie | 1 | 2012 |
| 4 | Fairy Tail (2014 Series) | TV Anime | 102 | 2014–2016 |
| 5 | Fairy Tail OVA 6–9 (Optional) | OVA | 4 | 2016 |
| 6 | Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry | Movie | 1 | 2017 |
| 7 | Fairy Tail: Final Series | TV Anime | 51 | 2018–2019 |
| 8 | Fairy Tail OVA 10 (Optional) | OVA | 1 | 2018 |
| 9 | Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest | TV Anime | 25 | 2024–2025 |
Fairy Tail TV Anime
The four TV anime tell one continuous story, following Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and the rest of the guild from their earliest adventures to the events of 100 Years Quest. If you’re only interested in the main plot, these are the entries you absolutely shouldn’t skip.
1. Fairy Tail (2009–2013)
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
| Type | TV Anime |
| Episodes | 175 |
| Original Release | 2009–2013 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| IMDb Rating | 7.9/10 |
| Watch After | Start here |
Lucy wanted to join the kingdom’s most famous wizard guild. She got Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, and a front-row seat to absolute mayhem instead.
From dark guilds and Dragon Slayers to laugh-out-loud guild brawls, the original series perfectly captures Fairy Tail’s larger-than-life characters and the unbreakable bonds they build along the way.
2. Fairy Tail (2014 Series)
| Type | TV Anime |
| Episodes | 102 |
| Original Release | 2014–2016 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| IMDb Rating | 7.9/10 |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess |
After a seven-year absence, Fairy Tail returns to find its glory days long gone. Watching the guild fight its way back to the top is immensely satisfying, especially during the fan-favorite Grand Magic Games arc. Just when things start looking up, the story takes a darker turn with some of the franchise’s toughest battles.
3. Fairy Tail: Final Series
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
| Type | TV Anime |
| Episodes | 51 |
| Original Release | 2018–2019 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| IMDb Rating | 7.9/10 |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry |
This is everything the series has been building toward. Long-buried secrets finally surface, familiar faces return when they’re needed most, and the Alvarez Empire pushes Fairy Tail to its absolute limit. It’s an emotional send-off that delivers spectacular magic battles without losing sight of the guild’s biggest strength.
4. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
| Type | TV Anime |
| Episodes | 25 |
| Original Release | 2024–2025 |
| Director | Toshinori Watanabe |
| IMDb Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail: Final Series |
Just when you think the adventure is over, Fairy Tail accepts the one quest that’s gone unfinished for more than a century. The sequel introduces the fearsome Dragon Gods, unexplored lands, and a fresh wave of enemies while keeping the guild’s trademark mix of humor, heart, and explosive action completely intact.
Fairy Tail OVAs: The Bonus You Needed
Think of the OVAs as bonus quests between the main adventures. Some adapt Hiro Mashima’s special manga chapters, while others are completely original stories packed with comedy, fan service, slice-of-life moments, and extra time with the guild.
5. OVA 1: Welcome to Fairy Hills!!
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Original Release | 2011 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail (2009–2013) |
Fairy Hills is where the guild’s craziest off-duty antics happen. This lighthearted OVA trades world-ending threats for everyday comedy, giving the female members of Fairy Tail the spotlight and plenty of laughs along the way.
6. OVA 2: Fairy Academy
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 27 minutes |
| Original Release | 2011 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Welcome to Fairy Hills!! |
Ever wondered what Fairy Tail would look like as a high school anime? That’s exactly what Fairy Academy delivers. Familiar faces take on new roles in a goofy alternate universe that pokes fun at classic school-life tropes without taking itself seriously for a second.
7. OVA 3: Memory Days
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Original Release | 2012 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairy Academy |
Before they became inseparable guildmates, Natsu and Lucy had to survive their very first mission together. Memory Days fills in that missing piece, offering a nostalgic look back at the partnership that became the heart of the series.
8. OVA 4: Fairies’ Penalty Game
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Original Release | 2012 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Memory Days |
When Erza comes up with a punishment, nobody gets off lightly. A harmless game quickly snowballs into one ridiculous challenge after another, giving nearly every guild member a chance to embarrass themselves in spectacular fashion.
9. OVA 5: The Exciting Ryuzetsu Land
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Original Release | 2013 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairies’ Penalty Game |
A day at Ryuzetsu Land sounds like the closest thing Fairy Tail will ever get to a vacation. Naturally, it doesn’t stay peaceful for long. Between attractions, unexpected trouble, and nonstop banter, it’s another fun excuse to watch the guild bounce off each other.
10. OVA 6: Fairy Tail x Rave
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 27 minutes |
| Original Release | 2013 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail (2014 Series) |
If you know Hiro Mashima’s earlier work, this crossover is pure fan service in the best way. Heroes from Rave Master and Fairy Tail finally share the screen, creating the kind of crossover fans had imagined for years.
11. OVA 7: Fairies’ Training Camp
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 27 minutes |
| Original Release | 2016 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail x Rave |
Training with Fairy Tail is exactly as unhinged as you’d expect. The guild heads to the beach for what should be a simple training camp, but competitive personalities, ridiculous situations, and plenty of laughs quickly steal the spotlight.
12. OVA 8: Natsu vs. Mavis
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 27 minutes |
| Original Release | 2016 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairies’ Training Camp |
Don’t let the title fool you. This isn’t some earth-shattering showdown. Instead, it’s a playful bonus story that gives guild founder Mavis more time in the spotlight while delivering the lighthearted humor Fairy Tail fans know and love.
13. OVA 9: The 413 Days
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 27 minutes |
| Original Release | 2016 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Natsu vs. Mavis |
Gray and Juvia don’t always get the spotlight, which is exactly why The 413 Days stands out. It’s a quieter, character-driven story that explores one of Fairy Tail’s most beloved relationships without needing an all-out battle to leave an impression.
14. OVA 10: Fairies’ Christmas
| Type | OVA |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Original Release | 2018 |
| Director | Shinji Ishihira |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail: Final Series |
Trust Fairy Tail to turn Christmas into complete pandemonium. The guild’s holiday celebration delivers festive laughs, familiar faces, and one last helping of the warm, chaotic family dynamic that has always been the series’ greatest magic.
Fairy Tail Movies
Unlike the TV anime, Fairy Tail’s movies are standalone adventures that don’t interrupt the main story. Watch them where they’re placed in the order below for the smoothest experience.
15. Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess
| Type | Movie |
| Runtime | 86 minutes |
| Original Release | August 18, 2012 |
| Director | Masaya Fujimori |
| IMDb Rating | 7.0/10 |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail OVA 1–5 |
What starts as a simple escort mission quickly spirals into a race to stop the resurrection of an ancient force tied to the legendary Phoenix Stone. With movie-quality animation, memorable new characters, and plenty of magic-fueled spectacle, Phoenix Priestess feels like a natural extension of the anime rather than a throwaway side story.
16. Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry
| Type | Movie |
| Runtime | 85 minutes |
| Original Release | May 6, 2017 |
| Director | Tatsuma Minamikawa |
| IMDb Rating | 6.7/10 |
| Watch After | Fairy Tail OVA 6–9 |
If you wished Natsu had one more big adventure before the Final Series, Dragon Cry delivers exactly that. Centered around a legendary magical artifact with enough power to reshape kingdoms, the film raises the spectacle with stunning fight sequences, gorgeous visuals, and a few surprises that longtime Fairy Tail fans will especially appreciate.
Want to know the good thing about Fairy Tail? It doesn’t ask you to juggle multiple timelines or alternate universes. Follow the TV series in order, sprinkle in the OVAs whenever they appear in the watch order, and save the movies for their recommended spots.
That’s all it takes to experience the guild’s journey from Lucy’s first day in Magnolia to the legendary 100 Years Quest.
Writer. Dreamer. Journalist (maybe?). Anime lover (definitely). I turn curiosity into stories and everyday life into a narrative worth reading.
Note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through them-at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we genuinely believe in and find useful.