Best Manga To Read If You Love Fate/Stay Night

Summary

• Record Of Ragnarok – like Fate series but with epic battles & mythological figures
• Noragami – explores divinity & mortals, comparable mythologies to Fate series
• Fullmetal Alchemist – delves into love, loss, & consequences of power like Fate

Fate/Stay Night is quite a complex romantic/supernatural manga. It has high doses of action and magic and is heavily inspired by folklore from various parts of the world. It’s a weird combination of urban fantasy and high fantasy, but it works well.

So, finding the best manga to read if you love Fate/Stay Night can be tricky. If we consider the mythological aspects of the series, there are quite a few that fit the criteria. Then again, this manga by TYPE-MOON also focuses heavily on the aspects of divinity and what’s beyond death, so it is also similar to other series. So, let’s take a look at this list of titles that are great reads for fans of the Holy Grail Wars.

8

Record Of Ragnarok

Combines Epic Battles With Mythology

• Genres: Seinen, Action, Drama, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Supernatural
• Author: Shinya Umemura
• Artist: Takumi Fukui/Ajichika

In an attempt to save Mankind from the final judgment of the Gods, the Valkyrie Brunhilde challenges all the deities to a final tournament. The rules are simple: the Gods will face humanity’s strongest “heroes,” who will wield weapons granted by each of the thirteen Valkyries sacrificing themselves in the process.

This series is about a high-stakes tournament with the fate of all humanity on the line. It has a lot of similar aspects to the Fate series, including the summoning of notorious figures from the past like Adam, the father of mankind, or the infamous villain Jack The Reaper.

7

Noragami

A Strange Shoujo About Gods And Humans

• Genres: Supernatural, Mystery, Drama, Action, Romance, Shoujo
• Author & Artist: Adachitoka

A “stray” god with no temple or believers of its own meets a regular school day, and both of their lives will change forever. In this strange supernatural romance that explores the finer aspects of the relationship between divinity and mortals, there are several points in common with the Fate series.

Both series have similar mythological constructions that support magical systems, and the rankings of the gods are also similar to those of the Heroic Spirits, and the powers they wield can also be compared with Noble Phantasms of Heroic Spirits.

6

Saint Seiya: Lost Canvas

Incredible Battles Between Mythological Gods And Mortals

• Genres: Martial Arts, Shounen, Action, Drama, Romance, Fantasy
• Author: Masami Kurumada
• Artist: Shiori Teshirogi

Wearing powerful armors representing the constellations (or Cloths) the Saints are the protectors of making against the evil gods that want to subject humans to their selfish desires. Against all evil, they face the most powerful beings and other rival Saints in epic battles that have continued for ages.

This manga (which is a prequel to Saint Seiya) is similar to Fate/Stay Night in the aspect of dealing with heroic sacrifices. It also speaks about the drama of those who survive despite living the horrors of war and the dramatic consequences of a struggle for power between superior beings, which are central aspects of the Fate series.

The Price Of Power And The Burden Of Wielding It

• Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, Action, Shounen, Comedy, Tragedy
• Author & Artist: Hiromu Arakawa

The lives of the Elric siblings would change forever when his father abandoned them and their mother in a small village. To add insult to injury, their mother died from a disease, and since Edward and Alphonse were children of a renowned alchemist, they decided to try to bring her back using forbidden arts, which would prove to be a big mistake.

The unparalleled drama of this series, alongside the descriptions of feelings of love, loss, and beyond are quite characteristic of Arakawa’s work in general, but in Fullmetal Alchemist it reached masterpiece levels. The cost of “magic” (alchemy in this case) is a common aspect that it shares with the Fate series.

4

Ragna Crimson

Epic Battles With Dire Consequences For The Heroes

• Genres: Action, Shounen, Drama, Gore, Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural
• Author & Artist: Daiki Kobayashi

Ragna Crimson is a brutal and unapologetic manga about dragon hunters that focuses on the premise of “the price of victory” and “no matter the costs,” to present two dissonant characters that choose to work together for a common goal: exterminating all dragons.

The cynic, brutal, and machiavellian Crimson (former King of Dragons) tied to a pact with Ragna, a hunter who carries the burden of power obtained at a high cost is the perfect combination of protagonists that lead the plot to heartbreaking slopes. Just as Fate represents the consequences of catastrophic battles (both for the heroes and for bystanders), Ragna Crimson does similarly, but on a much wider scale.

3

Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic

Magic Has Always A Cost, And Must Be Handled Carefully

• Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Romance, Mystery, Shounen
• Author & Artist: Shinobu Ohtaka

Inspired by the old One Thousand and One Nights tales, this series has a lot of similar aspects to Fate/Stay Night. For instance, the high level of political intrigue, the mystery of the most profound aspects of magic, and the horrific realization of the costs behind it.

One of the most powerful and long-lived Shounen series ever made, written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka. With beautiful art, impeccable storytelling, and incredibly deep worldbuilding.

2

The Heroic Legend Of Arslan

The Cost Of War And The Burden Of Survival

• Genres: Shounen, Medieval Fantasy, Drama, Action, Adventure
• Author: Yoshiki Tanaka
• Artist: Hiromu Arakawa

The Heroic Legend Of Arslan is an epic tale of adventure, friendship, and loyalty to a cause greater than life. With the incredible art that fans will recognize from Fullmetal Alchemist, and the masterful storytelling of Yoshiki Tanaka who is considered the best Medieval Fantasy author in Japan.

This series has lots in common with Fate/Stay Night, but mainly the epic battles and the high cost these have for the characters. The survivor’s guilt is a recurrent topic in the series and a powerful engine for Arslan to transform from a fugitive prince into a powerful leader worthy of being followed by his vassals.

1

Steins;Gate

People Fighting Against Time, Fate, And The Dire Consequences Of Their Folly

• Genres: Seinen, Mystery, Drama, Supernatural, Time Travel, Urban Fantasy
• Artist: Yomi Sarachi

Steins;Gate is a manga adaptation of the video game by 5pb and Nitroplus, that has many of the most notorious and thrilling aspects of the Fate series, especially those related to time-travel, alternative timelines, and the consequences of messing with it.

It has a very adult tone (thus its demographics label), and a dark tone quite characteristic of urban fantasy. Steins;Gate explores the delicate balance between free will and fate set in stone. In the Fate series, the desperate search for the Grail represents that very same aspect.