Fate/strange Fake Isn't Over: Continuation Confirmed After Explosive Season 1 Finale!

I believe I am not the only one finding it hard to recover from the ending of Tsubaki and Pale Rider. Although I knew this team wouldn't make it to the final stage of the Snowfield Holy Grail War, I still hoped Tsubaki could at least reach the next round, or at least survive this major crisis. Even though it has been almost a week, whenever I remember the ending for the two of them, it still feels just as sad.

Many tragedies have occurred throughout these 13 episodes of the Fate/strange Fake anime, but the good news—which is also the bad news—is that the nightmare hasn’t finished. Right after Episode 13 aired, the official Fate/strange Fake team announced that the story will continue, which means there are still many things destined to happen in this Snowfield Holy Grail War.

While it is definitely a good thing for viewers that the story is continuing, for the characters themselves, the real nightmare has only just begun. From now on, some will become even more serious, putting in more effort to claim the Holy Grail and fulfill their wishes. Currently, there isn’t much information about the next season, so there is also a chance that new characters will show up! Although what happens next remains a big mystery, luckily Ayaka Sajyou has formed a “true” partnership with Saber; I believe they will be able to overcome every crisis and survive the Snowfield Holy Grail War.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The unexpected finale of Tsubaki Kuruoka and Pale Rider:

Many things happened in Fate/strange Fake Episode 13, but among all of them, the part that had the strongest impact on me—and, I would say, everyone—is definitely the finale of Tsubaki and Pale Rider. From the moment Pale Rider, also known as “Mr. Black,” dragged so many people into the Dream World, the fate of the two of them was decided. Since so many people were involved, it was always going to be difficult for them to overcome this crisis peacefully and safely.

Even after being dragged into the Dream World, everyone, starting from the “True” Master Sigma, to the “Fake” Assassin, and even Lord El-Melloi II—didn’t blame innocent Tsubaki. Instead, they wanted to help her, trying to find a way to escape the Dream World without killing her. Including the viewers, everyone wanted Tsubaki to stay alive; but unfortunately, because she was so tied to the Dream World, she is the essential key for everyone to escape without harm or consequence.

Although it was just a short dream, I believe Tsubaki must have been very happy, as she was finally able to reunite with her parents and be surrounded by animals. She even had strong people who wanted to become friends with her, which is why this part will always tear our hearts apart. Tsubaki didn't intend to hurt anyone; instead, she was really just seeking love, care, and companions to live with in this empty Snowfield. All of Tsubaki’s wishes were so innocent and cute, yet she ended up hurting others because of them.

Since the anime didn’t explain it, we don’t really know why Pale Rider suddenly dragged so many people into the Dream World. At that time, several servants were fighting with their full power around the hospital, and even the goddess Philia/Ishtar had appeared. Perhaps Pale Rider was trying to save Tsubaki, or maybe Tsubaki simply wanted more friends; we don’t really know why Pale Rider made such a move. Regardless, neither of these reasons was Tsubaki’s fault, as she was just trying her best to survive in that Snowfield.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Personally, I don’t believe Tsubaki had any idea what was going on in the Dream World, but Pale Rider certainly had a full picture of the situation.

When Pale Rider showed its true form and sought the Holy Grail for its friend, Tsubaki, I strongly believe it had a plan to reach that goal. This is why, when Tsubaki spoke her last wishes, even Pale Rider couldn’t help but react in such a strange way.

Although Tsubaki didn’t realize it, Pale Rider is actually just the concept of death. Originally, it didn’t have any emotions, but after they spent so much time together, it seems even the concept of death began to develop human feelings. It appreciated Tsubaki’s presence, tried to grant her wishes, and even after hearing Tsubaki’s wish to sacrifice herself, Pale Rider actually hugged her in that scene!

Logically, Pale Rider can’t have these kinds of emotions or actions, but when you live with such innocent and cute Tsubaki, how can you not get affected at all? In the Episode 13, Tsubaki had used two of her Command Spells and the power of Pale Rider to fulfil her last wishes, where the Dream World’s effect had disappeared, everything had went back to normal and she will stay alone forever.

This is truly a sad ending for Tsubaki and Pale Rider; no matter how many times I rewatch this scene, it always tears my heart apart. From now on, Tsubaki will stay alone forever according to her wishes, but luckily, she met and changed Sigma. Meeting Tsubaki had a great impact on Sigma, and with the resources he has, there is a chance that Tsubaki might one day open her eyes and touch the real world again.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The unexpected finale of Flat Escardos’s Holy Grail War journey:

Besides Tsubaki and Pale Rider’s team, Fate/strange Fake Episode 13 featured another team with an unexpected finale: Flat Escardos’s team. While Tsubaki’s scene truly broke my heart, Flat’s scene really surprised me, as I didn’t expect him to be killed so suddenly. Among the characters participating in the Snowfield Holy Grail War, Flat is talented and smart; although he didn’t seem likely to reach the final stage, I really thought he would at least survive until the next season.

Except for the “True” Master of the “True” Rider, Hippolyta, since that character hasn’t appeared in the anime series yet—Flat is truly an amazing Master compared to everyone else in the Snowfield Holy Grail War. Not only is he talented and skilled in useful techniques like “Play Ball,” but he is also able to build relationships with powerful people, even high-level vampires. He has strong moral values, always trying to help Tsubaki despite having nothing to gain, and he is a super funny character; whenever he appears on screen, he truly makes us laugh.

As someone with so much potential, it was really hard for me to imagine him being killed in Episode 13. While I couldn't imagine it before seeing the scene, after watching it, we can somewhat understand why Faldeus Dioland targeted Flat. When you include the knowledge and advice of Lord El-Melloi II, Flat really had everything needed to win the Holy Grail War. Even against Pale Rider’s ability, Flat was still able to find a way to break through; how could Faldeus stop him once the “Fake” Berserker, Jack the Ripper, was back?

Faldeus is a Master who truly wants to win the Holy Grail, and for him, Flat was currently the biggest—yet easiest—target to kill. No matter how strong Flat is, since Jack the Ripper couldn't fight or use any abilities at that moment, it was easy to take Flat down once Faldeus knew his location. Many may have forgotten that Faldeus is actually working for the United States government; for someone with his resources, it is easy to place snipers all around Snowfield, seeking the best chance to kill Flat 24 hours a day. Although it is sad to witness Flat being kicked out of the Snowfield Holy Grail War, to be honest, Faldeus made a very smart play this time.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Faldeus played it very smart this time, but at the same time, it seems like he messed up too. In Episode 13, right after Faldeus’s team took down Flat, his system crashed, and it looks like someone sought revenge very quickly. I can understand why Faldeus wanted to take Flat down and thought it was a good opportunity, but Flat actually knew a lot of powerful people in the Fate Universe.

Based on the events of the Fate/strange Fake anime, we know he is the disciple of Lord El-Melloi II and a friend to one of the highest-ranking vampires. Besides these connections, the anime also reveals that Flat comes from a powerful mage family; although the adults there don't really like him, he is still someone with terrifying potential. While Flat’s tendency to act alone in the Snowfield Holy Grail War gave Faldeus false hope, his many connections are not something to be messed with lightly.

Currently, we have no idea who intervened on Flat’s behalf—it could be Lord El-Melloi II, the high-ranking vampire, or even someone from his family—but it’s clear Faldeus has picked a fight with the wrong enemy. Faldeus’s servant is the “True” Assassin, who is perfect for assassinating targets but certainly not the type of servant who can protect him from so many powerful enemies at once. We don’t know exactly what will happen next, but this revenge is definitely something we can look forward to in the upcoming episodes.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The remaining teams and the upcoming story:

Many things have happened in the Fate/strange Fake anime, and since Flat Escardos and Tsubaki Kuruoka’s teams can no longer continue in the Snowfield Holy Grail War, the number of participants has decreased significantly. While the “True” side hasn’t really been affected, the “Fake” side now has only two teams left.

The remaining teams on the “Fake” side are the “Fake” Lancer team and the “Fake” Caster team. Although the “Fake” Assassin and her Master are still alive, they now view each other as enemies; since the “Fake” Assassin no longer needs Jester Karture for magical power, these two can no longer work as a team in the upcoming story.

Although we can’t really know what the upcoming chapters will look like—since the original light novel hasn’t finished yet—thanks to Tsubaki and her Dream World, Sigma has finally found his reason to fight. Additionally, Ayaka Sajyou has formed a “true” partnership with Saber, so we can expect them to be heavily involved in the future story.

As we can see in the image shared by the official Fate/strange Fake X account, Ayaka’s team and Sigma are standing together against a massive hurricane. From this visual, we can at least conclude that their alliance will continue and that this storm will be a major part of the upcoming anime.

Regarding the mysterious hurricane, one possibility I can think of is that it involves god-like power. Although it is normally impossible to summon a God-class Servant during a Holy Grail War, Philia/Ishtar was able to manifest in this world because all the necessary pieces had finally gathered, and she is truly intent on winning the Snowfield Holy Grail War.

After manifesting, Philia/Ishtar’s power doesn't seem weakened or limited; she appears able to use her full strength anywhere and at any time. Given that a goddess can exercise such power, this mysterious hurricane might be one of her abilities or even her Noble Phantasm. Of course, there is also the possibility that she has summoned or enabled another God-class entity to manifest in this world.

Since the first main antagonists, Tsubaki and Pale Rider, can no longer participate in the Holy Grail War, I think the upcoming story will focus on the other main antagonist: the goddess Philia/Ishtar. In fact, while Ayaka and Sigma were dealing with Tsubaki’s team, “Fake” Lancer had already made his move to fight against her.

Currently, we have no idea what kind of plan “Fake” Lancer has, but I think he may have a way to help “Fake” Archer’s team. Although it seems like “Fake” Archer’s team is no longer able to participate in the war, if “Fake” Lancer has a good enough plan, perhaps we will see the Golden King again. Since Ayaka has already seen another version of the Golden King before, the chances of him rejoined the Snowfield Holy Grail War seem high.

Some little informations for Fate/strange Fake:

I believe many people assume the Fate/strange Fake light novel series has already finished, but it is actually the opposite; the story is still ongoing. According to the author, Ryōgo Narita, the final volume—Volume 10—is set to be released this summer. Since the final volume is only just coming out, the anime adaptation will likely take some time, so it might be safest to estimate that the next season will be released in 2028 or even 2029.

During the long wait for the next season, if you are like me and are excited to know more about Fate/strange Fake, the best thing to do is read the original light novels. Since I understand Japanese, I went out and bought the novels right after watching Episode 13. If there is enough interest, I might even create a spoiler post for everyone!

Besides reading the original light novels, there is another way to stay connected with Fate/strange Fake content: Fate/Grand Order. The author, Ryōgo Narita, has announced that Fate/Grand Order will have a collaboration with Fate/strange Fake. Although this collaboration might not feature every single character from the "Fake" series, it is still a massive event for fans to enjoy.

This Fate/strange Fake collaboration hasn't happened yet, but I think it will start between the end of April and the beginning of May 2026, during Japan's Golden Week. If you have become a fan of Fate/strange Fake and want to stay engaged with the title, the best thing to do is slowly start the light novels or even begin your journey in Fate/Grand Order.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

After watching Episode 1, I quickly fell in love with the Fate/strange Fake anime and enjoyed every single episode. Even now, it’s hard to believe that the first part of Fate/strange Fake has ended, and that Tsubaki Kuruoka and Pale Rider have left us. Thank you for reading this post, but before you go, please allow me to share one last detail with everyone.

Sigma actually cares about Tsubaki very much—so much so that he didn't even kill her terrible parents. According to Japanese users on X, Sigma didn't kill them, but instead destroyed their magic circuits. I investigated this myself; if you turn up the volume during the scene where Sigma "kills" them, you can still hear them breathing. Sigma obviously knows how terrible they are, but instead of killing them, he gave them a much heavier punishment, ensuring Tsubaki technically still has her parents, even if she is alone in her world.

Here’s an X post worth checking out.

An adorable pair wants to say hello! Check out this week's special illustration by Yukei Yamada! Watch Fate/strange Fake streaming now on Crunchyroll! #strangefake pic.twitter.com/o5K1V7wRrp

— Fate/strange Fake (@FateSF_Anime_EN) April 1, 2026

Thank you for reading! I will be publishing more content soon, including plot explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned. While you wait for my next post, feel free to leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are plenty of challenges waiting for you on AnimeOshi! Plus, AnimeOshi has just launched a new Dropkick on My Devil! campaign , so everyone is welcome to join!

Here’s an X post worth checking out.

#strangefake #ストレンジフェイク
シグマ pic.twitter.com/FLai78IJCY

— 大牙アイ🦈🦈 (@taigaai4649) March 31, 2026

Here’s an X post worth checking out.

まっくろさんと一緒に絵本読んで
ニコニコしてて欲しい pic.twitter.com/9qQ2zdKpdo

— 川いるか@skeb募集中 (@KAWAIRUKA_ko) March 29, 2026

Here’s an X post worth checking out.

to be continued...#strangefake pic.twitter.com/h68RISbpHo

— Fate/strange Fake (@FateSF_Anime_EN) March 28, 2026