The Ultimate Fate/strange Fake Lore & Connections Guide - AnimeOshi

The ultimate Fate/strange Fake lore guide is here! Although Fate/strange Fake is an independent anime, as its name suggests, it is still a part of the Fateverse. It is closely connected to the rest of the franchise, and the more you know about the lore, the more surprises you’ll find. So, lets Discover how the Snowfield war connects to the wider Fateverse!

To be honest, like many people, I’ve known about the Fateverse for a long time, but I never got interested in it, so the anime had always been a skip for me. After watching the must-watch anime of Winter 2026, Fate/strange Fake, I finally became interested in the series and have since watched almost every work in the franchise. After diving in, I realized there is some interesting information I can share to improve your watching experience and help explain how everything links together.

Why is knowing this information important? In Fate/strange Fake Episode 8, which aired on February 21st, we saw the "Fake" Master, Flat Escardos, team up with the Snowfield police chief, Orlando Reeve, to rescue Tsubaki Kuruoka from her Servant. Meanwhile, Sigma—who also wants to help Tsubaki—lured his allies into a confrontation with the Dead Apostle, Jester Karture, which is bound to trigger even more conflict.

Before we dive deep, please note that this post covers the Fate/strange Fake anime as well as several other Fate works. Even though the story also exists as a light novel and manga, I am an "anime-only" viewer and will be sharing my opinions based solely on the show. However, since this post contains episodic spoilers, please stop scrolling now if you haven't watched the latest episode or want to avoid spoilers entirely!

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

 At AnimeOshi, we had 38 scouts rate every episode of Fate/strange Fake as "Great." This 100% approval rating makes it, unquestionably, one of the best anime to watch in 2026. After seeing the information in this post, I am sure Fate/strange Fake will receive even more "Great" ratings from everyone!

© 2026 AnimeOshi. All rights reserved.

Fateverse Entries Not Related to Fate/strange Fake:

Before diving any further, allow me to quickly explain the Fateverse. This refers to the expansive TYPE-MOON multimedia franchise rooted in visual novels, centering on Holy Grail Wars where mages (Masters) summon historical or mythological heroes (Servants) to fight. Key entries include Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, and Fate/Grand Order.

There are many anime series within this universe. After finishing them during the Chinese New Year (also known as the Lunar New Year), I can confidently say that while some titles are deeply connected to Fate/strange Fake, others have almost nothing to do with it—such as Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya.

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya focuses on the cute Illya becoming a magical girl. Although the anime features some names you may have heard before, it has nothing to do with strange Fake. It’s a skippable entry in the Fateverse, but since Illya is so charming, I still suggest watching it if you have the time. The series contains four main seasons: Prisma Illya, 2Wei!, 2Wei Herz!, and finally 3rei!!. You can simply follow that order.

Besides Prisma Illya, Fate/Extra: Last Encore also has nothing to do with Fake. Last Encore is based on the Fate/EXTRA game; if you aren't interested in the game, you can probably skip it. It might sound harsh, but since the anime isn't particularly impressive and is hard to enjoy without game knowledge, I’d suggest skipping it—unlike the Illya series.

These are the titles that have absolutely nothing to do with strange Fake. Whether you watch them or not, they won't affect your understanding of the Fake storyline. Of course, if you have the time and are interested, you should still watch them and leave your honest reviews on AnimeOshi! It’s always great to share opinions, so if you do watch them, please remember to share your thoughts!

Fateverse Entries Related to Fate/strange Fake:

Now that we’ve covered the titles that aren’t related to Fate/strange Fake, let’s look at the ones that are either partially or deeply connected to it. Fate/Apocrypha, a 25-episode series, is one such entry. Much like Fake, it tells the story of a very different kind of Holy Grail War and explores some fascinating settings.

While Fate/Apocrypha isn't a "must-watch" for Fake, it does touch on two things you might have questions about. Specifically, Apocrypha introduces Sisigou and the Homunculus. I’ll talk about the Homunculus later, so let’s focus on Sisigou first. In Episode 3 of Fate/strange Fake, we see "Fake" Caster receive something from Sisigou.

The "something" mentioned is a material that can even affect the heart of a Dead Apostle. Although "Fake" Caster didn't mention Sisigou’s full name, since Kairi Sisigou is the only known member of the Sisigou family, it’s highly likely he is the one who sent the material. As many fans know, Kairi Sisigou is one of the most important characters in Fate/Apocrypha.

Besides Fate/Apocrypha, Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front - Babylonia is also worth noting. While it isn't directly related to the plot of Fake, they share a deep thematic connection. Babylonia introduces the legendary era where humans and gods part ways. The anime showcases the goddess Ishtar, the absolute version of Gilgamesh (who serves as the "Fake" Archer), and Enkidu (the "Fake" Lancer), both of whom play vital roles in the story.

Babylonia isn’t directly related to the plot of Fake, but it shows us several goddesses and explores the immense strength and deep relationship between the "Fake" Archer and the "Fake" Lancer. If you are curious about their history, you should definitely watch it. On the other hand, since this anime is tied to Fate/Grand Order, if you aren't really into that game's lore, you could personally skip this as well.

The remaining titles in the Fateverse are Fate/stay night, where the legend begins, and the incredibly famous Fate/Zero. These two are the core of the entire franchise. Fate/stay night serves as the starting point for the Fateverse, while Fate/Zero provides many of the essential details for both Fake and the broader universe. Between these two, Fate/Zero is the one most deeply connected to strange Fake, so the upcoming content will focus mainly on that.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

Fate/Zero spans two seasons, both of which are incredibly high-rated, boasting a perfect 100% on AnimeOshi! For Season 1, 30 scouts rated it as "Great," while Season 2 saw 14 scouts give it the same top honors. Based on the AnimeOshi data, Fate/Zero maintains a flawless 100% score—making it an absolute must-watch!

© 2026 AnimeOshi. All rights reserved.

Zero & Fake & Kiritsugu Emiya:

Let me share some important information: the main character of Fate/Zero, Kiritsugu Emiya, is deeply connected to both the Fateverse and Fate/strange Fake. For those who don't know much about Kiritsugu, he is the adoptive father of Shirou Emiya (the protagonist of Fate/stay night) and was a key participant in the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War.

In that war, Kiritsugu intentionally summoned the famous Saber, Artoria Pendragon—the same heroic spirit Francesca Prelati attempted to summon in strange Fake—and fought the Holy Grail War in his own ruthless way. Although Kiritsugu and Saber were technically the victors of the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu destroyed the Grail after learning the truth about it. Because of this, the Fourth Holy Grail War ended with no true winner.

Kiritsugu did many things that changed countless lives. Unlike Shirou—the typical "good guy" protagonist we see in a lot of anime—Kiritsugu is someone who kills without hesitation. To win the Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu played dirty; he threatened and eventually killed Lord El-Melloi II’s teacher, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, the Master of Lancer.

Kiritsugu is also deeply connected to the Einzbern family. As you might not know, Kiritsugu is the biological father of our cute Illya (which is why she calls Shirou "brother"). Because he destroyed the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War, Illya ended up joining the Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War as the Einzbern representative.

Although Kiritsugu was a Master and a human, he preferred to fight on his own. During the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War, he and his partner (not his Servant) were always targeting other Masters, making the war incredibly intense and bloody. When you see the dirty tactics he used to kill Kayneth, you realize just how cruel a Holy Grail War can be. This is exactly why Lord El-Melloi II tries so hard to stop Flat Escardos from joining the Snowfield Holy Grail War.

If someone like Kiritsugu joined the war, it would become a bloodbath all over again, and someone as innocent as Flat would almost certainly be killed. In fact, in Fate/strange Fake Episode 7, we saw Bazdilot Cordelion use his gun to shoot Halri Borzak without hesitation. His ruthless will to win is just like Kiritsugu’s—he will do anything to claim the Holy Grail.

Source: TVアニメ『Fate/strange Fake』公式 Official X account

Waver Velvet & Lord El-Melloi II & Fake:

As you watch Fate/strange Fake and Whispers of Dawn, haven't you ever felt curious about Lord El-Melloi II? Throughout the series, he might not seem like a main character, yet he surprisingly gets a lot of screen time. Even in the latest episode, Episode 8, he is the one who crafted the plan for Flat Escardos and Orlando Reeve.

For someone with this much presence in the series, Lord El-Melloi II is obviously more than just Flat’s teacher. He has a different name in the Fateverse: when he was young, he was known as Waver Velvet. In Fate/Zero, Waver was just a young student who hated his teacher and was, in turn, looked down upon by him.

Waver was always trying to do something big—searching for a way to show the world that he was a great mage. As a mage, he possessed a wealth of knowledge and useful skills that helped him survive the cruel reality of the war. Returning to Fate/strange Fake, in Episode 8, Lord El-Melloi II calls himself a "third-rate mage." He isn't just being modest; compared to many other mages, he truly doesn't have any exceptional magical talent. In Kayneth’s eyes, Waver was just a child with no potential.

In the Fateverse, the fastest way for a mage to prove their talent and become famous is to win a Holy Grail War. There is an interesting phenomenon in these wars: once the main participants are selected, the Grail sometimes allows others to join. Seizing his chance, Waver stole something from Kayneth and flew to Fuyuki to join the Fourth Holy Grail War.

There is a reason why Lord El-Melloi II is so frequently left speechless by Flat’s actions: they are remarkably alike. Just as Flat ignored his teacher and flew to Snowfield, a young Waver did something even more reckless just to prove himself. Like Flat, the young Waver didn't truly understand the cruelty of a Holy Grail War until he was in the middle of it.

The Holy Grail War Waver participated in was the same one where Kiritsugu Emiya fought. Waver went through so much during that war, and after his own teacher get killed so brutally, he naturally wants to protect his student at any cost now that he is a mature adult. Although Flat doesn't resemble the current Lord El-Melloi II, he is a mirror image of the young, impulsive Waver.

The biggest difference between Waver and Flat is that Flat has a teacher who truly loves and cares about him. In Fate/strange Fake, Lord El-Melloi II puts so much effort into keeping an eye on Flat’s actions, and he even smiles when Flat sends him messages. Flat has someone like Lord El-Melloi II in his corner, but Waver didn't.

Even when Kayneth found out that Waver had joined the Fourth Holy Grail War, he still didn't care about him. What’s even worse is that Kayneth, being a typical mage, didn't really care about his Servant either and did many terrible things. While the toxic relationship between Kayneth and Lancer adds some "spice" to the anime, it’s certainly not something you’ll enjoy seeing. Although Waver didn't have a great teacher to guide him, he luckily grew into the kind of person who can now help and care for his own students.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

Lord El-Melloi II is a really funny character in Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn. For those who haven’t watched it yet, we have 3 Great Scouts left for it on AnimeOshi! Not only does Lord El-Melloi II have many scenes, but there is also an epic battle waiting for you!

© 2026 AnimeOshi. All rights reserved.

Kiritsugu Emiya & Sigma’s mother:

In Fate/strange Fake, one of the "True" Masters, Sigma, has a mysterious mother who is mentioned frequently. While it isn't unusual for important characters to have parents, the fact that Sigma’s mother is specifically highlighted, and that the show constantly focuses on his terrible childhood—makes it clear that there is something special about her. (Meanwhile, we don't even know if Ayaka Sajyou has parents!)

At first, I had no idea who his mother was, but after watching Fate/Zero, I was able to narrow the possibilities down to one person. In Fate/strange Fake Episode 5, the "True" Servant François Prelati mentioned that Sigma's mother was killed in Japan. This is true: Sigma’s mother is Maiya Hisau, the woman who was killed during the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Who is Maiya Hisau? She was the ultimate partner of Kiritsugu Emiya, the man I keep mentioning. She helped Kiritsugu end the lives of many Masters. As I said before, Kiritsugu preferred to fight on his own terms. Although his son, Shirou, also prefers to fight with his own power, they are completely different. Shirou fights face-to-face and doesn't play dirty, but Kiritsugu and Maiya operate differently.

It is hard to explain in a single post just how ruthless they were, but to help you understand who they are, let me share the "epic" scene of how they killed Kayneth. To eliminate Kayneth and his Servant, Lancer, once and for all, Kiritsugu and Maiya kidnapped Kayneth’s fiancée and used her to threaten him. They ordered Lancer to kill himself, promising not to kill the fiancée if he complied.

Although Kayneth was a poor teacher, he truly loved his fiancée, so he accepted the deal. After Lancer killed himself while screaming curses at Saber and Kiritsugu, Kiritsugu then ordered Maiya to kill both Kayneth and his fiancée. Technically, the deal was that Kiritsugu wouldn't kill them—it said nothing about Maiya. By having her pull the trigger, he "kept" the deal while still eliminating them.

It was a brutal act; without Lancer, Kayneth and his fiancée were no longer a threat, yet Kiritsugu and Maiya killed them anyway. Personally, I find this an "epic" battle—not because of the animation, but because it shows how cruel humans can be to obtain the Holy Grail and fulfill their dreams.

By sharing this "epic" battle, what I’m trying to say is that although Sigma had a terrible childhood and we feel pity for him because he lost his mother, we must remember who she was. His mother killed many people; some, like Kayneth, had completely lost the will to live, yet Kiritsugu and Maiya still killed them without hesitation.

It is difficult to debate whether these characters are truly innocent or evil in a single post, but understanding the darkness of the Fateverse helps us realize why the Holy Grail War always causes so much suffering. When someone pure like Waver Velvet or Flat Escardos joins, it can make the anime feel lighthearted or even funny. However, as long as people like Kiritsugu, Maiya, and Bazdilot Cordelion are involved, there will always be a dark side that is unpleasant to witness.

Fate & the Servant Who Participated in Multiple Holy Grail Wars:

In Fate/strange Fake Episode 3, when Lord El-Melloi II sees the "Fake" Archer, he is visibly shocked. At the time, I didn’t really understand why he was so startled—I thought maybe it was just the Archer's powerful aura. However, after watching Fate/Zero, I finally understand the reason for his reaction.

The true name of "Fake" Archer is Gilgamesh, one of the strongest and highest-ranking Servants. It’s easy to understand why every Master wants him on their side. No matter what kind of Holy Grail War you enter, if you are serious about winning—just like Tiné Chelc—you really need Gilgamesh. If he becomes your enemy, winning is nearly impossible.

Tiné Chelc isn’t the only one who tried to utilize Gilgamesh; Tokiomi Tohsaka summoned him for the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War. During that war, Gilgamesh was the one who defeated Waver’s Servant, the Rider-class Iskandar. Although Iskandar possessed a powerful Noble Phantasm, Ionioi Hetairoi, Gilgamesh’s Enuma Elish was even more formidable. Even after an epic battle, Iskandar was ultimately killed by Gilgamesh—though, fortunately, Gilgamesh spared Waver’s life.

Waver and Iskandar formed an incredible team. They truly liked each other; although Iskandar didn't always listen to Waver—since the young Waver was a worrywart and afraid of many things—Iskandar never looked down on him. In fact, when Iskandar realized that Waver possessed many useful skills, he respected him and treated him as a true partner.

In Fate/Zero, Iskandar and Waver formed an incredible team. Although the young Waver was a bit problematic, he somehow managed to survive until the very end, proving that he was truly talented. After watching Fate/Zero, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they feel like the complete opposite of the Flat and Jack the Ripper team.

In many ways, Flat is just like Iskandar: he doesn't overthink or worry, and he is always laughing even though he has joined a cruel war. On the other hand, the young Waver and Jack the Ripper are the ones who are constantly anxious—always worrying that they might have picked the wrong partner or that their partner won't survive the Holy Grail War. Much like Iskandar, no matter how much his partner worries, Flat always seems to make things work out in the end.

I can completely understand why Lord El-Melloi II was so shocked in Episode 3; after all, who could have guessed that the same legendary enemy would appear again? In the Fateverse, a catalyst is required during the summoning ritual to call forth a Servant. Logically, if you use the correct catalyst, you can summon a specific Heroic Spirit. Following this logic, using the same catalyst allows a Master to summon the same Servant again and again. This is why Francesca Prelati was so confident she would summon Artoria Pendragon, and how Tiné was able to summon Gilgamesh.

For Lord El-Melloi II, Gilgamesh is the one Servant he absolutely did not want to see in the Snowfield Holy Grail War. With Flat’s genius talent and Jack the Ripper’s special abilities, they can overcome many difficulties—but not Gilgamesh. Enuma Elish is no joke; it is a power that terrifies even people as influential as Orlando Reeve and Faldeus Dioland. Lord El-Melloi II can protect Flat from many opponents, but Enuma Elish is a Noble Phantasm that puts Flat in genuine, mortal danger.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

If you wish to know more about Gilgamesh, Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front - Babylonia is an anime you need to watch. On AnimeOshi, there are 6 Great Scouts left for this anime. Babylonia has great animation. If you’re interested in it, I suggest you watch it!

© 2026 AnimeOshi. All rights reserved.

Fateverse & Homunculus & the Einzbern Family:

Throughout the Fate/strange Fake anime, two challenging keywords are mentioned repeatedly: Homunculus and Einzbern. Within the Fateverse, these are complex concepts that I didn't fully understand until I watched more of the franchise. After diving into the lore, I feel it’s important to share what these keywords actually mean.

First, let’s talk about the Homunculus. In the Fateverse, a Homunculus is an artificial being created through alchemy. They aren't robots; they are considered living creatures. One specific work, Fate/Apocrypha, focuses heavily on them. Its main character, Sieg, is a Homunculus who can think, feel, and act just like a human.

Through Fate/Apocrypha, we learn that Homunculus are no different from humans; they have emotions and facial expressions, and they can even feel fear or depression. Beyond that, surprisingly, a Homunculus can also become a Master! Although the main character, Sieg, wasn't the one who originally summoned his Servant, he still became the Master of the Rider-class Servant, Astolfo.

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Homunculi, let’s talk about the Einzberns. Within the Fateverse, the Einzbern family is incredibly important, as they are one of the families that created the Holy Grail War system and have participated in every Fuyuki Holy Grail War. The Einzbern, Makiri (also known as Matou), and Tohsaka families are the three founding lineages who established the Holy Grail War.

The Einzberns aren’t just vital to the broader Fateverse; they are deeply connected to the world of Fake as well. In Episode 1, when Francesca Prelati’s subordinate tried to kill Ayaka Sajyou, he thought she was someone related to the Einzberns. The Einzberns are a typical, cold-hearted mage family; they are known for doing abnormal things and are always willing to sacrifice their own "daughters" for the Holy Grail. This is why our cute Illya became so twisted in Fate/stay night—from the beginning, she was never treated as a human, but as a tool for the Einzberns to obtain the Grail.

In the world of Fake, the Einzberns even prepared a body for the goddess Philia. While it might be hard to believe a goddess has joined the Holy Grail War, Philia fought the "True" Archer with ease in Episode 7, proving her undeniable strength. The fact that she could heal Halri Borzak so effortlessly leaves us with no choice but to believe that Philia is indeed a true goddess.

The Einzbern family is more deeply connected to the world of Fake than we initially thought. Although Ayaka Sajyou’s true identity remains a mystery as of the latest episode, there is a high possibility that she is related to the Einzberns. In the Fateverse, it is extremely rare to see someone with so many tattoos on their body, and even more surprising is the fact that she already knows about the Holy Grail War.

Even if Ayaka herself doesn't find it strange, knowing about the Holy Grail War and the significance of a "True Name" is highly abnormal, as these are considered top secrets in the mage world. The Holy Grail War is essentially a private conflict between the Einzbern, Makiri, and Tohsaka families. While outsiders like the young Waver Velvet can join, doing so usually requires access to the highest level of mage secrets. The fact that Ayaka knows nothing about magecraft yet understands the Holy Grail War suggests that she is not a normal human or a typical mage.

Source: TVアニメ『Fate/strange Fake』公式 Official X account

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this post! Before you go, let me share one last piece of information. Since we’ve seen how incredibly strong Alcides is, we can’t help but wonder: what is that mysterious red substance? That "red thing" is a mud-like substance that appears when a Holy Grail becomes corrupted or infected. It is extremely harmful to the world, which explains why the "Fake" Lancer is so determined to do something about it.

Once again, thank you for reading this post! I have already published the story summary of Fate/strange Fake, and I will be publishing more content soon, including anime story explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned! While waiting for the other posts, please leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are many challenges from AnimeOshi are waiting for you!

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