Fate/strange Fake redefines the Holy Grail War with chaotic battles, morally ambiguous characters, and a subversive narrative set in Snowfield, Nevada. Like its unpredictable Servants and flawed rituals, the series thrives on themes of deception, identity, and power systems that blur reality.
Below are 15 underrated anime that echo its core elements: intricate power dynamics, underdog protagonists, and bold genre subversion.
1. The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyoukai) (2007–2013)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Shiki Ryougi, a girl with dual personalities and mystic eyes, solves supernatural cases tied to a shadowy organization.
- Similarities: Existential themes, nonlinear storytelling, and a shared Nasuverse connection with Fate.
- Details: 13 films/specials | MAL: 8.0 | Studio: ufotable (Demon Slayer)
2. Ergo Proxy (2006)
- Streaming: Hulu, Funimation
- Plot: In a dystopian city, inspector Re-L Mayer uncovers secrets about sentient androids (Proxies) and existential truths.
- Similarities: Philosophical depth, unreliable realities, and a bleak, atmospheric tone.
- Details: 23 episodes | MAL: 7.8 | Studio: Manglobe (Samurai Champloo)
3. Archenemy and Hero (2013)
- Streaming: HiDive
- Plot: A demon queen and hero form an unlikely alliance to dismantle corrupt systems governing their war-torn world.
- Similarities: Subverts fantasy tropes, explores gray morality, and chaotic alliances.
- Details: 12 episodes | MAL: 7.2 | Notable: Based on a light novel by Fate/Apocrypha’s Yuuichirou Higashide.
4. Dantalian no Shoka (2011)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: A WWI veteran and a mysterious girl guard forbidden “Phantom Books” that warp reality.
- Similarities: Mystic artifacts, episodic mysteries, and Gothic aesthetics.
- Details: 12 episodes | MAL: 7.1 | Studio: Gainax (Gurren Lagann)
5. Canaan (2009)
- Streaming: Amazon Prime
- Plot: A mercenary with superhuman senses battles a bioterrorist group in Shanghai.
- Similarities: Gritty action, morally complex characters, and intertwined destinies.
- Details: 13 episodes | MAL: 7.3 | Staff: Written by Fate/Stay Night’s Kinoko Nasu.
6. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom (2009)
- Streaming: HiDive
- Plot: An amnesiac assassin navigates the criminal underworld while questioning his identity.
- Similarities: Psychological depth, themes of self-discovery, and tragic antiheroes.
- Details: 26 episodes | MAL: 8.0 | Studio: Bee Train (.hack//SIGN)
7. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis (2014)
- Streaming: Netflix
- Plot: A rogue bounty hunter teams up with a demon to prevent the resurrection of a god-dragon.
- Similarities: High-stakes chaos, mythic world-building, and fluid alliances.
- Details: 12 episodes | MAL: 7.8 | Studio: MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen)
8. K Project (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: A teenager is framed for murder and dragged into a war between color-coded clans wielding reality-bending powers.
- Similarities: Unique power system, factional conflicts, and stylized action.
- Details: 13 episodes | MAL: 7.5 | Notable: Won Best TV Animation at 2013 Japan Otaku Awards.
9. Kyousougiga (2013)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: A girl searches for her family in a surreal mirror world where art and reality collide.
- Similarities: Nonlinear narrative, existential themes, and avant-garde animation.
- Details: 10 episodes | MAL: 7.9 | Studio: Toei Animation (Kyoto Animation alumni)
10. From the New World (Shinsekai Yori) (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: In a dystopian future, children with psychic powers uncover dark secrets about their utopian society.
- Similarities: Moral ambiguity, intricate power dynamics, and a slow-burn mystery.
- Details: 25 episodes | MAL: 8.3 | Studio: A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online)
11. Zetsuen no Tempest (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Two boys ally with a sorceress to unravel a conspiracy involving Shakespearean magic and revenge.
- Similarities: Theatrical tragedy, intellectual battles, and genre-blending twists.
- Details: 24 episodes | MAL: 8.0 | Studio: Bones (My Hero Academia)
12. Deadman Wonderland (2011)
- Streaming: Hulu
- Plot: A boy wrongly imprisoned in a lethal amusement park uses his blood-manipulating powers to survive.
- Similarities: Brutal power systems, underdog survival, and institutional corruption.
- Details: 12 episodes | MAL: 7.1 | Studio: Manglobe (Samurai Champloo)
13. Guin Saga (2009)
- Streaming: Amazon Prime
- Plot: A leopard-headed warrior protects royal twins in a war-torn medieval fantasy world.
- Similarities: Mythic lore, chaotic battles, and a focus on legacy.
- Details: 26 episodes | MAL: 7.0 | Based on Japan’s longest-running fantasy novel series.
14. Blast of Tempest (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Plot: A genius strategist and a samurai descendant combat a magical tree threatening humanity.
- Similarities: Intellectual power struggles, Shakespearean motifs, and apocalyptic stakes.
- Details: 24 episodes | MAL: 8.0 | Studio: Bones (Fullmetal Alchemist)
15. Shinreigari: Ghost Hound (2007)
- Streaming: Funimation
- Plot: Teens in a rural town confront trauma-linked supernatural phenomena through astral projection.
- Similarities: Psychological horror, blurred reality, and slow-burn mysteries.
- Details: 22 episodes | MAL: 7.5 | Staff: Directed by Ghost in the Shell’s Ryutaro Nakamura.
Why These Anime Work for Fate/strange Fake Fans
These series mirror Fate/strange Fake’s strengths: complex power systems (e.g., K Project’s clans), underdog narratives (Deadman Wonderland), and subverted tropes (Archenemy and Hero).
They prioritize moral ambiguity, intellectual depth, and avant-garde storytelling—perfect for fans craving unpredictability.
Whether through mythic chaos (Shingeki no Bahamut) or existential puzzles (Ergo Proxy), each offers a fresh lens on battles for power and identity.
