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For a single starting point, Fate/Zero is the strongest pick in this ranking: it follows the events of the Holy Grail War ten years before Fate/stay night. The list below follows WatchMojo’s countdown order, spanning series, films, OVAs and a special episode. Because those formats and franchises are not directly comparable, the ranking is best read as an editorial recommendation, not an objective measure of quality.
How this ranking works
Here, “prequel” means an anime film or series that tells a story set before an already established anime title. The order comes from WatchMojo’s Top 10 Best Anime Prequels. Its countdown does not publish a scoring rubric, so the placement of each title reflects that publisher’s editorial judgment.
To make the entries useful as recommendations, consider five practical questions: how much narrative payoff the prequel offers, the strength of its animation and character focus, how approachable it is to newcomers, and how clearly it connects to the earlier-released work. These are reading guides, not scores assigned by WatchMojo.
The 10 best anime prequels in WatchMojo’s order
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Fate/Zero
WatchMojo ranks Fate/Zero first. The story is set ten years before Fate/stay night, during an earlier Holy Grail War. The countdown highlights its ensemble strategy and ufotable animation; those are the publisher’s points of praise, while the ten-year gap is the direct timeline link that makes it a prequel.
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Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal
In second place, this OVA explores Kenshin Himura’s past as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai. WatchMojo emphasizes its somber tone, contrasting it with the television series. It is an especially direct choice for viewers interested in the history behind Kenshin’s later life.
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Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
Ranked third, The Origin traces Char Aznable’s rise and events leading toward the One Year War. WatchMojo singles out the political intrigue. The ranking identifies the work as a prequel but does not establish episode-count or edition details.
Rank #2
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Kizumonogatari
WatchMojo places this three-film story fourth, ahead of Bakemonogatari in the story timeline. Its position in the broader series makes it most immediately legible to viewers already interested in the franchise’s characters and world.
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Dragon Ball Z: Bardock—The Father of Goku
At number five, this 1990 television special centers on Bardock, Goku’s father. Keep it distinct from Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock: Toei’s official Dragon Ball catalogue lists the latter as a separate 20-minute OVA released in December 2011. The same catalogue lists the original Dragon Ball at 153 episodes and Dragon Ball Z at 291 episodes; these are franchise catalog details, not measures of quality. The Dragon Ball Official Site chronology also dates the two series’ broadcasts to 1986 and 1989, respectively.
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Un-Go Episode 0: Inga-ron
Sixth in the countdown, this entry reveals how Shinjuurou and Inga first met. WatchMojo frames it as a payoff for people who have watched the television series, making it a less natural first stop than a prequel designed to stand alone.
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Magi: Adventure of Sinbad
Ranked seventh, the series follows Sinbad before his encounters with Aladdin and Alibaba. WatchMojo’s author considers it enjoyable without the other Magi titles; that is a viewing recommendation, not an official rule about the franchise.
Rank #4
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Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine
At number eight, this series follows Fujiko’s early story before she meets Lupin and his crew. WatchMojo describes its tone as darker and more adult than earlier Lupin anime, offering a different entry into a long-running property.
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Hellsing: The Dawn
Ninth place goes to this World War II-set story, which follows earlier Hellsing operatives fighting the group that becomes Millennium. Its appeal is the look backward at an organization and conflict associated with the main Hellsing story.
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Kuroko’s Basketball: Tip Off
The countdown’s tenth entry is a feature-length special episode about Kuroko’s time with the Generation of Miracles, before he joins Seirin High. It offers a focused backstory within a sports series rather than a separate, large-scale franchise origin.
Which prequel should you start with?
- For the highest-ranked pick: Start with Fate/Zero, the countdown’s number one and a clear lead-in to Fate/stay night.
- For a character-focused past: Try Trust and Betrayal for Kenshin’s earlier life or The Woman Called Fujiko Mine for Fujiko’s beginnings.
- For a compact franchise side story: Bardock—The Father of Goku and Kuroko’s Basketball: Tip Off focus on a character’s earlier story in a television special or special episode.
- For added context after the series: Un-Go Episode 0: Inga-ron is described as a payoff for viewers who know the show already.
- For a larger world and political backstory: Consider Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin or Magi: Adventure of Sinbad.
Streaming availability varies by territory and is not established here, so check the services in your region before choosing where to watch.
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