Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order

Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order[a][b] is a Japanese web manga series by artist Riyo. It is an official parody of the mobile game Fate/Grand Order, and also initially served as an explanation guide for new players before developing its own storyline. The manga received two sequel series, More Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order and Even More Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order.[1]

Premise

The official English logo for Learning with Manga! depicting the characters Saber (left) and Gudako (right). Note the chibi style of the characters.

Fate/Grand Order is mobile role-playing video game for iOS and Android that was released in 2015 in Japan and 2017 in the United States. In the game, the player takes on the role of a "Master" who summons "servants" to fight against enemies. These "servants", also known in-game as "heroic spirits", are characters based on figures from real-life history, mythology, and literature, as well as other original characters from the Fate franchise. Servants are summoned through a gacha system, in which players pay for a chance to summon characters with in-game currency that can earned by progressing through the game or by purchasing it with real money.

Learning with Manga! was originally created to serve as a way of explaining various gameplay concepts of Fate/Grand Order to new players in a humorous way with chibi interpretations of the characters. The plot of Learning with Manga! initially closely followed the plot of the main Fate/Grand Order game, but eventually developed its own plotline and characters.[2] Several original characters from the Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order manga have been added to the main Fate/Grand Order game during special crossover events. These include characters based on Paul Bunyan and Mary Anning.[3][4]

Learning with Manga! parodies the story, characters, and players of Fate/Grand Order. The main character of the series, Gudako,[c] is a caricature of Fate/Grand Order's female protagonist Ritsuka Fujimaru. In Learning with Manga!, she is depicted as a deranged gacha-addict who berates and sexually harasses her servants. This characterization, which parodies the most extreme negative stereotypes of gacha gamers and Fate/Grand Order players, has been positively received by fans.[5]

In print

In Japan, Learning with Manga! has received four print collections published by Kadokawa. The first print collection was released in August 2017.[6]

マンガで分かる!Fate/Grand Order Volumes
No.Release DateISBNRef.
1August 2, 2017ISBN 9784041061015[7]
2May 25, 2019ISBN 9784041082263[8]
3April 26, 2022ISBN 9784041115688[9]
4August 10, 2023ISBN 9784041140055[10]

In other media

Good Smile Company released several lines of Nendoroid style figures of Learning with Manga!'s chibi-style Fate/Grand Order characters.[11][12][13] On December 31, 2018, a 15-minute original net animation based on Learning with Manga! aired during the Fate Project New Year's Eve TV Special in Japan. The animated short was also uploaded to the official Japanese Fate/Grand Order YouTube channel.[14][15] A version of animation with English subtitles was uploaded to the official Aniplex USA YouTube channel in 2020.

In 2022, as part of the Fifth Anniversary celebration for the game Fate/Grand Order, Aniplex and Lasengle opened a Learning with Manga! themed metaverse space.[16]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Manga de Wakaru! Fate/Grand Order (マンガで分かる!Fate/Grand Order)
  2. ↑ Also sometimes known as Learn with Manga! Fate/Grand Order or Understanding with Manga! Fate/Grand Order in English.
  3. ↑ Japanese: ぐだ子, lit. 'boring girl'

References

  1. ↑ Matyi, Kevin. "The Ultimate Fate Series Beginner's Guide". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  2. ↑ Salvador, Rodrigo B. (12 February 2021). "Mary Anning: fossil collector, paleontologist, and heroic spirit". Journal of Geek Studies. 8 (1): 19–32. doi:10.5281/zenodo.8241611. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Tolentino, Josh (5 July 2020). "Fate/Grand Order Celebrates American Independence With Paul Bunyan". Siliconera. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Liu, Stephanie (28 April 2022). "FGO Mississippi Mythicizers Event Features Riyo Servants". Siliconera. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Cabrera, David (18 April 2018). "A huge free-to-play game makes fun of its addicted players, and they love it". Polygon.com. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  6. ↑ Green, Scott (30 July 2017). "Fate/Grand Order" Instructional Manga Gets Collected - But Only Mash Seems To Care!". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "マンガで分かる! Fate/Grand Order(1)". KADOKAWAオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). KADOKAWA CORPORATION. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "マンガで分かる! Fate/Grand Order(2)". KADOKAWAオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). KADOKAWA CORPORATION. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "マンガで分かる! Fate/Grand Order(3)". KADOKAWAオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). KADOKAWA CORPORATION. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "マンガで分かる! Fate/Grand Order(4)". KADOKAWAオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). KADOKAWA CORPORATION. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Kahotan (2 March 2017). "Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order Collectible Figures!". Kahotan's Blog. GOOD SMILE COMPANY. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Kahotan (2 October 2017). "Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order Collectible Figures Episode 2". Kahotan's Blog. GOOD SMILE COMPANY. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Kahotan (2 November 2018). "Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order Collectible Figures Episode 3 (Fate/Grand Order)". Kahotan's Blog. GOOD SMILE COMPANY. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  14. ↑ Ressler, Karen (31 December 2018). "Learning with Manga! Fate/Grand Order Manga Gets 15-Minute Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Dennison, Kara (31 December 2018). "Learning with Manga! FGO Is Finally the Anime It Was Meant to Be". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  16. ↑ Tolentino, Josh (3 July 2022). "Fate/Grand Order Metaverse Space Open for Fifth Anniversary". Siliconera. Retrieved 7 April 2026.