Ever since Hiro Mashima introduced audiences to the fantasy shōnen Fairy Tail, he became known for creating one of the best comedic action manga of the decade. Not long after the story reached its conclusion in 2017 – upon receiving its animated adaptation in 2009 – Mashima focused all of his attention and creativity on yet another series: Edens Zero. This eclectic and futuristic space adventure was released in 2018, and it is still ongoing at the time of writing.
From the moment Edens Zero began serialization, many fans quickly noticed some obvious similarities between the two stories. Aside from both being adventure-based plots, Fairy Tail pursues themes of magic, whereas Edens Zero introduces a universe where robots and humans co-exist. The two stories still have some almost suspicious resemblances that have caused fans to wonder if they are at all linked, and here is the answer to that question.
Is Edens Zero a sequel to Fairy Tail?
Technically, Edens Zero is not at all connected to Fairy Tail, but the theories are entirely justifiable. Both manga share quite a few coincidences in their similarities. For one, both stories were drawn by Mashima himself, and regardless of how talented an artist may be, their characters will undoubtedly end up looking eerily similar to one another – even if it may be intentional. Characters like Rebecca or Elsie from Edens Zero are almost twins to Lucy and Erza from Fairy Tail, sharing elements in their design that are obvious even if subtle.
Secondly, both stories take place in fantastical worlds filled with magic, supernatural elements, and even robotic beings. Similar themes of friendship and camaraderie are also present in Edens Zero and Fairy Tail, brought by the lively characters that often form close bonds with each other. Moreover, the two adventures also include humorous and light-hearted moments, to balance out the serious epic battle scenes and intense emotional parts.
While it is not entirely possible that Mashima may be creating a much larger universe in which these two stories intertwine in some way or another – especially as Edens Zero includes time travel elements – there is still no confirmation that neither of these stories is connected in any way. Fortunately, some fans will be pleased to know that the author has already created a canon crossover where both characters meet each other, called Hero’s.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be the first or last time that an author plans on intertwining two stories or even including characters from their past creations in their newest canvas. This time, however, it just seems that it is nothing much of a coincidence derives from having the same author creating stories back to back.