But if you search on streaming services like Crunchyroll, Funimation, or Netflix, you’ll see a different number—often 3 “parts” or a confusing collection of 25 “volumes.” Why the discrepancy? To understand, you need to know the story of how this beloved guild of wizards made its way from manga pages to television screens. Our story begins in October 2009. A-1 Pictures and Satelight studios launched the Fairy Tail anime, based on Hiro Mashima’s hit manga. The first episode introduced us to Natsu Dragneel, a fiery Dragon Slayer, and Lucy Heartfilia, a celestial spirit mage with a heart of gold.

Thus, if a fan asks you the answer, the most accurate response is:

The short, official answer is this:

And like any good Fairy Tail story, the journey to get that answer is filled with camaraderie, confusion, and a little bit of fire. Now, if only someone could explain why Happy the cat thinks he’s a flying blue dog… but that’s a story for another day.