'Eden's Zero' and 'Fairy Tail' Aren't Connected, or Are They?

People who have grown up reading the manga or watching the anime Fairy Tail know that it's basically got a twin. The manga and anime Eden's Zero has more than a few similarities, and fans are wondering if the two are connected.

While some believe Eden's Zero is a sequel to Fairy Tail, others believe that it's another part of the same universe. But what's really going on here? Are the two manga connected in some way or are they just very similar projects? Turns out, it's a little complicated.

No, the two aren't necessarily connected. The fact that they were created by the same person, Hiro Mashima, can explain the similarities. It is easy to get confused as many of the characters in Fairy Tail and Eden's Zero look similar to one another. Rebecca and Elsie from Eden's Zero, for example, look just like Lucy and Erza from Fairy Tail. New viewers may not perceive the subtle differences as most character elements are the same.

While they do have their similarities, CBR points out that Eden's Zero is more mature. It discusses serious topics like societal cruelty and discrimination. Plus, Eden's Zero could not be a sequel because Hiro had already done a canon crossover where characters from both mangas meet each other.

Honestly, it's not hard to see why. Since many characters have similar designs, fans believe that both mangas are part of a larger universe Mashima is creating. A character named Happy even makes an appearance in both mangas. He looks the same in both except he's a robot in Eden's Zero and doesn't have wings like the Fairy Tail version.

For some, the mangas sharing the same universe was confirmed by the crossover. But others aren't convinced. As time travel is an element in Eden's Zero, some believe it is set in the future and the characters go back in time to meet those from Fairy Tail.

However, these are not the only popular mangas by Mashima. Rave Master, featuring Hiro Glory, predates Eden's Zero and Fairy Tail, and is also very similar. In the manga, Hiro and his friends are on a quest to develop the former's powers and strength, so he can defeat the Shadow Stones and protect the world as the second Rave Master.

This third work by Mashima was also included in the crossover, even though it ended before Fairy Tail and Eden's Zero.