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Fairy Tail Zero

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天狼島に親友・ゼーラと二人で暮らしていたメイビス…天真爛漫で読書好きな彼女の夢は「妖精に会う事」。×686年、天狼島を訪れたトレジャーハンターたちとの出会いを機に、メイビスの人生は思いがけない冒険へと羽ばたいていく!! 出会いと別れ、喜びと悲しみを心に刻み、彼女がたどり着いた“答え”とは!? 優しく温かい、真心を綴った物語──。

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2015

37 people are currently reading
487 people want to read

About the author

Hiro Mashima

1,506 books1,931 followers
Hiro Mashima (Jap: 真島ヒロ) is a Japanese manga artist.

He gained success with his first serial Rave, published in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1999 to 2005. His best-selling work, Fairy Tail, published in the same magazine from 2006 to 2017, became one of the best-selling manga series with over 72 million copies in print. Mashima began the currently ongoing Edens Zero in 2018.

Fairy Tail won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen manga in 2009, and Mashima was given the Harvey Awards International Spotlight award in 2017 and the Fauve Special Award at the 2018 Angoulême International Comics Festival.

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5 stars
813 (62%)
4 stars
363 (27%)
3 stars
117 (8%)
2 stars
14 (1%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Profile Image for Connor.
709 reviews1,680 followers
July 21, 2017
Woah! Amazing! I definitely wouldn't read this until you've read a lot of the main series or watched a lot of the manga, but it is so worth it.
Profile Image for Lea.
217 reviews21 followers
December 21, 2022
This was a great story 🤩 I really enjoyed the characters and their friendships
Profile Image for Just.
184 reviews
September 19, 2020
Fairy Tail Zero is the prequel to the iconic Fairy Tail series. This manga covers the formation of the famous wizard guild, but I would recommend reading/watching the main series first to give context. Overall, 5 stars for the manga and was amazing to dive back into a series that I live for.
Profile Image for Anastasia Antonova.
262 reviews21 followers
January 13, 2016
Думала буду реветь, но нет, пронесло. Хотя сама история интересная, читала я с удовольствием. Многое начинаешь понимать. Больше всего порадовал Зефирка - я ему сочувствую еще с оригинальной истории, а здесь он просто разбил мое сердце.


.Итоговая оценка:. 10 из 10
Profile Image for Caitlin ~WordsAreMyForte~.
485 reviews34 followers
January 12, 2021
4.5 stars
I love Mavis, I love Zeref, I love Fairy Tail. I don't care what his detractors say, Hiro Mashima is an amazing storyteller.

Profile Image for Melanie.
374 reviews79 followers
Read
July 1, 2018
I love how this one is about Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis Vermillion. and how she founded that amazing guild! Though the last chapter I've read was somewhat of a cliffhanger...
Profile Image for Gary Butler.
829 reviews45 followers
June 22, 2017
43rd book read in 2017.

Number 77 out of 608 on my all time book list.
Profile Image for Miss Akacia ..
375 reviews91 followers
May 2, 2017
Me ha sorprendido bastante la verdad, no pensé que fuese a gustarme tanto este spin-off de Fairy Tail. Cuando pensaba que Mavis no podía gustarme más y no podía parecerse más a mí, llegó este tomo. Muchas gracias a mi Pablo por regalármelo (L). La única pega que le pongo es que me habría gustado que fuese más largo o que hubiese dos o tres tomos más y por supuesto con más protagonismo a Zeref (L) pero eso ya son observaciones muy personales xD.
Profile Image for Luke Reynolds.
667 reviews
January 20, 2017
Actual rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

A couple years ago, I became obsessed with Fairy Tail. I had watched the first two episodes at an anime club at my local library in 2013, and all of a sudden I felt a connection. I read the manga like crazy, started watching the anime like crazy, and I was all of a sudden caught up in an exciting fanbase that always got me pumped up. I liked seeing the magic, I liked the theme of friendship, and I adored Lucy and Natsu to the point that I shipped them together and loved to see them grow.

Now that three years have gone by, I'm no longer as big of a fan as I was. The longer that FT has gone on, the more convoluted and ridiculous it has become. From the plot twists to the girls getting their clothes ripped off to the cheap fanservice, the manga series has degenerated into something completely nonsensical and just trying to be as appealing to everyone that I just don't see myself being a part of anymore.

However, I wanted to give this franchise another go, so I decided to pick up the prequel manga that Hiro Mashima drew and wrote in a monthly magazine devoted to the series. Overall, while I did find some good moments here, I feel like Fairy Tail Zero showed the weaknesses of the main series and Mashima's writing as a whole.

Moving aside from the art, which is fine, the thing that I really liked about this manga was Mavis. Her wit was very unexpected and surprising, and I liked how we had a crafty female lead despite those moments where her smarts seemed very convenient for the plot. The friendship she shared with Zera was also heartwarming, and although it felt rather poorly shoehorned at the start, it straightened itself out by the end.

If there's one thing that Mashima does well, however, it's the intense action scenes where everything's going to heck and the heartrending emotional scenes. Both involve tensions running high and characters at their best, and they were definitely the best parts to read.

That's where the magic ends, though. Fairy Tail Zero's main problem comes in the form of its lack of character depth. Even after finishing the volume, Precht, Warrod, and Yuri don't have much characterization outside of what they later become. I mean, we know they're treasure hunters, but that's pretty much it. Mashima devotes no time to them, and while I can understand why (Mavis will always be the most important one), I never really liked them. They were just cardboard cutouts making their way across the pages.

The pacing was also incredibly fast in the first six chapters. The first was Mavis's incredibly fast backstory, then we have the present and the gang coming together and a mission and I just got so lost and bored. Even Mashima himself admits everything got rushed in an interview in the back of the volume, something that makes me want to ask whether he should have gotten the time to get everything he wanted down. By chapter 7, though, things got better, and they continued that way throughout the story, but compacting everything together was not a good plan.

So, in conclusion, is Fairy Tail Zero bad? No. But I ultimately don't see it having nearly as much depth as I thought it did in the past. Hey, maybe it never did in the first place. But with the constant repetition of the friendship theme over and over again, the lack of concrete characterization, and a need to get to the action as fast as possible, this prequel really showcases how at this point FT is slowly winding its way down.
Profile Image for Sara Kamjou.
664 reviews522 followers
March 13, 2016
خیلی زیاد دلچسب و لذتبخش!
------------------------------
جملات ماندگار مانگا:
اگر ما همیشه اینجا بمونیم... نمی‌تونیم چیزی رو ببینیم! باید به خودمون جرأت بدیم تا بریم دنیا رو ببینیم!
...
موقعی که دری به روی تو باز می‌شه، طبیعیه که کمی احساس اضطراب کنی... ولی وقتی که دوستات راهت هستن، هیجانش بیشتر می‌شه!
...
تنها کاری که می‌تونی بکنی اینه که کنارم باشی. دوست صمیمی برای همینه.
...
خیلی مهمه که کسی جایی برای برگشتن داشته باشه...
Profile Image for Nikki in Niagara.
4,392 reviews175 followers
September 10, 2016

Very satisfying story about the origination of the Fairy Tail Guild and the story of the first leader Mavis. This is the complete spin-off in one volume. A really sweet story that reads fast and even though I'm not too far into the main Fairy Tail series perfectly understandable. Can certainly be read as a prequel as Mavis doesn't return until Volume 53. For those who are more current with the series, they will probably appreciate it even more. Lovely story!
Profile Image for Gav451.
749 reviews5 followers
March 18, 2020
I haven't seen or read the original Manga and I appreciate this is a pre-curser to the main event. It is really nicely drawn and a quick and easy read. Getting used to the direction of reading took a few moments but once you are into the zone it's not too big a deal.

I found this tale utterly charming. A nice twist near the end and some clever interplay between the characters.

The Japanese style of lovely line drawings mixed with the occasional cartoon like emotions could be occasionally jarring but overall I found this to be a quick and good read.

Another Humble Bundle purchase I do not regret. Humble bundle is such good value it is becoming an addiction.
Profile Image for TheBookishHobbit.
674 reviews13 followers
May 6, 2022
This is a spin-off from the original Fairy Tail series, which features Mavis and how Fairy Tail was founded. A delightful tale that is great when right in the middle of the main series... and I still need to get a hold of the next few volumes to finish the current arc I'm on lol.
Profile Image for Genesis Garcia.
185 reviews13 followers
March 26, 2023
El inicio de todo.
Mavis tiene una linda personalidad, me dio pena con Zera.
Creo que vere de nuevo el anime😁😁
Profile Image for Jamie (Books and Ladders).
1,455 reviews212 followers
January 28, 2016
(Not sure if they are breaking it into volumes or not, but I'm going to list my thoughts on the entire Fairy Tail Zero arc, all thirteen chapters)
Chapter 1 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 2 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 3 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 4 Rating: 5*
Chapter 5 Rating: 5*
Chapter 6 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 7 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 8 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 9 Rating: 5*
Chapter 10 Rating: 4.5*
Chapter 11 Rating: 5*
Chapter 12 Rating: 5*
Chapter 13 Rating: 4.5*
Overall Rating: 4.7*

I would not recommend reading this one until you are semi-caught up with Fairy Tail, Vol. 01 or at least the anime. But I did quite enjoy seeing the foundation for the guild and Mavis as a character. She was always such an enigma and so interesting to me so I really enjoyed seeing her beginnings and grow as a character. I thought the story was a good one that really encompassed the Fairy Tail brand and what the overall manga is really about. It was interesting seeing Mavis learn and use her magic as well, especially since her teacher was because it helped develop as a character as well. If you are a fan of Fairy Tail and want to know the origins of the guild, I recommend you check this one out!

Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
Profile Image for Lynn Cornelissen.
169 reviews4 followers
January 23, 2022
3⭐️ for me. I enjoyed reading some back story on the Fairy Tail main story. I had quite the issue with the sexual portrayal of the 13 year old girls and felt the pacing was very off. Although the former isn’t redeemable as the book is for ages 13 and up, the latter was clarified in the interview with the author included in the last pages. This gave some more context to the story and pointed out some nifty clues I’d missed myself. Overall it was a nice quick read that got me a little more invested with the Fairy Tail books.
22 reviews
November 28, 2020

It is not necessary for the series but it does add a little something extra. Great background on the Fairy Tail Guild. The central ethos of friendship and camaraderie came from the heart of a girl who grew up lonely and more than anything wanted people who could be friends.
Profile Image for sophie ⚘.
336 reviews9 followers
November 1, 2021
okay first disclaimer: i read this book in french so maybe I didn't understand every single word 100%

i have seen the twist coming right from the beginning but it was still very well made. i just have too much fantasy for my own good lol.
Profile Image for Lessoire.
97 reviews
April 9, 2017
Makes the original Fairy Tail story line make more sense. Though you don't need to read this edition to enjoy the original story line.
Profile Image for Andrés .
371 reviews
January 30, 2024
La decimosexta lectura del año.
Amo el manga/anime de Fairy Tail, ha sido de las pocas series con las que me he obsesionado y por ello guarda un lugar en mi corazón. Cuando me enteré de este manga autoconclusivo precuela acerca del comienzo del gremio de magos más popular del anime. Una historia acerca de Mavis Vermilion, la maga que se trasformó en la fundadora y primera maestra del gremio. Un personaje tan misterioso como carismático del que me encantó leer más.
La historia se basa en Mavis Vermilion, que antes de ser esta mítica figura era una chica viviendo en una isla con su mejor amiga Zeira. La vida de ambas cambia cuando un grupo de cazadores de tesoros llega a la isla en busca de un objeto mágico que resulta haber isdo robado. Mavis y Zeira se unen a estos cazadores de tesoros en busca de recuperar esta joya y por primera vez salen de la isla y llegan a un nuevo mundo que jamás esperaron.
Amé este manga. Aunque empezó algo lento, desde la llegada de los cazadores de tesoro el manga consigue un ritmo muy bueno y la historia se expande muy bien. Esta historia es un mimo a los fanáticos del manga de Fairy Tail, descubriendo cosas nuevas acerca del gremio y su origen. Ver el comienzo de Magnolia, lugares reconocidos entre ellos la catedral. Y los personajes, ver el origen de Pretch, la familia Makarov, Zeref, entre otros.
El arte como siempre es muy útil para la historia. Los personajes como siempre son muy singulares, tanto su estilo com su personalidad. En esto destaco demasiado a Mavis. Es un personaje tan maravilloso y me da pena no poder verlo más en el mismo Fairy Tail. Me gusta demasiado como exploran su historia, desde su origen trágico hasta su final maravilloso, me parece muy buen desarrollo de un personaje tan esencial como lo es Mavis. Y su amistad con Zeira al final me sacó unas lagrimitas.
Fairy Tail Zero es un manga ideal si has visto o leído bastante del manga de Fairy Tail. Una historia de origen del épico gremio y de Mavis Vermilion. Ahora solo tengo ganas de seguir con el manga de Fairy Tail y los demás mangas del mismo autor.
Profile Image for DoctorFeddy.
254 reviews1 follower
July 26, 2017
Aggiungo un degli spin-off migliori della serie

Fairy Tail Zero:
il volume unico che ti spiega la nascita della gilda di Fairy Tail dal suo primo master: Mavis Vermillion!! La ragazza che vive sull'isola Tenro con una triste storia e con la speranza che un giorno possa trovare una fata. La sua curiosità si incontra con il desiderio cercare manofatti e oggetti antichi e magici da parte di tre elementi del calibro di YURI DREYAR, PUREHITO GAEBOLG e WARROD SEQUEN, tre cacciatori di tesori giunti sull'isola Tenro per trovare la gemma del lupo celeste. Personalmente mi è piaciuto vedere l'espediente narrativo per il quale Mavis esegue il Fairy Law insegnato appositamente da Zeref e del perché non cresce. L'autore ha disseminato di indizi la storia, per il finale, ma credo che sono un po troppi tanto che ci sono arrivato in tre o quattro capitoli, comunque bel finale per un personaggio che dalla prima apparizione ho pensato “ mmh bel personaggio” sperando che non la fa a pezzi come altri personaggi della serie.
Anche in questo spin-off la tematica forte è la famiglia.
Per il disegno non c'è nulla da dire solo perchè sono pareri personali, per esempio a me piace questo stile cartoonesco( anche se preferivo lo stile di Rave) ma se si metti a confronto Mashima e un altro mangaka è ovvio che lo stile di Mashima cali.
Il voto che gli do alla storia è 8 mentre per il disegno è 7.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for 寿理 宮本.
2,439 reviews16 followers
July 3, 2023
This is technically a prequel to Fairy Tail but should be read concurrently with, or just after, book 53 for the most context and fewest spoilers. (Alternately, after the entire main series, but that's not as fun!)

It's a nice, clean volume with almost all of the loose ends wrapped up, and any loose ends missed are covered in the main series. What's nice is the twist, hinted at with the "0" in the title slowly fading out with each chapter break image, until the reveal, followed by "restarting from zero!" putting the title back to normal. It's such a subtle twist that may have you going back to look for all the clues, which is always a sign of a great twist!

Still sad about Zeref and Mavis, but it's fine in the end, I guess? (er, spoilers for the main story, sorry)

Recommended for fans of Fairy Tail! Not sure how it reads to anyone unfamiliar with the main story, though.
Profile Image for hali.
21 reviews
February 3, 2024
A temática de amizade sempre foi como um tipo de espinha dorsal dos arcos de Fairy Tail, seja no mangá original ou na adaptação dele para anime/filmes, percorrendo desde as nuances mais sombrias que uma emoção tão passional como essa pode levar até os valores mais preciosos que se pode aprender através dela, e aqui isso não é diferente, sempre acompanhando-se de um humor leve e uma sensibilidade pontual já também característicos do autor. Apesar da magia na obra servir como uma forma de expressão de poder e individualidade, ela acaba também funcionando como um instrumento até mesmo de escapismo da realidade no decorrer da trama desse volume (que é único e detalha a história de origem da guilda Fairy Tail através da relação de seus fundadores, com destaque especial ao complexo passado de Mavis). Os traços dos desenhos e os designs dos personagens complementam bem a carga emocional e fantasiosa dos diálogos, especialmente no capítulo final, e trazem consigo uma identidade visual bem expressiva. A riqueza da reflexão principal sobre amizade e companheirismo não perde a força em nenhum momento, culminando inclusive em um plot twist tão melancolicamente belo perto da conclusão que costura lágrimas em qualquer coração. Qual seria a magia mais poderosa que existe, senão o amor?
Profile Image for Edward .
53 reviews7 followers
August 20, 2020
It was my early college years I dabbled with Fairy Tail as a series. Though it lasted for a while, it wasn't able to get in to me 'til the end. The Zerø arc, if seen as a series of its own, is a worthwhile read.

This story pretty tells of the origins of the guild, in the style of an actual fairy tale. Mavis, our wholesome protagonist, suffered a dire fate at the first chapter, putting her at the heart of shounen main character. Thought to live her life throughout the time skip alone, we're shown her companion Zera, then came the outsiders who'd changed their lives forever.

The plot played with the properties of magic in its applied universe, setting certain rules, though too fast-paced. Foreshadowing to some elements we easy to spot, but not to obvious, making the audience hold whatever assumption they have. The ending pretty much want to touch readers' feelings, typical to Fairy Tail.

All in all, a decent past time. And a nice breather, away from all the melons from the main story.
Profile Image for Tilápia frita.
146 reviews
November 27, 2023
Impressionante como esse homem não consegue fazer um mangá sem sexualizar as personagens femininas, mesmo elas sendo crianças. Ele faz o mesmo com os homens da obra chamando de "fanservice", mona vai desenhar um porno logo, fica com essa lenga lenga de soft porn em todos os mangás, é uma merda, não dá pra levar a sério uma porra dessa não.
A história é legalzinha até, legal saber como ela era mega inteligente e poderosa quando criança ainda, legal também saber a origem da maldição que faz com que ela fique para sempre com a mesma aparência, de criança, para sempre. Por mais que tenha sido uma coisinha legal aqui e ali, o mangá teve um desenvolvimento bem corrido, bem superficial, e pode parecer que não por causa do tanto de páginas, mas se você espera algo que vai a fundo, não vai encontrar nesse aqui. Gostei bastante do plot twist que teve, voltando e relendo, deu pra perceber as mudanças.
Capa feia e personagens mal utilizados; quando se fala sobre um, esquece o outro.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews

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