When it comes to Fairy Tail, there aren't many anime series that can compare to its fantastical universe, character-driven narrative, and creativity. This series was nothing short of a hit, albeit with mixed opinions. In fact, Fairy Tail was so popular, that shortly after its end Hiro Mashima came out with a series so similar that it could be considered a remake.
Edens Zero is the successor of the popular fantasy shonen, with so many similarities that audiences were left wondering whether the two shows were connected in some way. From character designs to story concepts, even some names are identical to each other. As such it is often written off as a copy of Fairy Tail when this couldn't be further from the truth. There are plenty of differences between the series. Hiro Mashima has definitely developed as a writer, and Edens Zero represents this perfectly.
6 Edens Zero Has A Better Start
The start of the series is one thing Edens Zero excels at. World-building elements, the story, and the character's goals are established immediately making it easy to sympathize and root for the main characters. It is a heavy hitter from the get-go, and the scene of Shiki leaving his home planet behind is incredibly impactful. Right away the audience is aware that there are heavy consequences for actions in this show.
Fairy Tail's start in comparison is more light-hearted, as is the show as a whole. It is fast, abrupt, and comedic. Within two episodes Lucy's dream of joining the Fairy Tail guild has come true, and there isn't much of an established story beyond that. Rather the anime seems to take things one episode at a time for a while. In this way, Edens Zero is much more successful in getting audiences invested straight away.
5 Edens Zero Follows A Plan
Edens Zero had a planned ending from the start. In this way, the story follows a plot-oriented narrative which allows for better pacing and more effective storytelling. Another advantage of a planned story is that it allows for more foreshadowing, creating a narrative where the audience can feel involved in the story, trying to figure out what is happening at the same time as the main characters.
Fairy Tail did not have this. In fact, the series was meant to end with the Phantom Lord arc. Luckily, it continued due to its popularity which allowed it to become the well-loved series everyone knows. However, this also meant that many things were not planned and often things had to be made up on the spot. This fits with the anime's comedic tones, but it leaves things feeling somewhat random and inconsequential at times.
4 Darker And More Serious Themes
Depending on different tastes, this can either be an advantage or a disadvantage. In the case of Edens Zero, it works very well. This show deals with serious topics such as the oppression and divide between humans and robots, death, loss, and many more. The stakes are higher, and there are long-term consequences for the actions of the characters. It is immensely emotional, the first episode deals with Shiki essentially losing his family and the second shows scenes of grief and pain when Happy is seriously hurt in an accident.
In stark contrast, Fairy Tail is quite light-hearted. There are, of course, many scenes with heavy emotional impacts. The anime deals with its own themes of loss and grief, with plenty of character deaths. However, Fairy Tail also has a habit of resurrecting characters soon after their deaths, which makes those moments of grief much less impactful. It feels like there are fewer consequences and things can be easily undone.
3 The Different Worlds
Due to its sci-fi themes, Edens Zero has an incredibly unique aspect of exploring all sorts of creative worlds. Each new world that the characters visit is distinctly unique, with so much creativity and personality that they're all memorable. This aspect of the anime in particular stands out as one of the best. Each time a new world is introduced there is a sense of excitement as viewers wait to explore the new landscape.
While Fairy Tail is also great with unique settings, much of the action takes place in one world. Apart from the Edolas arc. Part of this is because it takes inspiration from other shonen anime which often take place in one world. The pacing is also at play here, because arcs can drag out across a great number of episodes leaving the viewers and characters in one location for a long time. While in Edens Zero the pacing and the number of worlds to explore allow for locations to change often.
2 There Is Less Exposition
"In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore..." is of course the start of a speech every fan of Fairy Tail is familiar with. Many episodes start in this way, with a narrator who explains the basic premise of the anime and the world in which it is set in. In fact, throughout the show, there are many instances where information is given to the audience through exposition. There is much less of this in Edens Zero.
Many things are not explained straight away. Because of this, viewers get to discover things at the same time as the characters, with room to figure things out on their own. This method of storytelling can feel much more rewarding. There is a sense of wonder when the characters arrive at new worlds, and because there is often little information about these places the story feels alive even as the characters explore.
1 The Active Protagonists
One incredible aspect of Edens Zero is the fact that the protagonists in the series take the story into their own hands. Their goals are established early on, Shiki wants to make 100 friends and Rebecca wants to gain one million subscribers. Together, the two set out to find "Mother" who will grant anyone who finds her a wish. They are both taking the story into their hands, deciding where to go next as they explore the universe together in their search.
In comparison, Lucy and Natsu are quite passive protagonists. Much of the Fairy Tail plot focuses on things happening to them, rather than a natural movement of the story influenced by the character's actions. This can either be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on tastes, but it does feel refreshing to see protagonists who control the story directly.