History Main / SeriesFranchise

* ''DotHack'' is just plain ridiculous about this:
** The first wave, Project .hack, originally consisted of the DotHackSign anime, [[DotHackR1Games the Infection, Mutation, Outbreak and Quarantine]] [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo games]] (which were each bundled with an episode of the OVA series DotHackLiminality), and the DotHackLegendOfTheTwilight manga. Other canon included the ''LightNovel/DotHackAIBuster'' light novels. Then there were ''two'' manga adaptations of the games, XXXX and Another Birth (from [=BlackRose=]'s point of view), neither of which are canon.
** The second wave consisted mainly of the second anime, [=.hack//Roots=], and the DotHackGUGames (Rebirth, Reminisce and Redemption). There was also a CGI movie adaptation, a manga adaptaion and a light novel adaptation of the games, all of which were done differently.

* ''ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' (three series in continuity, plus a fourth that's an alternate version)

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' (The main [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Continuity_family continuity family]] includes three [[TransformersGeneration1 American]] [[WesternAnimation/BeastWars cartoons]] and five {{anime}} series, each of which has ''at least'' one accompanying comic ''and'' a {{manga}}. There's also another several mangas and a couple of other comics which without corresponding cartoons. Breaking off into {{alternate universe}}s there's the Japanese-made ''[[Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise Robots in Disguise]]'', consisting of a cartoon and manga, and [[TransformersArmada the]] [[TransformersEnergon Unicron]] [[TransformersCybertron Trilogy]], which comprises three anime series, each of which has a corresponding comic. More recently, there's been an American [[Film/{{Transformers}} live-action movie series]], [[TransformersAnimated two]] [[WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime new]] cartoons and [[VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron a video game series]], and guess what? Each of those have a comic as well. Oh, and if we tried to list all the tie-in books, toys, clothing, etc? We'd break the internet. And we still can't get enough.)

* ''.hack'' (3 anime series, 7 games with a tie-in OAV each, plus manga and light novels) and growing! It now includes a movie (sadly non-canon) more manga and games, a few ova, a 4Koma series.

* ''LawAndOrder'' (5 series [6 if you count ''[[LawAndOrderUK UK]]''], two PC games)
* ''{{CSI}}'' (3 series, seven PC games,console games,plus non-canon comics and novels)

* ''TombRaider'' (8 games, 1 remake and 2 films, one of them [[VideoGameMoviesSuck financially]] successful)

* ''Franchise/LupinIII'' was much more successful than initially expected, to the point that some of the titles have been retroactively renamed to differentiate between them. It began as a Manga, [[AdaptationDisplacement but is much better known as an anime, even in Japan]].

** The third, and probably final, wave consists of the anime DotHackQuantum and [=.hack//LINK=], which could refer to a manga or a PSP game that (as far as I can tell) follow the same story. There's also a movie in the works.

* ''SuperRobotWars''

* ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZelda'' (15+ games, and that's not going into [=spinoff=]s and ''VideoGame/{{The Legend of Zelda CDi Games}}'', featuring at ''least'' 8 Links and 9 Zeldas)

* ''ShinMegamiTensei'' (Four games in the main series (six counting the [[ShinMegamiTenseiIf unnumbered]] [[ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney installments]]), four ''Devil Summoner'' games, five/[[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo six]] separate ''Persona'' games (counting ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''), and a truckload's worth of other spin-offs)

* ''Videogame/FireEmblem'' (12 games across different Nintendo platforms with a 13th upcoming, also incorporates several manga adaptations, an {{OVA}} adaptation, and a card game)

* ''ShinMegamiTensei'' (Three in the main series, Four Devil Summoner, Six Persona (counting The Journey and The Answer separately), Two Digital Devil Saga, Two Digital Devil Story, and a truckload of spin offs.)

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' (the number of games that feature characters from the series was well over a hundred around 2001. Three American cartoon series, the ''Sonic X'' anime, an OVA in TheNineties, at least two official long-running comic books [[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgeog one of them]] ongoing])

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' (13 in the main series plus a few [=spinoff=]s (and two true sequels), plus two movies and two TV series)

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' (split between the ShotaroIshinomori era[[note]]7 series from 1971-1981 and 2 series in 1987-1989 (all of which take place in the same universe), then 1 DirectToVideo [[Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue film]] in 1992 and 2 [[Film/KamenRiderZO theatrical]] [[KamenRiderJ features]] in 1993-1994 (which occupy their own little continuities).[[/note]] and the [[OutlivedItsCreator Post-Ishinomori]] era [[note]]one TV series per year from 2000-present, each of which has at least one movie, all seperated by TheMultiverse as mapped out by ''KamenRiderDecade''.[[/note]])

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' (split between the ShotaroIshinomori era[[note]]7 series from 1971-1981 and 2 series in 1987-1989 (all of which take place in the same universe), then 1 DirectToVideo [[Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue film]] in 1992 and 2 [[KamenRiderZO theatrical]] [[KamenRiderJ features]] in 1993-1994 (which occupy their own little continuities).[[/note]] and the [[OutlivedItsCreator Post-Ishinomori]] era [[note]]one TV series per year from 2000-present, each of which has at least one movie, all seperated by TheMultiverse as mapped out by ''KamenRiderDecade''.[[/note]])

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' (split between the ShotaroIshinomori era[[note]]7 series from 1971-1981 and 2 series in 1987-1989 (all of which take place in the same universe), then 1 DirectToVideo [[ShinKamenRiderPrologue film]] in 1992 and 2 [[KamenRiderZO theatrical]] [[KamenRiderJ features]] in 1993-1994 (which occupy their own little continuities).[[/note]] and the [[OutlivedItsCreator Post-Ishinomori]] era [[note]]one TV series per year from 2000-present, each of which has at least one movie, all seperated by TheMultiverse as mapped out by ''KamenRiderDecade''.[[/note]])

A collection of distinct series which are often considered as a collective unit under a blanket title. They often, but not always, share a common continuity; even when they do not, they are more closely bound than [=Spinoff=]s.

A collection of distinct series which are often considered as a collective unit under a blanket title. They often, but not always, share a common continuity; even when they do not, they are more closely bound than {{Spinoff}}s.

* ''Franchise/{{Mai Hi ME}}'': ''Anime/{{Mai-Hime}}'', ''{{Anime/Mai-Otome}}'', the Otome-verse spinoffs (''Anime/{{Mai Otome Zwei}}'', ''Mai-Otome 0 Sifr''), and ''LightNovel/{{Mai-HiME Destiny}}''.

* Perhaps the king of them all, ''SuperMarioBros'' (9 in the main series if counting the first ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'', plus many, many spinoffs, a movie, several television series, a comic book series and a breakfast cereal.)
* ''FinalFantasy'' (13 in the main series plus a few spinoffs (and two true sequels), plus two movies and two TV series)
* ''DragonQuest'' (9 in the main series plus a {{Mon}} spinoff series and a few others, plus {{anime}} series)
* ''StreetFighter'' (4 "officially" in the main series, though ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' has [[CapcomSequelStagnation many variations]], plus numerous spinoffs and [[CapcomVsWhatever crossovers]], plus movies, TV series and {{manga}}.)
* ''MortalKombat'' (9 in the main series [counting the DCUniverse [[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse crossover]]], 3 spinoff adventure games, two movies and a third in the works, two TV series, a web series, several comic books and a CollectibleCardGame)
* ''KingOfFighters'' (which itself started as a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover for SNK's other fighting games before becoming its own game series, plus a series of animated shorts. Currently on its twelfth game, as well as two in the ''Maximum Impact'' AlternateContinuity)

* ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZelda'' (15+ games, and that's not going into spinoffs and ''VideoGame/{{The Legend of Zelda CDi Games}}'', featuring at ''least'' 8 Links and 9 Zeldas)

* ''{{Suikoden}}'' (5 games in the main series, plus 3 spinoffs)
* ''SonicTheHedgehog'' (the number of games that feature characters from the series was well over a hundred around 2001. Three American cartoon series, the ''Sonic X'' anime, an OVA in TheNineties, at least two official long-running comic books [[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgeog one of them]] ongoing])
* ''{{Pokemon}}'' (Six generations of games, plus spinoffs for each in genres like [[PuzzleGame puzzles]] and [[RaisingSim pet sims]]. Then there's [[strike:a]] [[Manga/PocketMonsters se]][[Manga/MagicalPokemonJourney ve]][[PokemonDiamondAndPearlAdventure ral]] [[PokemonSpecial manga]], the [[TheAnimeOfTheGame anime]] (which, as previously listed, is almost a franchise in itself), and the [[CollectibleCardGame Trading Card Game]]. Probably the most successful translation of a video game to other media, which has led to AdaptationDisplacement among some people.)

* ''CommandAndConquer'' (10+ games, including spinoffs, plus a few novelizations)

* The ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Project'' (13 official games, six spinoffs [counting ExpansionPack ''Hisoutensoku''] and lots and lots of doujinshi)

* ElectronicArts[=/=]Maxis' ''Sim'' franchise (five official ''VideoGame/SimCity'' games, three ''TheSims'' games, and many, ''[[CashCowFranchise many]]'' spinoffs from the former (including ''TheSims'' itself) and expansion packs for the latter)
* ''VideoGame/BubbleBobble'' (two to three "officially" in [[NonLinearSequel its original series which branched off]], although there are three second-installments and two third-installments, not counting subsequent games, one spinoff and its own four-installment arcade series, sub-series, and subsequent games.)

* ''BreathOfFire'' (five main games in the series: the first three of which are officially in the same universe, the fifth in an AlternateUniverse, and the fourth being a position best described as ''controversial''; two manga adaptations and a manga SpinOff of ''I'' which were officially directed by Capcom; {{Novelization}} of ''III'' and ''IV''; a manga adaptation of ''IV'' which was officially directed by Capcom; ''numerous'' licensed 4-koma and anthology comics of ''IV'' (and one licensed 4-koma of ''III''); four separate GaidenGame treatments of ''IV'' for Japanese smartphones; artbooks (including separate artbooks for each series and a compilation artbook) containing a great deal of AllThereInTheManual material ''never mentioned in the games''; AND there's the additional complication of remakes of ''I'' and ''II'' to shortly be licensed to SquareEnix)

* ''Franchise/WingCommander'' (twelve games including the Privateer spinoffs [but not [[ExpansionPack add-ons]]], eleven [[Literature/WingCommander novels]] including {{novelization}}s of other works, [[WesternAnimation/WingCommanderAcademy cartoon]], and [[Film/WingCommander movie]])

A collection of distinct series which are often considered as a collective unit under a blanket title. They often, but not always, share a common continuity; even when they do not, they are more closely bound than [=Spinoff=]s.

A collection of distinct series which are often considered as a collective unit under a blanket title. They often, but not always, share a common continuity; even when they do not, they are more closely bound than {{spinoff}}s.

* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' by way of ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' below. (Has had consecutive installments for 20 years, [[SequelNumberSnarl but exactly how many installments that IS has gotten complicated]]. Counting the installments roughly yearly is a good rule of thumb.)

* ''WhenTheyCry'' (four main games under two separate titles [''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', ''Higurashi Kai'', ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', ''Umineko Chiru''], two fandiscs, two spin-off fighting games and several console ports, as well as animated and manga adaptations for both series)

* ''KamenRider'' (split between the ShotaroIshinomori era[[note]]7 series from 1971-1981 and 2 series in 1987-1989 (all of which take place in the same universe), then 1 DirectToVideo [[ShinKamenRiderPrologue film]] in 1992 and 2 [[KamenRiderZO theatrical]] [[KamenRiderJ features]] in 1993-1994 (which occupy their own little continuities).[[/note]] and the [[OutlivedItsCreator Post-Ishinomori]] era [[note]]one TV series per year from 2000-present, each of which has at least one movie, all seperated by TheMultiverse as mapped out by ''KamenRiderDecade''.[[/note]])

* ''MaiFranchise'': ''MaiHime'', ''MaiOtome'', the Otome-verse spinoffs (''MaiOtomeZwei'', ''Mai-Otome 0 Sifr''), and ''MaiHimeDestiny''.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' (Five generations of games, plus spinoffs for each in genres like [[PuzzleGame puzzles]] and [[RaisingSim pet sims]]. Then there's [[strike:a]] [[Manga/PocketMonsters se]][[Manga/MagicalPokemonJourney ve]][[PokemonDiamondAndPearlAdventure ral]] [[PokemonSpecial manga]], the [[TheAnimeOfTheGame anime]] (which, as previously listed, is almost a franchise in itself), and the [[CollectibleCardGame Trading Card Game]]. Probably the most successful translation of a video game to other media, which has led to AdaptationDisplacement among some people.)

* ''PowerRangers'' by way of ''SuperSentai'' below. (18 seasons (officially 19, but one's just a rehash of [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers the first]]), or 15 series, depending on how you choose to count it.)

* ''SuperSentai'' (35+ series since 1975)

* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' (7 series and 9 movies across five continuities, 6 manga series and at least 40 games)