<p>When a series is presented in several media, most of the versions will usually be said to be "based on" some other version, and whichever version is not "based on" anything of the others is canon. Under normal circumstances, that one is the one that came first.</p>

<p>But this is only a general guideline. Sometimes things get strange. Consider <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena</em>, which has no fewer than four presentations: the manga, the TV series, the movie, and the manga of the movie. The movie-manga is based on the movie, of course, but the other three are considered separate canons. Sort of. Like I said, Utena is strange.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-19T03:30:01.950Z
Another weird example is the Nasuverse, because how it's considers different storylines as parallel universes which can be accessed though the application of the 2nd Magic (Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg's inventions like the Jewel Sword, the Kaleidostick(s) or his trunk) it's hard to tell what's cannon
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-19T03:31:43.723Z
one thing that is considered cannon is that all branching plots which create parallel universes (the theft of the Greater Grail, the incident that drain the world's Mana in the 1900's) occur after Arturia was born so the gender of "King Arthur" is by cannon female so the one that appears in Fate/Prototype is non-cannon
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-18T22:56:37.777Z
2013-09-18T22:56:37.777Z
The Spooniest
<p>Canon is whatever the rights holder (people who own the IP) says it is. Canon is always changing. Just look at the American comic industry, DC and Marvel are always retconning and reinventing the canon. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-09T17:32:15.383Z
2015-08-02T17:53:36.657Z
2015-08-02T17:53:36.657Z
woodchuck
<p>In the case of many anime where the manga came first, things that are included in the anime but not the manga (such as filler arcs) seem to be not considered totally canon to the series, indicating that manga is generally what is considered to set canon. One example of this is the Quincy arc in Bleach. For series where the anime came first, such as Code Geass, is the anime then considered to set canon?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-18T18:03:55.527Z
I'd guess this varies from series to series. My guess is that the "canon" one is probably the one that the initial author had in mind, whether that be a mangaka or not.
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-19T21:57:36.107Z
Varies from series to series, but in many cases the original work is referred to as the "primary canon" and the new media is called the "secondary canon".
Lawton
<anime-production><manga-production>
If the anime came first, what is considered "canon"?
# If the anime came first, what is considered "canon"?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-09-18
In the case of many anime where the manga came first, things that are included in the anime but not the manga (such as filler arcs) seem to be not considered totally canon to the series, indicating that manga is generally what is considered to set canon. One example of this is the Quincy arc in Bleach. For series where the anime came first, such as Code Geass, is the anime then considered to set canon?
**Tags:** anime-production manga-production
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'd guess this varies from series to series. My guess is that the "canon" one is probably the one that the initial author had in mind, whether that be a mangaka or not.  
> **username_2**: Varies from series to series, but in many cases the original work is referred to as the "primary canon" and the new media is called the "secondary canon".  
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## 2 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-09-18. Score: 7
When a series is presented in several media, most of the versions will usually be said to be "based on" some other version, and whichever version is not "based on" anything of the others is canon. Under normal circumstances, that one is the one that came first.

But this is only a general guideline. Sometimes things get strange. Consider *Revolutionary Girl Utena*, which has no fewer than four presentations: the manga, the TV series, the movie, and the manga of the movie. The movie-manga is based on the movie, of course, but the other three are considered separate canons. Sort of. Like I said, Utena is strange.
> **Comments:**
> **username_4** (2013-09-19): Another weird example is the Nasuverse, because how it's considers different storylines as parallel universes which can be accessed though the application of the 2nd Magic (Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg's inventions like the Jewel Sword, the Kaleidostick(s) or his trunk) it's hard to tell what's cannon  
> **username_4** (2013-09-19): one thing that is considered cannon is that all branching plots which create parallel universes (the theft of the Greater Grail, the incident that drain the world's Mana in the 1900's) occur after Arturia was born so the gender of "King Arthur" is by cannon female so the one that appears in Fate/Prototype is non-cannon  
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### Answer by username_5 on 2015-04-09. Score: 3
Canon is whatever the rights holder (people who own the IP) says it is. Canon is always changing. Just look at the American comic industry, DC and Marvel are always retconning and reinventing the canon.
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