Best Anime By Ufotable

Ufotable has an ace up its sleeve that even its bigger rivals can’t match: crisp, vibrant, and flowing animations. Ufotable has a reputation for an animation style that produces some of the smoothest and most fluid visuals in the industry.

The studio is definitely ambitious with its presentation, and each second of animation appears like a thousand moving paintings dancing together in perfect synchronization to create jaw-dropping action sequences. This is reflected in the company’s biggest and most popular titles, and people who want a treat for their eyes will surely want to check out Ufotable’s best anime.

Updated October 3, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Ufotable’s next anime projects – Witch on the Holy Night, Demon Slayer movie trilogy, and Genshin Impact – do not have release dates yet, although they should all be big deals when they debut. While waiting for more information to drop on these adaptations, fans can check out the best Ufotable anime that they might have missed.

Along with adding a 2013 movie, galleries have been introduced for every anime.

11 Ninja Nonsense

MyAnimeList: 6.88

Before becoming one of the most prominent action anime studios on the market, Ufotable was a bit more eclectic in its chosen projects. Ninja Nonsense is quite unlike anything the company has worked on in the last decade, with the only exception being maybe Today’s Menu For The Emiya Family; even then, that spin-off is a slice of life rather than a goofball comedy. And, make no mistake, Ninja Nonsense does not have a serious bone in its body. Based on Ryoichi Koga’s manga, the show follows Shinobu, a female ninja who just about manages to pass her entrance exam, which involves stealing a piece of clothing from a similarly aged girl named Kaede. Now, Shinobu continues her training while living in a mansion filled with identical ninjas and whatever Onsokumaru is meant to be.

Ninja Nonsense is a peculiar case. On the one hand, it cannot be recommended to fans of Ufotable’s more popular anime since it has very little in common with any of them. At most, its humor is slightly similar to Zenitsu Agatsuma’s antics in Demon Slayer, but that comparison is more likely to actively discourage someone from watching the 2004 show. Yet, Ninja Nonsense is quite entertaining and has aged better than most of the studio’s early productions. Anime is perfect for slapstick, a fact that is showcased well by this series. Still, this anime should only be watched by people who want a silly comedy rather than fans craving more Ufotable content.

10 God Eater

MyAnimeList: 7.18

If there’s another thing that Ufotable excels at apart from its stellar animation, it would be adapting video games into anime. The studio has a healthy selection of anime whose source materials are video games instead of manga and God Eater is just one of those.

This anime pretty much takes the whole game premise and gives it a more dramatic narrative pacing fit for a show. It’s 2071 and humans are an endangered species thanks to a race of man-eating monsters called Aragami. As humanity’s last hope, a titular group of special humans was created in order to combat the Aragami, and Lenka Utsugi is one of the most promising ones. Although maybe not as decorated as some of the studio’s other projects, God Eater is one of the best Ufotable anime when it comes to pure action.

9 Tales Of Zestiria The X

MyAnimeList: 7.22 (Season 1)

Yet another good anime adaptation of an established Japanese video game franchise by Ufotable, Tales of Zestiria the X does justice to the source material, which is one of the more polarizing entries in the JRPG franchise. That said, fans of the game should consider themselves lucky that Ufotable handled the adaptation since that ensured the visuals would be on point.

Tales of Zestiria the X is all about a young man named Sorey and his journey into a fantasy world where beings called Seraphim have an uneasy relationship with humans. They are both feared and revered but Sorey stumbled upon a girl who could help him bridge the gap between the two races. While the story is a bit all over the place, similar to the game, the anime knocks its action out of the park, delivering smooth and satisfying fighting sequences. The characters are also likable enough, if somewhat forgettable.

8 Yoyo and Nene, the Little Witch Sisters

MyAnimeList: 7.35

Probably one of the least known U fotable anime, Yoyo and Nene, the Little Witch Sisters is a fairly forgotten 2013 movie, especially since it is not currently available on any streaming service. While not quite on the same level as most recent features (or The Garden of Sinners), this release showcases the studio’s strengths, particularly spectacular visuals. Yoyo and Nene not only looks gorgeous but also features a whimsical fantasy world, setting the movie apart from the studio’s more modern output.

Yoyo and Nene is a reverse isekai, with a magical girl named Yoyo finding herself sent to Japan. Once here, she (slowly) befriends three kids and sets out to clear curses, which is her main responsibility. The plot gets a touch too convoluted for its own good, but it is held together through a fun protagonist, stellar animation, and occasionally great action. Yoyo and Nene is not a masterpiece or anything, but it is a decent way to spend an afternoon.

7 Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!

MyAnimeList: 7.26

Surprisingly, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! is one of the few titles in Ufotable’s portfolio that’s actually an adaptation of the manga. Regardless, Ufotable also spared no expense in animating it though they probably had an easier time here since Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! school-themed slice-of-life comedy.

It’s set in the alternate future of 2035 where birth rates have dropped dangerously low and morale in schools is at an all-time low due to a lack of students. All-girl Seioh Private High School, however, is about to get a new life breathed into it thanks to a rowdy transferee named Manami Amamiya.

MyAnimeList: 7.79

Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family is more of a love letter to all the Fate/stay night fans. For the uninitiated, that’s a franchise adapted by Ufotable wherein chosen heroes pick their warriors to fight for them in an eternal war and power struggle. Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family imagines a brief and precious time of peace after the said war has been concluded.

Thus, it’s a side story that’s more targeted toward fans of the franchise. Even so, Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family provides such a respite for fans where they get to see their favorite fierce fighters cooking meals and doing groceries in this odd slice-of-life anime.

5 The Garden Of Sinners Movies

MyAnimeList: 7.56 (Movie 1)

A trick to finding the best Ufotable anime is to just watch anything remotely associated with Type-Moon. While not quite as well-known as Fate, The Garden of Sinners is fairly decorated in its own right, and that goes for both the light novels and the anime adaptations. That said, this series is inconsistent in terms of quality, and it does not start on a particularly strong note.

While it was adapted into a 13-episode series, The Garden of Sinners‘ natural form is an 8-part movie franchise, which also comes with a couple of OVAs as well. The story is difficult to summarize, but it primarily revolves around an agency that investigates supernatural-themed cases; however, that descriptor makes the anime seem far more ordinary than it actually is. The Garden of Sinners is really a character study revolving around Shiki Ryougi and, to a lesser extent, Mikiya Kokutou. The former has a power that allows her to see someone’s death lines, and this ability defines her existence.

Told in a non-linear manner, The Garden of Sinners can be confusing, overwhelming, slow, and frustrating. Conversely, at its best, the anime delivers complex characters who drive engrossing stories that are beautifully and creatively animated. The fifth and seventh movies are generally considered to be the best, but the entire series should be watched.

4 Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

MyAnimeList: 8.18 (Season 1)

A media franchise so vast that one might need some guidance on the best order to watch the shows, the Fate series defines Ufotable’s place in the anime world. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is Ufotable’s best anime series when it comes to animation. Some even resorted to calling it “Unlimited Budget Works” because it seemed like the studio had an infinite budget pool with how they implemented their animations.

Unlimited Blade Works is about the Fifth Holy Grail War with contestants both old and new. The Holy Grail is a device that can grant any wish, which is why several noble families and notorious factions are always vying for it. In order to compete, Masters must summon Servants, who are generally legendary figures from history. Once everyone has arrived, a grueling battle royale begins that brings out the worst in most of its competitors.

Unlimited Blade Works revolves around two teenage Masters, Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka, who are both polarizing characters in their own right. The story also has quite a slow start, with the first season almost having moments that approach slice of life territory; however, season 2 is consistently great and features some of Ufotable’s best work.

3 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

MyAnimeList: 8.45 (Season 1)

While Fate put Ufotable on the map, Demon Slayer turned the studio into a mainstream household name. Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s relatively popular shonen manga, the anime version serves as a rare example of an adaptation overshadowing the source material, elevating a decent but unspectacular story through sheer animation quality alone. Episode 19 serves as a prime example of this process, as Ufotable went for broke during Tanjiro and Rui’s fight, delivering some of the studio’s best TV animation up to that point. Before this episode, the series was not attracting too much attention outside of Japan; after this episode, Demon Slayer became one of the biggest names in the industry, leading to a film sequel that was nothing short of a colossal success.

Taking all that into consideration, Demon Slayer should be a lock for Ufotable’s best anime; however, things are not that simple. Season 1 took a long time to pick up momentum, only really exploding during its last stretch. The Mugen Train movie was the franchise’s peak in terms of exposure and arguably was one of the best cinematic anime experiences. Ufotable followed things up with the Entertainment District Arc, which delivered great action, intimidating villains, and a fantastic Hashira character to carry the story’s emotional load alongside Tanjiro.

If this saga marked the end of the line, Demon Slayer could arguably sit as the studio’s definitive masterpiece. However, the subsequent seasons were a step down from their predecessors. Although far from terrible, the Swordsmith Village Arc felt like a retread of the Entertainment District Arc, albeit with stretched-out fights that overindulged in style over substance. Despite lasting just eight episodes, the Hashira Training Arc threatens to overstay its welcome due to a repetitive format and a heavier focus on the characters, arguably Demon Slayer‘s weakest element. To be fair, this arc mostly exists to set the stage for the final conflict, but that does not mean it is an exciting watch.

2 Fate/Zero

MyAnimeList: 8.27 (Season 1)

The studio’s first release with the Fate name, Fate/Zero is arguably Ufotable’s most important anime since it put the studio on the map in terms of exposure (although The Garden of Sinners predates it). A prequel to the events of Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero depicts the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War. While it obviously shares several similarities with its successor, Fate/Zero still feels like an entirely different experience, which largely stems from its darker tone.

Along with great action that still manages to impress more than a decade later, Fate/Zero tells a frequently depressing narrative that pulls very few punches. Outside of maybe Saber, the Holy Grail War is no place for “good” people, even if some participants have somewhat acceptable intentions. No one better represents this fact than Kiritsugu Emiya, a captivating protagonist who is anything but noble.

1 Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel Trilogy

MyAnimeList: 8.16 (Movie 1)

• 	Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel – I. Presage Flower	Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel – II. Lost Butterfly	Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel – III. Spring Song
  Release Date	2017-10-14	2019-01-12	2020-08-15
  Genres	Supernatural, Action, Fantasy	Supernatural, Action, Fantasy	Supernatural, Action, Fantasy
  Based On	Visual Novel	Visual Novel	Visual Novel

Unlimited Blade Works is worth watching on its own, but an added benefit is that it sets the stage for Heaven’s Feel, a movie trilogy that covers the visual novel’s final route. Just to be clear, these films are not sequels to the series, but they show what might have happened if Shirou made a few different choices and decided to focus all his energy on protecting Sakura. More importantly, Heaven’s Feel challenges Shirou’s ideals in a way that Unlimited Balde Works never did, which is not only cathartic for long-time viewers but also simply leads to a more interesting story.

Ufotable’s TV shows are basically already movie-quality or at least that seemed to be the case prior to the debut of this trilogy. Heaven’s Feel might genuinely have the best action sequences in anime, and their high-quality animation is backed by emotional depth and genuine consequences. Newcomers who have never consumed any Fate content should not start with Heaven’s Feel, but they should add it to their watchlists.