Ufotablehas an ace up its sleeve that even its bigger rivals can’t match: crisp, vibrant, and flowing animations. Ufotable has a reputation for ananimation stylethat produces some of the smoothest and most fluid visuals in the industry.
The studio is 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 outUfotable’s best anime.
Updated July 31, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Ufotable might not have any new shows airing as part of the Winter 2025 anime season, but the studio is working on a few massive projects. To highlight these upcoming releases, a section has been added going over them. Click the link below to learn about a few upcoming Ufotable anime.
Before becoming one of the most prominent action anime studios on the market, Ufotable was a bit more eclectic in its chosen projects.Ninja Nonsenseis quite unlike anything the company has worked on in the last decade, with the only exception being maybeToday’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 Nonsensedoes 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 Nonsenseis 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 inDemon Slayer, but that comparison is more likely to actively discourage someone from watching the 2004 show. Yet,Ninja Nonsenseis 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.
Dokkoida?!has a somewhat similar tone toNinja Nonsenseand is also a fun watch.
If there’s another thing that Ufotable excels at apart from its stellar animation, it would be adaptingvideo games into anime. The studio has a healthy selection of anime whose source materials are video games instead of manga andGod Eateris 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 Eateris one of thebest Ufotable animewhen it comes to pure action.
Yet another goodanime adaptation of an established Japanese video gamefranchise by Ufotable,Tales of Zestiria the Xdoes 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 Xis 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.
Ufotable’sTales of Symphonia The AnimationOVA series are also very good and easy recommendations for fans of the JRPG.
Probably one of the least knownUfotable anime,Yoyo and Nene, the Little Witch Sistersis 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 (orThe Garden of Sinners), this release showcases the studio’s strengths, particularly spectacular visuals.Yoyo and Nenenot only looks gorgeous but also features a whimsical fantasy world, setting the movie apart from the studio’s more modern output.
Yoyo and Neneis 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 Neneis not a masterpiece or anything, but it is a decent way to spend an afternoon.
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 sinceGakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!school-themedslice-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.
Today’s Menu for the Emiya Familyis more of a love letter to all theFate/stay nightfans. For the uninitiated, that’s a franchise adapted by Ufotable wherein chosen heroes pick their warriors to fight for them in aneternal warand power struggle.Today’s Menu for the Emiya Familyimagines 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 Familyprovides 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.
A trick to finding thebest Ufotable animeis to just watch anything remotelyassociated with Type-Moon. While not quite as well-known asFate,The Garden of Sinnersis 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 Sinnersis 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 Sinnerscan 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.
The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiraland the two-partA Study in Murderare comfortably amongUfotable’s best anime, but they cannot be consumed on their own. While the rest of the series is good, some segments (Overlooking ViewandOblivion Recording) can be hard to sit through.
A media franchise so vast that one might need some guidance on thebest order to watch the shows, theFateseriesdefines Ufotable’s place in the anime world.Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade WorksisUfotable’s best anime serieswhen 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 Worksis 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. 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 Worksrevolves 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.
WhileFateput Ufotable on the map,Demon Slayerturned 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 Slayerbecame one of the biggest names in the industry, leading to afilm sequel that was nothing short of a colossal success.
Taking all that into consideration,Demon Slayershould be a lock forUfotable’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. TheMugen Trainmovie 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 Slayercould 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, arguablyDemon 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.
The studio’s first release with the Fate name,Fate/Zerois arguably Ufotable’s most important anime since it put the studio on the map in terms of exposure (althoughThe Garden of Sinnerspredates it).Aprequel to the events ofFate/stay night,Fate/Zerodepicts the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War. While it obviously shares several similarities with its successor,Fate/Zerostill 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/Zerotells 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 thanKiritsugu Emiya, a captivating protagonist who is anything but noble.
