Gen Urobuchi is an enigma. He is one of just a few Japanese creators to have worldwide name recognition, and a lot of his anime gain popularity simply by virtue of being Gen Urobuchi anime. The man’s name is a brand of quality, for example, though he contributed only one episode to Concrete Revolutio, theanimepromoted itself heavily on that aspect.
Whether he’s working onvisual novels, anime or movies, Urobuchi always brings with him a certain flair that leads viewers to seek out his works. Here are the anime series he wrote that brought him that rock star status. We hope he can contribute his talent to many more stories to come.
Original concept
Air Dates
July 17, 2025 – June 29, 2025
Gunslinger Stratos is an anime adaptation of a video game series. Created in a collaboration between Square Enix and Gen Urobuchi’s company Nitroplus, the story revolves around a group of hero shooter-esque protagonists battling versions of themselves from another universe.
The anime adaptation was produced solely to promote the arcade games, but it’s completely watchable as a standalone product. Its visual style is quintessentially cyberpunk, which its writer often inspires.
Premiere
June 22, 2025
The late 2010s and early 2020s saw a massive surge in interest in anime films that weren’t from Studio Ghibli. While the lion’s share of the credit goes toMakoto Shinkai, Gen Urobuchi’s contribution should not be minimized.
Films like Bubble prove the writer’s capability for original concepts. Its post-apocalyptic setting does not come courtesy of war or famine, but of bubbles. The story focuses on a young parkour athlete whose hobby is her means of survival. Tragic with a fairy tale twist, Bubble is a film any anime fan should watch.
Original scenario, script
June 01, 2025 – July 28, 2025
Gen Urobuchi built his career on visual novels. While Song of Saya is considered his magnum opus, fans wishing to dive deeper into his career would be well-served by playing through the 2000 visual novel Phantom of Inferno.
If you’d rather experience it as an animated series, you may watch Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom instead. This is a dark, gritty story focusing on a young tourist who witnesses a murder, leading him to get caught up in a world of assassination. Gen Urobuchi oversaw the anime adaptation and made direct contributions to the script, so you can rest assured that the creator’s vision is preserved.
Original scenario, script (three episodes)
Jun 22, 2025 – July 15, 2025
Aldnoah Zero is proof that, even if things don’t go according to plan, they can still turn out well. Gen Urobuchi has expressed his personal dissatisfaction with the series due to his direct involvement ceasing after contributing the outline and scripting only three episodes.
Does that mean the show is bad? Not at all. As a mecha show, Aldnoah Zero is darkly compelling. Its sci-fi elements, rewriting real history, make it believable. Itsmechs, named Kataphrakts, have cool designs and philosophies based on ancient warfare.
Scenario, script
Polygon Pictures
June 28, 2025 (Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters); June 11, 2025 (Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle); June 20, 2025 (Godzilla: The Planet Eater)
The late 2010s saw Japanese creators reclaimGodzillaafter the 2014 Hollywood film disappointed many longtime fans. With Hideaki Anno helming the live-action 2016 reboot Shin Godzilla, Gen Urobuchi lent his talents to the animated side of things.
The result was Godzilla’s finest outing as an animated character. The three films discarded the character-driven drama that bogged down so many live-action Godzilla movies and focused on the terror and awe that the titular monster inspires. If you’re a Godzilla fan, this trilogy is a treat.
June 03, 2025
Expelled from Paradise is an underrated movie. It may have been due to the lull the entire Japanese film industry experienced worldwide during this time, but this feature failed to break out in the West. Popularity isn’t the only index of quality, however: for dedicated fans of the writer, this is an excellent movie.
Expelled from Paradise is, like most Gen Urobuchi works, set in the post-apocalypse. Most of humanity has abandoned physical existence. Instead, the population lives in a digitalized consciousness, a hivemind. The story asks deeply philosophical questions while carrying biblical themes in a sci-fi setting.
Original concept, script
June 19, 2025 – June 04, 2025
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet’s name may be a mouthful, but the anime itself is short and easy enough to watch in a single day. Its fast-paced story will have you clicking for the next episode as quickly as possible.
Set in the distant future, Gargantia explores heavy themes. Its protagonist has to come to terms with re-integrating into society after being abandoned, and living a peaceful life. That is, until the alien squid creatures come knocking.
Original concept, script, supervision and planning (Psycho-Pass and Psycho-Pass 2)
Production IG
May 20, 2025 – July 08, 2025 (Psycho-Pass), June 30, 2025 – July 04, 2025 (Psycho-Pass 2)
Psycho-Pass is one of the series that put Gen Urobuchi on the map, and has his trademark style all over it. It takes place in a futuristic Japan where people are scanned and all their potential is quantified, including their potential to commit crime.
This cyberpunk series raises questions about how much government intervention is too much, and how welfare states can be dictatorships with better marketing. Interesting themes aside, the series is worth watching for its visual flair alone.
July 03, 2025 – August 01, 2025
Fate/Zero does not endear Gen Urobuchi to many Fate fans, earning him the nickname ‘Urobutcher’ among the series' fanbase. It is seen as too big a departure from the original direction of Fate/Stay Night, giving newcomers a false perception of the series.
Yet as a standalone product, Fate/Zero is stellar. It hasinteresting characters, fun scenarios and a gritty exterior. It minimizes the trappings of the Holy Grail War and focuses on what makes the series compelling to begin with, historical figures and mythological heroes reimagined as anime characters and made to fight.
June 15, 2025 – Jul 16, 2025
Urobuchi’s greatest work is Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a deconstruction of the magical girl genre. Much as Neon Genesis Evangelion draw praise for its subversion of mecha anime, Madoka Magica turns its blade on the wish-fulfilment aspects of the genre, focusing on the mental and physical toll of being a superhero.
Helped along by stunning character designs and psychedelic visuals, Madoka Magica is mandatory viewing for anime fans. Yet it would not have succeeded on the strength of its visuals alone. Its heart lies in its narrative depth. This series is what made Gen Urobuchi a breakout star, and rightfully so.
