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, the anime promoted itself heavily on that aspect.
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Posts 3Whether he's working on visual 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.
10 Gunslinger Stratos: The Animation
Role
Original concept
Studio
A-1 Pictures
Air Dates
April 4, 2015 – June 20, 2015
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.
9 Bubble
Role
Script
Studio
Wit Studio
Premiere
April 21, 2022
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 to Makoto Shinkai, Gen Urobuchi's contribution should not be minimized.
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Posts 1Films 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.
8 Phantom: Requiem For The Phantom
Role
Original scenario, script
Studio
Bee Train
Air Dates
April 3, 2009 – September 25, 2009
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 can 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.
7 Aldnoah Zero
Role
Original scenario, script (three episodes)
Studio
A-1 Pictures, Troyca
Air Dates
July 5, 2014 – September 20, 2014
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. Its mechs, named Kataphrakts, have cool designs and philosophies based on ancient warfare.
6 The Godzilla Trilogy
Role
Scenario, script
Studio
Polygon Pictures
Premiere
November 17, 2017 (Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters); May 18, 2018 (Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle); November 9, 2018 (Godzilla: The Planet Eater)
The late 2010s saw Japanese creators reclaim Godzilla after 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.
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PostsThe 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.
5 Expelled From Paradise
Role
Script
Studio
Graphinica
Premiere
April 19, 2014
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.
4 Gargantia On The Verdurous Planet
Role
Original concept, script
Studio
Production IG
Air Dates
April 4, 2013 – June 27, 2013
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.
3 Psycho-Pass
Role
Original concept, script, supervision and planning (Psycho-Pass and Psycho-Pass 2)
Studio
Production IG
Air Dates
October 12, 2012 – March 22, 2013 (Psycho-Pass), October 10, 2014 – December 19, 2014 (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.
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Posts 7This 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.
Gen Urobuchi was not involved with Psycho-Pass 3.
2 Fate/Zero
Role
Original concept, script
Studio
Ufotable
Air Dates
January 13, 2011 – June 23, 2012
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 has interesting 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.
1 Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Role
Original concept, script
Studio
Shaft
Air Dates
January 7, 2011 – April 21, 2011
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.
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