Ufotable

What Ufotable does

Ufotable is a privately held Japanese animation studio founded in October 2000 in Tokyo by Hikaru Kondo (Representative Director and President). The studio produces anime TV series, theatrical films, and game animations, holding production credits on the entire Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise — including Infinity Castle Chapter 1, which became Japan's highest-grossing film ever at $741 million global box office — plus the Fate/stay night Heaven's Feel trilogy, GOD EATER TV series, Tales of franchise game animations (with Bandai Namco), The Garden of Sinners film series, and the 2026 Witch on the Holy Night theatrical. Core technology combines traditional 2D hand-drawn key animation with an integrated in-house digital pipeline covering background art, compositing, VFX, painting/finishing, and graphic design; the studio employs approximately 256 staff across these disciplines as of March 2024.

The company generates revenue through five streams: animation production services for IP rights holders (Aniplex/Shueisha for Demon Slayer, Type-Moon for Fate and Witch on the Holy Night, Bandai Namco for Tales of and GOD EATER, miHoYo/HoYoverse for the announced Genshin Impact anime); copyright and licensing royalties; merchandise sales through the ufotable WEBSHOP and lottery drops; themed cafes, fine dining restaurants, a cinema, and a mocktail bar operated directly under the ufotable brand; and event-based content (Machi★Asobi in Tokushima, character birthday celebrations, AnimeJapan, Comiket). This B2B production model combined with a proprietary D2C retail and experience network — covering Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokushima, Kitakyushu, Seoul, and via the Cafe TO GO mobile pop-up all 47 Japanese prefectures — is unique among Japanese anime studios and is the central differentiator. Strategic distribution is supported by Crunchyroll for international streaming and theatrical release in overseas markets.

Distribution strategy layers B2B partnerships (production committees, broadcasters, distributors) on top of a direct-to-fan physical and digital experience network. Pricing across cafes and dining is per-item (food ¥800–¥2,000; drinks ¥700–¥900; multi-course dining reservation-based; lottery prize draws at ¥650); loyalty is driven by a ¥350 point card yielding 1% rebate redeemable for exclusive merchandise. The studio is privately funded with no disclosed external investment, vertically integrated across production and direct retail, and currently expanding its real estate footprint via the May 2026 acquisition of the former Mizuho Bank Tokushima Branch (built 1928) for a cultural entertainment hub.

Name

Ufotable

Legal name

ユーフォーテーブル有限会社 (ufotable Inc.)

Website

https://ufotable.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ufotable is a Tokyo-based, privately held Japanese animation studio (founded 2000, ~256 employees) that produces anime TV series, theatrical films, and game animations for major franchises including Demon Slayer, Fate, Tales of, GOD EATER, and the upcoming Genshin Impact anime, while operating a proprietary chain of themed cafes, dining venues, a cinema, mocktail bar, and e-commerce shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Technical Production Management & Crew (MPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Anime production studio
• Anime film production
• Animation services
• Themed cafe operations
• Anime merchandise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Animation Production Services: Ufotable produces anime series, films, game animations, and original net animations for IP rights holders. Revenue is earned through production contracts with distributors and publishers such as Aniplex, Shueisha, Type-Moon, Bandai Namco, and others. Notable productions include the entire Demon Slayer anime series, the Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] film trilogy, the Tales of series game animations, and the GOD EATER TV series.
2. Merchandise Sales: Ufotable plans, designs, and sells original merchandise including figures, acrylic stands, badges, acrylic keychains, art books, Blu-rays, DVDs, lottery prizes, and collaboration cafe goods. Goods are sold through the official ufotable WEBSHOP e-commerce site (webshop.ufotable.co.jp), at physical cafe/dining locations, and at ufotable CINEMA. The company runs monthly 'Tsukiichi WEBSHOP lottery' prize draws, selling limited-edition merchandise bundles.
3. Cafe and Dining Operations: Ufotable operates themed dining and cafe experiences at multiple branded locations in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokushima, Kitakyushu, and Seoul, Korea. Revenue is generated through food and beverage sales at these locations. The company also holds a lottery-based 'otoshidashi' (luck-draw) system at ufotable DINING, where dining guests purchase lottery tickets (¥650 per draw) for a chance to win limited merchandise such as autographed art boards, B2 posters, acrylic stands, and badges.
4. Cinema Operations: Ufotable operates ufotable CINEMA, a movie theater in Tokushima's Higashi-Shinmachi shopping street. The cinema screens a mix of Ufotable-produced films and third-party anime and general films, generating revenue from ticket sales, concessions, and merchandise. Ticket and concession pricing was revised upward as of April 1, 2026.
5. Copyright Management: Ufotable holds and manages rights to the copyright and related rights for the animation works it produces, licensing these rights to distributors and broadcasters for domestic and international distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ufotable is a Japanese animation studio that produces anime TV series, theatrical films, and game opening animations on contract for IP rights holders such as Aniplex, Shueisha, Type-Moon, and Bandai Namco. The studio maintains an end-to-end in-house production pipeline spanning key animation, background art, digital compositing/VFX, painting, and graphic design. In parallel, Ufotable directly operates a proprietary network of branded fan-facing venues including themed cafes, fine dining restaurants, a mocktail bar, a cinema, and an e-commerce webshop to monetize its IP with end consumers.

Product overview

Ufotable is a Japanese animation studio that produces a diverse portfolio of anime works and operates an entertainment ecosystem of themed cafes, restaurants, and retail stores. The core animation business includes TV series (Demon Slayer series, GOD EATER, Fate/Zero, Tales of Zestiria), theatrical films (Demon Slayer Infinity Castle, Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] trilogy, Witch on the Holy Night), and game animations (Tales of ARISE, Tsukihime, GOD EATER series). Supporting the animation brand is a retail and hospitality network comprising ufotable Cafe (themed collaboration cafes), ufotable DINING (course dining restaurants), ufotable MOCKTAIL BAR GINZA (mocktail bar), ufotable CINEMA (movie theater in Tokushima), MACHI★ASOBI CAFE (collaboration cafes), and ufotable WEBSHOP (online merchandise store). The company also operates a point card loyalty program redeemable for exclusive prizes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba TV anime series and theatrical film franchise produced by Ufotable covering Entertainment District Arc, Swordsmith Village Arc, Hashira Training Arc, and Infinity Castle movies for IP rights holders Aniplex and Shueisha.
• Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] Movies Theatrical anime film trilogy produced by Ufotable for Type-Moon, including I. presage flower, II. lost butterfly, and III. spring song.
• Witch on the Holy Night (Mahoyo) Theatrical animation produced by Ufotable in 2026, based on the TYPE-MOON visual novel of the same name.
• Tales of Series Animations Multiple Tales of franchise anime productions including Tales of Zestiria the X, Tales of Berseria, Tales of Arise, and various game opening animations produced for Bandai Namco.
• GOD EATER Series TV anime and game animations for the GOD EATER franchise, including GOD EATER, GOD EATER 2, GOD EATER 3, and related game animations produced for Bandai Namco.
• The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyoukai) Theatrical anime film series produced by Ufotable, including 8 chapters plus future gospel extra content based on the Type-Moon novel.
• Tsukihime Animations Game opening animation for Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- produced by Ufotable for Type-Moon.
• ufotable Cafe Directly managed themed collaboration cafes operated by Ufotable in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokushima, Kitakyushu (Japan) and Seoul (Korea), offering themed menu items and merchandise tied to Ufotable animation works.
• ufotable DINING High-class entertainment dining experience offering specially crafted multi-course menus with carefully selected ingredients while immersing guests in the world of Ufotable works, operated at multiple Tokyo locations (DINING main, HANARE, HIROMA).
• ufotable MOCKTAIL BAR GINZA Mocktail-focused bar brand from Ufotable located in Ginza, Tokyo, offering Ufotable-themed non-alcoholic cocktails.
• ufotable CINEMA Movie theater produced by Ufotable located in Tokushima City that screens Ufotable films and third-party anime and general films, and sells merchandise and concessions.
• MACHI★ASOBI CAFE Collaboration cafes operated based on the everyday-experiences theme of the Machi★Asobi event, with various Ufotable productions beyond Demon Slayer, offering live events, readings, and anime screenings alongside food and merchandise.
• ufotable WEBSHOP Official e-commerce platform selling Ufotable merchandise, Blu-rays, DVDs, and monthly lottery prize bundles related to Ufotable animation works, with both domestic (webshop.ufotable.co.jp) and global (webshop-global.ufotable.co.jp) storefronts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle became Japan's highest-grossing film ever at $741 million globally, with Japan's domestic box office reaching a record $1.8 billion in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, major and core.

• Tokushima City Government / Tokushima PrefecturestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Ufotable acquired the historic former Mizuho Bank Tokushima Branch building (built 1928) as a new entertainment and cultural hub for Tokushima. The acquisition was welcomed by Tokushima Prefecture Governor Zendo and Tokushima City Mayor Endo. This deepens Ufotable's long-standing relationship with Tokushima, where it has been a key contributor to regional cultural promotion through the Machi★Asobi anime event, the Awa Odori dance festival involvement, and its ufotable CINEMA.
• miHoYo (HoYoverse)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026Ufotable announced an adaptation of Genshin Impact into anime format. A teaser was released by Ufotable on TechNode and confirmed through Ufotable's own news channels. This represents Ufotable's entry into one of the world's highest-grossing mobile game franchises as the animation production partner.
• Aniplex / ShueishacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2019Aniplex (of the Sony Group) and Shueisha are the primary production committee partners for the Demon Slayer anime series. Ufotable serves as the animation studio for the entire Demon Slayer TV series, theatrical films, and related content. This is Ufotable's flagship and most commercially significant partnership, with Demon Slayer becoming Japan's highest-grossing film franchise. The production relationship spans from the Tanjiro Kamado Unwavering Resolve Arc (2019) through the ongoing Infinity Castle saga.
• CrunchyrollmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Crunchyroll serves as the international streaming and distribution partner for Ufotable-produced anime content, including the Demon Slayer franchise. Demon Slayer films distributed by Crunchyroll reached global audiences, contributing to the franchise's record-breaking box office performance. Crunchyroll also hosts the annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, where Ufotable's Demon Slayer content has won multiple awards.
• Bandai Namco / BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (GOD EATER series)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Ufotable produced the GOD EATER TV anime series (2015) and game opening animations for GOD EATER 2 (2013), GOD EATER 3 (2018), and GOD EATER RESONANT OPS (2018). Bandai Namco is the publisher and IP holder for the GOD EATER franchise.
• Bandai Namco (Tales of series)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Ufotable has been the primary animation studio for the Tales of JRPG franchise since Tales of Symphonia (2004-2007 OVA), producing opening animations and in-game animations for most mainline titles including Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2, Tales of Zestiria, Tales of Zestiria the X, Tales of Arise, and more. For the Tales of 30th anniversary (2025), Ufotable and Production I.G announced a collaboration to produce 188 original character illustrations. The 30th anniversary key artwork featured protagonists from the long-running JRPG franchise.
• Type-MooncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Ufotable has a long-standing production partnership with Type-Moon, having produced the entire three-film Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] theatrical trilogy (2017, 2019, 2020), multiple Fate/ series TV and web animations including Fate/Zero (2011), Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] (2014-2015), and the Witch on the Holy Night theatrical film (2026). Type-Moon is the IP holder and original creator.
• Production I.GmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2000Production I.G and Ufotable have a long-standing collaborative relationship in animation production. In 2026, the two studios jointly announced the Tales of 30th anniversary collaboration — 'ufotable×ProductionIG～RPGが紡いだ軌跡～' — to produce 188 original character illustrations for the Tales of series. The collaboration combines Ufotable's animation expertise with Production I.G's production capabilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunrise / Bandai Namco Filmworks: Major anime production subsidiary of Bandai Namco (Gundam, Love Live). Comparable to Ufotable at the broader incumbent level — an established IP-driven studio with extensive catalog and integrated IP rights, contrasting Ufotable's more franchise-agnostic production services model.
• Toei Animation: Largest legacy Japanese animation studio (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Sailor Moon). Comparable to Ufotable at the broad incumbent level — a long-established, full-stack anime IP owner with extensive production capacity and decades of franchise catalog.

Direct peers

• Madhouse: Veteran Japanese animation studio (One Punch Man, Death Note, Frieren). Comparable to Ufotable as a premium anime production studio with similar B2B production committee economics and franchise-scale output.
• A-1 Pictures: Anime studio (Sony subsidiary via Aniplex) producing Sword Art Online, Kaguya-sama, Oshi no Ko. Comparable to Ufotable as a major Japanese animation production house with similar IP-holder partner structure (Aniplex-owned).
• MAPPA: Japanese animation studio producing high-budget TV anime and theatrical films (Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan Final Season, Chainsaw Man). Closely comparable to Ufotable in production scale, premium-episode output, and franchise-driven B2B production model for major IP holders.
• Studio Trigger: Japanese animation studio (Promare, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Kill la Kill). Comparable to Ufotable as a premium anime production studio with strong visual identity and project-selection focus on flagship IP.
• Wit Studio: Tokyo-based anime studio producing premium TV anime and films (Spy x Family, Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan seasons 1-3). Comparable to Ufotable as a high-quality Japanese animation production services studio serving major IP holders.
• CloverWorks: Anime studio (Sony subsidiary via Aniplex) producing Spy x Family, My Dress-Up Darling, Bocchi the Rock. Comparable to Ufotable as a premium Japanese animation studio with similar production quality targets and IP-holder relationships.
• Production I.G: Long-established Japanese animation studio (Ghost in the Shell, Psycho-Pass, Haikyu!!) and Ufotable's explicit collaborator on the 2026 Tales of 30th anniversary project. Comparable as a peer-tier anime production house with overlapping IP-holder partnerships.
• Bones: Japanese animation studio producing My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Mob Psycho 100. Comparable to Ufotable as a high-output premium anime production studio serving major manga/game IP holders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ufotable
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ufotable_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/ufotable
• Instagraminstagram.com/ufotable_inc
• Pinterestpinterest.jp/ufotable_inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ufotable

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ufotable