Ufotable

Ufotable, Inc. (ユーフォーテーブル有限会社) is a Japanese animation studio founded in October 2000 by former Telecom Animation Film producer Hikaru Kondō and located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. A unique hallmark seen in many of their works (Ninja Nonsense, Futakoi Alternative, Coyote Ragtime Show, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!, Tales of Symphonia, The Garden of Sinners) is a claymation sequence.

They are known for their long relationship with Type-Moon, having produced adaptations of their works such as Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, and The Garden of Sinners, as well as Bandai Namco, for whom they have produced an opening animation and cutscenes for many of their games, primarily in the Tales and God Eater series.

One of the studio's most successful works is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Tax evasion scandal
In March 2019, it was reported that a search was performed on Ufotable's offices due to alleged tax evasion. The next month, it was reported that Ufotable owed ¥400 million in taxes. In June 2020, both the studio and company founder and president Hikaru Kondo were charged with violating the Corporation Tax Act and Consumption Tax Act by failing to pay ¥139 million (about US$1.28 million) in taxes. The studio published a public statement apologizing for their actions. In July 2021, Kondo was formally indicted with evading ¥137 million (about US$1.24 million) in taxes by the special investigation department of the Tokyo Public Prosecutor's Office. Ufotable acknowledged the indictment and gave assurance that the company had already filed a corrected tax return and paid the appropriate amount. In September 2021, Kondo admitted to evading ¥138 million in taxes at a preliminary hearing by the Tokyo District Court. The company allegedly hid about ¥441 million (about US$4 million) in income. In response to questioning by the prosecution, Kondo said, "The only profits coming from the studio come from the cafe business and merchandise sales, and if those were to disappear, we wouldn't be able to pay the staff's salaries or production costs, so I wanted to secure some cash just in case something happened." In November 2021, it was reported prosecutors were seeking a 20-month prison sentence for Kondo. The court delivered a verdict on December 10, 2021. Kondo was sentenced to 20 months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for three years.