Gen Urobuchi is a Japanese novelist, visual novel writer, and anime screenwriter born on December 20, 1972, in Tokyo. He graduated from Wakō University with a degree in history and began his career at the visual novel studio Nitroplus, where he currently serves as vice-president.

Urobuchi made his debut as a scenario writer with the 2000 visual novel Phantom of Inferno, a project that established his reputation for dark, thriller-oriented narratives. The game later served as the source material for multiple adaptations, including the 2004 original video animation series Phantom - The Animation, for which he is credited with the original story. The property was adapted again as the 2009 television anime Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom, where Urobuchi is credited as the original scenario creator.

His work on the 2003 visual novel Saya no Uta further solidified his interest in horror and psychological themes, though he later experienced a period of creative difficulty as a writer. According to interviews, he struggled particularly with story endings and felt constrained by the expectation that creative work must solely express his personal thoughts. His involvement with Fate/Zero marked a significant turning point. The light novel series, published between 2006 and 2007, serves as a prequel to the Fate/stay night visual novel and was created in collaboration with TYPE-MOON. Urobuchi has stated that writing Fate/Zero helped him rediscover the pleasure of crafting stories for entertainment rather than personal expression, with much of the process supervised by TYPE-MOON writer Kinoko Nasu. He is credited as the original creator for the subsequent anime adaptation produced by Ufotable.

Urobuchi is also credited with the original story concept for the 2011 anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica, for which he wrote the series composition and all twelve scripts. The series became a major commercial and critical success, earning him the Tokyo Anime Award for Best Screenplay. His other original anime contributions include the story concept and series composition for Psycho-Pass, original plans for Suisei no Gargantia, and original story concepts for Aldnoah.Zero. In light novel publishing, he authored the two-volume series Eisen Flügel, released by Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint in 2009.

Urobuchi’s body of work is frequently characterized by dark fantasy, horror, thriller, and tragic themes, leading to a notable reputation among audiences for narratives that explore nihilistic and morally complex territory. Fans have given him the nickname Urobutcher in reference to the often grim outcomes in his stories. He has stated in interviews that he attempts to maintain at least one personal trait in common with each character he writes to ensure he can identify with them on some level. He also contributed as the main writer for the 2013 tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Gaim.

Urobuchi’s industry significance is underscored by his long tenure at Nitroplus and the widespread recognition of his anime projects. His works have consistently garnered awards and high viewer ratings, with Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, and Psycho-Pass: The Movie winning screenwriter prizes at the Newtype Anime Awards in 2011, 2012, and 2015 respectively.