Established in 2000, the renowned animation studio Ufotable is behind several unique anime series and films. Whileย the Shonen hit Demon Slayer helped the studio gain mainstream recognition, the studio gained a foothold in the industry thanks to its previous works, including the Fate/Zero series and The Garden of Sinners. The studio is known for its breathtaking animation and visuals, praised among fans from all over the world. Ufotable has introduced several talented animators and directors over the years, most of whom also work either independently or with different studios.
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Takayuki Hirao is one such director who gained fame due to several of his projects with Ufotable on The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral, Gyo, Majocco Shimai no Yoyo to Nene, and God Eater. He is also the director behind the acclaimed Pompo: The Cinephile anime film, which originally premiered in 2021. The film was produced under the banner of Studio CLAP, which is also behind his upcoming film Wasted Chef. The film released a teaser visual and brings back the key staff from Pompo: The Cinephile.
What Is Wasted Chef About?
This upcoming original film is written and directed by Takayuki Hiaro and features character designs by Shingo Adachi, who previously worked on Pompo: The Cinephile. Kenta Matsukama will also be returning to provide the music for the anime after his brilliant work in the previous 2021 film. Wasted Chef was announced at a film festival at New Chitose Airport in November 2024. The film was also previewed in May 2026 at the Annecy Animation Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival.
The story centers around a young chef who has been chasing a lost flavor. His search leads him to a ruined city without taste, where he is saved by Kasumi, and his cooking awakens forgotten memories. However, the duo faces an unknown threat as a dark force aims to erase all desire from the world.
The protagonist makes it his mission to save both worlds. The film is described as an unusual combination of cooking and science fiction as it explores the value of taste. Since the film is based on an original story, the official website of the anime also confirmed it’s getting a manga adaptation. The manga series will begin serialization in the July 2026 issue of Kadokawa’s Young Ace magazine, released on June 4th
When Is Wasted Chef Coming Out?
The film doesn’t have a release window yet, but we can expect it to premiere in the Fall anime season of next year. However, it will be released in Japanese theaters first before confirming an international premiere, which will take at least a few months. The film will eventually land on streaming platforms, but only a few months after the end of its theatrical run. Since the film hasn’t revealed an official trailer yet, we can expect it to drop in a few weeks or months, which will likely reveal the release window. Additionally, since Kadokawa is the distributor, we can expect the film to land on Crunchyroll or Netflix.
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