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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:45 am
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joystick1101 wrote: | omg... I don't even understand how season 1 got greenlit. |
Here's the transcript from the meeting in which Queen's Blade was given the go-ahead for production:
Executive: "People like boobs, let's produce this series which is chiefly about boobs."
Everyone else in the room: "OK, sounds like a plan"
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walw6pK4Alo
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:57 am
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Kit-Tsukasa wrote: | so Queen's Blade gets a second season yet K-ON! doesn't? Something is very wrong here if Japan is striving for "quality" anime recently. |
Otaku have good taste. Queen's Blade is a fun show with an already established fanbase. You get into QB through the characters, nothing else. It's aaaalll about the designs.
Last edited by walw6pK4Alo on Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:00 am; edited 1 time in total
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Charred Knight
Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:57 am
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Kit-Tsukasa wrote: | so Queen's Blade gets a second season yet K-ON! doesn't? Something is very wrong here if Japan is striving for "quality" anime recently. |
K-ON was a hell of alot more popular than Queen's blade, most likely Queen's Blade was going to have a sequel as long as the series sold well enough.
I don't pretend to know what Kyoto Animation is thinking but if they wanted a sequel they would have made a sequel. Most likely it will have one in like a year.
Last edited by Charred Knight on Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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samuelp
Industry Insider
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 2231
Location: San Antonio, USA
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:07 am
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Megiddo wrote: | On the bright side, there could be worse.
Like a Training with Hinako TV series. |
DON'T EVEN GO THERE.
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ikillchicken
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7272
Location: Vancouver
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:33 am
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jsieczka wrote: | It is good for the short run in that shows like Queen Blade bring in large sums of money that allow the industry to keep afloat. Catering mostly to this small group is very poor long term strategy for the anime industry. Like everything in entertainment these people will move on to something else and the industry has done little to bring in a new group of fans. In truth they have done alot to drive away the casual viewer with a slew of shows devoted to a small group who have the collective industry by the balls. |
Here's what I wonder about that though. The people who buy something like Queens Blade must be the most extremely hardcore of all otaku. That being the case, wouldn't they pretty much buy anything? Sure, they may prefer mindless repetitive fanservice garbage but if the industry suddenly stopped producing it they're not just going to go: 'Whatever, I don't like anime anymore. I think I'll go get married and have children instead'. No, it's the other fans, the less otaku-ish ones, that will do that. If the industry doesn't produce anime that interests them they may lose interest and move on. Not the otaku though. They ain't going anywhere. (They can't, they're all afraid to go outside). So how does it make sense to focus on pleasing the super hardcore otaku market at the expense of your more casual ones. Why not produce some actual 'good' anime and then in addition to the otaku who will buy anything, maybe others will as well.
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rg4619
Joined: 30 Jun 2007
Posts: 163
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:59 am
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ikillchicken wrote: |
Here's what I wonder about that though. The people who buy something like Queens Blade must be the most extremely hardcore of all otaku. That being the case, wouldn't they pretty much buy anything? |
You could argue that only the most hardcore of otaku are paying for anime period. At the moment, the only safe bets are
(a) series adapted from very popular properties (IP is arguably the strongest selling point for collectors rather than content)
(b) low budget fanservice shows offered in the form of "uncensored" DVDs. These sell much better than almost anything outside of (a)
There's little middle ground, so many companies are taking no risks. That isn't to say that other shows are unpopular (in fact, some financial flops were gargantuan on 2ch and various anime blogs. There's also the children's anime market to consider), but it seems that viewers are much less inclined to pay for them even as they heap on praise.
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Charred Knight
Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:09 am
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rg4619 wrote: |
ikillchicken wrote: |
Here's what I wonder about that though. The people who buy something like Queens Blade must be the most extremely hardcore of all otaku. That being the case, wouldn't they pretty much buy anything? |
You could argue that only the most hardcore of otaku are paying for anime period. At the moment, the only safe bets are
(a) series adapted from very popular properties (IP is arguably the strongest selling point for collectors rather than content)
(b) low budget fanservice shows offered in the form of "uncensored" DVDs. These sell much better than almost anything outside of (a)
There's virtually no middle ground, so many companies are taking no risks. That isn't to say that other shows are unpopular (in fact, some financial flops were gargantuan on 2ch and various anime blogs. There's also the children's anime market to consider), but it seems that viewers are much less inclined to pay for them even as they heap on praise. |
Exactly, look if your in the Kyoto Animation or Sunrise category of beloved creator than your studio can take risk, for the rest they have to play it safe and make what sells.
Here's the thing most people aren't getting
WHAT YOU HATE IS WHY THE BUY IT!
They don't buy it because it's the only thing out there, they buy it because they like it.
Nobody is going out there and look at Queen's Blade and be sworn off anime. At least not in Japan. Crap like Queen's Blade has been being made for years, remember Ikkitousen?
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Big Hed
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1607
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:29 am
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Kit-Tsukasa wrote: | so Queen's Blade gets a second season yet K-ON! doesn't? Something is very wrong here if Japan is striving for "quality" anime recently. |
Both go in the same bin as far as I'm concerned
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Liclac Atra
Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 14
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:02 am
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I consider this to be on the same entertainment value level as Kanokon, something I wouldn't admit to liking in public but it does have a kind of grindhouse style to it (low budget using sex to sell with a little violence on the side) that I find charming. That being said, I think I might buy the DVD's if they ever get localized (hopefully there is a censored version, not very appealing character designs, in my opinion). If I do buy the DVD's they will go inbetween my Ikki Tousen complete collection and Rosario+Vampire.
P.S. Besides, Nanael (the angel) amuses me ever so much and has the least amount of fanservice out of all the main characters; of course this isn't saying very much givin' the show.
Last edited by Liclac Atra on Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:16 am; edited 1 time in total
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Charred Knight
Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:03 am
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Big Hed wrote: |
Kit-Tsukasa wrote: | so Queen's Blade gets a second season yet K-ON! doesn't? Something is very wrong here if Japan is striving for "quality" anime recently. |
Both go in the same bin as far as I'm concerned |
At least Queen's Blade is open about what it is
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loka
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
Posts: 373
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:37 am
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Liclac Atra wrote: | I consider this to be on the same entertainment value level as Kanokon... |
Kanokon had far more comedy. The 'guessing-game' episode. The 'cake' episode. The hotspring and alcohol episode. To only name a few.
Last edited by loka on Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:43 am; edited 1 time in total
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Liclac Atra
Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 14
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:41 am
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loka wrote: |
Liclac Atra wrote: | I consider this to be on the same entertainment value level as Kanokon... |
Kanakon had far more comedy. The 'guessing-game' episode. The 'cake' episode. The hotspring and alcohol episode. To only name a few. |
Ah yes, the cake episode...as a side note you must eat it, for it is delicious (not the original dialogue, just a great translator joke).
Also, Queen's Blade tries to do comedy it just usually fails, which makes it all the more enjoyable as something is bad and good at the same time.
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luckyxmas
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Posts: 6
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:09 am
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dtm42 wrote: | But Queen's Blade isn't hot and racy; the character designs are so atrocious and unappealing they are just as likely to turn someone off than on. I mean, there are women who have thighs as thick as their torsos and heads as small as the ones from xxxHolic. It's just awful. At least that's what was depicted in the official posters |
Tell me about it! And what's up with those crazy anime characters with eyes as big as footballs?
But really, if the Queen's Blade character designs were atrocious and unappealing, I'd never have gotten into it in the first place.
As it is, they're varied and interesting and I'm glad there's going to be a second series.
It also seems petty for people to go complaining that a series got a second season just because they don't like it. I thought Zero no Tsukaima was a waste of time, but if people like it enough for it to get a 2nd and 3rd series, then good for them that they're getting it.
It's not like that's the reason a 2nd season of Baccano hasn't been made yet.
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Charred Knight
Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:16 am
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luckyxmas wrote: |
dtm42 wrote: | But Queen's Blade isn't hot and racy; the character designs are so atrocious and unappealing they are just as likely to turn someone off than on. I mean, there are women who have thighs as thick as their torsos and heads as small as the ones from xxxHolic. It's just awful. At least that's what was depicted in the official posters |
Tell me about it! And what's up with those crazy anime characters with eyes as big as footballs?
But really, if the Queen's Blade character designs were atrocious and unappealing, I'd never have gotten into it in the first place.
As it is, they're varied and interesting and I'm glad there's going to be a second series.
It also seems petty for people to go complaining that a series got a second season just because they don't like it. I thought Zero no Tsukaima was a waste of time, but if people like it enough for it to get a 2nd and 3rd series, then good for them that they're getting it.
It's not like that's the reason a 2nd season of Baccano hasn't been made yet. |
exactly, I could understand the hate if the anime company is deciding between
Fruits Baskets remake
The Jinchuu saga of Rurouni Kenshin
Queen's Blade 2
but their not, if they didn't make Queen's Blade they would just make some other drivel.
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GWOtaku
Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 678
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 6:52 am
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Charred Knight wrote: |
Exactly, look if your in the Kyoto Animation or Sunrise category of beloved creator than your studio can take risk, for the rest they have to play it safe and make what sells.
Here's the thing most people aren't getting
WHAT YOU HATE IS WHY THE BUY IT!
They don't buy it because it's the only thing out there, they buy it because they like it.
Nobody is going out there and look at Queen's Blade and be sworn off anime. At least not in Japan. Crap like Queen's Blade has been being made for years, remember Ikkitousen? |
Well, to be fair, I looked up the animation company (ARMS) and they haven't done very much. This isn't representative of current anime by a long shot (just look at the other spring 2009 series). Still, it is a perfect example of the direction things shouldn't go. It's a "big deal" because Queen's Blade is particularly shameless and niche, not to mention overwhelmingly sexist.
The trouble is, you're still not dealing with the fact that "why they buy it" is why people who are worried about the state of the industry are concerned about the pandering and the lack of mainstream appeal in a lot what's getting made. This is given weight by the fact that those who are worried are in the industry.
To respond to another point, I don't demand that people should only like what I like. I am saying that people should at least have a minimal set of standards. It's one thing to say "well, some sad otaku out there want this" and quite another to accept it. Because again, here's the thing, it happens to be bad for the industry in the long run on top of being wrong.
Frankly, if even a series like this doesn't get laughed at and condemned by some people, I have to wonder where the line gets drawn here. What you're basically arguing is that anything is fair game so long as it makes a little money, which is one heck of a low standard to have. You're also knocking down a bit of a straw man when you imply that the choice for the industry is between making exploitative, otaku-only pandering crap and not making money by making a show that doesn't suck.
Finally, I'm really stunned that you told me via PM that there's no practical difference between this and what Kyoto Animation does since K-ON gets marketed a certain way. Maybe there is some questionable merchandising out there and maybe quite a few otaku like it for the wrong reasons, but the content and context of the actual show matters. Even if one believes that K-ON itself is too narrow and that there's too much moe in anime these days, there's no comparison between that and even five minutes of what goes on in Queen's Blade.
Sure, this news isn't the end of the world. But it isn't a good thing.
Last edited by GWOtaku on Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:07 am; edited 2 times in total
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