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Anime Spotlight Spring 2013 - The List

http://myanimelist.net/anime.php?q=&type=1&score=0&status=0&tag=&p=0&r=0&sm=0&sd=0&sy=0&em=0&ed=0&ey=0&c[0]=a&c[1]=b&c[2]=c&gx=0&o=3&w=2&show=620

Aku no Hana is now the lowest rated TV series in the entire MAL database. This is getting pretty hilarious.

I wonder what's going to happen next. If the japanese side seemingly has the same reaction as the american side, you've gotta think that some of the higher-ups in the production team are going to be mad. I hope the director and the animation don't suffer any consequences from this, because they definitely have talent.

In short (note that this is a quick & dirty summary):
- At first Nagahama (the director) refused the offer to direct the adaptation, because he thought that simply turning this manga into a pretty, clean-looking anime would be pointless. He says that he believes that when the mangaka draws this story he's seeing something "else" which he expresses as a manga. So there would be no point in simply presenting it in animated form, at that rate you might as well just read the manga and be done with it.
- He thought if it was to be adapted at all, it should be done as a live drama. When he was offered the job the second time, he pitched the idea of using rotoscope. He was aware that the result would be different from the manga.
- Oshimi (the mangaka) says Nagahama is right about the way he creates the manga: the original story is something that exists in his head, and he draws what he sees in his mind. So basically the anime and the manga are two different versions of the story that exists in Oshimi's head. By the way, he was also aware that due to the rotoscope the anime would look different from his work, and he thought it was an interesting idea.
- Oshimi also says that he thinks Nagahama has a very deep insight into the story, and firmly believes that he's taking it in the right direction. He also very much approves of Nagahama's wish of the anime leaving the viewers with a scar.
- Oshimi was pretty much "in" on the whole thing, they tested the rotoscope method on him.
- The interviewer asks about the impact the visuals would have on viewers, and Nagahama says he's well aware that a lot of people will go "what the fudge" and "this is gross," "I hate this, I'm not watching this." But he's pretty much okay with that, too, because he thinks it's fine as long as it leaves an impact on people. Viewers may dismiss it right away, but some may check it out later and find it interesting, or they may come across the manga, recognize the title, and read that.
- Oshimi says that he once got a fan letter from a high school girl who wrote that when she read the manga in middle school she thought it was stupid, but she tried to read it again when she was older and she found it very good. Nagahama says that this is what he's going for, to leave an impact, even if it's negative. He's trying to create something that one can't just ignore or dismiss.
- Oshimi also says that the anime has many scenes that he wishes he would've drawn the way they are in the anime, for example a scene with Kasuga and Nakamura in the classroom.
- Also, he confesses he's writing the manga with the intention of murdering the readers with it (metaphorically, of course), thinks the anime is doing the same, and relishes the idea of the viewers getting slaughtered, jokingly of course. (lol #1)

They leave the following messages to the fans:
- Oshimi: He guarantees that those who feel very strongly about Aku no hana will enjoy the anime. However, chara-moe types, those who go "Nakamura-san, unf unf" will probably feel betrayed. (lol #2)
- Nagahama: Since it's so different from the usual anime, he can't say that everyone will love it. But those who watch the first episode and think "I want to see more" will not have their expectations betrayed.

If anything, this made me want to watch the show even more. I hope they're right and it's going to be interesting.

It's nice to see a show trying something different, whether it ends up working or not. I'm actually looking forward to it more now.

Looks like MBS and the production committee held back Attack on Titan streaming rights. Not expecting a late pickup either.

No reason to. They're free to do with their property what they want. If they wish to withhold legal streams for the title from the rest of the world then that is their choice.

Series is getting streamed in France (starts Apr 8th). So the series is not completely unavailable outside of Japan.

It would be like a bakery openly putting out a tray of decadent, delicious looking cookies in their display window, then saying "Sorry, these are for staff only."

SpacemanHardy wrote:

It would be like a bakery openly putting out a tray of decadent, delicious looking cookies in their display window, then saying "Sorry, these are for staff only."

No, it's like if a bakery chooses not to put out any free samples.

My guess is that MBS has experienced lower viewership with anime recently and thinks it has something to do with CR/Funi/TAN/Viz/Hulu livestreams (which are then quickly ripped, re-encoded, and then torrented all over the world).

Other than that possibility I'd have no idea why they would choose to withhold streaming rights, but regardless they have every right to do so.