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The Myriad Alice in the Country of Manga Discussion

It does seem to be QuinRose's most popular otome game franchise, doesn't it? I think in part that's because of the source material (although there are also games based on Grimms' Fairy Tales and Peter Pan). Recently when I was in Japan I found out that Carroll's book is required reading in most Japanese schools, which would explain why there's so much Alice stuff, but also probably contributes to this franchise's popularity. My sister picked up several of the games - the first one has been redone at least twice - as well as a Clover guidebook, and there were scads of doujinshi at the various shops (yes, I bought lots)...but no other merchandise. I thought that was a little odd, honestly, just like the fact that there's only a movie and no TV series. I guess that would imply that this is still fairly niche, but given the number of otome games that have received TV series recently, that doesn't quite sit right.

Anyway, I love these books. I think that a large part of that is Alice herself - she's kind of cynical and not all that sold on the idea that all of these gorgeous men are in love with her, so there's a minimum of flustered blushing or uncomfortable giggling. (Incidentally, this is also what I liked about Kahoko in La Corda d'Oro. While the guys do fit into the comfortable stereotypes for the most part, they are also different enough that it doesn't feel like every other otoge adaptation; generally I end up liking two very specific types, and while if I squint I can pick them out in the Alice books, they aren't as clear cut as in, say, UtaPri. I also find Alice's backstory interesting, and I've been enjoying trying to figure out what precisely drove her to Wonderland in the first place, whereas in a story like Amnesia I found it hard to care. (Or to stop watching, but that's another issue.)

So I've babbled about this too long now, but those are my basic thoughts.

As to why there's not TV series I can answer that.
It doesn't sell.
It costs way too much to make versus the profit expected. Japanese women bare the brunt of their spending in manga. So manga is what's made. It's the same reason why there are less than 35 yaoi anime in the history anime (4,000 series). Japanese women just don't buy DVD/BDs as much as men do.

Faiga_Raisa wrote:

As to why there's not TV series I can answer that. It doesn't sell. It costs way too much to make versus the profit expected. Japanese women bare the brunt of their spending in manga. So manga is what's made. It's the same reason why there are less than 35 yaoi anime in the history anime (4,000 series). Japanese women just don't buy DVD/BDs as much as men do.

There's an anime movie for Alice in the Country of Hearts.