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NEWS: Ikki Tousen, Elfen Lied's Studio Arms Declares Bankruptcy




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Kougeru



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 5521
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 12:52 am Reply with quote
Despite it's reputation now days, Elfen Lied was extremely popular in the West when it came out. I loved it, and honestly still do despite its many issues. I hated what they did with Bynhildr but ya.

Sad news. Like most studios it was really hit or miss with them. I hope those that lost their jobs can find new work soon.

Genshiken 2, Kite/Mezzo, MAOYU, and Wizard Barristers were my favorite that they did besides Elfen Lied.
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BlueAlf



Joined: 02 Jan 2017
Posts: 1493
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:56 am Reply with quote
Sad news. They were actually pretty capable of making some great animation. It's really sad how animation studios usually don't get royalty for the work they're involved in.
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L'Imperatore



Joined: 24 Mar 2014
Posts: 821
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:47 am Reply with quote
Damn, this sucks. Those people at Arms are REALLY good at drawing sexy girls.
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Double Mangekyo



Joined: 17 Aug 2011
Posts: 179
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:08 am Reply with quote
Now I'm sad. I liked a lot of their works, so seeing them go bankrupt is just...
Here's hoping the staff finds success in other studios. They'll always have my gratitude for their contributions to the industry.
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Takkun4343



Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 1493
Location: Englewood, Ohio
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:10 am Reply with quote
Double Mangekyo wrote:
Here's hoping the staff finds success in other studios.

Considering ARMS was pretty much the saucier subdivision of Studio Kikan/Pierrot Plus/Signpost, I think their staff will be just fine.
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DRosencraft



Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 665
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:46 am Reply with quote
Well, there were several predictions that we'd see a number of studios declaring bankruptcy this year. Hopefully not too many more dominoes to fall. Not sure how it is with anime studios, but this doesn't necessarily mean the end for them. They could very well get their debts restructured and continue on into the future. Ikkitousen was salacious fun, and I was looking forward to more. Elfen Lied is a classic. Story wise Wizard Barristers is better than I think it gets credit for, but there was that infamous botch job on the stream of the last or next to last episode I think it was. Yeah, they were definitely a hit or miss studio, but it'll be a shame to see them go.
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CrypticPurpose



Joined: 15 Jan 2020
Posts: 320
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 8:42 am Reply with quote
Damn... I loved MAOYU, and (am admittedly probably one of the few who) really enjoyed Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero. Really sad to see them go like this.
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Greed1914



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4410
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 9:30 am Reply with quote
That is too bad. Looking at the list of credits, I've watched a lot of things this studio worked on over the years.
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FilthyCasual



Joined: 01 Jun 2015
Posts: 2165
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:46 pm Reply with quote
CrypticPurpose wrote:
Damn... I loved MAOYU, and (am admittedly probably one of the few who) really enjoyed Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero. Really sad to see them go like this.
Another Hagure Yuusha fan here, sad to see a studio go that made entertaining works.
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SpacemanHardy



Joined: 03 Jan 2012
Posts: 2509
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 4:47 pm Reply with quote
I guess you could say it's...

*puts on shades*

A Farewell to Arms. Cool
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Finny-chan



Joined: 18 Dec 2008
Posts: 447
Location: West Virginia, U.S.A
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:24 pm Reply with quote
Aside from Maoyuu Maou Yuusha (and the only title that I care about) I looked up their other titles and they are either ecchi or hentai.

If they are going bankrupt its probably cause they never produced enough hits to break even or make a profit from their series. All those series look like trash that probably sold 1,000~1,500 units a volume at best maybe except for maybe Queen's Blade and Ikki Tousen cause its their only two series they milked. They wouldn't have done that if there was no sales to back their decision to continue with it.

I wonder if either of these two series continue who will adapt them?
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DRosencraft



Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 665
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 10:02 pm Reply with quote
Finny-chan wrote:
...If they are going bankrupt its probably cause they never produced enough hits to break even or make a profit from their series...


I always go back to the story of the CG studio that worked on the Avatar movie (the James Cameron one, not the M. Night thing). They were at the Academy Awards or the Oscars or whatever, receiving an award for their work on the film literally while their offices were being shuttered because they were going bankrupt. Being part of a huge blockbuster hit didn't help them.

For animation studios, it's not often at all about how many hits you make. The entire revenue structure is gig dependent. ANY disruption in that scheme can drive a studio under because they are operating on razor thin margins as is. Aside from original IPs of their own creation, or being directly on the production committee, these studios don't get royalties or the like, so once the show is out the door, their income from that project is done. It could sell one copy or 1 billion, it won't matter to the studio's bottom line except maybe what publicity it might gain them.
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Rob19ny



Joined: 13 Jun 2020
Posts: 1655
PostPosted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 4:22 am Reply with quote
They brought culture to the lives of many and now they're.... I can't take it.It feels like so many greats are gone now.
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Calsolum



Joined: 11 May 2010
Posts: 898
PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 6:00 pm Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
Despite it's reputation now days, Elfen Lied was extremely popular in the West when it came out. I loved it, and honestly still do despite its many issues. I hated what they did with Bynhildr but ya.

Sad news. Like most studios it was really hit or miss with them. I hope those that lost their jobs can find new work soon.

Genshiken 2, Kite/Mezzo, MAOYU, and Wizard Barristers were my favorite that they did besides Elfen Lied.


Well this was a sad blast from the past.
I remember watching elfen lied way back when it was recent as a teenager. I'm sure my immature and horny brain liked it primarily for the gratitious violence and nudity. Though it did have it's sad moments. Pretty much anything involving nana. I don't know when the cinnamon roll meme became a thing but I realize now that she would be the ultimate version of it. In all honesty looking back at it now Elfen Lied had a bit too much shock value and enough depth in it's storytelling. It reveled in it's torture... and porn. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing but does make it a sort of niche title. It also had a pretty bad MC and whole host of problems but hey, the market was way different back then and anime was not nearly as 'widespread' so different audience really.

I've honestly forgotten the details of MAOYU but I think thats a good thing. Might go back and rewatch it cause from what i remember it was really well thought out and reserached series about economics much like spice and wolf and written by log horizon's creator.

Wizard Barristers was fun show but I don't think it really has anything special to it. I'd be lying though if I said i din't want a second season because I distinctly remember that there were a few unresolved mysteries.

I remember Ikki Tousen as this really wacky martial arts fanservice series. I guess I never really liked the character designs or grew out of it quickly becuase I recall reading and watching it but never got far.
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CerberusTheWise



Joined: 02 Feb 2020
Posts: 25
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:59 pm Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
Despite it's reputation now days, Elfen Lied was extremely popular in the West when it came out. I loved it, and honestly still do despite its many issues. I hated what they did with Bynhildr but ya.

Sad news. Like most studios it was really hit or miss with them. I hope those that lost their jobs can find new work soon.

Genshiken 2, Kite/Mezzo, MAOYU, and Wizard Barristers were my favorite that they did besides Elfen Lied.


I remember way back when, Elfen Lied was one of the handful gateway animes I watched as a teen that fueled into one of my favorite interests today. Show had its problems but I enjoyed it overall. I was really let down with bryhnildr. I honestly loved the show. Enough so to even pick up the manga when I finished the anime. To me, it felt like a strong step up from Elfen lied. The manga did a pretty good job up until the ending. It felt like it was rushed to hell because the author was threatened by axe-kun or something. Felt like it missed its true worth and potential. Still a personal favorite of mine to this day but it just didn’t get the love it deserved.
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