Anime Delayed/Cancelled Due to Quake

[Gildor]

Posted this in another thread, but I figured it was worth its own thread.

ANN is reporting several anime/manga releases and airings are being delayed, some indefinitely due to the Japanese earthquake and its after effects.

Story here (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-03-15/anime/manga-releases-delayed-cancelled-after-quake).

This includes:
Dragon Crisis!
Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
Moshidora
Star Driver

and many others.

[bci110]

Moshidora was supposed to start yesterday, as of the titles announced for the Spring season that was the one with the unusual air schedule (10 episodes in 10 days in March). I didn't see any titles from the upcoming Spring schedule other than Moshidora on the ANN report so for now it looks like the Spring season is unaffected. Of course that could change.

[CriticChris2]

Regarding Star Driver, do you think they'll be able to air the remaining three episodes? I ask purely out of curiosity, as my main concerns are for the safety of the Japanese people.

Well, that and it's the ONLY show I've been watching from the Winter season.

[Fencedude]

I ask purely out of curiosity, as my main concerns are for the safety of the Japanese people.

You really don't need to add this disclaimer.

Anyway, I'm sure they will air. No one gains anything from them not airing.

[something]

Regarding Star Driver, do you think they'll be able to air the remaining three episodes?
Generally speaking, I expect all shows to air in full. Just not necessarily on all stations.

23 has already aired on numerous stations, which leaves 24 and 25.
24 is still on the schedule for 3/20 on MBS, CBC TV and TBS (first three I checked at random, didn't check them all)
Schedules generally don't go far out enough to show 25 but if they air 24 on time, 25 will be fine.

[CriticChris2]

Regarding Star Driver, do you think they'll be able to air the remaining three episodes?
Generally speaking, I expect all shows to air in full. Just not necessarily on all stations.

23 has already aired on numerous stations, which leaves 24 and 25.
24 is still on the schedule for 3/20 on MBS, CBC TV and TBS (first three I checked at random, didn't check them all)
Schedules generally don't go far out enough to show 25 but if they air 24 on time, 25 will be fine.

Really? I haven't been able to find 23 yet...

[Suwako Moriya]

Anyway, I'm sure they will air. No one gains anything from them not airing.

It's mostly a matter of making some short term adjustments to the schedule, so that in the long term things will end up back on track.

[CriticChris2]

Anyway, I'm sure they will air. No one gains anything from them not airing.

It's mostly a matter of making some short term adjustments to the schedule, so that in the long term things will end up back on track.

Yeah, that's what I figured would happen.

[TAS]

Regarding Star Driver, do you think they'll be able to air the remaining three episodes?
Generally speaking, I expect all shows to air in full. Just not necessarily on all stations.

23 has already aired on numerous stations, which leaves 24 and 25.
24 is still on the schedule for 3/20 on MBS, CBC TV and TBS (first three I checked at random, didn't check them all)
Schedules generally don't go far out enough to show 25 but if they air 24 on time, 25 will be fine.
It may be just the V3 DVD/BD that is delayed. With all the shortages and problems getting basic things distributed I'm sure DVDs can wait until they get basics back on track.

[GHDpro]

There is at least one inaccuracy in the article: the Asobi ni Iku yo! special was already delayed before the earthquake. I got an email from Amazon JP about that on February 27.

Interestingly the Aniplex delays involving OreImo V4 (BD) & Zakuro DVD V5 were titles I was planning to wait a bit with to buy anyway. I hope MM! V4 (BD) and CCS Set 3 are still on-track though.

[something]

Really? I haven't been able to find 23 yet...
Ah nevermind, http://cal.syoboi.jp/tid/2044/time indicated they had by darkening the rows, but it also listed the earthquake notice. I figured they wouldn't mark the rows until it aired. So it hasn't, unless Ai TV there managed to get it out.

[something]

It was mentioned in the discussion thread, but you can add Madoka Magica to the list. 11 has been postponed on TV stations, and Niconico will delay it as well (although it turns out they did stream ep 10 yesterday).

http://twitter.com/yamacane_0901/status/47977243179368448
http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-1168.html

Yamakan thinks that postponing anime (he explicitly mentions Madoka) is not the right thing to do at all. "Self restraint in airing anime is not needed. Postponing MadoMagi is not needed." And the exact wording of the last sentence eludes me but it's either something about how life needs to go on, or how especially in times like this people need to escape from the crap going on. Both of which are completely correct.

I generally think the guy is way too full of himself (albeit a very good director), but between this and calling out that jackass Ishihara for his "the tsunami is divine punishment on the Japanese people" comment he's said some good stuff lately.

On the other hand, Urobuchi Gen is putting the delay in another light which is also valid:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=288665

Basically, he's glad they have more time, since Shaft have been running behind lately. Now that's a reason I can get behind - it would suck for Shaft to stumble at the very end, which it sounds like they might have, even ignoring the natural disasters - which surely didn't help.

[Draneor]

Yamakan thinks that postponing anime (he explicitly mentions Madoka) is not the right thing to do at all. "Self restraint in airing anime is not needed.

Every time he opens his mouth, I'm increasingly regretting I got his autograph. It's not appropriate to air anime right after a national tragedy, and it looks like most studios are following that. Right now, there are more important things for the Japanese people to focus on and, quite frankly, those timeslots can be put to a better use.

Not to mention there are very good logistical and business reasons for delaying broadcasts and releases too. Probably not a good idea to launch your product while the country is in chaos (not to mention lost of broadcast revenue due to competition with more pertinent topics, such as the news, and/or power blackouts).

[something]

It's not appropriate to air anime right after a national tragedy
I have issues with the "appropriateness" approach. I think it comes from a good place, emotionally, and from good intentions, but feels misguided to me, or perhaps like it misses the point. Yes, if there are practical, physical reasons not to do something, and in this case there are, that is understandable and sensible. That's fine. So the rest of this post doesn't address that, but rather the more philosophical objections.

I can't agree with the implication that refraining from airing anime or other non-essential programming on principle or out of considerations for "appropriateness" makes a positive contribution to the nation. It does not bring back the dead or tend to the wounded. It does not heal psychological scars. It does not restore lost property. The airing or cessation of a television show simply does not have that power either way.

I suppose the other problem I have with the appropriateness argument is that it usually implies anyone in disagreement is being horribly cruel and valuing entertainment over human lives, which is really kind of offensively untrue. I mean, wanting to embrace normalcy so far as is possible in awful times is hardly synonymous with being insensitive. And that seems to be the tact Yamakan was taking, not some crude "fuck the tsunami victims I wants mah animu."

Perhaps the "philosophical" reason most acceptable to me isn't a vague concern for "appropriateness", but rather deference to those who, due to their circumstances, either can not or would choose not to watch such programming right now. Better, one could argue, to hold off until they can more freely participate - and not get out of sync with everyone else. A little show of solidarity. That I can get behind. Although I don't know how far a week or two (which is my guess for what they have in mind at least; anything much longer has long term scheduling effects that would be difficult to work around) goes to help. But it's something, I guess.

[cutliquidsnake]

From what I have read, lots of anime/video games from now on in Japan will not have disaster themes, and the ones that already do will be cancelled. I have a feeling the Evangelion rebuild movies will be cancelled because of the quake.

[Isuzu Inugami]

I have a feeling the Evangelion rebuild movies will be cancelled because of the quake.

I have a feeling you seriously underestimate the power of Evangelion. How far along is the third movie, anyway? It's not like it's going to be released into the immediate post disaster trauma.

[Suwako Moriya]

I have issues with the "appropriateness" approach. I think it comes from a good place, emotionally, and from good intentions, but feels misguided to me, or perhaps like it misses the point.

Thanks, you more or less said what I wanted to say, but couldn't put in words as well. Well, in the full version of your post anyway.

[something]

I have a feeling the Evangelion rebuild movies will be cancelled because of the quake.
No, if anything we'll see far more disaster-themed stories because it'll be part of the current population's consciousness in a way it might not have been before, particularly for the younger generation. I guarantee you Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 will not be the last earthquake-themed story.

I mean, you can't tell me that because of 9/11 there are no movies, novels, TV shows or video games addressing terrorism, right? On the contrary, it's exploded into big business. Same with stories about economic ruin or foreclosures after (and during) the global financial crisis. National traumas enter the national consciousness through entertainment as much as through any other medium - or more. It's something people can relate to and understand. Natural disasters are no exception.

It won't happen immediately. There's going to be a grieving/taboo period. But thinking that a movie that *doesn't even have a release date yet* would be canceled because of this is definitely incorrect.

[Suwako Moriya]

From what I have read, lots of anime/video games from now on in Japan will not have disaster themes, and the ones that already do will be cancelled.

I'm sorry, but I highly doubt it. Perhaps, in the short term, they might avoid them for a bit. Long term, that's a different story.

Also, as tragic as this disaster is, it's not the first one Japan has faced. Nor will it be the last. Same is true for any other country. Which is rather depressing, but we live in such a universe.

The way I figure is this. If a country was really going to "avoid" all references to disaster forever because of a disaster, they would have done it long ago.

[MelancholicMariya]

From what I have read, lots of anime/video games from now on in Japan will not have disaster themes, and the ones that already do will be cancelled. I have a feeling the Evangelion rebuild movies will be cancelled because of the quake.

Yeah, no. I think you're taking the situation way too far. All of this cancellation stuff isn't permanent it's just so no one is offended (maybe?) and to focus more on the disaster right now.

Also saying Evangelion will be canceled because of the destruction in the movies is kind of crazy. By that logic almost every mecha show ever will be canceled.

[Draneor]

I have issues with the "appropriateness" approach. I think it comes from a good place, emotionally, and from good intentions, but feels misguided to me, or perhaps like it misses the point.

On 9/11, my glasses broke. At the time, I was at college in Lynchburg, VA. The entire city, including my college, shut down. I was, of course, not able to repair them for a week. Was it annoying and, logically, unnecessary? Yes. At the same time, people were worried about more important things.

None of your arguments about practicality are wrong[1]. And yet most Japanese studios, with the exception of Yamakan, seem to agree that anime should be delayed by a couple weeks or so. While I have no doubt some otaku may be upset about the cancellations, I don't think the majority are.

[1]Although from a practical stand point, Japan's resources are limited--especially energy--at the moment. It might be best to direct them to more productive enterprises for the time being.

[something]

[1]Although from a practical stand point, Japan's resources are limited--especially energy--at the moment. It might be best to direct them to more productive enterprises for the time being.
As I said, I was addressing not the physical obstacles, which are real and legitimate, but the "moral" argument. I interpreted your post as separately addressing the moral and the physical/practical, and objected to the moral side. If by appropriateness all you meant was that it's be inappropriate to divert needed resources, then we're not too far apart. But if it were purely a philosophical objection to having anime air at this time (even if resources were/are available), then I just don't see it.

[Talyn]

Not to mention that in this time...reality is way more grim than an anime series. Which is...for all intents and purposes, escapism. The person sitting next to you won't crack a joke or ask about the ball game or wrestling event or new j.pop single hit... s/he is going to be in the same boat.

After 9/11 baseball, football, tv shows and movies went back on after a couple of weeks and helped the healing process from such a tragedy. Hell, whether you like pro wrestling or not it was the first sporting event to happen after the disaster... There was so much emotion from announcers and the biggest bad ass balling their eyes out. Then they put on what was one of the best shows of the year and everyone ate it up. Then the other sports picked up on that and did the same.... Expect to see more anime conveying emotion overtones and more caring as each and every person involved in production will be putting in more effort and energy than before. This will become an outlet, to remember, to rebuild, to take steps that the future will be safer from it... Whether it's days or a couple weeks, priorities will be where they are needed most life will resume.

Lastly, I remember after 9/11 there was all the frantic "no one will film airplanes flying into buildings, no terrorist plot driven movies, etc..." that lasted all of a year and we all came back around. The Japanese people are very proud and dedicated. I wouldn't count them out at all...

[something]

http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=289461

Beelzebub has been suspended indefinitely due to "content", but of course there's no indication of what, exactly, that means. I'm guessing it's tsunamis of piss.

It's been replaced by re-airings of Yumeiro Patissiere, because clearly that's exactly the show the Beelzebub target audience wants to see. :sd:

[Thomas Alan]

Beelzebub has been suspended indefinitely due to "content", but of course there's no indication of what, exactly, that means. I'm guessing it's tsunamis of piss.

I laughed. Think that means I'm going to hell.

[something]

You know, I find it interesting that one of the few programs or programming blocks that pushed straight ahead with broadcasts right through the quake and aftermath was one of the ones that had the most to lose from lowered viewership, not your typical late night anime that doesn't give two shits about ratings.

I mean noitaminA of course. Ratings are actually down below 1.0 (http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-1269.html). This week it did 0.9 total, with Fractale doing 0.6 and Hourou doing 1.2, according to one of the commenters. [citation needed] on that one though. Either way it's quite low for noitaminA, as I understand it. Last week was 1.3 (http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-1189.html).

Maybe it was just harder to adjust the schedule for noitaminA shows?

[ilmaestro]

Maybe it was just harder to adjust the schedule for noitaminA shows?
I wouldn't be surprised, they seem to have specific live events that broadcast in that timeslot later in the quarter, resulting in their weeks off/usually shorter series runs.

[something]

Maybe it was just harder to adjust the schedule for noitaminA shows?
I wouldn't be surprised, they seem to have specific live events that broadcast in that timeslot later in the quarter, resulting in their weeks off/usually shorter series runs.
The sad part isn't just that 0.9 is apparently the lowest noitaminA ratings ever, but that it's coming during what I would argue is by far the best pair of shows the block has ever aired. I do like some of the previous shows about on par with Fractale, but it's still one of the best, and Hourou just utterly blows away anything it's ever aired.

Hell it blows away almost everything anyone has ever aired. I'm seriously sad that my top 10 is so hard to break into at this point because it feels like a show that deserves it.