Game in the Brain

I was able to visit Toei here in the Philippines and have some friends who used to work there. I’m inspired by the production output the Anime Industry comes out and how many sorts of Sci-fi Fantasy it comes out with.

I found out that the production facility in the Philippines, has one division coming up with 4 episodes a week. This season has about more than 50 titles of anime’s and the variety and content can be interesting.  Even with this advanced production line, the quality is pretty good.

Now that I’m catching up I’m surprised by the level of quality in the art and background. There has been greater use of 3d graphics like in Kingdom 2 and Galilei Donna as an example. The quality is only getting better and the market seems far from hitting a curve.

I’m wondering why doesn’t a named fiction writer in the US subcontract Toei or the like and a get a production team and workout something with Netflix, Crunchyroll, or one of the many corporations that would actively consume the content?

Looking at all the Sci-fi and Fantasy Novels my friends are recommending, I’m wondering why isn’t a company using those IPs and converting them to Anime or Manga. The production time can be very efficient, and this is an era where one can sell and produce their Anime made IP with close work with the right people.

As much as I admire Anime, many have targeted marketing in place. There is fan-service anime and a lot of unnecessary elements that don’t add to the story but is there for broader audience appeal. Such activities makes me think that the market for anime has so much room that the way they re-use IP can be absurd.

I know some hardcore scifi guys would just HATE it if their favorite Hard Scifi novel would be done in anime, lolz. I could already hear the internet arguments and flame wars from this parallel universe of how they feel their favorite writers “sold out” at the same time, a NEW audience of young anime watchers are being introduced to variatioins of Hard Scifi and Fantasy that weens them out of such cliche tropes (so cliche you can name 10 animes/mangas that use the “special trope”).

the smorgasborg of Mary Sue characters can cause a bit of violent reaction except for all the eye candy and visual graphics. One particular Anime that has caught my attention is Kyokai no Katana, which uses In-medias-Res, Fore-shadowing, and various other storytelling tools that makes it a non-linear story compared to many of the anime in the season. It also is an anime that is willing to leave questions unanswered (check out episode 06 shocking pink lolz).

Wow, Id wish some writer in Downton Abbey or The Goodwife would do consulting work for an anime script lolz. Really the way the scenes are organized can use a lot of help, and if its given the 3 scene treatment like in Downton it would just add value in how the resources are used.

Anyway, right now Its giving me a lot of visual energy since the G+ anime group tends to flood my wall with eye candy (some NSFW). Wish I had the luxury to practice everyday.