Such is the fate of several anime series based on toy lines
Image via Future GPX Cyber Formula Official Website
© Sunrise
When anime series face the risk of being cut, fans don't always find out the reason. Creators usually don't publicly confirm that anime has been cut short, at least not right away. This topic came up this past weekend, when a discussion about whether the After WarGundam X anime was canceled or not started trending in Japan on X (formerly Twitter).
Mobile Suit Gun Seed FREEDOM director Mitsuo Fukuda took the time to speak out on October 20 about his two previous anime:
Left: Mitsuo Fukuda. Right: Yoshiyuki TominoImage via Mitsuo Fukuda's X/Twitter Account
©福田己津央
100% offよ。
— 福田 己津央 (@fukuda320) October 20, 2024
The ominous word “cancel” is trending and I can't help but look at it. By the way, toy anime projects back then were often canceled if they went dormant for a year. Cyber Formula and Dendoh were similarly canceled.
In a follow-up post, Fukuda noted that series such as the first Mobile Suit Gun anime and Space Runaway Ideon were also toy anime properties.
ガンダムやイデオンも昔の作品は大抵おもちゃ企画ね。
— 福田 己津央 (@fukuda320) October 20, 2024
Most older works like GTA and Ideon were developed for toys.
However, what was a bit unclear about Fukuda's original post was whether the director was referring to toy sales or viewership when talking about the cancellation. However, when co-director Taiki Nishimura asked Fukuda if the Cyber Formula OVA series was created because of its cancellation, Fukuda noted that it was partly due to album sales and media coverage. tall family.
メインスポンサー.ライアントがついたというわけで。
— 福田 己津央 (@fukuda320) October 20, 2024
Nishimura: So Cyber_____ has actually been cancelled. I didn't feel the same way when I was a high school student watching it…but is that why it was later expanded into an OVA?
Fukuda: Even though we don't get figures from major sponsors or stations, we have a lot of fans buying music and home video releases, so we have customers.
Fukuda concluded his thoughts on the anime's cancellation in a post on October 21:
打ち切られたと言っても、作品が面白かったから時代を超えて残ってるわけで。私らは打ち切り上等、くらいの感じ方だけど、表むき子供向けアニメが細々やってた時代と今は、捉え方が全然違うと思う。
— 福田 己津央 (@fukuda320) October 20, 2024
Even though it was “cancelled”, it still exists over time because it is very interesting. I feel like the cancellation is okay, but the current perception is completely different from before when anime aimed at children was no longer important.
Source: Mitsuo Fukuda's X/Twitter account (link 2, link 3, link 4, link 5), Taoki Nishimua's X/Twitter twitter account via Hachima Kikō