Absolute Fanboy

I admit this entry is purely my speculation; I’m not going to pretend I know everything, I just write what I think I know. I like Shaft, I really like their work. Even so, their anime this year somehow disappointed me. Not that it’s bad, it’s just lacking something I always see in their past series. I kind of disliked slice of life show, but I still enjoy watching Hidamari Sketch x365. All their shows this year are all continuation, which must be why, since changing something that’s already working is always not a good idea, and for some reason, I may get tired of the repeated style.

Anyway, let’s look back to January. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, the sequel to last year’s Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and Oguro Yuichiro’s first composition work. Many liked it for all the crazy stuffs that doubled from the first season, in which I do agree but what most people did not know is that Shaft did only one third of the animation. Two third were being done by GAINAX and Studio Pastoral with one part of the seventh episode by Madhouse. Then there’s Hidamari Sketch x365.

There're three Miyakos in Shaft anime.

The original Hidamari Sketch that aired in 2007 suffers a lot of schedule problem. In fact, all Shaft anime in 2007 suffers a schedule problem. They were doing too many (presumably low-budget) shows at the same time. Negima!?, Hidamari Sketch and Kino no Tabi: Byouki no Kuni. The tenth episode that was aired on TBS is the result of all the schedule problems they have back then, nothing was done. Not even cabbage-level done. It was blatantly unfinished work. Fans call this a “Fujisan incident”. I do admit DVD version of this episode is my most favorite episode of the first season. Apparently it was one of the few episodes that were being directed by Shinbo Akiyuki himself.

In order to clear up one’s name and promise not to let the same thing happen again, they have to speed up the schedule. All the recordings were done before the airing start which is very unusual. The result of this better scheduling is the first, fifth and twelfth episode, which has higher animation quality than the rest of the series.

Still, not all episodes of Hidamari Sketch x365 were done by Shaft. Half of it again is Studio Pastoral’s work, namely the second, fourth, seventh, ninth, eleventh and the unaired fourteenth episode with the sixth episode being done by GAINAX.

No, doing something like this is not necessary a bad thing. It may imply the increased budget and may even improve overall animation quality. Ordet, for example, as of the fifth episode of Kannagi, they only did the first episode. The term for calling cooperation like this is “Gross-uke” (グロス請け, Gross undertake).

Pastoral's achievement. They're really trying.

Studio Pastoral name may not sounds familiar to anyone, but they’ve participated in most of Shaft’s works since Tsukuyomi: MoonPhase and have done several anime episodes by Xebec. Their recent non-Shaft work is the third episode of Kyou no Go no Ni and the fourth episode of Kannagi.

Then there’re two OADs from Shaft, Mahou Sensei Negima: Ala Alba and Goku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. The animation of the first volume of Negima was done by Studio Pastoral. The person in charge of the first volume direction was Tomita Hiroaki, who appeared to be GAINAX’s. The second volume seems to be directed by Miyamoto Yukihiro and receive overall better feedback than the first. Shinbou is credited as General Director for both volumes.

On the other hand, the first volume of Goku was done by Shaft with an opening animation by ex-GAINAX’s Gekidan Inukare duo with episode directions again by Miyamoto Yukihiro and Tatsuwa Naoyuki. Kumeta said on his paper blog at the end of volume sixteen that “having only half of Negima’s budget deserves half of Negima’s sales!” but wait, isn’t that means Goku sales exceeded 40,000 copies?!

2x more crazy than the original OP

One scene that's already more beautiful than the first season

Now with ef – a tale of melodies, a sequel to ef – a tale of memories that was aired exactly one year ago. As of the fifth episode, Shaft only did the first. The other four episodes were being done by Studio Pastoral, Trans-Arts and A.C.G.T. respectively, with the fifth episode again being done by Studio Pastoral. They’ve also changed the art director from Studio Bihou’s Kohama Toshihiro to Studio Tulip’s Azuma Kohji in the third episode.

This somehow makes me wonder what they’re doing. Judging from Shaft Social Observation Tour, a special DVD that comes with the second volume of Hidamari Sketch x365, they seem to be doing ef since August. If they’re currently doing Maria Holic or Bakemonogatari, which scheduled to be aired next year, then I think I should be happy. Wanting to see they did a high quality animation does not seem impossible; after all, they’ve shown us with the first episode of Hidamari Sketch x365, that when they have time, they can do it. It might be good opportunities to clear the “picture story show” criticism they’ve received for all the past two years.

Looking at their schedule and shows for the next year, and it’s pretty interesting. Maria Holic scheduled for January (according to Endou Minari’s blog, they seems to be planning Maria Holic since April and all scenario for anime has done since September), a story of sadistic trap with a lesbian and a wicked-tongue maid. Bakemonogatari scheduled for sometimes next year, is a story of an ex-vampire, a wicked-tongue self-proclaimed tsundere girl, a stereotype class president, a fifth grade girl who seems to be more intelligent than our protagonist, a beautiful vampire and much, much more crazy stuffs. It’s also first series since The SoulTaker that Shinbou Akiyuki and Watanabe Akio did something together. It’s probably my most expecting series of 2009 so far. Their OVA scheduled to be released next year are the last volume of Mahou Sensei Negima: Ala Alba in February and a long awaited Pani Poni Dash Special in March.

Sadistic trap on the right

Fifth grade who seems to be smarter than high school Ararararagi-san.

Apart from their strange schedule this year, Shaft also has moved from their tiny studio in Igusa to a new in-house building in Kami-Igusa. Even though they’ve caused several broadcast incident for the past few years, they seems to profit well.