The ongoing pandemic has left a lasting mark on the entertainment landscape. Since its appearance, the novel coronavirus has killed thousands and put countries like the United States in lockdown mode. Not long ago, Japan did the same with its own State of Emergency address, and one anime director wants fans to know it will be difficult for the industry to go on with its current schedule.
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The note came from Eiichi Kuboyama himself on Twitter. It was there user RanobeSugoi took to social media to translate the message, and the director had some bleak news to share with fans.
“There are some impressions that the anime has been paused because of some voice actor issues, but it’s actually different. To be honest, whether the animation studio closes down or not, has almost not impact, but should the company that is in charge of film does, several works would take a hit. So after, I have postponed the broadcast from April to July on my own behalf. But should the situation stay as it is now, even a broadcast in July would be impossible.”
Kuboyama was not afraid to share the worst case scenario with fans. He has worked on dozens of series to date, so his expertise is not to be questioned. The work which Kuboyama has lined up has been moved to July to give himself room for production, but that may not be possible if Japan continues lockdown measures into the summer. At that point, Kuboyama and many directors like him will be forced to postpone their shows, and that means anime will take a significant hit in earnings.
For now, fans will have to wait and see what happens to anime in regards to the coronavirus. A slew of anime series and seasons have already been delayed due to the pandemic. Re:Zero was one of the first shows to postpone its upcoming season before others like Sword Art Online followed suit.
Does this timeline match what you were expecting? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
