This Highly Anticipated Anime Is Setting Viewers Up for Disappointment

As the exciting Winter 2025 anime season draws near its end, fans look forward to the Spring lineup, which includes famous anime sequels and new adaptations. One of the biggest anime events of the year, AnimeJapan 2025, shares the latest updates about various upcoming titles, including Kowloon Generic Romance. The anime adaptation by Arvo Animation is based on the award-winning manga by Jun Mayuzuki, the creator of After the Rain. The manga is currently ongoing and being serialized in Weekly Young Jump by Shueisha, home to several popular seinen series such as Oshi no Ko, Kingdom, and many more. The anime will debut in April as part of the Spring 2025 lineup. Additionally, a live-action adaptation will be simultaneously released to further promote the manga, making the series all the more anticipated among fans.

Both series are gaining massive attention on social media since they will be released in the same year. However, the anime announced disappointing news during AnimeJapan 2025, confirming that the story will be fully adapted in 13 episodes. According to the official X account of the TV anime and the live-action film, “The anime Kowloon Generic Romance will be told in 13 episodes until the end.” Unfortunately, the manga currently has over 80 chapters, and the story is still ongoing, so the ending will be left unfinished. The manga has been serialized since 2019 and currently has ten volumes that are globally available for sale.

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What Is the Plot of Kowloon Generic Romance?

The story takes place in the Kowloon Walled City, a densely populated and mysterious urban labyrinth in Hong Kong known for being chaotic. Although it was demolished in the 1990s, people who love the old way of life still live there and call that place their home. Reiko Kujikari, a relator, yearns for the excitement of modern places in the city, unlike her colleague, Hajime Kudou, who is deeply nostalgic and resistant to anything contemporary that seeps into the city.

Despite their differences and constant bickering, the two often enjoy each other’s company. However, when a prank goes wrong one day, it leads Hajime to make an unexpected romantic gesture toward Reuko. Even though he quickly apologized, Hajime’s confusing actions led Reiko to investigate the reason behind them. Shockingly enough, she slowly began to uncover a forgotten past she had no memory of.

AnimeJapan 2025’s Latest Update Suggests the Show Will Undermine the Manga’s Slow Burn

It’s a slow-burn romance that thrives on subtle character development and the gradual unraveling of its mystery. Cramming everything into just 13 episodes could easily lead to rushed pacing, missing details, and a lack of emotional impact. The anime will also likely have to cut off scenes in the middle to make room for more arcs. It would’ve been better to have at least 24-26 episodes or even a split-cour approach to let the story breathe. One of the manga’s biggest strengths is how it slowly draws readers into Kowloon’s world.

The story takes its time shaping up, with small but meaningful moments in between, such as Kudou and Kujirai’s playful banter, the mundane yet nostalgic feel of the city, and the reveal of deeper mysteries. If the anime has to rush through the plot, we might lose the quiet, atmospheric scenes that make Kowloon feel like a real place. Additionally, it’s unknown how the animation studio plans to handle the ending.

Many Manga Have Suffered From Such Adaptations

Anime adaptations that take a different approach from an already critically acclaimed manga almost never end up being received well. The original adaptations of Fullmetal Alchemist, Claymore, The Promised Neverland, Tokyo Ghoul: Re, and many more series suffered from the studio’s changes and ended up unable to surpass the original version of the story. Although Fullmetal Alchemist got a reboot in 2009 that is among the best shows in the medium, not many series get one despite the manga having a large fanbase.

With the way Arvo Animation is handling this series, it may end up having the same result, even though the animation quality is interesting and unique. Hence, it is highly likely that the character development and mystery revelation will take the major hits from this adaptation.

H/T: @kowloongr_jp on X