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Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

When it comes to anime, it's important to remember that Anime doesn't run on a "studio" system. Though studios are important, the primary entity is actually the "production comittee" you see mentioned in pretty much every single anime opening out there. All the creative and financial decisions are made by members of that comittee, which usually first includes the publisher of the original work (if any), the author of the original work(or usually a representative they choose), DVD distributors, sponsors and the primary staff the comittee then chooses to employ (animation director, scriptwriters etc.). The production comittee negotiates with the studio, and the studio does as the comittee orders. The studio will primarily be responsible for the technical quality of the production, but all the creative decisions are taken by the production comittee.

This system is very similiar to how independent films are made in the US, and is quite versatile.

The most powerful members of the comittee by far are the original publisher, the author (who can veto anything). The studio is more of a workhorse, though the prominent staff on the comittee are often associated with a particular studio (like Shinbo and SHAFT), but not always so.

Again, I will point out that KyoAni, unlike other studios like Shaft and JC. Staff are almost always included on the production committee (and have been since Haruhi if not AIR), thus giving them more power over the production than other studios have with Kadokawa/TBS/Pony Canyon. You can see this easily in the opening credits of their shows as you mentioned, or that they help sponsor the TV timeslots for their shows.

By being in the committee, they can help decide what will be best for a work. They (as a committee) decided that Disappearance would work best as a movie instead of 7 episodic installments, and it was changed. Tanigawa himself has commented on the changes that KyoAni wanted to make for the franchise's adaptations and how well they turned out. They're much more vocal than you give them credit for.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

If studios seem to have a "brand" it's more to do with the fact the publishers build a relationship with the studio, and keep employing them for projects they think will work well with the studio, it's not any concious decision on the part of the studio. It's simplistic to put everything on the studio, when success or failure of a series usually has a lot more to do with the people behind the studio.

Again, by being on the production committee, they have a more personal relationship with the producers of the shows like Itou (from Kadokawa). This allows them to keep getting work from those two production companies (Kadokawa/Lantis and TBS/Pony Canyon).

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Anyway, as for Kyo Ani, I think the way they're doing new shows is a good idea. They've done well off haruhi, but I think the success of that franchise is beginning to peter out, so it's a good idea for them to branch out. I don't think they're doing a disservice to "the fans" by doing so.

Why yes, selling at least 130,000 BD/DVDs for the movie, earning over 800 million yen in theatres, selling double what any other light novel (and in a double-pack at that) are surely signs of a "petering out" franchise. That's not mentioning the delay of the BD-Box due to more pre-orders than expected, and it still remains the top selling re-release BD-Box for anime. How is that "petering out?"

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Now whatever show they're doing may or may not turn out well, but KyoAni can't produce hits all the time. That said, I do find it strange that Little Busters ended out going to JC staff, given KyoAni's previous success with Key stuff.

Key partnered with TBS/Pony Canyon for their KyoAni shows. TBS and Pony Canyon decided (with KyoAni) to adapt a little known manga called K-On!. It kinda became a huge deal and TBS/Pony Canyon liked the increase in funds they received from that over any of the Key works and kept producing more K-On!, preventing Key from being on KyoAni's schedule. Key became impatient for KyoAni/TBS/Pony Canyon to free a slot and went with Warner Brothers/J.C. Staff instead.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Personally, I think the strength of Anime is that it doesn't get too bogged down in pre-existing properties, it gives those properties their place in the sun, and they move on. Compare that to Marvel or DC, or american television. If the industry shifts just to servicing old properties, Anime will lose a lot of the creativity and variety that makes it great. Rather then make more Haruhi, I'd prefer KyoAni to make new shows that capture what it was we all liked about Haruhi in the first place. I think they had a decent stab with Nichijou, I'm taking a wait and see approach in terms of the future.

That's a perfectly reasonable opinion to have. I would like to see them make more Haruhi seasons myself, but we simply disagree at this point. That's not to say I won't enjoy any shows they make; I'll merely be disappointed at the lack of Haruhi anime.