P.A. Works: Studio discussion, speculation, and whatnot

[Guardian Enzo]

I full-throatedly disagree with any list that puts RDG in the "trash tier". Just because it wasn't popular with the masses doesn't mean it wasn't a damn fine show.

[Pocari_Sweat]

I don't mean to offend anyone who likes Red Data Girl, but I don't think it's a bad series in the same way your stock standard light novel adaptation trainwreck is bad, but bad because it was for me very boring, forgettable and I don't remember anything about it. In fact, it's the only PA Works series to this day which I haven't finished to this day... I am pretty much apathetic to it. And an apathy an be arguably worse than disgust or rage.

It wasn't just the pacing issues, but I felt nothing for the characters and I felt nothing for the fantasy world that was presented. And no, I'm don't dislike modern fantasy by any means because I could rave on how amazing Uchouten Kazoku, PA Works' other fantasy based series, was.

I mean I could go on for pages on why I think Angel Beats is a piece of garbage, but boring is definitely not how I would describe it. Abomination and trainwreck would be better words and because of that entertaining to an extent...

[Archon_Wing]

Hmm, that's weird. Red Data Girl came out? I remember seeing a trailer way back though I fell asleep halfway through.

If I were to tier em

Top
Both TT, I assume Uchouten though I didn't finish yet.

Near top
Hana Saku Iroha Movie, True Tours

Mid
Angel Beats, Hana Saku Iroha

Low
Canaan

Lol
Another

My conclusion is to only watch PA Works shows that can have TT as an Acronym. Also fuck MAL ratings.

Interestingly, there is no PA works show, I'd consider merely "good". The top/near top I'd equate to a personal 8 or 8.5/10 (great to excellent), near top are movies and specials so they don't usually get mentioned, and then mid is like 6 or 6.5/10 (not too bad, but with jarring issues). I suppose I've never seen anything awful from them though with the exception of that Angel Beats OVA (wtf was that?) but that's generally irrelevant.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Haak

Hanasaku Iroha - 8.5/10
Uchouten Kazoku - 8.1/10

True Tears - 7.6/10
Canaan - 7.5/10
Red Data Girl - 7.4/10
Angel Beats - 7.3/10
Tari Tari - 7.2/10
Another - 7.0/10.

Nagi no Asukara: 7.6/10

Meh...sounds about right...

[Archon_Wing]

As a curious note, I think I read somewhere that the Another anime is a lot different from the source material. At the same time, I remember that True Tears has nothing to do with the visual novel. What is with that I wonder? Is there a preference towards original anime?

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Lol
Another

It never occured to me to introduce a lol-tier, but Another is such a perfect fit.

[TJR]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

As a curious note, I think I read somewhere that the Another anime is a lot different from the source material. At the same time, I remember that True Tears has nothing to do with the visual novel. What is with that I wonder? Is there a preference towards original anime?

Another is a faithful adaptation, but there are some creative liberties (mainly to increase sex appeal and violence - once again, Tsutomu Mizushima demonstrated his knack for campy, fetishized gore) that viewers love to hate. As for True Tears, it's more or less a recycled property. The producers killed adaptation plans, but reused the name/license instead of cancelling the project outright.

Nevertheless, it's true that P.A. Works prioritizes original anime.

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

As a curious note, I think I read somewhere that the Another anime is a lot different from the source material. At the same time, I remember that True Tears has nothing to do with the visual novel. What is with that I wonder? Is there a preference towards original anime?

Other than Izumi's role getting beefed up, Another's a very faithful adaptation until the last few episodes when the anime goes into Final Destination mode. Which, not coincidentally, is the point where most people think the show loses it.

And isn't Canaan pretty much an original story despite being linked to something Type Moon did?

[KanbeKotori]

I like a lot of PA works.

[Guardian Enzo]

Here's a partnership I wouldn't necessarily have expected to see again - Mizushima and P.A. Works.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Here's a partnership I wouldn't necessarily have expected to see again - Mizushima and P.A. Works.

Perhaps this time they won't an anime that is focused on a group of friends near a seaside town with romantic angst and drama etc. etc.

But they desperately need a hit in terms of DVD/Bluray sales. The last one was Tari Tari which was Summer 2012. Otherwise I have no idea how they are funding anime original after anime original.

[Guardian Enzo]

I think Uchouten and NagiAsu probably did just about well enough to pay for themselves.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I think Uchouten and NagiAsu probably did just about well enough to pay for themselves.

I don't think breaking even (or thereabouts) is a hit though ...

[Guardian Enzo]

No, but at least it's not a disaster. PAW tends to partner with big guns like Bandai and Geneon, so maybe they're getting a lot of risk-averse financing for all these original shows.

[SeijiSensei]

It looks like PAW does a lot of in-betweening and key animation as a subcontractor as well. We tend to forget about all that stuff and focus on studios' productions, but I'd bet contract work is what keeps smaller studios alive.

[Archon_Wing]

They do seem to follow up with safer works when they have unsuccessful works. True Tears and stuff that came after it weren't very successful and came Angel Beats which while generic and derivative had the hype and big names and guarantee for financial success. And then you had bombs like Another followed by the much more conventional and safer Tari Tari. And then a more safer (though sadly not as well sold work) Nagisau came after Uchouten Kazoku's low sales as well as whatever the heck the other anime was. Such tactics are prudent. It's fair to take a bit more risk but then retreat when it's not going that well. I mean, much like in Starcraft, if your proxy gateways fail, you can always play the macro game if you did damage so you may feign pressure instead of wasting it. Though I made a joke during Uchouten's run to certain friends that the crossdressing was obviously the equivalent of an Okada-signal summoning for their next show and then it actually happened. Though it was more coincidence most likely, it's more funny to put it that way since it seems like stuff is more organized when Okada is involved, or at least I find it more enjoyable. Only two non-Okada originals thus far. One was great (tari)but fairly conventional, and there's Glasslip soooo...

Please don't take this post that seriously. I like to make obscure references because it's totally funny to people that get it and useless to other people. Someone should send a memo to them that it's not a good idea to capture a wide audience (I mean if you didn't see True Tears, what do the chickens in Glasslip do anyways? Mawawaru Chickendrum?)

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

Perhaps this time they won't an anime that is focused on a group of friends near a seaside town with romantic angst and drama etc. etc.

But they desperately need a hit in terms of DVD/Bluray sales. The last one was Tari Tari which was Summer 2012. Otherwise I have no idea how they are funding anime original after anime original.

I think it's obvious by now -- PA Works is in the pocket of the Japanese tourist industry. Small towns across Japan bid to be the location of their next series.

[Pocari_Sweat]

So, Glasslip has finished so it's time for a ranking update! This was my old list:

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

Top Tier

1. True Tears
2. Uchouten Kazoku

Great Tier

3. Tari Tari
4. Hanasaku Iroha

Mid Tier

5. Canaan
6. Another
7. Nagi no Asu Kara

Trash Tier

8. Red Data Girl
9. Angel Beats

And my new List:

Top Tier

1. True Tears
2. Tari Tari

Great Tier

3. Uchouten Kazoku
4. Hanasaku Iroha

Mid Tier

5. Canaan
6. Another
7. Nagi no Asu Kara

Trash Tier

8. Red Data Girl
9. Angel Beats
10. Glasslip

Congratulations Glasslip. You have managed the feat of being the worst PA Works anime ever to be made. Quite a feat considering I already dislike Angel Beats A LOT. Get your s*** together jeez...

[Dextro]

What made Tari Tari jump so up in the ranking?

[Soliloquy]

Perhaps its genuine approach towards the drama without the heavy-handed or manipulative storytelling, Tari Tari managed to be better than sum of its parts. For this, I keep watching the director to see where he goes next. True, his work Soul Eater Not was disappointing but that was just an adaptation, so I feel the director deserves the praise for how he handled the anime. Normally, I don't even like musicals but it sure was entertaining.