It's been five years since the tragic
fire that rocked Kyoto
Animation , and the impact of the tragedy
still resonates through the anime industry. Despite its legacy as one of
Japan's most prestigious production companies, some wonder if Kyoto
Animation has managed to maintain the level of excellence that characterized it
in the past . A recent article published by DAILY SHINCHO has put the
studio's evolution in the spotlight, sparking debate among fans about whether
the company has changed in recent years.
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During the 2000s, Kyoto Animation was
responsible for a series of hits that marked an entire generation of anime
fans. His ability to create 'divine anime' (that is,
with sublime animation quality) was widely recognized, and many of his
productions became benchmarks of visual quality. Fans between 30 and 40
years old remember that golden era with nostalgia.
However, according to the article, it seems that new
generations of anime fans, especially those in their 10s and 20s, are not as
familiar with the works of Kyoto Animation. On the other hand, studios
like MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen) and Ufotable (Kimetsu no Yaiba) have captured the
attention of younger people, who associate the term “divine animation” with
these companies rather than with Kyoto Animation.
This change in perception became evident
after the recent broadcast of the third season of “Hibike! Euphonium” ,
one of Kyoto Animation's emblematic titles. Although the series was generally
well received, with comments on social networks, there were also critical
voices among lifelong fans. Some mentioned that, although it's hard to
say out loud, they noticed a decline in animation quality, which was an
unexpected blow to those who have followed the studio for years.
With this article, comments from the community did
not take long to emerge:
- « They
should continue creating only Nichijou forever .»
- " It
seems that the studios in Tokyo attract more talented young girls and
promising foreign animators ."
- « It
is cruel to wait for Kyoto Animation to return to its peak .»
- " I
didn't like Kyoto Animation that much in the early 2000s, when it was
famous for animating minor works well ."
- " I
think even before the incident, they were not managing to create anything
impressive ."
- « They
became famous in the 2000s for having good animation for late-night
series. Nowadays, any studio that does not have serious production
problems can achieve that quality, so they have lost that advantage .
- " People
don't care who makes the anime anymore, unless it's a studio with a very
strong style, like Madhouse or Trigger ."
- « Suzumiya
Haruhi and those series came out 15 years ago, so I'm not surprised you
haven't seen them. Maybe they have seen Violet Evergarden ».
- « The
KyoAni boom was until the early 2010s, it is normal that it has changed .»
The debate over the evolution of Kyoto
Animation and its place in the contemporary anime industry remains a hot topic. While
the company has left an indelible mark on anime history, the question of
whether it can continue to innovate and capture the imagination of new
generations is up in the air.
Source: Otakomu
