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series getting shorter?


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v1cious



Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 6228
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:06 pm Reply with quote
is this starting to bug anyone else? it seems like almost every show of the last two seasons has been between 12 and 14 episodes. there's barely any 26 episode ones any more, and only about 2 or 3(sans Bleach, Naruto, etc.)jhave even went over 24.

is there a reason they're doing this? i'd like to say cost, but that doesn't sound right.


Last edited by v1cious on Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:11 pm Reply with quote
Maybe to leave these franchises open for additional content on a later day? I don't know, but it sounds like a good plan so we don't get a bunch of filler and crappy/incomplete endings at least.
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:18 pm Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:
but it sounds like a good plan so we don't get a bunch of filler and crappy/incomplete endings at least.


Don't forget shows like Black Lagoon, where the series was put on hold, and is going to be pick up at a later day. Whereas shows like naruto have to be on everyweek otherwise people lose interest. Perhaps with the series that were 12/14 episodes if the rating were right perhaps we will see more of them in due time.
Till next time,

Delta Kiral
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epixeltwin



Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 325
Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:03 pm Reply with quote
24-26 eps series are the best, and 13 eps are the second best

13 suits series with a simple plot, and it suits most romantic animes well if there's not too much subplot and secondary characters.

In 26 eps though, you have just the right amount, with a little filler thrown in.
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:18 pm Reply with quote
I do notice that some series are not following the standard 26 eps per series thing. I have one that's 20 eps, and one that's 12 eps. And there's no second season for them, I guarantee it.
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DemonEyesLeo



Joined: 20 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:59 pm Reply with quote
I'm not bugged by it much. On the plus side it means the story's not going to get bogged down with filler material or get too repetitive, and there's less DVD's to buy in the future. Down side, sometimes they can rush the ending, like with FMP:TSR, or not tie all the loose ends. But I like short series.

As to why they're doing it...

Could be as a trial series. You know, make 12 or 13 episodes and thus spend less money, see how well it's recieved and come back with more episodes at a later date.
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
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Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:07 am Reply with quote
Zac, in his review of Arjuna Vol. 4, wrote:
The final volume of Shoji Kawamori’s ecologically sensitive magical girl show Arjuna is, thankfully, not a major disappointment. Since the advent of the thirteen-episode series a few years back, more and more anime series have concluded with less-then-spectacular endings, most times leaving the viewer hanging completely. In Arjuna, Everything is wrapped up nicely, for the most part.
(emphasis added)
One explanation of shorter lengths is a reduction of budgets, be it from piracy or the recession in Japan. It might also be a shift in the types of anime being made; we're not seeing that many lengthy shoujo epics like Fushigi Yuugi, Sailor Moon, or Marmalade Boy anymore. (Lengthy shounen epics like Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece are still alive and kicking, though.) It seems like there are a lot more moé anime based on PC games these days, in an effort to cater to the hardcore otaku fanbase that will buy anything and everything related to a series. Those kinds of stories are generally suited to 13-episode series, anyway.
I don't have a problem with 12-14 episode series; they're great for telling a focused, compact story without wasting time on fillers. They're easier to watch and get through quickly, and it's far easier on the wallet to collect 3 or 4 discs, as opposed to 6, 7, 13, 24, or more.
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Reno-chan



Joined: 23 Jun 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:16 am Reply with quote
I noticed this too, and was suspicious of a few of these shorter series. I thought perhaps they were so bad they were cancelled Shocked
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:23 am Reply with quote
There's many 24-26 episode series in the April Season out there. Air Gear, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, Ouran High School Host Club, Inukami!, Strawberry Panic, xxxHolic, Zegapain, Kiba, The Third, Utawarerumono, .hack//roots, School Rumble S2 and Saiunkoku Monogatari, which is 39 episodes, and Nana, which is 50 episodes. I don't really feel a difference at all between series' lengths now and that of 2005 and before.

I do notice that the July season has relatively few standard length series, and my best explanation for this is that since the October season is a big one, they're airing mostly short series in order to clear the way and make room for many anticipated series when they air in October.

There does seems to be an increase in series that are around 6 episodes, as Shinigami no Ballad, HanTsuki, and REC were all 2006 productions. And there's a LOT more shoujo-ai too.
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
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Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:29 am Reply with quote
I've noticed many 24 episode releases but was just too lazy to start a discussion about it, thank you.

The thing I've noticed for these 24 is that they really aren't all that new. Check out Chobits and X. These are both 24 episode series. It's not just todays shows like Trinity Blood and Gankutsuou, and I'm pretty sure many other people can name older series with lower than 26 episode count.

I agree with the person who said that it leaves less room for fillers and other crap.... on most series.

Tehxnolyze was only 22 episodes and none felt like fillers at all.

Reminds me of school when I used to ask teachers: "How long does the report have to be?", and they'd respond by: "As long as it takes".

A series isn't supposed to be stretched out to make a predetermined episode count but, should take however many episodes to tell a complete story, atleast I try to tell myself that.
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:34 am Reply with quote
joel_s95387 wrote:
I agree with the person who said that it leaves less room for fillers and other crap.... on most series.

Tehxnolyze was only 22 episodes and none felt like fillers at all.

Reminds me of school when I used to ask teachers: "How long does the report have to be?", and they'd respond by: "As long as it takes".

A series isn't supposed to be stretched out to make a predetermined episode count but, should take however many episodes to tell a complete story, atleast I try to tell myself that.


If that was the case then Inu Yasha would be a hell of a lot shorter and with a tighter story line. spoiler[And, according to what people have said on this forum...an actual ending.]
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selenta
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Joined: 19 Apr 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:51 am Reply with quote
LydiaDianne wrote:
If that was the case then Inu Yasha would be a hell of a lot shorter and with a tighter story line. spoiler[And, according to what people have said on this forum...an actual ending.]


Not every show has to follow the rule Wink You gotta have one or two long going shows like that any given time in a genre to keep people into it all. Either way... an exception like Inu Yasha is more or less just that... an exception.
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Abarenbo Shogun



Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 1573
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:51 am Reply with quote
Deltakiral wrote:
Tony K. wrote:
but it sounds like a good plan so we don't get a bunch of filler and crappy/incomplete endings at least.


Don't forget shows like Black Lagoon, where the series was put on hold, and is going to be pick up at a later day. Whereas shows like naruto have to be on everyweek otherwise people lose interest. Perhaps with the series that were 12/14 episodes if the rating were right perhaps we will see more of them in due time.
Till next time,

Delta Kiral


Black lagoon only covered up to the first manga, and I think 4 mangas have come out already.
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Ohoni



Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 3421
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:22 am Reply with quote
I don't mind when they cut a series due to running out of Manga (like Rekka, HXH, and others), but if it's an original animation series, or if they have plenty of material to work with, it does sadden me when they cut it short. There have been an aweful lot of series lately that I would love to have seen advance further than they did, such as Haruhi, Black Lagoon, and apparently Zero no Tsukaima, which I hear is ending soon (for now at least). Sadness. At least it does lead to looking out for new series to take their place.
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suna_suna



Joined: 06 Sep 2005
Posts: 550
Location: Ohio
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:59 am Reply with quote
when a 26 episode series is made very well it can seem like a much longer series, like Cowboy Bebop. on the other hand, if a series is badly made, it can seem even longer. it just drags its feet.
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