So I got this PR thingy from ADV about a new promo on their Air site where you can download the first DVD (for not free). Sort of boring, and I didn’t really want to link to it, but when I went ahead to the “official site” I see this:
While it’s true that Kyoani worked on Air before before working on Haruhi Suzumiya, are they really the “creators?” More like the animators. Air is a creation of Key, while Haruhi Suzumiya is a light novel written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito.
Maybe I’m being nitpicky, but it just seems like a pretty sad attempt to cash in on Haruhi fever. A more honest tagline would be “From the animation studio that brought you The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya!” And let’s not forget about Munto!
Ehh, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a U.S. anime company that WOULDN’T push any connection with Haruhi.
Let’s not forget that originally, that very page spelled “Haruhi” wrong. For shame…
But no, I wouldn’t consider the two to be from the same creators.
Lets not forget TSR & Kanon too…
Ah, Munto–sometimes I think I’m the only person alive waiting for Munto 3…
It’s not surprising what ADV’s doing, though, given their marketing people I’m sure are trying everything they can think of to boost sales, even if that means comparing it to a completely different series and stretching the definition of ‘creators’ more than a little. I can just picture the Conference Room of Marketing Genius at ADV:
“Air, huh? Crazy Japs with the freaky names for everything…how about…’you can’t breathe without seeing this?’”
“No, no, no…maybe…’the story that will leave you breathless’ Huh? Pretty slick, right? Get it? Without air you can’t–”
“No, wait, wait–this says Ky-ow-two Animation, right? I saw that somewhere else–yes! They were involved in Su-zoo-maya Hairu-hi!”
“Scwhing! It’s the same people who did Hairu-hi, and that’s totally ‘dope’ now with the anime kidz! Slap that shit on the website!”
Lol desperation publicity
even air tv has its share of western fans.. and doesn’t even need haruhi to promote it
How else are they going to pique interest in a visual novel adaptation? I pretty much agree with gia’s assessment.
It is a deceptive, if not clever, yet still accurate use of the word. What is another word for produce… that’s right, create. Even if you are drawing or animating something, you are still in a creative process. It can be said Kyoto Animation created the Haruhi animation and the statement could still be considered accurate.
It’s much a do about nothing situation.
@Mirrinus - Whether or not ADV initially misspelled something on their website is irrelevant.
@suguru - I certainly hope you are being sarcastic about what you think happens at an ADV marketing meeting. They are a company founded and still run by anime fans for anime fans.
Well Air was directed by none other then the great and wonderful Tatsuya Ishihara himself who directed The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya who also directed Kanon(2006). I wish they would have put by the director of Haruhi Suzumiya since it seems more appropriate and Tatsuya Ishihara needs to be know as a great director. I wish people would pay more attention to who is actully directing a show then the studio that is animating it.
@Benu: Ooh, I didn’t know that. Still, when I think of “creator” I think the person who originally came up with the idea.
It would sound much better this way: “From the studio which animated The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya…”. At least fans wouldn’t get confused, thinking that Suzumiya Haruhi and Air would share almost the same genre or something.
It’s really no more “wrong” then say, Paramount advertising a fantasy movie as “from the creator of LotR”. Which movie studios do pretty much all the time.
Perhaps they should have said “From the creator of animation Suzumiya Haruhi”. One can argue endlessly about the wording of the things, it doesn’t change the fact that this has been standard practice within most media industries. And in this case I don’t see it as too big of a deal. It’s going to happen sooner or later.
@ suguru
Count me as another fellow waiting for the next segment of Munto-insanity. ^^; I still get a kick at how deadpan the level of absurdity is in that series, unintentional or not.
Cheers.
I think this means they’re just afraid to lose profits, considering licensing fees and the like, so they push some sort of association with Haruhi - in this case, the same studio that created it. Kanon was better though.
Yeah, we got the same promo…I think the Haruhi thing is just a marketing thing.
Also, watch out! Apparently you can’t watch the direct download episodes on some browsers…
From the makers of Hurai Suzumiya
OH! So that’s what everyone’s talking about. Hurai, huh? I wonder why I hadn’t read about that earlier… I guess I’m late to this party.
When I saw that, I actually got kind of angry. You know, ’cause it’s Haruhi, that they’re linking to AIR.
This was actually bad marketing for them: (me a few days ago)
ADV: “FROM THE CREATORS OF THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA!!!!”
Me: “Damn! Almost forgot to buy Vol. 2!!!” *runs to Amazon*
Wallet: *$45 attack damage*
ADV: *sad panda*
I’m glad ADV reminded me to get TMoHS! Wish I could pay them back by buying this (I love AIR)… but I have no MO MONAY!!!!
Oh my god that’s depressing.
seconded, sNooZe-kun. Desperation marketing lol.