Rinne no Lagrange in Dilemma: Studied Appeal to Otaku Causes Adverse Effect

by dtshyk
Mar 7, 2012 8:56 AM | 33 Comments

Japanese national TV channel NHK has reported the recent trend of "otaku tourism" in the evening news program. They introduced the successful cases of Lucky ☆ Star, Hanasaku Iroha and True Tears, which have brought many tourists to the model cities. However, the PR project of Kamogawa city in cooperation with Rinne no Lagrange has not been working well. "Otaku tourism" is supposed to be a spontaneous movement by the fans, who are impressed by the anime. If the producers make conscious efforts to appeal the model cities too much, there will be a repulsion from otaku.

"Don't fool otaku" comment posted on 2channel

Kamogawa city has now been aware of the unexpected reactions from the audience and they have begun to seek a way to let the fans enjoy the anime without making excessive appeals of the city.

Director Nishikiori Hiroshi criticized that the otaku tourism-oriented way of production ruins the creativity of the art staff because including the scenery of the model city in the anime is given the priority over the quality of the arts.

Sources: Screenshots of the program, Screenshot 2

20 of 33 Comments Recent Comments

wakka9ca said:

Tomah said:
It's amusing how people turn every possible thread, no matter how minimal related, into a "discussion" which boils down to hating and trolling. I sort of feel sorry for the News Team when people don't even care to actually read the news.

Although one possible explanation that this tourism didn't work is that the series turned out to be very average.

I haven't seen the show yet, so this is a perhaps a somewhat unbiased perspective: commercially the series is far from average. It doesn't mater if this was a critical favorite or not, it was relatively popular (at least among english-speaking otaku). Any series that falls into the "why haven't you seen this?" category is a pretty good, especially if it goes from across the ocean.

Sep 18, 2012 12:10 AM by Seabury

Now if this were true investigative journalism, someone would find out just what Kamogawa City paid to the producers (or provided as an incentive) to be featured as a location in the anime. Increasingly, product placement fees are seen as just another revenue stream by the producers of all types of entertainment.

(And did you ever wonder just what type of editorial influence large military organizations receive in return for the lending of equipment, soldiers, and locations in some of those recruitment films (oops I mean action movies).

Mar 11, 2012 3:58 PM by rodac

Interesting, I've watched this before.

Mar 8, 2012 1:47 AM by tsubasalover

Neverarine said:
hope this doesnt affect the show... ive become rather attached to it :/

It won't.

Mar 7, 2012 7:48 PM by Hoppy

hope this doesnt affect the show... ive become rather attached to it :/

Mar 7, 2012 6:21 PM by Neverarine

wakka9ca said:

Although one possible explanation that this tourism didn't work is that the series turned out to be very average.

That's really not the problem here, at least not right now. The fans, city and director are all unhappy about turning Rinne no Lagrange into a giant promotional show. It's not that the city is bad, or even the show itself, but the overbearing strategy.

Mar 7, 2012 5:39 PM by Tomah

dtshyk said:
"Don't fool otaku"

Pretty much sums this up.

Heed the words of the wise, and your marketing strategies won't turn to crap.

Mar 7, 2012 5:20 PM by Forest-kun

Although one possible explanation that this tourism didn't work is that the series turned out to be very average.

Mar 7, 2012 4:31 PM by wakka9ca

It's amusing how people turn every possible thread, no matter how minimal related, into a "discussion" which boils down to hating and trolling. I sort of feel sorry for the News Team when people don't even care to actually read the news.

Ok, a bit more on-topic: executive meddling hits again! The fans don't like it, the director doesn't like it, the city itself doesn't like it. Nice strategy there, guys.

Mar 7, 2012 4:24 PM by Tomah

i just couldnt realy get into that anime :T

Mar 7, 2012 4:14 PM by Avato-chan

And another one bites the dust :v

Mar 7, 2012 2:39 PM by Pizzaholic

they're supposed to attract otaku with ESTABLISHED anime, as in it's gained fame and cult following after a period of fandom that does not/has not expire(d).

waht the heck is this renne thing? i've only seen the cover art, i have yet to see the show

PR did it backwards this time with this anime and this city, trying to make the anime popular first by attracting tourism

it doesn't work that way

Mar 7, 2012 2:30 PM by Just_Augos

Retro8bit said:

icantfeelmyarms said:
I believe the true question is:

Who cares?

Exactly! Some people take this stuff too seriously.

Otaku care. Because they are Otaku.

Mar 7, 2012 2:03 PM by antibiotictab

antibiotictab said:
Otaku tend to hate to be forced.

was what I expected the reason is.

Mar 7, 2012 1:47 PM by Obinderu

This is embarassing in more ways than one.

Mar 7, 2012 1:35 PM by grandy_UiD

Smigoo said:
So they're mad they're getting alot of tourism?

Probably, though I'm not sure myself.

Mar 7, 2012 1:16 PM by SilentTruth

What would the production group gain from an otaku tourism-oriented anime?

It don't think it's the tourist that really matters, it's that people can relate to it.

Mar 7, 2012 1:05 PM by Shih

Otaku tend to hate to be forced. In case of Rinne no Lagrange, the creators emphasize Kamogawa, but they never explain why the incidents occur in Kamogawa; no fatality. Just force the viewers to watch the appeal of Kamogawa itself, it seems.
You know Sacred Seven. That also tied up with the local district; Kamakura. In this case, Onigawara has anything to do with an ancient building, and the story itself comes from something historical and mysterious in the 900-years-old city. There is a background in Sacred Seven. But in Rinne no Lagrange, I cannot find it out.
I hope the fatality in Kamogawa will appear, and make the viewer satisfy of the reason why in Kamogawa in Rinne no Lagrange.

Mar 7, 2012 1:01 PM by antibiotictab

wjxxhulka66n6 said:

Would you want a bunch of nerds shitting up your city? I think this is what they don't want.

Pretty much this.
Japanese have a lot of pride. They don't want to be viewed as the nerd stain on the world.

Mar 7, 2012 12:50 PM by Lohvo

icantfeelmyarms said:
I believe the true question is:

Who cares?

Exactly! Some people take this stuff too seriously.

Mar 7, 2012 12:26 PM by Retro8bit

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