In April, a wave of new anime began airing on television, including The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009, Sword Art Online, K-On!, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Saki, and Eden of the East.
Among these, the most highly anticipated before its premiere was The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009. After all, the 2006 version had been a massive hit, sparking a boom in light novel adaptations. Fans had been eagerly awaiting a second season ever since, but it never materialized.
Now that Haruhi was finally returning, its fans were so excited they were practically howling with joy.
Following Haruhi 2009, the next most anticipated was Sword Art Online.
The original Sword Art Online light novel had been serialized online. Lin Zhiyan, in his quest to acquire the anime adaptation rights, had promised Reki Kawahara that he would help him publish the series.
In 2008, Kadokawa published the work, and it quickly became a sensation, amassing a massive fanbase. Moreover, since L.S Produ was producing the animation, and L.S itself had a large following, expectations were naturally sky-high.
After Sword Art Online, the next most anticipated was Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
The 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist garnered a massive fanbase, and Bones' works are generally of high quality. Unfortunately, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood isn't a second season or a sequel to the original FMA; it's an "original ending version."
The original FMA animation was produced while the manga was still ongoing. When the animation production team finished adapting all the released manga chapters, they ran out of material and were forced to create their own original story for the remaining part, culminating in an original ending.
This situation is somewhat similar to Inuyasha. The anime progressed too quickly, outpacing the manga's progress. As a result, the animation production team had to create original content. However, unlike FMA, the Inuyasha anime didn't have an original ending. Instead, it paused for a long time before resuming in October 2009 with a concluding arc.
Given that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood wasn't a sequel but an "original ending version" and was released five or six years after the original, its pre-premiere hype naturally couldn't compare to Haruhi 2009 and Sword Art Online. This was unavoidable.
In fact, the fact that it still garnered such massive anticipation from the audience is a testament to the animation's enduring power.
After Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the most anticipated series were Saki, K-On!, and Eden of the East.
Saki was adapted from a popular manga. Eden of the East was the new work by Kenji Kamiyama, the director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and as an original animation airing on Fuji Television's noitaminA slot, it also generated considerable anticipation before its premiere.
As for K-On!, its primary appeal stemmed from its production by L.S Produ and the involvement of Lin Zhiyan as Assistant Director, Character Designer, Chief Animation Director, and Music Director. Takagi Makoto, the script supervisor, was also relatively well-known.
If one were to ignore the names "Lin Zhiyan" and "Takagi Makoto" and the animation company, few would have likely anticipated K-On!.
Before their premiere, the level of anticipation for these anime was as follows:
However, as the series began to air, their popularity diverged significantly.
Despite initial skepticism, K-On! emerged as a dark horse, its popularity snowballing with each episode. Within just a few episodes, it surpassed Eden of the East, Saki, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and gradually began to rival even Sword Art Online and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009.
By the time it reached the halfway point, this animation had become the most popular of the April New Anime season, leaving many industry professionals stunned.
Viewers expressed their affection for the show while also marveling:
"I never would have guessed—the biggest winner of the April season would turn out to be K-On!."
"It's moe, but I love it. Just watching it feels so healing."
"The songs are great too, with a really unique style. And the ED is amazing—it's like an art music video."
"Director Yamada is truly impressive. No wonder LSP went out of their way to poach her from Kyoto Animation. They struck gold."
"I used to think LSP was going to sacrifice this show, but that's clearly not the case. I was wondering why Old Thief Lin was simultaneously serving as Assistant Director, Character Designer, Chief Animation Director, and Music Director—even Sword Art Online didn't get this level of treatment. It seems this animation was LSP's top priority from the start."
The plot of K-On! isn't particularly complex. The most memorable scenes are essentially just tea, tea, and more tea, along with the iconic "Blue and White Bowl" moment.
However, the animation's music style is unique, and its characters are all distinct and memorable.
Of course, the most crucial factor is how K-On! perfectly embodies the concept of "moe" (cuteness).
The daily lives of the soft and adorable girls in the light music club are incredibly healing for viewers. This is especially true for those who initially followed the series because of Lin Zhiyan's name. These fans had been "poisoned" by his previous, often depressing, works, and watching K-On! felt like finding a cure.
As a result, these fans couldn't help but rave about the animation.
While K-On! exploded in popularity, the half-year series Sword Art Online remained steadily popular.
On the surface, Lin Zhiyan only served as the chief producer for Sword Art Online. In reality, the scriptwriter was "Takagi Makoto," which is essentially another identity for Lin Zhiyan.
By copying the original version from another timeline and toning down the perverted tentacle monster scenes that cause both physiological and visual discomfort, the series was practically guaranteed to succeed.
With L.S Produ's formidable production capabilities, there was little to worry about.
While surpassing The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009 in popularity might be difficult, the gap wouldn't be too wide, allowing them to maintain their position as the third most popular series.
L.S Produ, an animation company founded in 2000, focused on original animations for many years.
Lin Zhiyan was the company's primary pillar, later joined by Mamoru Hosoda and Imaishi Hiroyuki, forming a triumvirate. Although Lin Zhiyan's works were consistently hits, Hosoda's animations frequently won awards, and Imaishi Hiroyuki's had a dedicated fanbase, the company's reputation and success remained largely tied to Lin Zhiyan.
Now, L.S Produ continues to push boundaries in the original animation realm while achieving increasing success with adaptations, gradually shedding its "Lin Zhiyan's company" label.
In the April-June 2009 quarter, they released two blockbuster animations without Lin Zhiyan as Supervising Director, further fueling the perception of L.S Produ's rapid rise.
From personal success to corporate triumph, Lin Zhiyan's career had taken another significant step forward.
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