On television, the anime "Shirobako" continues to air at a pace of one episode per week.
Although there are no explosive developments, and it mostly depicts common phenomena in the animation industry and the mundane daily life of animation production, it is still deeply loved by a wide audience.
On the internet, one viewer after another has posted positive reviews of this anime:
"Watching 'Shirobako', I've learned quite a bit about animation production. Although I might not use this knowledge in the future, it satisfies my curiosity, and the anime itself is quite good. If you're interested in animation production, I highly recommend this anime."
"Even Hideaki Anno was invited for a cameo; this network of connections is simply invincible... I wonder if Hayao Miyazaki will appear later on. I'd love to see a Hayao Miyazaki cameo."
"I hadn't noticed before, but it turns out that scene of the galloping horses in episode 12 was drawn by Old Thief Lin himself. Too amazing, truly worthy of being the industry's strongest genius key animator."
"I really love the anime 'Shirobako'. Girls working hard are the best."
"I had a dream when I was very young, but I long ago threw it away. Watching 'Shirobako' made me pick it up again. I sincerely hope that the dream of the female leads to create an anime together will eventually come true."
"I like the emotionally intelligent and inspiring female lead, I like the reliable senior Yano, I like the cute and slightly fragile Ema, and my heart aches for the voice actor rookie Shizuka, who hits roadblocks at every turn... Every character in the anime feels like they truly exist. This is probably why 'Shirobako' is my favorite anime."
"A truly excellent anime doesn't need any weird gimmicks, flashy battle scenes, or explosive plot twists. 'Shirobako' is exactly that kind of anime—it has none of those things, yet it is still excellent."
"I hadn't noticed before, but that scene with the stampeding horses in episode 12 was actually drawn by Lin himself. It's amazing; he truly lives up to his reputation as the industry's greatest genius key animator."
Since it's a workplace-themed series, it naturally doesn't have flashy battle scenes or explosive plot twists. 'Shirobako' indeed lacks any strange gimmicks. If you ask why this anime is so popular, well...
Since it's a workplace-themed show, naturally, there are no flashy battle scenes or explosive developments. The anime Shirobako indeed lacks any strange gimmicks. If one were to pinpoint the reason for this anime's popularity, it is partly because it depicts an animation industry that is half-realistic and half-idealized, and partly due to its character development.
Aoi Miyamori, Erika Yano, Ema Yasuhara, Shizuka Sakaki—besides them, there's also the unreliable Taro Takanashi, Production Manager Yutaka Honda who loves to shout "everything's finished," Supervising Director Seiichi Kinoshita who got tricked into being locked in a dark room because he couldn't finish the storyboards, and President Masato Marukawa who likes to cook for his employees...
There are many characters who appear, but there are also many who are memorable, even deeply impressive.
With so many characters, each with their own unique traits, coming together—some harboring dreams, others there for different reasons—and working hard together to produce an anime, it creates a wonderful feeling. Naturally, it's no surprise that so many viewers love it.
The anime started airing in October of '10 as a half-year series. It hadn't even finished airing by January of '11, while the first volume of the anime's BD and DVD had actually been released earlier.
Since he had never bought the original BDs of "Shirobako" from the other timeline, Lin Zhiyan didn't know how much they cost or what came with them. However, his version of the BDs and DVDs included quite a few bonuses, including a setting collection, promotional posters personally drawn by Lin Zhiyan, and a two-minute original short animation.
Additionally, there was a special edition BD: a version with commentary by Lin Zhiyan or L.S Produ staff. Based on the standard edition, it added an extra audio track that explained some of the professional terminology while also sharing interesting anecdotes from inside L.S.
The price of the special edition BD was relatively higher, but not by much; it was only slightly higher than the price of a standard BD for other animations.
In other words, the BDs and DVDs of Lin Zhiyan's "Shirobako" were priced significantly lower than other animations.
However, this wasn't done with "small profits but quick turnover" in mind. The animation project was created specifically to celebrate L.S Produ's tenth anniversary. Its primary goal wasn't to make money, so there was no need to aim for maximum profit.
Not only was the price set quite low, but Lin Zhiyan also specially commissioned the design of a very cool L.S Produ tenth-anniversary fan commemorative badge, which was given as a gift to anyone who pre-ordered the complete set of "Shirobako" BDs or DVDs.
Then, perhaps because he gave so much, or perhaps because Lin Zhiyan has a massive core fanbase, the first-week sales for the first volume of the anime came out to a staggering 28,923 copies—about 10,000 copies higher than the cumulative average sales of the original Shirobako in the other timeline.
This sales figure also easily surpassed any other October anime, making Shirobako the top-selling anime of the October season.
With these first-week sales, if it continues to sell well, and perhaps a later edition is released in a couple of years, it might even break through the "wall of masterpieces."
Regardless, Lin Zhiyan was quite satisfied with these sales figures.
There probably won't be any other workplace-themed anime with higher sales in the future.
Compared to Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, these definitely aren't huge numbers, but they won't make anyone feel like Lin Zhiyan has fallen from his pedestal.
It's still very respectable.
In January, Lin Zhiyan continued to be busy with the production of the remaining Shirobako content, but since there wasn't much left, it was much more relaxed than the previous two months.
He had more time to spend with his family or keep an eye on the animation industry.
His own company didn't have any anime starting in January; after all, the two anime that began in October hadn't finished airing yet, and there was a major earthquake destined to hit in March, so any new shows would have to wait until April.
Other animation companies have quite a few shows starting in January.
Most of them are the same as the anime that aired in January 2011 in the other timeline, but one show comes as a bit of a surprise to Lin Zhiyan: Fuji TV's noitaminA block new series, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0.
There was indeed such an anime in the other timeline, but it aired in July 2009. The anime featured a fictional magnitude 8.0 earthquake, told from the perspective of Mirai Onozawa, a slightly rebellious first-year middle school girl, and recounted the arduous journey home she took with her younger brother, Yuuki Onozawa, before, during, and after the earthquake.
An anime from July 2009 now airing in January 2011—this was undoubtedly due to Lin Zhiyan's influence.
He reckoned it was because after Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, L.S Produ had two more anime, Psycho-Pass and Your Lie in April, air on Fuji TV's noitaminA block. In particular, Psycho-Pass happened to air in July 2009, taking the slot originally meant for Tokyo Magnitude 8.0.
Then, for some unknown reason, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 was pushed to air in January 2011.
Broadcasting this anime this season...
Whenever Lin Zhiyan thought about that major earthquake in March, he had a feeling that this disaster-prophesying anime was going to blow up.
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