How did the Kickstarter for this animated classic get stuck in limbo?

Key Takeaways

• The popular Dirty pair animation has successfully received crowdfunding. A problem arose during the production phase.
• The Kickstarter reached $731,406. Many sponsors left without compensation.
• There was a possibility that the project could be canceled due to the company merger. Sony's acquisition created complications.

While Kickstarter may be a great way to raise money for projects with shaky profitability prospects, there's no denying that contributing to such a project is a gamble. This is because while Kickstarter makes reasonable efforts to protect against scammers, rewards are ultimately not guaranteed and delivery of a completed project may not match what was originally promised.

What happens if the project is successful but nothing comes out of it? This is the situation anime fans faced with a Kickstarter project for a classic anime that was supposed to be delivered two years ago.

What is it dirty pair?

dirty pair It is a popular Japanese science fiction animation and light novel series created by Haruka Takachiho. It was first introduced in the light novel series in 1979. The series is set in a futuristic universe and follows the adventures of two female protagonists who work as problem counselors for the World Welfare Work Association (WWWA), often referred to as “3WA”. ” The novel was first adapted into an animated television series in 1985, followed by OVA episodes, movies, and other adaptations. It is noted for its blend of humor and action, and its strong and quirky female lead. dirty pair Ultimately, it proved to be highly influential in the world of animation, and since the inclusion of the buddy cop mechanic, the animated series still borrows heavily from the mechanic from which it was first introduced. dirty pair.

How popular was it?

The series was successful enough to be adapted several times in Japan, but its true success came in the United States. Of course, that didn't work. Dragon Ball Z or pokemon Although it posted sub-par numbers, it sold consistently on VHS and was one of Blockbuster's most rented titles in the international section. It was one of the first American titles that helped establish animation as a legitimate art form in the United States, thus making it more popular because of how the franchise helped to legitimize animation as an art form in the United States.

Kickstarter Campaign

On October 1, 2021, Noami Entertainment (a division of Right Stuf International) launched a Kickstarter project. dirty pair We are back in the US market again. Moreover, although some OVAs and movies have been dubbed in English, the series as a whole has not been dubbed in English. Noami wanted to change that, but being a small studio, they weren't sure if the rewards were worth the costs. So they did something that was very familiar from the past. It was just a kickstart. If your project is successful, you can dub your show using a guaranteed set of funds. Even if it fails, the series will likely still be released rather than new dubbed material.

Was it successful?

None of this is unusual for smaller animation companies that typically have to shell out big bucks to acquire licenses compared to competitors like Crunchyroll and Viz Media (who also have deeper pockets). Promised rewards included signed discs from the voice actors, exclusive shirts, and a BluRay of the show itself. Noami asked for $275,000 to cover costs associated with the project and ultimately brought in $731,406, enough to pay for the project. With the money raised, Noami began providing updates on reward status, release windows, and even announced that the audio material was complete. Everything was going well…until it wasn't.

What's wrong?

The last update on the Kickstarter page was on May 30, 2024, announcing the completion of the dubbing. Considering the frequency of updates up to that point, it was safe to assume that everything was running smoothly in the background. The problem was that things did not go smoothly. In fact, that was the last we heard about the project for several months. There will be no more updates to disk compression, people will not receive compensation, and the project will be at a dead end. One of the things that made the situation even more frustrating was that Noami had a new parent company called Crunchyroll. This is because Sony acquired Right Stuf International in August 2022. It took a while for the deal to close, but when it did, Noami would have Sony as its parent company, and Sony would bring the project to the finish line.

However, whenever there is a merger or a company acquires another company, there is some upheaval. This typically results in layoffs, reorganizations, and sometimes key personnel leaving the project. AnimEigo CEO Justin Sevakis was not only a contributor to the Kickstarter project, but also maintained a friendly relationship with those working on the project. He did some research and revealed his results to everyone at X.

This wasn't the answer fans were hoping for. What made things even worse was that Sony was so big that it consumed not one but two large animation companies (Funimation and Right Stuf International), so employees working on smaller projects like this get laid off and projects fall through the cracks. What happens to the more than $700,000 raised if the project is canceled? Fans have been emailing Crunchyroll to spread the word about the project and even tweeting at every X post to get the company's attention. It looks like this news reached someone at the company, as Kickstarter received a long overdue update on August 29, 2024.

Thank you for your patience as we bring you news of the production of a dubbed version of the 1985 classic series. Thank you to all the crew and voices who contributed to this project. Of course, we would like to thank everyone who has pledged to contribute.

The series is still in post-production, and like many productions, there are occasional delays.

You should receive updates for Dirty pair every 2-4 weeks until release. We hope that the new flow and frequency of communication will help alleviate your concerns. Please know that we are fully committed to this work, especially considering our passionate fan base who are eagerly awaiting its release.

As part of your pledge to Kickstarter, we will begin shipping available portions of your backer rewards starting September 3rd as the series prepares for post-production, editing, and shipping.

Stay tuned to this space for further (and regular) updates soon.

This was the most corporate response fans could get, but at least it was a sign that someone was taking notice and things could get back to normal. How long fans will have to wait for the BluRay is still up in the air, but at least it's all back on the radar. This means Sony won't walk away with fans' money without offering something in return.