RE: Shirobako – On Cynical Optimism
You mentioned the transition period where one is bestowed with more responsibility, but this was poorly done in Miyamori's case. At first she is overwhelmed, like most people are upon getting a new job, but come the second cour, where she is bestowed more responsibility after finally getting the hang of her job, she barely struggles at the harder and more demanding job.
I'd disagree that Tarou is meant to be hated, but he is meant to frustrate the viewers. This isn't exactly well done either because the majority of anime viewers are teenagers and young adults who probably haven't worked all that much. The frustration with Tarou isn't as obvious to someone who doesn't have much experience in the workplace, which is part of a larger problem with the show.
There's little reason to connect with most of the characters for the audience. If we take into account the large number of teenagers watching, that's a group that will have trouble understanding the show in the way it was intended to be understood. Then, if we add in the people who can't connect easily to characters without much to them, we're restricted to Miyamori and maybe a few others that the audience will easily connect to. I find it an odd choice to aim a show about working to working age people because it doesn't make a lot of sense to sell a show about stress, deadlines, and frustrating tasks that need to be done to people who experience that on a day-to-day basis.
I don't see Shirobako as an excellent show, but as a show that does its job and finishes. It does display how an anime studio might function and how the workplace usually plays out, but there's inconsistent entertainment value depending on the demographic watching.
Thanks for the reply!
I'm not sure I agree. First of all, Miyamori's difficulties come from lack of belief in her own capabilities and knowledge, more than lack of skill and talent to do what she needs to do. The "get more responsibilities" is something we're scared of, but not necessary something we're not ready for.
And about the second cour, I'd just recommend thinking of it as a second season, and the reason they did that was so the show could move from Miyamori's personal issues to the larger picture of her surrounding. The show outgrew that conflict, and a single cour was enough to cover it, I'd say. And she still struggles, but now she struggles with dealing with the work situation around her and the issues of those she works with. Also fitting for someone in a mid-management role.
I think our disagreement here is semantic, rather than substantial. I also think most teenagers can sympathize with how frustrating dealing with someone like Tarou is - even in school, we have to hand in group projects, or groan at someone who holds up the class with all their dumb ideas.
And it's possible that teenagers won't get as much out of the show as adults, and that's fine. Not all shows have to be for everyone to the same degree, and in the same ways.
Again, not all shows are made for all people. There's a reason shows about adults are so rare in anime. But a show about the transition to adulthood probably has more of an audience. And not all shows make an economic sense, but I'm still glad some of them are made.
And yet, the show sold well enough, so your judgment of the situation is probably missing something.
I think we're not going to agree on what the show is trying to do, or its themes. "How an anime studio might function" is a far tertiary goal. "Entertainment" has many different meanings, but I think here the classical one is a good one, one which is less about "funny and light fun," and more about providing consideration to a topic.
I also find my thoughts on the characters and their interactions to be different from yours, and the show's success and how most people discuss it also seem to differ, I find.