Wao World Produces Original Anime For Elderly Audience

by dtshyk
Dec 9, 2010 1:31 AM | 35 Comments

Think Corporation and Wao World have announced original anime movie & TV series "Showa Monogatari". The movie will be premiered on January 29th and the TV series will start next April. The target audience are elderly people in their sixties or older.

Showa Monogatari official website

In order to overcome the stagnation of the anime industry due to the declining birthrate and the isolation of the core-fan-oriented titles, the producers took four and a half years to create a slow-paced and easy-to-watch animation. It's a human drama taking place in Tokyo in 1964.

Staff
Director of the movie: Murakami Masahiro ("8-gatsu no Symphony: Shibuya 2002-2003")
Director of the TV series: Kugimiya Hiroshi ("Sugar Bunnies")
Character Design & Animation Director: Yanagino Tatsuo ("First Kiss Monogatari")
Production Studio: Wao World

Cast
Matsumoto Yasunori
Fukuen Misato
Takagi Wataru
Tsukada Masaaki
Yoshino Hiroyuki
Kyouda Hisako
Tamagawa Sakiko
Aoki Makoto

Source: Think Corp.

20 of 35 Comments Recent Comments

Higashi_no_Kaze said:
Anyone knows if Hadena is at least planning to continue subbing it? Or any other group? Such a shame, I was really looking forward to this.

Seems like Gotwoot picked it up. So much win!
When they finished subbing I'll definitely watch this, looking very much forward to it!

Apr 20, 2012 12:24 PM by Pullman

lisnoire said:
The '60 were a pivotal time all around the world. I am very interested to view it from the Japanese stand point. It wasn't exactly "post war" but things marked "Made in Japan" didn't denote the excellence but carried the same stigma "Made in China" does today.

And just who decided the demographic was "elderly"? Older adult, yes. Elderly, no. Had to make it slow so the old folks could keep up, huh? What they are really talking about is slice-of-life without all the silly school kid stuff. While you are looking down your noses at the slow old fogies they are shaking their heads at your inability to appreciate some of the deeper, darker, more complex series.

I look forward to more sophisticated, realistic offerings. But don't worry. It will hardly replace the stuff you have gotten accustomed to.

Couldn´t agree more.

Apr 20, 2012 11:36 AM by Comandante

Smochi said:
This looks like exactly the sort of anime I enjoy.
I'm 18.

I feel really old now, OTL

Lol, I'm 16 and I think I'll be watching this. :D

Feb 15, 2012 10:27 PM by NlSHlKlN0

Anyone knows if Hadena is at least planning to continue subbing it? Or any other group? Such a shame, I was really looking forward to this.

Feb 14, 2012 8:59 PM by Pullman

The '60 were a pivotal time all around the world. I am very interested to view it from the Japanese stand point. It wasn't exactly "post war" but things marked "Made in Japan" didn't denote the excellence but carried the same stigma "Made in China" does today.

And just who decided the demographic was "elderly"? Older adult, yes. Elderly, no. Had to make it slow so the old folks could keep up, huh? What they are really talking about is slice-of-life without all the silly school kid stuff. While you are looking down your noses at the slow old fogies they are shaking their heads at your inability to appreciate some of the deeper, darker, more complex series.

I look forward to more sophisticated, realistic offerings. But don't worry. It will hardly replace the stuff you have gotten accustomed to.

Jul 7, 2011 9:53 PM by lisnoire

so..is the movie a sequel or prequel?

Feb 5, 2011 6:26 PM by koreye

This looks awesome.
I could use some historical drama on my list.

Jan 31, 2011 8:03 PM by Culex

Hias said:
Just because it's aimed at an elderly audience shouldn't stop anyone from checking it out. If anything, this will probably just the kind of show we need to start seeing more often.

No more "WACKY HIGHSCHOOL ROM-COM BASED OFF THE HIT VISUAL NOVEL" crap, please.

indeed. 90% of VN rom-com adaptions are shit. i may check this out for freshness sake.

Jan 19, 2011 10:44 AM by Count-Chocula

Just because it's aimed at an elderly audience shouldn't stop anyone from checking it out. If anything, this will probably be just the kind of show we need to start seeing more often.

No more "WACKY HIGHSCHOOL ROM-COM BASED OFF THE HIT VISUAL NOVEL" crap, please.

Jan 19, 2011 10:36 AM by Hias

I'm not even 30 yet and the post war story is not to my taste (stories with that premise may become a tearjerker or worse depressing really quickly due to possible flashbacks from characters), but I'll still watch it since the creators actually took the time to make this.

Dec 20, 2010 1:27 PM by Hoppy

Don't like the premise of the "human drama taking place in Tokyo in 1964" but will check it out nonetheless. As far as I understand the creators took their time for making a worthy anime.
The actors are great: Matsumoto, Yasunori (Darker than Black - Kurasawa, Gai, Fullmetal Alchemist - Havoc, Jean), Takagi, Wataru (Tobi - Naruto, Great Teacher Onizuka), Tsukada, Masaaki - let’s hope that in this anime he will be as fit as Yamamoto... and maybe together with Kyouda, Hisako as Kaede (InuYasha) they will kick some asses from 60's (in slow motion :)
It also seems that it would be a meeting place for the cast of Darker than Black, 3 Seiyuus were part of it (Yin, Gai and Sakurai, Kenji), and both new and old Fullmetal Alchemist (Havoc, Elicia Hughes, Grumman and Kimblee).
It’s always interesting to see some new approach so I’m really happy to hear this news. Will be waiting!

Dec 20, 2010 12:30 PM by tatacolt

Is there some kind of differences between the kind of shows the elderly in Japan vs. America enjoy?

Because my grandma liked Higurashi and Darker Than Black when she watched them with me :I

Either way, I think I'll be watching this~ |D

Dec 11, 2010 3:57 PM by SoneAnna

1964...mm, post-war/family drama?

Yasunori and Takagi *_*

Dec 9, 2010 1:42 PM by shakeyourpup45

this could be interesting... its something thats not made for perveted-idoited-minded-teen-freaks...

Dec 9, 2010 10:49 AM by Neverarine

Age/gender demographics never are a deciding factor when I decide to watch an anime. Looks like a good amount of effort was actually put into this one, so I'll give it a try, it looks interesting for sure.

>20 year old

Dec 9, 2010 10:47 AM by Sartaj

This is interesting, I'll take a look at this :)

Dec 9, 2010 7:20 AM by Pullman

Hmm, need to check this out. It sounds really promising without the usual anime cliche.

As far as you know, it could have to potential to be a masterpiece.

Dec 9, 2010 6:44 AM by wakka9ca

This looks like exactly the sort of anime I enjoy.
I'm 18.

I feel really old now, OTL

Dec 9, 2010 6:31 AM by Smochi

And here's another anime I'll never touch. Ever.

Dec 9, 2010 6:24 AM by SurferDude

I wonder if their target audience will end up liking it.

Dec 9, 2010 5:29 AM by AlexSadist-sama

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