Author regrets that Osamake became a meme

Shuichi Nimuraauthor of the popular light novel series “Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose“, recently shared his frustrations about how the anime adaptation of his work has negatively affected sales of the original series. In a lengthy message posted on his Twitter account, The author revealed that, despite the increase in visibility of the title due to the virality of some moments of the anime, sales of the light novel have fallen drasticallyparticularly after the series aired.

The “Osamake” anime, produced by the Doga Kobo studio, also known for its work on “Oshi no Ko”, debuted in Spring-2021 (April-June). Since the premiere of its first episode, the series was criticized for the low quality of its animation. However, it was a dance scene, in the third episode, that really caught the attention of fans and became a viral phenomenon. The clumsy and poorly executed animation of this scene caused viewers to begin creating parodies and even live versions, making the “Osamake Dance” a recurring meme on Japanese social networks. Although this virality gave the series unexpected visibility, the commercial impact was completely negative.

Nimura was clear in pointing out that although the anime generated a large number of memes and parodies, this had no positive effect on the sales of the light novel. «The figures for the first edition of the final volume are terrible», said the author. «They don’t even reach a tenth of what the first volume sold. A completely new novel would have better results». Although it is common for the sales of a light novel to decline after the anime adaptation, the case of Osamake was much more serious, and Nimura notes that this drop occurred right around the time that the anime began to garner criticism and attention for the poor quality of the animation.

According to Nimura, the light novel series was experiencing a steady increase in sales before the anime aired, with between two and three reprints monthly. However, that pattern collapsed after the adaptation’s release. «What happened was an extreme turn to the downside. Not only were reprints stopped, but sales plummeted completely. The drop in sales figures is so serious that if we compare the figures of the final volume with those of the first volume, the numbers are irreconcilable.», added the author.

One of Nimura’s most striking reflections was his comment on the virality of the “Osamake Dance” meme. Although this phenomenon gave massive visibility to the series, it had no impact on sales. «Dancing and other viral moments may be a fun spectacle, but they don’t help books sell», he explained. «The series was simply mocked, and sales did not increase in the slightest.». This fact highlights a common dilemma for anime adaptations: when the final product does not meet fans’ expectations, the global visibility generated by the series may not translate into commercial success, but rather a negative image of the original.

In his message, Nimura highlighted the importance for authors to ensure they carefully choose the teams behind their anime adaptations. Through his experience with Osamake, the author now recommends other creators not to compromise the quality of their work and to take their time to thoroughly research studios, directors and producers before allowing their work to be adapted. «It’s crucial to make sure the studio, director, and producer are committed to the quality of the adaptation, even if that means risking some friction along the way. You shouldn’t say ‘yes’ without thinking it through. It is important to find people you really trust and who are committed to the work.», he advised.

Nimura also reflected on the difficulty of correcting course after a failed adaptation. «An anime that spreads worldwide and becomes a failure has consequences that are very difficult to handle. In the case of Osamake, there is no way that the books or manga can fix the perception that has been created around the series. It is very difficult to regain the trust of fans once quality has been compromised.», noted the author.

Finally, Nimura urged other authors to be attentive to the lessons he has learned through his experience. «If any young writers are reading this and have the opportunity to bring their work to the screen, I hope what I’ve said helps. Don’t compromise what you have for a team that isn’t willing to put in the effort for quality.», he expressed. The final volume of “Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose” is scheduled to be released on February 7. Meanwhile, Nimura’s words resonate as a warning to other creators who may be considering the possibility of bringing their works to the animated medium.

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