Chapter 124 - 122

Words : 1001 Updated : Oct 6th, 2025

Haruki's post wasn't exactly cryptic, and it didn't take long for fans online to piece together what he meant. "Wait, is Mizushiro-sensei hinting that Anohana is going to wreck us emotionally?" "Tears? Like Rurouni Kenshin-level pain?" "God, no. I'm still recovering from that one." "Honestly? I'm here for it. I love bittersweet stories. Break my heart." "But from the trailer, it didn't seem that heavy. Just looked like kids dealing with old regrets. Could still end up being a comedy, who knows." — Haruki leaned back and exhaled. "Well, that's that." There wasn't much he could do about the anime production now. The only thing he could count on was the fanbase he'd built over the last year. And thankfully, that support had only grown stronger. What he was concerned about... was consistency. He wasn't expecting flawless animation or stunning visuals. But if the character models started falling apart mid-episode—faces shifting, body types mutating—it would ruin the emotional tone completely. Unfortunately, this kind of thing wasn't rare. In the rush of production, even major studios had blundered: characters aging decades in a single cut, hairstyles changing from frame to frame, outfits inexplicably shifting. Without the voice acting, some characters wouldn't even be recognizable. It was rarely about talent. Tight schedules, limited staff, and budget constraints broke more anime than anything else. — By the time Anohana's premiere week arrived, February was already halfway over. In Japan, most new anime air within the first two weeks of a season. This month, 22 shows were scheduled to debut—15 had already aired by the end of week one. Unsurprisingly, Oathbound – Part 2 launched strong. Building off the success of season one, it racked up over 4 million views across platforms like Stone Video and MarsPlay, and scored a solid 9.2 on Nexari. Some fans felt the first episode was a little underwhelming, but most were willing to let the story build. The real surprise was Divine Sandbox, which nearly matched Oathbound's viewership and edged ahead on Nexari with a 9.3. A creative premise, polished visuals, and a killer soundtrack helped it stand out. Other early releases included Winter, Summer Grass, and The Three Sisters Next Door. Winter was praised across the board, landing a Nexari rating of 9.4. The other two struggled: Summer Grass and Three Sisters settled at 7.8 and 7.9, with criticism targeting weak writing and lackluster characters. Then there was the notorious flop: I Cling to My Sister's Thigh in Another World. The animation was so bad that some viewers joked the original illustrator could've done better using MS Paint. It looked more like a PowerPoint than an anime. With buzz fading, expectations for that series flatlined. — So why had Anohana held off until week two? It wasn't out of fear. Kazuya simply needed more time. Given the tight production window, even an extra week made a difference. The team had barely made it. Everyone was exhausted, but the first episode was done. Kazuya wasn't worried about the premiere itself. In anime production, the first episode is usually ready well in advance. What concerned him were the next few episodes. A strong start meant nothing if the follow-ups stumbled due to delays or rushed animation. Now, with the schedule locked in, all they could do was hope the series lived up to the expectations Mizushiro's name carried. — "Fifth place, huh..." Asami stared at the streaming rankings. Her series, The Three Sisters Next Door, had debuted solidly—but not spectacularly. Other authors had exploded in popularity after a successful adaptation. She'd hoped for the same. But that kind of breakout wasn't happening—not yet. Still, her focus was shifting. Anohana was next. Haruki's newest work. It had been quietly building momentum for weeks, and now it was time to see if it would land. If it did, she knew exactly how the press would spin it. Haruki had made headlines by publicly declaring he'd surpass Kiyoshi within a year or two. That kind of boldness didn't go unnoticed—especially in Tokyo, where editors, rival artists, and media outlets were all watching closely. If Anohana bombed, it would be immediate headline news. But if it succeeded? Then Kiyoshi's response would become the next story. Either way, people were watching. And some were just hoping for fireworks. — Wednesday night, second week of February. Across every major streaming platform, users logged in—fans of Mizushiro's manga, casual viewers drawn by the trailer, even skeptics curious about the hype. At exactly 8 p.m., Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day premiered. Haruki sat down with his assistants, Naoya and Kenta, and watched it live. The screen faded in. A dimly lit room. A disheveled young man sat alone, gaming. Veteran anime watchers knew immediately: this was the protagonist. From outside his window, faint voices—laughter, teasing. A boy and girl flirting in the evening light. The protagonist muttered under his breath, annoyed. Suddenly, the scene shifted. A barefoot girl in a white dress appeared behind him, standing silently in the dark. No door creak. No footsteps. Just... there. She was striking—silver-haired, wide-eyed—but the transition felt off. Many viewers frowned. Wait... when did she get in the room? There had been no audio cue, no camera movement suggesting someone had entered. Sure, the production had been under serious time pressure—just four months—but how hard was it to include a door sound? For a show built on emotion and subtlety, that kind of abrupt cut was jarring. [TL: Only releasing one chapter today. I'm rewriting the newer chapters to tone down the heavy Chinese-style elements, which is taking extra time.] Shout out to Arlath, T ting, amilson for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me. (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 50+ advanced chapters)

Chapter 124 - 122

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