Nippon TV faced a lot of criticism for the way it handled the live-action adaptation of Sexy Tanaka-sanmainly for neglecting the original author Hinako Ashihara in the production process.

Ashihara’s suicide should have been a major wake-up call for Nippon to change the way it handled things internally. However, similar problems have cropped up again – this time related to the drama adaptation of ACMA: GAME.

The co-creator of ACMA: GAME recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the drama adaptation produced by Nippon Television, due to unapproved script changes.

Following the broadcast of episode 7 on May 19, 2024, Meeb took to his X account to express his concern, highlighting numerous inconsistencies and unexplained elements that deviated from his original work.

Meeb's criticisms centered on what appears to be a significant departure from the story established in the manga. He questioned the purpose of the central tournament, the characters' motivations, and even the basic rules of the game itself.

Additionally, the episode recorded the show's lowest ratings to date.

“Hmm… there are a lot of unclear and ambiguous elements, and I couldn’t enjoy episode 7… What is the purpose of this tournament? What happens if you win? What happens if you lose? Since these points are unclear, I don’t know how to feel about watching the games. Even though it’s a matter of life and death, everyone who lost in the first round acts like it’s no big deal. What is everyone thinking?“

Meeb also highlighted inconsistencies with the manga's established lore. He pointed out how characters inexplicably gain abilities they should not have and how crucial plot points were left unexplained.

“This time they didn't even say what was at stake in the game... I was watching in a state of 'huh?' because I didn't know what would happen if they won or lost... Date and Saito just met and have no trust between them, but it was supposed to be a team battle where Date would have to give up his life to help Saito. That's weird. Also, why would Date be able to use the devil's power? He lost the devil's key to Saito in the first round, right? In the drama version, shouldn't the ability be granted when you use the devil's key yourself?“

The mangaka expressed his disappointment with how the adaptation introduced contradictions, stating: “I don't mind changing the setting of the manga, but I feel like it's causing contradictions, and these contradictions are even making it impossible to understand the characters' feelings.“.

Meeb's posts raised questions about Nippon TV's production process and its apparent lack of consultation with the original author.

Fans expressed concerns online, questioning the network's lack of communication with the original creators.

In response to Sexy Tanaka-san Debacle, Nippon TV established a special internal investigation team independent of the drama production department in February, pledging to create a system where all original authors, scriptwriters and producers can feel more secure in their work.

Despite these assurances, Maebu’s recent experience suggests that these measures have not yet been fully implemented.

Source: X