Five years have passed since the tragic fire that rocked Kyoto Animationand the impact of the tragedy still resonates in the anime industry. Despite its legacy as one of Japan's most prestigious production companies, Some wonder whether Kyoto Animation has managed to maintain the level of excellence that characterized it in the past.. A recent article published by DAILY SHINCHO put the studio's evolution in the spotlight, sparking debate among fans about whether the company has changed in recent years.

During the 2000s, Kyoto Animation was responsible for a series of hits that marked an entire generation of anime fans. His ability to create 'divine anime' (i.e. with sublime animation quality) was widely recognized and many of his productions became references for visual quality. Fans aged between 30 and 40 remember that golden era with nostalgia.

However, according to the article, it seems that new generations of anime fans, especially those in their 10s and 20s, are not as familiar with Kyoto Animation's works. On the other hand, studios like MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen) and Ufotable (Kimetsu no Yaiba) have caught the attention of younger people, who associate the term “divine animation” with these companies and not with Kyoto Animation.

This change in perception became evident after the recent broadcast of the third season of “Hibike! Euphoniumone of Kyoto Animation's iconic titles. While the series has been generally well-received, with comments on social media, there have also been critical voices among longtime fans. Some mentioned that, although it's hard to say out loud, they noticed a decline in animation quality, which was an unexpected blow for those who have followed the studio for years.

With this article, comments from the community were quick to emerge:

• «They should keep creating only Nichijou forever».
• «It seems that Tokyo studios attract more talented girls and promising foreign animators.».
• «It's cruel to expect Kyoto Animation to return to its peak».
• «I wasn't as fond of Kyoto Animation in the early 2000s, when it was famous for animating smaller works well.».
• «I think even before the incident they weren't able to create anything impressive.».
• «They became famous in the 2000s for having good animation for nighttime series. Nowadays, any studio that doesn't have serious production problems can achieve this quality, so they lost this advantage.».
• «People don't care who makes the anime anymore, unless it's a studio with a very strong style, like Madhouse or Trigger.».
• «Suzumiya Haruhi and those series came out 15 years ago, so I'm not surprised you haven't seen them. Maybe you've seen Violet Evergarden».
• «KyoAni's boom lasted until the early 2010s, so it's only natural that it has changed.».

The debate over the evolution of Kyoto Animation and its place in the contemporary anime industry continues to be a hot topic. While the company has left an indelible mark on anime history, the question of whether it can continue to innovate and capture the imagination of new generations is up in the air.

Source: Otakomu