The chat group named "Paradise."
[Princess Kaguya]: Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is finished. It was so moving—the most touching animation I've ever seen.
[Sakurako]: I know! I cried so much.
[Edogawa Ryunosuke]: Such a sin! That Lin Zhiyan is truly wicked for making so many people cry.
[Headless Knight]: The main credit goes to Takagi Makoto's brilliant script, though Lin Zhiyan's skills as Supervising Director are undeniable.
[Sakurako]: @Sail Village, what kind of person is Takagi Makoto? I'm suddenly curious.
[Princess Kaguya]: Come to think of it, he might actually know. After all, he's the famous Minamisawa Juhachi.
[Sail Village]: You've got the wrong person! I'm not Minamisawa Juhachi!
[Sail Village]: If you want to know what kind of person Takagi Makoto is, I suggest asking @Tokyo Handsome Guy. I don't know, but he definitely does.
[Headless Knight]: Why would Tokyo Handsome Guy know?
[Sakurako]: He probably has deep connections with the higher-ups at L.S. But he's been really busy lately and hasn't chatted in a long time.
"Tokyo Handsome Guy" was, of course, still Lin Zhiyan's username.
He only saw the group messages later.
However, when he saw them, the group was still chatting and idling, so his first response was: "@Sakurako, information about Takagi Makoto is rarely known even within L.S. But if you're interested in transferring to L.S., I'm sure they wouldn't mind telling you."
[Princess Kaguya: @Tokyo Handsome Guy, you've asked Sakurako-chan to transfer more than once. Do you rate her that highly? Or are you just after her body? ]
[Tokyo Handsome Guy: Because I know her identity now. ]
[Edogawa Ryunosuke: Huh? What identity? ]
[Tokyo Handsome Guy: Can I say? @Sakurako ]
[Sakurako: (⊙_⊙) ]
As the conversation continued, Lin Zhiyan suddenly received a private message.
It was from the user "Sakurako": "What identity?"
"The director at Kyoto Animation is named Yamada," Lin Zhiyan replied.
"How did you know that?!"
"I just had to look at some of the experiences you mentioned in the group chat."
"Even if you know my background, it still doesn't make sense."
"I've watched every animation your company has produced, and I follow many of your artists and directors. The problem is, your staff are notoriously hard to poach."
"Of course. Many people join Kyoto Animation simply because it's close to home."
"You're one of them, I know. But I'm giving you an opportunity. I still recommend you come to Tokyo to develop your career. It could help you make the leap from Director to Supervising Director."
"You mean if I switch to L.S., I'll immediately become a Supervising Director? Seriously?"
"Absolutely. Here's what I'll do: I'll have L.S. send you an offer letter. Take your time to consider it. I hope you don't make a decision you'll regret later."
The director at Kyoto Animation named Yamada, of course, was Naoko Yamada.
In another timeline, she would have already taken over as the supervising director for the K-On! animation. When the anime aired in April 2009, she would have become a 24-year-old genius female director, drawing the attention of both the industry and the media.
Unfortunately, in this timeline, the original manga author of K-On! was chosen to draw the Puella Magi Madoka Magica manga. Although the main story and the new theatrical film's manga had long been completed and published, there was still the Demon Beast Arc, which was currently being serialized in a Houbunsha magazine at a rate of one chapter every two months.
Unless Lin Zhiyan commissioned her to draw it, it was unlikely that a K-On! four-panel manga would be produced in the short term. In that case, Naoko Yamada's timeline for becoming an Animation Director would likely be pushed back.
Lin Zhiyan still wanted to bring to life the animation that, in another timeline, was hailed as the "source of national strength."
That's why he wanted to invite Naoko Yamada to serve as the supervising director for L.S.Produ.
Of course, having Lin Zhiyan himself serve as Supervising Director wasn't impossible. However, K-On! was the first major hit in the moe anime genre. While it was immensely popular with audiences and achieved tremendous commercial success, its "moe for the sake of moe" nature drew considerable criticism from industry insiders.
This didn't mean moe anime could never be made again, but even if they were, he shouldn't be the one to lead the charge.
In short, while a K-On! project proposal was fine, having him personally supervise the animation felt somewhat inappropriate.
It would be better to recruit Naoko Yamada, who had served as Supervising Director in the original timeline. Moreover, Yamada's directorial skills were quite impressive. If they could poach her, she would become a major asset to L.S.Produ.
Having said his piece, Lin Zhiyan didn't reveal any further details.
If Yamada was willing to join, that would be ideal, but they wouldn't force her. They would simply find someone else.
As agreed, he had someone send Naoko Yamada an invitation to become Supervising Director at L.S.Produ. He then continued to busy himself with various other matters.
The eleven-episode run of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day had concluded, but that didn't mean the work was over.
There was still plenty to do with the Blu-ray release and the special concert.
Online, discussions about the animation continued to flourish.
Major animation publications didn't abandon the topic after the series ended. Instead, the deeply moving final episode prompted them to run special features like:
"Anohana Concludes! The Final Episode 'The Flower That Bloomed That Summer' Moves All of Neon to Tears!"
"The Main Character Ascends, and the Childhood Friends' Lingering Regrets Are Resolved! Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Becomes Lin Zhiyan's Latest Masterpiece After Death Note, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Gurren Lagann, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica."
"The Tearjerker Masterpiece Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Concludes, Becoming the Biggest Winner of April's Late-Night Animation Slot."
"The Final Episode Airs, Harvesting Countless Tears! Why Did Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Touch the Hearts of Millions?"
"Another Animation Deemed a Masterpiece, Yet Supervising Director Lin Zhiyan Is Branded Humanity's Ultimate Evil?"
While "Moving All of Japan" might be an exaggeration, it still reflects the profound impact of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.
It may not be the most tear-jerking anime in history, nor the highest-selling or most critically acclaimed. It might not even win major awards. However, among anime that purely focus on evoking tears, Anohana has reached the widest audience and moved the most people. In this regard, no other anime can compare.
Japanese media has always favored sensationalism, so it's no surprise that Anohana was hailed as "Moving All of Japan." In fact, this claim was widely accepted.
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