Matsu Tomohiro: Worried About the Current Light Novel Trend

Online magazine, Business Media Makoto released a report on a symposium Expanding Contents held on November 21st. At the symposium, Matsu Tomohiro, the author of Mayoi Neko Overrun! novel and the series composer of Queen's Blade anime, lectured about the problems of the current anime industry.

1. High speed consumption of light novels

Due to the increase in the number of anime aired late at night, light novels get anime adaptations soon after they acquire certain level of popularity. Anime producers prefer light novels to manga because even a single volume of novel provide sufficient amount of story and characters to produce an anime.  The Light novel industry is under pressure to supply large amount of works enough to maintain the programming blocks of the TV.

2. Low quality anime can terminate the original novel/manga

Light novel authors feel happy about the increased opportunity to have their work animated, but that's double-edged sword. Authors can gain money and popularity if the anime is successful, but failed anime adaptations deject them and could lead to the termination of the novel/manga. Even if the anime brings about a rise in the popularity, a short-term boom will also shorten the lifetime of the work. The worst thing is that the authors are often blamed for the failure of the anime. It's really hard to start a new series following an anime because of the pressure and anxiety.

3. Reproduction in reduced quality

The business model of novel/manga-derived anime relies on the expectation that some percentage of the novel/manga readers will purchase the DVD/Blu-ray of the anime. If we too much care about the core fans of the original works, the resultant anime will be a reduced reproduction. On the other hand, some young novel authors are affected by the anime because they are aware of possible anime adaptation. It could result in another reduced reproduction. Anime producers have to adapt novel and manga in a style suitable to anime and establish a reciprocal relationship with the original authors.

Source: MyAnimeList

Based on the points mentioned by Matsu Tomohiro, I kinda agree with the guy. I mean, considering the amount of light novel adaptations that increased in the past few years, he has every right to get worried regarding the industry considering that some light novel adaptations works felt a little lacking in some various points.