Disorder Reviews: The Cancellation of the Interspecies Reviewer Localization (2020)

[Martintox]

Martintox Presents: Disorder Reviews

Rating System

Spoiler: What Happened?

I have a new album and a new Disorder Reviews blog.

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THE CANCELLATION OF THE INTERSPECIES REVIEWER LOCALIZATION

Company involved in cancellation: Funimation Productions, LLC
Date of streaming premiere: 11th January 2020
Date of cancellation: 31st January 2020
Official cancellation reason: "After careful consideration, we determined that this series falls outside of our standards. We have the utmost respect for our creators so rather than substantially alter the content, we felt taking it down was the most respectful choice."

Since their foundation in 1994, Funimation have been among the largest distributors and localizers of anime and other related works of Japanese media in North America. They hold licensing rights for the distribution of many classic and new animated shows and movies, including Akira (1988), Serial Experiments Lain (1998), and Welcome to the N.H.K. (2006).

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When we speak of artistic integrity, we often think of people at the mercy of higher powers, who wish for them to compromise their vision in favor of commercial success, if it's not to "preserve the nation's dignity" in the most extreme cases. The most appealing of these stories involve those who hold their ground and release a product that stands the test of time as a unique example of personal expression. In all of this fantasizing, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that a much larger unit can be subject to similar pressures, and therefore be capable of such an act as well. In the same way that music enthusiasts will remember Mark Hollis for standing up to his label, leading to the release of the genre-defining Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock without an inch of executive meddling, I feel that Funimation's decision to cancel Interspecies Reviewer will make ripples in the realm of anime distribution for years to come, and further cement their place as one of the pillars in the propagation of far eastern media in North America.

It's worth bearing in mind that their track record has not exactly been consistent through the years: for every licensed classic such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Paranoia Agent, or Initial D, they have also had the audacity to localize thoroughly sub-par material of the likes of Darling in the Franxx and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid for the sake of profit. At first glance, Interspecies Reviewer seems to be no better or worse than anime of the such, with its appeals to a prospective audience's sexual instincts without any of the insightful commentary (or legitimately funny jokes) of sex comedy classics such as Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, it goes a fair amount deeper than this: the show is an attempt to pander to a phenomenon poisonous to an individual's perception of an interpersonal relationship, as it involves furious debate on the sexual potency of a selection of partners. The core premise, after all, is that three male characters argue over who is the "best girl" from an array of woman-monster hybrid prostitutes. Interspecies Reviewer, whether or not it is malicious in its intent, promotes the commodification of female adequacy by implying that anyone can give a rating to such a complex concept as a woman's ability to satisfy a partner's desires; in reality, only I am allowed to make that judgment as the editor of Disorder Reviews. In addition to this, let us not forget the profoundly haram scene where two of the protagonists, upon meeting the third (an angel), say that they want to have sex with God.

To Funimation's credit, though they have made an attempt to propagate this work, they have not gone very far. All they have yielded between the start and end of their distribution were three subtitled episodes -- censored at that -- and a dub of the pilot. Censorship, depending on its severity, can be an undesirable compromise that only serves to obfuscate criticism of "objectionable content", but to be fair, it was to blur out explicit imagery which a viewer could easily substitute in their mind. I also feel that it efficiently demonstrates the company's true priorities and sets the tone for their following decision. Less than a month after they had made Interspecies Reviewer available for streaming, they removed it and offered an explanation so brilliant that I am confident it will become the standard for anime cancellation. Although one could put into question their self-proclaimed "standards", given the aforementioned inconsistency in the quality of the works they have licensed, the true clincher is their claim that ceasing distribution was a preferable alternative to "substantially altering the content". Not only does it mitigate potential trust issues with creators and production companies, it quells consumer concerns regarding the artistic integrity of the studio and its staff. Never has anyone devised a classier way to say: "We don't want to censor it, but we don't want to endorse it either."

It is certain that Funimation will find themselves face-to-face with content of the likes of Interspecies Reviewer in the future. The fact that even one dubbed episode has made it to the release stage is a strange omen, one which does not bode well for the standard that they believe Japanese animation studios have reached in recent times. For all of Funimation's missteps in the past, this cancellation proves first and foremost that they have become expert taste-makers through more than two decades of experience. Long have they outgrown their origins as an attempt to bring Dragon Ball to the United States; they are the studio that, even if for only a moment, had the entirety of Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze available on YouTube for free, both dubbed and subbed. Now, they seem to understand that they are more than able to prevent sub-par works from polluting the Western animation market, as well as the minds of their consumers.

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PERSONAL RATING: ****½
RECOMMENDATION RATING: ***½
LETTERED RATING: DELTA

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[Worgen]

Considering how big a splash its making in the anime community there is almost no chance someone else won't grab it.

 

[BrawlMan]

If they don't want it, I'm sure either Sentai Film Works or Aniplex will.

 

[fOx]

It's really disappointing that the best anime of 2020 got cancelled due to a lack of cultural understanding on the part of Funimation. Hopefully another company will pick up the rights so others can enjoy the series. This is why you watch subs, folks.

 

[Worgen]

It's really disappointing that the best anime of 2020 got cancelled due to a lack of cultural understanding on the part of Funimation. Hopefully another company will pick up the rights so others can enjoy the series. This is why you watch subs, folks.

How is it suddenly becoming much closer to porn a lack of cultural understanding?

 

[fOx]

How is it suddenly becoming much closer to porn a lack of cultural understanding?

Because japan has a far more sex positive view of prostitution and sex workers. The only reason the show got cancelled in the west is because we have a sex negative world view derived from centuries of religion. Trying to force those views onto japan is a form of neo-colonialism.

 

[Worgen]

Because japan has a far more sex positive view of prostitution and sex workers. The only reason the show got cancelled in the west is because we have a sex negative world view derived from centuries of religion. Trying to force those views onto japan is a form of neo-colonialism.

No, Funimation would have known all about the setup for the show going into it. I have a feeling what happened was more about the difference between the anime and the manga. The manga does have some nudity but doesn't really show sex. The anime does and literally blacks out the screen during some sex encounters where the main characters are having sex. Considering that the channel in Japan that was airing it also stopped airing it after that episode, you are just wrong. At least in a direct way, you could argue that the influence of colonialism after we defeated Japan in WW2 caused them to become more repressed and in some ways it did, but I don't think they have ever been as sex positive as you seem to think, they just tend to have fewer hang ups about it in their media... although then we get into the whole angle of hentai and their country being small. With a smaller country its easier to get around so you can have one place that is more open and allows you to get more specialty porn since most of the population is within close enough distance to take a train, grab your porn and go home.

 

[fOx]

No, Funimation would have known all about the setup for the show going into it. I have a feeling what happened was more about the difference between the anime and the manga. The manga does have some nudity but doesn't really show sex. The anime does and literally blacks out the screen during some sex encounters where the main characters are having sex. Considering that the channel in Japan that was airing it also stopped airing it after that episode, you are just wrong. At least in a direct way, you could argue that the influence of colonialism after we defeated Japan in WW2 caused them to become more repressed and in some ways it did, but I don't think they have ever been as sex positive as you seem to think, they just tend to have fewer hang ups about it in their media... although then we get into the whole angle of hentai and their country being small. With a smaller country its easier to get around so you can have one place that is more open and allows you to get more specialty porn since most of the population is within close enough distance to take a train, grab your porn and go home.

No, I believe the show got removed because japanese companies are trying to reach larger international markets, which is a form of soft imperialism. They have to reinforce the idea that there is something inherently wrong with sexuality. Meanwhile I've been watching porn since I was 6 years old, and I've turned out fine.

I think the real reason the show got removed was because the executives at funimation think there is something wrong with rating women based on their sexual prowess.

 

[Latif]

Another pleasant review, Martin, never have I discovered the artistry and sheer performance art through the act of cancellation. You have enlightened my view of the world and I hunger for more thorough analysis with the external circumstance and cultural implication that surrounds Japanese media. More specifically, the sexual implication of the commodification of women and the almost paradoxical simultaneous vilification and idolisation of the opposite sex via the waifu phenomena. I think that might be an interesting venue for an essay.

 

[Worgen]

No, I believe the show got removed because japanese companies are trying to reach larger international markets, which is a form of soft imperialism. They have to reinforce the idea that there is something inherently wrong with sexuality. Meanwhile I've been watching porn since I was 6 years old, and I've turned out fine.

I think the real reason the show got removed was because the executives at funimation think there is something wrong with rating women based on their sexual prowess.

No, you're just wrong. You should watch the episode, there is literal fucking in it and there wasn't in the manga. Also, I need to amend my previous statement, it was just removed from the network tv channel Tokyo MX, but it continued to be shown on KBS Kyoto, Sun Television and AT-X which also broadcast it uncensored. If you want to see some of the scenes which funimation probably felt fell outside their standards you can watch them on pornhub, not kidding.

 

[fOx]

Another pleasant review, Martin, never have I discovered the artistry and sheer performance art through the act of cancellation. You have enlightened my view of the world and I hunger for more thorough analysis with the external circumstance and cultural implication that surrounds Japanese media. More specifically, the sexual implication of the commodification of women and the almost paradoxical simultaneous vilification and idolisation of the opposite sex via the waifu phenomena. I think that might be an interesting venue for an essay.

I recommend Rise of the Shield Hero. There's an interesting juxtoposition between the fact that the protagonist cares deeply for his harem, yet owns them as slaves. Yet, when offered freedom, the women choose slavery. This raises questions about the nature of true slavery. Are we slaves of a capitalist society? Are the women of shield hero truly free, if they choose that status themselves? There is a great deal to ponder there.

 

[fOx]

No, you're just wrong. You should watch the episode, there is literal fucking in it and there wasn't in the manga. Also, I need to amend my previous statement, it was just removed from the network tv channel Tokyo MX, but it continued to be shown on KBS Kyoto, Sun Television and AT-X which also broadcast it uncensored. If you want to see some of the scenes which funimation probably felt fell outside their standards you can watch them on pornhub, not kidding, they even do that damn internal shot stuff.

And yet the question remain: why is any of this bad? What about the show needs to be censored?

 

[Worgen]

I recommend Rise of the Shield Hero. There's an interesting juxtoposition between the fact that the protagonist cares deeply for his harem, yet owns them as slaves. Yet, when offered freedom, the women choose slavery. This raises questions about the nature of true slavery. Are we slaves of a capitalist society? Are the women of shield hero truly free, if they choose that status themselves? There is a great deal to ponder there.

You are really reaching for something deep about what sounds like just badly written female characters.

 

[Worgen]

And yet the question remain: why is any of this bad? What about the show needs to be censored?

I never said any of it was bad or needed to be censored. But there is a good reason funimation pulled out of airing it, they don't do porn and the series got pretty close to being porn and just having some tits.

 

[Latif]

I recommend Rise of the Shield Hero. There's an interesting juxtoposition between the fact that the protagonist cares deeply for his harem, yet owns them as slaves. Yet, when offered freedom, the women choose slavery. This raises questions about the nature of true slavery. Are we slaves of a capitalist society? Are the women of shield hero truly free, if they choose that status themselves? There is a great deal to ponder there.

I always found the comparison between sexual exploitation and economic exploitation rather fascinating. Have you ever read Pimp by Iceberg Slim? It details his life as a ruthless pimp, part due to sheer desire to survive and other is spite. Iceberg Slim witnessed the rape and exploitation of his mother by white Americans in the 20th, thus enacting the same rape exploitation to his white prostitutes..... it's very tough read, not a gonna lie. When I got to the part where he utterly destroyed a marriage of one his 'hoes' I just simply had to throw the book away and look at the ceiling. It is the Capitalist Manifesto.

 

[fOx]

I never said any of it was bad or needed to be censored. But there is a good reason funimation pulled out of airing it, they don't do porn and the series got pretty close to being porn and just having some tits.

But why is it bad for them to have porn on their platform? To the point that they removed it, despite there being an obvious audience for the material? If they MUST, I suppose they could add an age rating, or a content warning to the start of each episode. This is still, in itself, an artifact of imperialism, but it is atleast preferable to censorship or outright removal.

Or did they remove it because of the subject matter, and not graphic content? Namely, the premise of reviewing brothels? I have an app on my phone for ordering high dollar call girls in Amsterdam, where it's legal, and I always make a point to leave a numbered review for the benefit of other patrons, as well as to offer constructive criticism for the male and female escorts in question.

 

[fOx]

I always found the comparison between sexual exploitation and economic exploitation rather fascinating. Have you ever read Pimp by Iceberg Slim? It details his life as a ruthless pimp, part due to sheer desire to survive and other is spite. Iceberg Slim witnessed the rape and exploitation of his mother by white Americans in the 20th, thus enacting the same rape exploitation to his white prostitutes..... it's very tough read, not a gonna lie. When I got to the part where he utterly destroyed a marriage of one his 'hoes' I just simply had to throw the book away and look at the ceiling. It is the Capitalist Manifesto.

Of course I've read PIMP. It's a work of classic literature, in that it captures the way that people use psychological conditioning to control a passive population. The tactics used by Iceberg are the very same tactics used by politicians, business people, and educators across the country. Convince the people you exploit that you care for them, even as you use them, and they will sacrifice everything for you. Chilling, educations, and erotic. I made it required reading for my business students while working as an adjunct at my local college.

 

[Sneed's SeednFeed]

Good, every anime that doesn't see the light of day is a gift from God and should be celebrated

 

[Latif]

Good, every anime that doesn't see the light of day is a gift from God and should be celebrated

Amen, dear brother.

 

[fOx]

You are really reaching for something deep about what sounds like just badly written female characters.

Well, it's not that the characters are deep. It's more about what Shield Hero has to say about the patriarchy that makes it interesting. Namely that a world that is run by a matriarchal system of government has to be rescued by a series of straight white males. These unqualified men are able to walk into a society and immediately get placed in charge, simply because they are male. Even though there are more qualified female candidates who have earned their positions. This commentary about the nature of gender dynamics makes shield hero the first real feminist anime series.