Whisper Me a Love Song: Blu-ray Cancellation and Production Issues Leave Fans Disheartened
Whisper Me a Love Song has become one of the most unfortunate anime series of recent times. Fans recently received devastating news: the Blu-ray release of the anime has been canceled. NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, the distributor for the series, announced on January 7, 2025, that the project would no longer proceed.
Whisper Me a Love Song: Blu-ray Cancellation and Production Issues Leave Fans Disheartened
The distributor issued a statement on its official website and social media: “Regarding the Blu-ray of the TV anime Whisper Me a Love Song, which was scheduled for sequential release starting January 2025, we have decided to cancel the release due to internal circumstances.”
All four planned volumes have been discontinued. Fortunately, fans who pre-ordered the Blu-ray don’t need to worry about refunds since payments were only set to be processed upon shipment.
Production Troubles and Rumors
The cancellation of the Blu-ray adds to the string of challenges that the anime has faced since its initial announcement in January 2023. Shortly after the staff was revealed, the original director stepped down due to health issues, and a new director was appointed.
By June 2024, rumors of significant production issues began to surface. User @/Patstar_1999 reported poor working conditions, with a limited number of animators forced to meet tight deadlines and endure excessive overtime.
As the episodes aired, the decline in animation quality became evident. Multiple studios were hastily outsourced, worsening the lack of resources and proper management.
These rumors were further substantiated when the series paused its broadcast in June 2024 to air recap episodes. The final two episodes were delayed and eventually aired between December 2024 and January 2025. During this time, it was revealed that Cloud Hearts, the studio behind the anime, had shut down, with its website taken offline.
Additionally, Yokohama Animation Laboratory, a co-producer of the series, removed Cloud Hearts from its list of partners. In the credits of the final two episodes, Cloud Hearts’ name was notably absent.
The cancellation of the Blu-ray sparked outrage among fans, especially as it followed another setback: the suspension of the Blu-ray release for the stage play adaptation. Comments on sites like Oricon express the disappointment:
- “Enough is enough! The production team has tarnished the reputation of this work.”
- “It’s heartbreaking. First the stage play, now the anime Blu-ray.”
- “This is a total mess. I feel terrible for the author and fans.”
Even Hana Shimano, the voice actress for Himari Kino, expressed her sadness on X (formerly Twitter), a stark contrast to her earlier excitement when the final episodes were announced.
Stage Play Issues
But nothing is so bad that it can’t get worse. To add even more weight to the name of Whisper Me a Love Song, in 2024 a play based on the anime was performed.
To make matters worse, the play performed in 2024 also faced problems. After the play ended, the company responsible for it went bankrupt, canceling the Blu-ray release of the theatrical adaptation.
The current situation raises questions about the emotional impact on the author of the manga, who certainly does not deserve all the neglect that her work has suffered.
via Você Sabia Anime