The highly anticipated Blu-ray release of the popular 2024 girls’ love anime, Whisper Me a Love Song, has been canceled, leaving fans disappointed. This decision follows a series of production issues that plagued the anime, marking a turbulent journey for the series since its initial announcement.
Production Issues and Delays
The anime adaptation of Eku Takeshima’s manga, Whisper Me a Love Song, faced numerous hurdles from the outset. Originally slated for a January 2024 premiere, the series was delayed to April of the same year. This initial delay was attributed to “various circumstances,” and was only the beginning of the challenges faced by the production team.
Change in Directorship
Adding to the production woes, original director Xin Ya Cai stepped down due to health reasons, and was replaced by Akira Mano. This change in leadership further disrupted the already strained production schedule.
Animation Studio Troubles
The animation work was a joint effort between Cloud Hearts and Yokohama Animation Laboratory. However, reports emerged of severe production issues, including a limited number of animators working under extreme pressure. It was stated that animators were forced to work overtime, sometimes sleeping in their offices to meet deadlines, and that multiple studios were outsourced with little time and resources. Further complicating matters, the website for Cloud Hearts became inaccessible, and its domain was listed as “deleted”. Furthermore, Yokohama Animation Lab no longer listed Cloud Hearts as a business partner on their website, raising further concerns.
Episode Delays
As a result of these production issues, the series experienced several episode delays. In June 2024, the remaining episodes were delayed by at least two weeks. To compensate, the anime aired two special compilation episodes, “Prelude” and “Interlude,” before resuming with new episodes. Episodes 11 and 12 were also significantly delayed, ultimately premiering on December 28, 2024.
Blu-ray Release Cancellation
Despite these efforts, the production issues ultimately led to the cancellation of the Blu-ray release. The four planned Blu-ray volumes, initially slated for release between September and December 2024, had already been pushed back to January through April 2025 due to the production delays. However, on January 7, 2025, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, the home media distributor, officially announced the cancellation of the Blu-ray release due to “internal circumstances”.
Official Statement
The official statement from the anime’s website and social media channels expressed an apology to fans and explained the procedure for those who had pre-ordered the product. The statement cited “circumstances at our company” as the reason for the cancellation, without providing further specifics. Since payment is only made when an item is shipped, fans who pre-ordered do not have to worry about canceling or refunding their orders.
Impact on Fans
The cancellation of the Blu-ray release has been a major disappointment for fans of Whisper Me a Love Song. The series, based on Eku Takeshima’s popular yuri manga, had garnered significant attention for its heartwarming story of two girls falling in love. The anime adaptation was highly anticipated, but the production issues and subsequent cancellation have left many fans frustrated.
Pre-Orders and Refunds
Fans who pre-ordered the Blu-ray discs will not be charged, as payment is typically processed upon shipment. While this prevents financial loss, the cancellation leaves many without the opportunity to own a physical copy of the series.
About Whisper Me a Love Song
Whisper Me a Love Song tells the story of Himari Kino, a bubbly and energetic first-year high school student who develops a crush on her senpai, Yori Asanagi, after hearing her band perform. Himari confesses her feelings to Yori, who surprisingly reciprocates. The series explores the different meanings of love as their relationship progresses.
Manga Origins
The manga, written and illustrated by Eku Takeshima, has been serialized in Ichijinsha’s Comic Yuri Hime since 2019. Kodansha Comics has licensed the manga in English, making it available to a wider audience. The manga series currently has 10 tankoubon volumes as of July 2024.
Voice Cast
The anime features a talented voice cast, including:
- Hana Shimano as Himari Kino
- Asami Seto as Yori Asanagi
- Mikako Komatsu as Aki Mizuguchi
- Konomi Kohara as Mari Tsuitsui
- Ai Kakuma as Kaori Tachibana
- Yuna Nemoto as Shiho Izumi
- Reina Ueda as Momoka Satomiya
- Chika Anzai as Hajime Amasawa
- Aoi Koga as Miki Mizuguchi
Streaming Availability
Despite the Blu-ray cancellation, Whisper Me a Love Song is available to stream on HIDIVE, allowing fans to still enjoy the series. The opening theme song, “Follow your arrows,” is performed by the anime’s band SSGIRLS with vocals by Kana Sasakura.
Conclusion
The cancellation of the Whisper Me a Love Song Blu-ray release is a disappointing end to a troubled production. While fans can still stream the anime, the loss of a physical release is a blow to collectors and enthusiasts. The series serves as a reminder of the challenges faced in anime production and the impact such difficulties can have on the final product and its audience.
