Well, this is a false equivalency for a few reasons.
For one, there is a large amount of shows depicting what it's like to work in a hospital. It's probably one of the most common settings for dramas. So saying 'would people like this show with a comparatively unique setup if it had the most common story setup ever instead?' doesn't really mean much.
Most non-documentary shows about working in a hospital tend to focus on human drama than procedures. At best, a show like
House introduced the concept of "differentials" to me, and there were doctors who blogged about the factual accuracy of the medical practices on the show, but the average viewer watched because they wanted to see the relationship between
Sherlock and Watson House and Wilson. That was the point I was making.
More importantly, unless the show was being written entirely by Japanese doctors, it wouldn't carry the same level of realness that is one of Shirobako's hallmarks. Part of the reason why the show has the sense of reality which it has, is because it's a show about the anime production process being made by veterans of the anime industry. It's a work being put together by experts in the field, essentially.
I'm sure people have problems with FTP servers or debate the use of CG or fall behind in production schedules. But there was also a moment where the staff gathers around in order to be inspired by moe, which is presented in a moment of fantasy. Then again, maybe animators in Japan spend all their time thinking about moe.
So rather than saying that people only like it because it's about anime, I think it would be more true to say that it can only exist because it's about anime. This isn't just a show about exploring the realities of a field, but about allowing the staff to all bring their own expertise into the work. Shirobako wouldn't be Shirobako on any level without that.
I would also say that claiming that people are just inclined to like it because it's about the medium they're a fan of is a pretty flawed premise. There are tons of otaku navel gazing shows every year that this thread ignores or mocks. Shirobako, plainly, isn't one of those. It's celebrated because in a sea of such shows, it's trying to give an honest look at what it's like to work in the industry, one which combines the stress and pitfalls of the production process with the hopes and aspirations of the people working on the show, and tries to show how people could even get into working in such a stressful field. The show gives a pretty good demonstration of what the production process is like, which appeals to a lot of people because that sort of behind the scenes stuff is interesting. No, it's not going to be the same as an in depth documentary on the subject, but that's because it isn't trying to be that. It's aiming to be an entertaining drama which also happens to be informative about how anime is made, and to craft a story around the production process.
I suppose this is where subjectivity comes into the discussion, because I don't find anything entertaining about the dramatic arcs that have happened in the six episodes I have seen. The character that has an arc, the voice actress, is on screen for fleeting moments while the rest of the narrative has been focused on, well, what I would call naval gazing topics like the role of CG in animation.
The "secret" to why people like Shirobako doesn't have anything to do with some tinfoil hat conspiracy, or because people are just looking for validation or whatever. It comes down to the fact that it's a well written, well produced show with a lot of energy, a lot of passion, and a clear purpose. The show is extremely well directed, with a lot of great scene transitions, excellent pacing, a very strong sense of energy (which both the direction and music work towards). This is how the show is able to turn the scrambling of the first episode for the key animation into an extremely dramatic moment, or how the second episode functions with all of the stress, panicking, and finally everyone coming together. In a lesser show (or really, most shows (and yes this goes for all of those American network dramas, too)), these scenes wouldn't carry the same weight, because there wouldn't be such a focus on making sure the energy was felt. Where Shirobako really shines is in the show's 100% commitment to making sure that the viewer gets wrapped up in the story and the process of making anime; it makes sure that we feel Aoi's stress as things fall apart around her, and understand why the production is facing such troubles. The show manages to make the comparatively mundane process of creating anime feel far more stressful and meaningful than the life or death struggles that many other shows feature. This is all down to how well the production team is working on the show. The writing is snappy and conveys the import of each scene, and the direction works hard to make sure we really feel how hectic it is. Honestly, leaving aside medium or country of origin, the only shows I can think of over the last couple of years or so that have done as good or better at getting me invested and nervous about the events transpiring are Flowers of Evil and Hannibal.
I have no problems with the aesthetic qualities of the show, and god knows I've probably watched more PA Works shows than anyone here. I even sat through Red Data Girl. But my question would be why I should care if these characters fail?
We're told that there was this previous project that fell apart and tarnished certain careers, to the point where the name of the failed show became a meme, but so what? Are these guys behind on their mortgages? Are their kids going to expensive private schools? Beyond the fact that they would be considered laughing stocks, what are their motives for wanting to succeed? Even the framing device of the five girls who just want to be in the industry doesn't have anything deeper to that other than the fact that it apparently allows the show to consider five distinct aspects of anime production.
If you find it uninteresting, that's your prerogative. But the reasons why other people are enjoying it are down to a lot more than the subject matter. In fact, I would say it's because the show is able to take a subject that a lot of people wouldn't feel makes an interesting show and twist it into something really compelling. And wrapped up around that is the story of a bunch of interesting characters in their own right.
If you didn't like the first two episodes, you probably wouldn't like the rest of the show. Not because that's the 'good part' (all of the show is good), but because the show puts a strong put forward and puts its hooks in the viewer right away. For someone who doesn't get nervous about the staff completing an episode on time, or legitimately excited and pumped up when Kinoshita and Yamada start bonding on how the characters should be and the whole staff comes together, the show is simply never going to appeal to them. And that's fine, but it makes me feel sad. Not because they aren't entitled to their opinion, but because Shirobako makes me feel such joy with every episode, and I wish that everyone could feel that same sense of joy and wonder each week.
I don't want to take away any enjoyment you find when watching the show, and I'm not trying to change your mind. Certainly, people are free to feel that Gravity is an overrated piece of shit that uses computer animation to hide the flaws of an overindulgent director. But consider that in the same way that you are explaining your enthusiasm, I am trying to explain my own lack of enthusiasm - especially since various people, whose opinions I trust, have asked me to watch this show.
I could say I don't like the show and leave it at that. But why wouldn't I just stick to IRC/twitter at that point?
The first airing of Shirobako is at 11:30 PM. There are super-late-night reairings, but there's also one that happens at 11:30 AM, and one at 5:30 PM. Late, but not absurd.
It's not about the most boring job ever since it's print journalism, but it seems like someone's gotta watch Hataraki Man!
Well, at least that show is about being a woman in the workforce. lol
e: I mean, let's be real. If it's a waifu show, it's pretty bad at it. The five girls from the high-school club have a really bad case of Sameface. Hard to pitch the waifu angle when you have to look at the hairstyles to tell them apart~
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