Premiering in 1998, Masami Tsuda’s Kare Kano (His And Her Circumstances) had all the elements of a successful adaptation. Gainax, fresh off the success of Neon Genesis Evangelion, took charge of the series, with Hideaki Anno directing the early episodes.
The anime captured the charm and emotional depth of Tsuda’s manga, offering a refreshingly honest look at teenage romance.
However, as the series progressed, cracks began to form.
The animation quality noticeably declined, episodes became more inconsistent, and by the final stretch, the show had lost much of its initial polish. Instead of a satisfying conclusion, Kare Kano ended in an unresolved state, frustrating viewers.
The reason? A behind-the-scenes struggle between Gainax and the manga’s creator.
The Rift Between Gainax and Masami Tsuda
One of the biggest issues that plagued Kare Kano’s production was a fundamental disagreement between Gainax and Masami Tsuda over the tone of the adaptation.
According to an interview with Gainax co-founder Hiroyuki Yamaga, the studio had a specific vision for the anime, one that leaned heavily into comedy.
However, Tsuda wanted a more balanced adaptation that maintained the emotional weight of her story.
“While I feel that the ending is unsatisfactory, there is the original manga. It is rather difficult to work with a series that is based on an original manga. We were working from the manga and thinking that if we did it in a particular way, it would be an interesting series. However, the author of the manga did not agree.
Kare Kano was supposed to be romantic comedy and we wanted to emphasize the comedy and not the romance. The author wanted to emphasize them both and that is where the conflict came to be.“
Production Troubles: Budget Constraints
While creative clashes caused friction, Kare Kano’s biggest problem was its rapidly dwindling budget. Gainax was already notorious for running into financial troubles.
As production went on, the lack of budget became very evident. Here’s how:
- Heavy reliance on recap episodes—two and a half of the anime’s 26 episodes are clip shows, including one just three episodes before the finale. While recap episodes were somewhat common in 1990s TV anime, they were often a sign of budget shortages.
- Drastic drops in animation quality—the latter episodes featured crude animation techniques to cut costs, such as using popsicle-stick puppets filmed in real time and even setting them on fire for dramatic effect.
- A rushed, incomplete ending—the anime concluded abruptly, failing to resolve key storylines and leaving fans with little closure.
The Exit of Hideaki Anno
Another major blow to Kare Kano was the departure of its director, Hideaki Anno, either voluntarily or due to conflict with the author.
According to various sources, Kare Kano was originally intended to take significant departures from the manga. Gainax had accelerated the pacing of the early episodes, likely with the intention of exploring its own creative take on the story.
However, Tsuda and the network reportedly intervened, forcing the studio to stay faithful to the manga.
Starting with episode 16, a noticeable shift occurred: Anno’s credit in the director slot changed from being the sole credited director to being listed alongside Hiroki Sato. This suggested a reduced role, though he remained credited as a writer for every episode.
Anno’s unique directorial style had shaped the early episodes, and his departure left a noticeable void in the series. The shift in tone and execution after his exit was evident, with the remaining episodes feeling disorganized and lacking the same creative energy that had defined the beginning of the show.
The End of Kare Kano With No Hope For A Sequel
Kare Kano ultimately ended without resolving its story.
Unlike other anime adaptations that take creative liberties to craft an original ending, the series simply stopped, leaving fans with an incomplete narrative.
Those who wanted closure had no choice but to turn to the manga, which continued beyond where the anime left off, offering a more fleshed-out and satisfying conclusion.
As for the possibility of a sequel or continuation, Yamaga himself put an end to any lingering hopes.
“We would like to continue to work on it, but we have upset the author, so it is very unlikely that there will be a continuation of the series. I am very sorry,” he admitted.
The 26-episode Kare Kano anime, produced by Gainax and J.C. Staff was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1998 to March 1999.
Masami Tsuda serialized the manga in LaLa from 1995 to 2005. It was collected in 21 tankobon volumes by Hakusensha.
The series is licensed and was published in English in North America by Tokyopop.
