>>281959402
No, it's literally democratised in the sense that the main vector for information exchange (internet) is largely vertical in structure and accessible at almost universal scale thanks to the lowering of cost of the internet/phones/PCs even relative to 2007. I'm not describing analysis. I'm describing access.
In 2007 the median otaku's prior experience with WWII liably began and ended at the classroom (JP textbooks at hugely revisionist). In 2025, the median otaku instantly clicks onto wikipedia out of a mild curiosity and suddenly the decision to literally erase China/savour complex SSI sounds either weird or distinctly political - esp when the new gen of creators in the industry are metabolising the war/post-war with much greater finesse. So the series' innate baggage becomes far more overt just thru diminished information assymettries. I'm not saying the series is right or wrong for its content but it shunts calculations about sellability.
>>281959577
You're right it's inferences based on signals but for example, less merch was produced for S3 than S2 and with tighter runs. Which is a pretty strong signal that Kadokawa saw less spectrum for monetisation, ergo lower demand, almost all the audio/LNs were wrapped by 2020 too. Heck we didn't even get any scale figures. I've been watching since the 1st season aired, it's easy to forget but back then fanservice was a staple of the medium in a way it just isn't now. Putting aside the broadening of access to ecchi now via pixiv/twitter, gatcha provides even more intense ecchi than is acceptable on TV WITH a parasocial hook and operant conditioning thru loot mechanics, so it's literally market cannibalisation by more intense formats. Plus series like GUP arguably showed ecchi was a millstone, since focusing on sport drama/mil sim angle allowed it to reach a bigger audience (including women)
