Kadokawa Grovels After Haruhi-chan PR Disaster

Kadokawa’s grotesque marketing of its Haruhi-chan anime (to say nothing of the rerun of the original) seems to have resulted in such a negative backlash that their marketing department has launched itself into urgent damage control, replacing the “it wasn’t ready” nice boat announcement with a typically grovelling Japanese apology:

It was inexcusable of us to be unable to make the scheduled broadcast. We apologise most sincerely for this.

With preparations complete, we think we can begin broadcast shortly.

SOS-dan

Unfortunately, the effect is rather spoilt by their insistence on trying to portray their failed marketing gimmick as the work of the SOS-dan (previously they introduced the proviso with the release date announcement that “the schedule may be subject to change at the whim of the danchou”).

It looks as if they were expecting a favourable response to their fishing, along with lots of positive attention, but what actually transpired was a torrent of exasperated criticism, prompting their apology and rapid recalculation.

Whilst replacing the video, it also looks as if they took the opportunity of removing the previous one and so concealing its thousands of negative comments…

The fact that all this marketing theatre is for a mediocre anime of only five minutes only adds to the inappropriateness in the eyes of many, it would appear.