Introduction
The Kickstarter campaign, which aimed to bring an English dub to the classic 1985 Dirty Pair anime series, was a resounding success, amassing over $731,000 from eager backers all the way back in October of 2021, nine months prior to the surprising Crunchyroll purchase of RightStuf in August of 2022.
The release was intended to be delivered in August of 2022 and enthusiasm from fans was palpable, showcasing the enduring popularity of the iconic series and the desire for a refreshed dub that could introduce the space-faring adventures of Kei and Yuri to a new generation. However, the journey from successful funding to project completion had since been met with delays following Crunchyroll’s purchase.
After a promising update in May 2024, announcing the completion of all audio materials after months of constant project updates, campaign backers were suddenly left in the dark, with no further official updates on the production in the weeks afterward.
The silence roars loudly enough for industry concern
This silence also led to speculation and concern among the backers, who had been waiting for over two years at this point to see the finished product produced with their contributions.
This silence also led to MediaOCD CEO Justin Sevakis to do his own investigating into the matter, which led to the revelations via Twitter that several producers for the release had since left Crunchyroll, with no signs of their replacement. This led the affected backers and many others to take on the effort to contact them through official channels to provide some sort of production update and official statement, all within the past eleven days.
Signs of hope
The latest update as of Monday, August 26 shed some more light on the situation and lead to an initial cause for celebration, as a Twitter user was able to get in touch with the recording studio involved in its production via Facebook that revealed that the project is in the replication stage, suggesting that production had finally been completed after years of delays and that final production of sets, rewards and shipping will be underway soon. Some of the campaign’s backers had invested hundreds of dollars into the project and were subsequently losing hope due to the lack of updates.
This update eventually led to the official Kickstarter being updated on Thursday afternoon, EDT with the following statement, provided to Comics Beat by Crunchyroll at press time:
Thank you for your patience as we give you an update on production on the dub version of the classic 1985 series, Dirty Pair. Thanks to all of the production staff and voices who contributed to this project, and of course, you, for pledging your contribution to it.
The series is still in post-production, and, as with many productions, delays do sometimes occur.
You should be receiving updates on Dirty Pair every 2-4 weeks until the release. We hope that a new cadence and frequency of communications will help alleviate any concerns you may have. Please know that we remain fully committed to this production, especially given the passionate fanbase eagerly awaiting its release.
As part of your commitment to the Kickstarter, beginning September 3rd, we will begin shipping out available portions of your Backer Rewards while the series is being prepped for post-production, editing and shipping.
Stay tuned to this space for additional (and regular) updates soon.
The situation highlights the complexities and risks inherent in crowdfunding ventures, especially within the anime industry. When updates cease, and silence ensues, it can erode the confidence that is so crucial to the crowdfunding model and drive off potential backers from future projects.
Conclusion
The further acquisition of production companies by larger entities, such as Crunchyroll’s integration of Nozomi Entertainment can and has introduced additional layers of complexity to project management. The changes in ownership and strategic direction can and usually do impact ongoing projects, which can lead to relative silence and leaving backers feeling ignored in the wake of corporate changes.
Despite these challenges, the Dirty Pair English dub Kickstarter saga is a testament to anime fans and their willingness to support the shows they love. It also serves to emphasize the importance of clear communication and the management of expectations throughout a long-running project, even one that has been affected by multiple delays.
While silence is never a good thing when it comes to projects of this scale, action does help get results. Let’s hope Crunchyroll sticks to their self-imposed update timeline from here on out until every backer receives their campaign rewards.
