[FONT=Arial]Not to dampen the excitement in connection with the new series, but…[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Given Studio4°C is based in Tokyo, although nothing official has been released to indicate otherwise, I think it prudent to consider the affect the recent quake will inevitably have on production.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Although Tokyo was not the epicenter of the recent quake, as it stands, everyday life in Tokyo has been affected.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]As of Monday morning, in addition to planned rolling blackouts, people are being urged to stay home to ease traffic flow. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Of course, in relation to the shows production, first and foremost comes the safety of all 4°C employees and their families. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Speaking of which, has anyone else had any success in pulling up their website? [/FONT]
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I haven’t yet. But at this point, I wouldn’t worry a whole lot about it. Knowing what I know of animation production, I’d say at least half a season’s worth of episodes are in the can already. We’re probably looking at a disruption of production of at least two weeks. Maybe three. Hardly catastrophic.
Looking at Anime News Network, it looks as though while it was a major disruption, it appears to be only temporary. A lot of people in the industry have reported in as being safe. So again, things will probably be back to normal in a few weeks.
My friends in the Tokyo area are all saying things are running relatively normal there right now. At least as well as can be considering.
The first episode was recorded on the 22nd July 2010, plus animation now isnt how it was in the, pain staking cel painting days of Akira. A lot is amalgamated with CG.
My first worry is for the people of Japan and thier welfare. This has been the worst disaster to hit that country during my lifetime, and I hope the people at studio 4C and thier families are safe.
That being said, I wonder if there is any way to ask WB animation studios or Cartoon Network or any of the production team/ staff if this is going to affect plans for the Summer premire.
I think the more immediate way this would affect production is cost. Right now, Japan’s banks are flooding the economy with money. This will make the Yen stronger than the dollar and drive-up the price of certain items. If production is being paid in Yen (which it probably is), the cost of producing this show could easily go up. This is what happened to Harmony Gold when they tried to get Robotech II: The Sentinels off the ground back in 1986. Their sponsor, Matchbox toys, backed-out when they got sticker shock, leaving HG without the funds to bankroll production.
The good news at least is that where Harmony Gold was a small operation, Warner Brothers by comparison has very deep pockets. So hopefully if they believe in this show, they’ll be able to pony-up the money for it.
As long as Warner gets the support they need once the show and toys come out, I bet they’ll keep supporting it.
My deepest concern goes to the Japanese people, the nuclear crisis and natural disaster is a great test for the whole country. I’ve been reading that 7.000 people are known to have died in the disaster on 11 March and about 11.000 more remain missing.
Also, the crisis, previously rated as a local problem is now regarded as having ‘wider consequences’, it is still very early to predict the full scale damamge of this nightmare called radiation leak…i am taking you back on 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant accident in Ukraine which sent a plume of radioctive fallout into the atmosphere and over an extensive geographical area.
My prayers go to Japan, i hope everything will get soon under control. Japan was always a paragon of virtue and competence .
P.S much as i love Thundercats i don’t care if there is a delay due to the tragic events
Well their website is back up. I’m taking that as a good sign. 
Lord Slithor & I agree and send our hopes as well.
Shortly after 9/11 happened, Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Today we are all Americans.” In that vein I’d like to express a similar sentiment: “Today we are all Japanese.”