Stars Align Anime Abruptly Ends After Season Order Cut in Half

By Spencer Baculi

·December 31, 2019

Despite an initial order of 24 episodes, Stars Align, the anime drama series about the challenges faced by the members of a struggling high school tennis team, recently ended with the debut of its 12^th and final episode due to “a last-minute change in the schedule.”

According to a translation of tweets from Stars Align director Kazuki Akane (Escaflowne, Birdy the Might: Decode) provided by Anime News Network, the series was produced in a 24-episode structure but a change in scheduling reduced the order, forcing the Stars Align team to make “12 episodes with the 24 episode structure intact.”

“Stars Align ended its television run with its 12th episode today. But the story has a continuation, and the characters’ drama will continue in the future.”

「星合の空」は今日の12話でテレビでの放送は終わりとなりました。しかし物語にはまだ続きがあり、キャラクターたちのドラマはこの後更に動いていきます。本来は全24話の物語で、3ヶ月後にもう1クールを放送して完結する予定でしたので12話に直結する13話が存在します（続く↓

— 赤根和樹 Akane Kazuki (@Akane2514af) December 26, 2019

“The anime was originally planned to be 24 episodes, and the second cour would have aired after a three-month break. So there is an episode 13 that follows from episode 12.”

今年の春に急遽全１２話の放送に変更となりましたが、この作品は2年以上かけて構成を作った経緯もあるし、本編の作画作業も進んでいたので今から12話構成にするのは無理があると判断し、24話構成のまま12話まで作ることにしました（続く↓

— 赤根和樹 Akane Kazuki (@Akane2514af) December 26, 2019

“In spring, there was a last-minute change in the schedule to make the show 12 episodes long, but we’ve been working on this anime for over two years, and the animation production was already proceeding, so I deemed it impossible to turn it into a 12 episode structure at that juncture. Thus, we made 12 episodes with the 24 episode structure intact.”

However, Akane proceeded to state that he was intent on finishing the story, asking fans to “give me the chance to show you what happens in Maki and Toma’s future” and noting that “the form that this media will take is in flux right now.”

“I wanted to make this anime different from your ordinary anime, so this way of ending things might be another characteristic aspect of Stars Align. I’ll make the story for the next 12 episodes myself, so I hope you give me the chance to show you what happens in Maki and Toma’s future, along with all the others.”

今はメディア自体も変化の真っ只中にあると思うので、星合の空がどのようになるかを見ていただければ面白いかとも思います。今まで星合の空を見ていただいた皆さんに続編が実現できるように応援していただけると嬉しいです

— 赤根和樹 Akane Kazuki (@Akane2514af) December 26, 2019

この作品は通常のアニメとは違う物にしたいとの思いもありましたので、これもまた「星合の空」らしい放送の終わり方かも知れません。自分としては後12話分のお話を作り、眞己や柊真達の未来を皆さんにお見せする機会を与えて欲しいと思っています(続く↓

— 赤根和樹 Akane Kazuki (@Akane2514af) December 26, 2019

“The form that this media will take is in flux right now, so please look forward to seeing how Stars Align will turn out. I hope that everyone who has watched Stars Align so far can support us to make the continuation a reality.”

Despite its cancellation, Stars Align gained a significant fan-following during its run and was praised for its addressing of social issues such as gender identity and transgenderism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt2ia2BAIAk

Though Akane did not directly state the reason for the series cancellation, some have speculated that it was due to the series inability to turn a profit:

21,901 retweets
55,730 likes
Such a financial flop it got canceled half way through its planned 24 episode run

TAKE NOTE CORPORATIONS! Social media likes/RT’s don’t translate to sales! This crowd only virtue signals, never financially supports!https://t.co/lG74bWEyu6

— Raging Golden Eagle (@RageGoldenEagle) December 28, 2019

So let me understand. They have knowledge it’s going to flop while the show is running based on sales and said “screw it, it’s not worth continuing this shitshow”?

— Solid Hyrax (@SolidHyrax) December 28, 2019

Probably numbers on a piece of paper showing how much money the show was making my guy #HoshiainoSora pic.twitter.com/ZBVyTaXZgN

— Richard Pell (Saw) (@RichardPell4) December 28, 2019