JoJo Part 3 had been serializing for over a month now, with twelve chapters published. It had steadily maintained around 2.5 million votes. The rating hadn't gone up or down; it was stable. The new power system introduced in this part had been received positively by most readers.
"I really like the new direction Muzishiro took for the power system."
"Yeah, same here. I liked Hamon, but it was a very basic style. We saw some variation with Caesar, but it still didn't match JoJo."
"What do you mean it didn't match JoJo?"
"I mean, JoJo is known for unpredictability and over-the-top concepts. Hamon didn't really complement that."
"True. But Muzishiro did my boy Joseph dirty here. His Stand doesn't even feel like a real ability; it's just zooming in on photos. Like, what was that?"
"Don't underestimate him. Even with just a rope, scarf, and a coin, Joseph can handle anyone. He's unbeatable."
"I just hope Muzishiro doesn't mess him up more later. They already nerfed him once."
The conversation shifted toward anime.
"By the way, does anyone know when we're getting the anime? Fullmetal is releasing this October, but what about JoJo?"
"I think Echo Shroud said JoJo will be the longest manga Muzishiro plans to work on. That's why he's doing double chapters weekly. It'll take years, but it makes sense. Fullmetal is already halfway done, so it'll get an anime first to help boost manga sales."
"Oh, JoJo being long is great. This way, the story can go on indefinitely with each new part. Just hope Muzishiro doesn't rush like he did with Initial D."
While Fullmetal's fandom was completely hyped for the anime releasing in October...
"Muzishiro's new ending theme fits perfectly with this arc, right?"
"Seriously. I have to listen to it every time a chapter ends. Each one is a cliffhanger, and that song, 'Let It Out,' feels like me letting all my frustration out toward Muzishiro. I swear, I want to attend his signing event and get every volume signed."
"He's not doing a signing event, trust me. He knows what we'd do to him. He didn't even bother for JoJo's launch!"
"I can't wait for Fullmetal to get animated. It's going to be peak."
"Which studio is animating it?"
"Studio Bone picked it up. They're producing it to compete with Code Geass from Evermark Production."
"Hahaha, man, I can't breathe. To compete with Muzishiro's anime, they picked his own manga! That's the funniest thing I've heard this year."
"Yeah, but think about it; it makes sense. To compete with Code Geass, you need a story strong enough to stand next to it. That series has a once-in-a-generation crew behind it. Other studios launching new anime right now need something equally strong, since most are airing sequels or continuing seasons. Fullmetal fits perfectly for that. Bone was lucky to secure the contract."
"We're eating good this year. Every studio's trying to make an impact within two months. For two months straight, it's going to be nonstop top-tier releases. I can't wait."
"Muzishiro is single-handedly changing the anime industry. He's making it competitive again. Everyone's pushing for better animation because of him."
"True, but Bone choosing Fullmetal to compete with Code Geass is a big move. I don't think it'll have the same impact, though."
"If anyone has a chance, it's Fullmetal. Maybe one or two others could, but most likely, Fullmetal will be the only one that can truly compete with Code Geass."
Across the animation industry, the atmosphere was a mix of nervous energy and cautious optimism. Muzishiro had completely disrupted the seasonal model. Everyone wanted to see what would happen once Code Geass stopped airing two episodes weekly. Would it still hold the same level of hype?
Many studios had launched their own series recently, and the response had been strong. All were trying to fill the void left behind by Code Geass's explosive opening month, a time slot the industry had previously avoided. Viewers were also eager for new anime to watch. Views across platforms were higher than usual. But even with this rise, online discussion was noticeably lower. Reports showed that while people were watching new anime, the buzz around them was weak. Most agreed the shows were good, but none captured attention the way Code Geass did.
Despite several long-awaited titles finally airing after nearly a decade, their releases had been treated as casual watching. Code Geass remained the main topic everywhere. Studios had done heavy marketing campaigns for their shows to avoid getting overshadowed by Code Geass and other notable series releasing in this short time frame.
Internal reports from major studios revealed the same thing: people were watching, but they weren't talking. Social media mentions were low, forum discussions scattered. Everyone agreed the shows were good, just not talk-worthy.
Even long-awaited adaptations, some delayed for years, were treated like checklist viewing. "Another show to check out this weekend," fans would say, before moving on.
Many studios had launched expensive marketing campaigns to stand out—carefully timed trailer drops, exclusive interviews, limited-time collabs, even crossover promos—all to compete in a month filled with high-profile anime, including Code Geass.
But despite all the engagement Code Geass was getting, other studios weren't losing in terms of revenue. What they were losing was awards buzz and studio publicity, both essential for attracting high-profile manga licenses. And they hadn't even released their best anime yet.
Some studios had intentionally scheduled their strongest titles for after Code Geass ended. That's when the real battle for engagement would begin.
It wouldn't just be a release war. It would be a fight for fandom.
"People keep saying 'just enjoy what we have,' but the reality is that this is the most competitive anime season in over a decade," one executive reportedly said. "You don't just watch anime now; you choose a side."
Even with all the competition and new releases, Code Geass had set a new standard, forcing the rest of the industry to chase its momentum.
[Note: I've finished watching up to Episode 10, so this will be the last filler chapter. In the future, I'll try to avoid covering shows I haven't watched yet or ones that need more time to watch, so situations like this don't happen again. Thank you all for your support!]
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)