[WastingMyTime89]

> but there's also an extraordinarily low level of discussion. I was shocked when I clicked on the first review and realized it was a review - "oh, huh, when did it come out?"

You are commenting on an article in the Verge for a movie which has only been released in Japan and won’t be out in the USA for months. This article is one of many in most western publications. A lot can be said about this movie but having a low level of discussion is definitely not one of them.

What’s the point of a marketing campaign when you have so much organic reach?

[gwern]

There were way more Western articles about _The Wind Rises_ back then. I definitely wasn't clicking on a review and going 'wait, that came out already?' Everyone knew, whether or not they had any interest in anime.

[jvican]

You seem to assume @gwern isn't a Japanese speaker. His comments about low volume of reviews might very well apply to just Japan.

[WastingMyTime89]

I don’t need to assume anything. Gwern isn’t an anonymous poster. His bio is in his profile and he is indeed American.

First results are in by the way. Second highest results for the opening weekend of a Ghibli movie. I think they will survive the lack of marketing.

[flakiness]

Japanese speaker here. It does. The review volume is low (apparently no preview for media?), and these people aren't very excited, it seems.)