Japan

I reported quite some time ago that the anime museum (or "pantheon" or "center" or "hall of fame," etc) project proposed by then-Prime Minister Taro Aso was likely to be scrapped once the DPJ was in power in Japan-- the project had become a symbol of the Liberal Democratic Party's wasteful spending, and wasn't even that popular with some LDP members. Yesterday it was announced by Tatsuo Kawabata, an education minister, that the project was officially scrapped "after reviewing the supplementary budget for the fiscal year through March."

This is no surprise, of course, since the DPJ declared their intentions prior to actually taking power, and it may be better for Japan in the long run...but I can't help but expect that some foreign otaku are sadly scratching the anime center off of their list of "Things to See when I Go to Japan Someday."

Just count me in as someone glad that this didn't come to pass at such a truly inappropriate time. Certainly there are better ways to celebrate the medium than this. Poor moeblob...it's all for the best though.

Rest in peace anime and may Clannad live on forever.