To whom it may concern,

When I first heard that the Keijo manga had been cancelled, and we probably wouldn't be getting a second season of the anime, I entered a state of shock if you will. Many people might consider that silly, and most would tell me to get some "real problems". These people are certainly not anime fans.

Keijo was my introduction to the world of anime. At 18, You may think I'm a bit of a latecomer in that regard. As a child, I grew up watching cartoons, and recently had my love for western animation rekindled. I never held anything against Japanimation, in fact, I deeply respected its influnce on art as a whole... And that's when Keijo came a' calling.

I first heard of Keijo through the now infamous feminism-empowering article on Kotaku. Out of pure curiosity, I decided to check out this crazy show the same night. That was all it took; I fell head-over-heels in love. With baited-breath, I waited for the following week's episode. My passion grew stronger still. I soon began reviewing the episodes on my YouTube channel, hoping to expand the already-voracious fanbase. Through this venture, I met one of my dearest online friends, Umbraemilotos. Keijo had already unlocked new doors in my life.

After finishing Keijo, I binged the American anime RWBY at the recommendation of a friend, which is now another favorite of mine. After RWBY, Seven Deadly Sins, and I have no intention of stopping. Anime is now one of my top three favorite fandoms, but if not for Keijo, I don't see this as being the case.

While my appreciation for Keijo does stem partially from a combination of nostalgia and gratitude, my love goes far beyond a sole reason. Perhaps first and foremost, I adore the characters and plot.

When you first start watching, you may write Keijo off as "just another Ecchi anime". I believe I can say this with most assuredness, you're only scratching the surface. Every character in the story has an arc, a reason why they're competing, something they're fighting for. Nozomi desires to become the best Keijo athlete in Japan in order to take care of her impoverished family, Sayaka desperately seeks the approval her father never gave her, Maya-a late addition to the cast-wants to be something, because all her life she's been treated like she was nothing. You very soon reach a point where the girls are no longer just walking fanservice to you. They're human beings.

While only the manga has been ended and not the anime, we all know the truth: no manga = no anime. I understand that the executives at Kogakukan are under the impression that they can no longer make money from Keijo. But it's time for the fanbase to prove them wrong. We will pay for the manga, we will buy the merchandise, we will support both iterations of the story no matter the cost (both literally and figuratively).

#savekeijo

Sincerely,

Jaime Horn