After digging some more, I found out that for That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (2018) an Absolute Order (Production) section was added under the seasons.
Oshi no ko seems to do this the opposite way, causing indexers to not correctly index them. I suggest doing the same for Oshi no ko as was done for Slime.

I think Vankerkom's argument is the most persuasive. Even if the numbering is consecutive, splitting the seasons is in line with TMDB's rule that "replicates the way a TV series was originally released on its original network."

Moderators, please reconsider.

@DongHaeRang said:

I think Vankerkom's argument is the most persuasive.

An absolute episode group was added to That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime probably because all episodes are numbered continuously from 1 to 72 but the episodes were added incorrectly to the regular seasons. The anime is on our list of anime to be merged and the episode group serves as a stopgap until the episodes can be merged by Travis.

Even if the numbering is consecutive, splitting the seasons is in line with TMDB's rule that "replicates the way a TV series was originally released on its original network."

Yes, and we also have anime-specific guidelines. If the episode numbers are continuous, all episodes should be added to a single season. There's also a general TV show rule that every new season has to begin with an episode numbered as #1.

Neither Oshi No Ko nor That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime have season designations in Japan, and both use continuous episode numbers so all episodes should be added to a single season.

No one reported that That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime used continuous episode numbers so it was never fixed until it was too late and there was too much data to move it manually.

How can you make such an obtuse statement that they both don't have season designations in Japan?

Please see official web sites https://www.ten-sura.com/anime/tensura/story , https://ichigoproduction.com/Season2/story/24.html (notice how even the website is named SEASON 2 for Oshi No Ko) and trying again to tell me that they don't have Seasons...

It is an inconvenient fact for your guidelines that some (not all) anime have continuous numbering AND season designations, what we keep trying to point out is that both of those facts matter.

Your guidelines are wrong if that can't handle BOTH of those facts and I and numerous other contributors/community members keep trying to work with mods and the non existent Travis Bell to make this community better.

Please listen to the community and let's work together to make the anime guidelines actually work!!!

@raze464 said:

Neither Oshi No Ko nor That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime have season designations in Japan, and both use continuous episode numbers so all episodes should be added to a single season.

There was a giant billboard in Shibuya that said “2nd season”: https://www.reddit.com/r/OshiNoKo/comments/1dtfald/some_more_oshi_no_ko_marketing_in_shibuya/

Please tell me again how Oshi no Ko doesn’t have seasons.

Like many other anime have done in the last couple of years, that's the name of the broadcast / production cour and not a season designation.

A recent example that comes to mind is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, whose second broadcast cour /second half of its production cour aired under the title Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Season2 (機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女 Season2) for some reason but still used continuous episode numbers without a season designation. Or MF Ghost, whose second production cour was titled MF Ghost 2nd Season (MFゴースト 2nd Season) and also used continuous episode numbers without a season designation. Or Solo Leveling, whose second production cour was titled Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- (俺だけレベルアップな件 Season 2 - Arise from the Shadow-) and also used continuous episode numbers without a season designation.

If it uses continuous episode numbers, it should be a single season on the database.

At the end of the day, this database is supposed to serve the community - otherwise, why have a database and make it available for public. What is your community telling you with many varied sources and reasonable explanations? You're just coming across as myopic and stubborn now. Wait till another public database comes along to supplant the position you've worked so hard to put TMDB - one that remembers and respects the community it's supposed to serve.

Let's make one thing clear. Is the rule of TMDB to build an independent but exclusive database just for TMDB? Or is it to inherit the original production company or broadcaster's intention? "Our goal is to replicate how the TV series were originally released on their original network." In other words, the rule that "consecutive numbers are grouped into one season" is just one of the rules to avoid confusion in achieving this goal. If the original network said there were two seasons, wouldn't it be natural for TMDB to also list them as two seasons to achieve the goal?

Even the constitution of a country is amended if necessary. A rule that is once made is not an eternally unchangeable rule. To avoid further confusion, I think the rule that "consecutive numbers are grouped into one season" should be revised to "Consecutive numbers are grouped into one season as a basic rule, but if the production company or broadcaster clearly distinguishes between seasons, seasons can be divided even if they are consecutive numbers." I would like to ask the moderators to discuss revisions to this rule.

Raze464,

Let's look at your examples, ( I haven't watched the first two so I can only go off what's on their official sites); Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury https://g-witch.net/story/ , 24 episodes grouped as one season, i.e. two split cours. MF Ghost https://mfg-anime.com/en/story/#/1001410 , the same as gundam, two split cours grouped as one season. Solo Leveling https://sololeveling-anime.net/story/ , https://sololeveling-anime.net/story/1st.html , clear "season designations" Season 1, Season 2. I put up the second link so you can read the plain text of it, (I know you used that to justify changing a tv show to multiple movies) i.e. that they also are separated, 1st story and currently airing story. Every episode of Season 2 also has the "season designation" in the opening credits "- Arise from the Shadow - S2".

Oshi no Ko and TenSura are the same as Solo Leveling...

So like I stated before continuous numbered episodes does not (always) indicate as single season and the fact that your guidelines can't accommodate that fact means that they need to be rewritten. I agree with a LOT of what is written in them but that fact that YOU disregard\gloss over every other point in them if the producer decides that they want to number their episodes in an non standard way is what the community is trying to correct.

It is a fact that the producers of Solo Leveling start Season Two as S02E13, I agree that is is confusing for TMDB's season\episode structuring but styling it as S01E13 is wrong, removes intended information and disregards other parts of your guidelines.

S02E01 (13) would be a great compromise that works with your guidelines, respects the "original Japanese data" and is apparent how the episodes were intended to be displayed.

I currently can not stomach contributing anything (edits) to this site due to the mods attitude to these issues but if the guidelines were rewritten to respect the "original Japanese data" I would be more that willing to spend my time to fix incorrect shows and contribute to new shows. I have a list of 40-50 shows that I have watched or are watching that are wrong and every three months that list grows longer.

So one again, mods, Travis Bell, please actually listen to the community and fix the anime guidelines.

In case the rule changes to "If it is the same as the production company (broadcaster)'s guidance, it is okay if the first episode number of season 2 is not 1," we are providing this information in advance for your reference. In the case of this work, in order to match the production company's (broadcaster's) intention, the first episode number of season 2 should be 12. However, according to my experience, in the current TMDB system, if you enter the first episode of season 2 as episode number 12 instead of 1, the first air date of the season will not be displayed in the season list of the work even if you enter the date. In this case, change the number of the first episode to episode 1, check that the first air date is displayed properly in the season list, and then change the episode number back to the original number.

If this is your first time entering Season 2, when entering Season 2, leave the first episode number as 1 as usual, enter the air date, save it, then check that the first episode date of Season 2 is displayed in the season list, then change the first episode number of Season 2 to 12 and save it. Then, when you click the new episode button, the second episode number will automatically be 13, so it will be easy to enter, and the date will be displayed normally on all pages.

There's also a general TV show rule that every new season has to begin with an episode numbered as #1.

Abolish this rule oh my god!

Like many other anime have done in the last couple of years, that's the name of the broadcast / production cour and not a season designation.

I really think it's reasonable to conclude the big letters that say "2nd Season" is in fact a a season designation.

I do think that this rule was initially created because the old anime were released as only 1 season in Japan and as multiple seasons in the west, so to keep things organised, it makes sense, for those cases. However, it only makes sense in those cases.

These new anime with a continuous order are clearly released in seasons in Japan and advertised as such. There should be a specific rule for these anime. Maybe create a section for the absolute order and have it like the user above said: S02E01 (13).Or just allow the season to not start on episode 1. If it's released as 'Season 2' create a new season and if they release it as 'Part 2' keep in the same season.

We lose the artworks of each season, the main characters might change, the production team might change. (Look at all the changes on Attack on Titan, for example, when that show is merged into 1 season). I ask kindly that you at least discuss rethinking this rule.

We should just build another database and use that since this one is NOT FOR the community but it is FOR the moderation to use and be stubborn about changes to it. See y'all there!