Official Media

Hillbilly Handfishin'TM is a large and popular media franchise. It encompasses:

**Hillbilly Handfishin' (TV Show)**

The main piece of media in the Hillbilly Handfishin' franchise, the show serves as the source material for all spinoffs. It has 55 seasons planned (debated), but it has been on hiatus for the past five years.

**Hillbilly Handfishin': The Anime! (Anime)**

Hillbilly Handfishin': The Anime! is a recently announced adaptation of Hillbilly Handfishin' (TV Show). The adaptation is loose, taking inspiration from Shounen anime. The characters are referred to with Japanese honorifics (Salmon-sama, Bitterling-chan, Koi-senpai...). It has been praised for its innovative artstyle, giving the normally realistic characters of Hillbilly Handfishin' human-like faces and the ability to cry.

**Hillbilly Handfishin' LIVE (Musical)**

Hillbilly Handfishin' LIVE is one of the earliest Hillbilly Handfishin' Adaptations. It was inspired by traditional sea shanties and Hamilton (Musical). It has developed a fanbase unconnected to the show. Fans of the musical often clash with fans of Hillbilly Handfishin' (TV Show) because of their portrayal of the characters. Among the most controversial is the interpretation of Catfish as an unproblematic "uwu bean" due to his song "I am Deeply Depressed Due to the Death of My Friend Minnow (Reprise)," which is sung to the tune of "Drunken Sailor."

**Hillbilly Handfishing (Novelization)**

The Hillbilly Handfishing novels were written by a series of ghost-writers and were published to flesh out the character arcs of fish without much screen time. They are controversial within the fandom due to the addition of "g" in titles and the political opinions of the writers.

**Hillbilly Handfishin' (Comics)**

The Hillbilly Handfishin' comics are a line of 33 comics that adapt the TV show. The first comics were met with praise from critics and fans alike, though the later comics have experienced a notable decline in quality due to a drama surrounding several of the artists. The most experienced artists on the team were fired due to the fans accusing them of portraying Catfish and Pufferfish, two notoriously controversial characters within the fandom, poorly. It is suspected that money constraints were also an issue, as several less experienced artists were hired to replace them. While the new artists in question are renowned for their comics involving humans, their skill in drawing fish is notably lacking. Critics have latched onto Eel's design in particular, claiming he looks more like a limp sock than the sleek, rope-like character design showcased in the show.

**Hillbilly Handfishin': Fish Dating Simulator (Dating Simulator)**

The Hillbilly Handfishin': Fish Dating Simulator began as a fan project, but it was quickly picked up by the Hillbilly Handfishin' producers and has since received the funding it required to become a full-fledged game. It involves the player character swimming around the world of Hillbilly Handfishin' (Show) and seducing its protagonists. Each character has a route that the player may follow that fleshes out their character and ultimately culminates in the player and the character falling in love. The only exception is Bitterling, who kills the player character for their Australian sympathies. It is widely loved. Fans rejoiced at the ability to date their favorite characters, and it remains well-reviewed on Steam.

**Hillbilly Handfishin' (Gameboy Game)**

The Hillbilly Handfishin' game was released for the Gameboy in 2013. This decision was regarded as questionable due to it using a console that was nearly 20 years out-of-date, but any criticism quickly faded once the game was released. It was praised for its cutting-edge graphics and compelling story. The game recounts the tragic tale of the Hillbilly Genocide, with the protagonist character playing either as a hillbilly or a fish soldier. Regardless of the option you choose, the game has extensive character customization. Your character will die at the end, and it is regarded as a striking commentary on the horrors of war. The lead writer was considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature, but they were beaten out by Alice Munro.