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In fan fiction, a metaseries includes series of stories which include references to each other and some overall similar chronological or cast backdrop, but are not similar enough to be considered direct sequels.
In some anime fandom, the term can be used to describe all the works and adaptations of a single overall story or franchise, especially when it should be implied each adaptation is not wholly consistent with another. For example, progressive market interest can get a manga made into a short OAV, later made into a television series (animated, live-action, or both), and then a movie. Long-running Japanese anime TV programs are divided into separate series instead of seasons, as Japanese television does not have the concept of 'seasons' that American television uses, so the term 'metaseries' can be applied to the entire collection of series that make up one program.
The series Tenchi Muyo! and Sailor Moon have been comics, multiple TV series, and movies, but they do not have a rigid single continuity.
This is not to be confused with Meta fanfiction, which is a fanfiction based on an (often elaborate) fanfiction.
For sources of metafic humor, see MSTing.
See also shared universe.
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