Forum - View topicWho buys anime anymore?
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Plasmaeclipse
 Posts: 153 |
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Speaking as a more recent anime fan, I will say I find streaming to be a more favorable option to physical release. As a college student with no job I really can't afford physical copies since I currently rely on my parent's income to buy my stuff, I'm lucky I'm even allowed a Crunchyroll account. With so many online options available (legal or otherwise) the idea of shilling out hundreds of dollars on a physical disc really does feel like a waste, especially when you can spend that same money on a hard drive and carry dozens of shows with you. I understand collector's value but I really think my generation doesn't see anything in that. At best we would want a physical copy as a backup in case our internet is cut off.
With mobile data plans as well as an increasing number of free wi-fi hotspots it's also easier to stream on the go. I have a Crunchyroll account because I'm not a complete idiot and I realize that in order for the industry to survive some money has to flow back into it. The only time I pirate now is if Funi takes it (becuase I doubt my mom will let me subscribe to 2 networks), it isn't licensed at all, or it's old and out of circulation. However I can't see myself going for huge bookshelves full of discs, especially with Aniplex prices going as high as $300 *coughmadokacough* . If I have the spare $300 I might as well go for other merch like CDs, Figmas, and posters. I want to support the industry don't get me wrong however I don't think hording discs and box sets will be the way to do it anymore. Licensers should look into setting up legal downloads. Really though with full simulcasts out online I doubt priced downloads will take off in any respect. Maybe add it in as a premium subscription option. I agree with yuna49 the future doesn't bode well for companies like Aniplex and Funimation. |
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2261 |
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Streaming has been primarily a try before I buy situation for me and it has been a godsend in that respect. I almost never blind buy anymore and I don't have to take the word of reviewers that I may or may not have similar tastes in common.
Now, while streaming has been a useful tool to sample different things I still prefer physical media over streaming, because I like extras such as artboxes or books. However, last 3 years my buying habits have changed with my philosophy. I was always a collector and while not quite as hardcore as some others I did tend to quantity over quality of works. The last 3 years I've been slowly trimming my collection by selling or giving some stuff away. I don't need everything that was ever released in existence anymore and I certainly don't have the time to re-watch everything on my shelf. Also my collecting has been impacted by two companies and that's Sentai and Aniplex. I'm not happy with some of the dubs and subtitles on Sentai's releases and its gotten to the point that I don't pre-order anything from them anymore. I just don't trust them and when they release a show that I kind of liked, but wasn't totally bonkers for I hesitate and once I do its then way too easy to say "I don't need it". As far as Aniplex of America goes I do have have some of their titles, but their pricing is such that while I can afford it I never enjoy buying their stuff because of the prices. Its gotten to the point with them that I wonder if I should even bother streaming the new Fate series of next year's new Durarara! Why bother, when I'll never be able to own them anyways. So in a nutshell, yea I still buy physical media (I also buy CDs! Hardcover books! Live action BDs!) and will continue to do so, but I'm buying a lot less anime for a number of reasons none of which has to do with the availability of streaming.
I also think the younger generation is just more comfortable and used to streaming in general. I don't think they have the same kind of attachment to physical media as an older generation does. My younger brother keeps telling me that I should get rid of all my shelves of books and just get an ipad or kindle (and he's not that young). Mostly cause he thinks I'm nuts whenever I move and have more boxes of books than anything else. I also agree that due to a number of factors buying physical media of anime will become more of a niche thing. Now is it a "hipster" thing? I doubt for some of the old timers its that, but I could see how some younger people might view younger hardcore collectors that way. In the sense of "oh, aren't you an elitist snob"? |
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CoreSignal
 Posts: 727 Location: California, USA |
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As an older anime fan, I probably have more of an attachment to physical media, but I also just like owing shows. Not to generalize all newer fans, but a lot of fans who refuse to pay at all for anime don't understand (or care) that anime isn't made for free. If I really enjoy a show, then I feel I should reward the people who made it.
Pretty much this. It's a vicious cycle. Less people are buying discs, so Aniplex has to jack up their prices, which only further pushes away potential buyers, which leads to Aniplex keeping/increasing their pricing schemes.
I believe in voting with your wallet as well. I also try to buy blu-rays/dvds of more obscure shows I like just to support their release. I enjoyed Attack on Titan, but now that I'm rewatching on Cartoon Network, I'll don't think I'll buy it on disc. AoT especially, will already make enough back on merchandise alone. But smaller shows like Shin Sekai Yori need the support.
This worries me too. While I'm mostly a sub person, I love being able to watch dubs of shows I like. But dubbing is really for the home video market so if the physical market starts to disappear, it may be the end for dubs. It's unlikely and probably impossible for anybody to dub a streaming show. It doesn't really count but Space Dandy is one of rare examples of a dub made for broadcast first.
Oh definitely, if buying anime is out of your budget, then by all means save your money. I was in the same situation in college as well. I really started buying anime once I finished school and got a job.
I think it comes down to supporting the industry however you can. You don't need to feel obligated to buy discs. For me, I show my support by buying the discs. But I know plenty of people who just buy merchandise or just get streaming subscriptions. How you choose to support anime should be up to you. |
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CoreSignal
Posts: 727 Location: California, USA |
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It's funny because the two companies have almost completely opposite approaches to publishing, but in a way they're both kinda bad, imo at least. Sentai licenses a ton of shows and releases them with barebones features/extras and often rushed translations, while Aniplex has a few select shows with elaborate features and packaging but ridiculous prices. At this point, Funimation (and maybe Viz) is the only "reasonable" publisher left. |
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st_owly
 Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
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My rule for buying physical media is that if I want to watch (or read) something more than once, I will try and obtain a physical copy. Things do disappear from streaming sites sometimes. I wouldn't be averse to paid-for downloads, but often the price per episode is far higher than buying a physical release. I do tend to wait until things have been out for a while before I buy them, so the price can come down. There's very few things I've preordered or bought soon after they came out, with the exception of a couple of limited editions.
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lem
 Posts: 734 Location: Land of trying to figure sht out |
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At 52 I'm pretty sure that this being "hip" or even remotely being considered a "hipster" is something for others so I got nothing for you there. After 14 years of weekly viewing if I can somehow manage to get in one day a week of quality viewing time then Imma happy camper. I used to pick up the shows on disc to achieve this (usually as they were released. 9 singles for Death Note anyone?) and that was that. Today I find myself more inclined to spend more on a specific title. Which, depending on what's airing, may actually equal fewer titles overall in a given year. For the ones that I did enjoy thoroughly,then chances are pretty good that I'm gonna support the crap out of those. This may include another release of it, an OST, memento, figure, nendo or whatever, the source material, an artbook or two, and or even the comics for it. Regarding outlook - as long as there are shows that work for me I will continue to support those with my discretionary. And as long as there are enough of us that are willing to do this then we should be okay? The key is finding those shows. After so many it can be a challenge to avoid the type of things that I don't wish to spend time with. The thing is it takes time and energy to find these artists that offer what I prefer you know? Legal streaming services and this site work great as a filter for this. So things have only improved. Even with some of the current situations we have with regards to fear of "reverse importing" and the challenges that R1 companies face (e.g., not getting the complete show for distribution, etc.,) as a buyer today I still have more in my favor than ever before. So yeah I still buy my anime (could be VHS, dvd, blu-ray, whatever it's available on) and really enjoy it when I can get me some quality viewing time in. |
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VampireNaomi
 Posts: 146 |
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I still buy my anime on disc because I'm not as technologically advanced as I could be. If I watch streams, I have to do it in my office chair and in front of my computer because I haven't bothered to set it up in a more comfortable way. It's much nicer to pop in a DVD and lie down on my couch.
I'm also wary of paying for something that may not be always available. Not that discs last forever either, but it's still an option I prefer. I'm a collector by nature and enjoy owning a physical copy of things that I like. I'm also located outside the US, and at least when the streaming business started, many of the series weren't even available in my country. It has got better now, but whatever interest I had in watching streams was lost right at the start because of this. Last edited by VampireNaomi on Wed Oct 22, 2014 9:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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GeminiDS85
Posts: 391 |
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As someone in their mid-twenties, I almost never purchase physical copies of anime. In fact, the last physical release I purchased was back in 2011. However, I do tend to rent a lot of anime from Tsutaya or stream it on-line (when it’s available); and even though anime is always on TV on my side of the pond, I rarely ever watch it live (it usually airs way past my bedtime).
Honestly, I would love to have a large collection of anime. However, I would much rather spend my money on going out clubbing/drinking, traveling around the world, buying nice clothes, or getting new tattoos. That being said, it is still pretty tempting to walk into Animate and see some of my favorite shows for sale. |
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mad mac
Posts: 186 |
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I've cut way back on buying physical anime for all the same reasons as everyone else, but I wanted to add another reason-timing.
Before streaming was big, I'd buy discs mostly because it was a way to acquire new things to watch, either newer releases or re-releases of classic shows I hadn't seen before. Now, I barely pay attention to things that are being released because it's all stuff I watched (or chose not to watch) a year or more ago. "New" releases are dull instead of exciting. It's one thing to buy a show I recently got into and still have a lot of positive feelings for, but in most cases discs don't come out until long after my love has cooled for that particular show. It becomes a more detached decision of how much I want to support a particular title or how likely I am to want to re-watch it and for most titles that becomes a decision to pass. Now as a consumer this isn't a terrible thing, but I have to assume it hurts sells of physical media for a lot of people besides myself. Looking at what few things I've bought in the last few years, the bulk of it is stuff (OVAs, Movies, Classic Collections, ect) that was never and probably never will be available streaming so it has at least a little bit of freshness and added value even if they do get tossed unto my backlog more often then not. Now books are a slightly different story because I like my physical books a lot and fan translations tend towards awful anyways, but even then I'll generally pass on titles I can read up to date in Crunchyrolls manga app or some similar quality legal service. I could see my book purchases also leveling off over the next several years as simulpup begins catching up with legal streaming for convenience and selection. |
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lem
Posts: 734 Location: Land of trying to figure sht out |
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Can't really expect them to be. There is no comparison there. If you're young chances are pretty good you simply don't have oodles of cash laying around. Never mind cash for things that aren't food, don't provide you with shelter, and or improve your chances of surviving in this beautiful world.
I'm certainly not privy to numbers but this all seems pretty anecdotal to me. I'm all for the audience growing and growing up with it though. Some fans gotta start somewhere. Over time one can learn what it is to be involved with supporting the things you enjoy and finding a way to give back to those responsible for some of your entertainment/enjoyment.
If I never purchased titles from Amzn JP I might think the same thing. But after awhile you notice that not every title available there doesn't cost the equivalent of 300 USD and isn't also a "Part One of Three" 900 dollar kinda deal. Complete DVD Box sets are available at prices on par with R1 releases. For Japanese fans of course. I think Aniplex charges what they need to cover their costs and make a profit. I think that sticker shock is nothing more than that. Sticker shock. For us. Old news for them. Apparently they have already determined what collectors in Japan are willing to pony up for certain titles and the specific treatment of those titles. From what I understand they've (AoA) managed to do away with the middle man and offer it in a more direct and timely fashion all the while trying to protect it from being reverse imported back to Japan. Hence the sticker shock for us. And at the minimum they have made some of these titles available on a legal stream. So in that way at least I or anyone else could feel as if we each got a kiss first before they did the deed.
One other possible consequence of the rise of streaming is a wider acceptance of anime. Isn't that a plus? The numbers won't lie. More audience equals more revenue. One way or another, if not now then maybe later? And we already know what is needed for anything with a dub. More money. |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4089 |
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I rent, I stream, I buy. Mostly I buy, especially as more and more DVDs go out of print.
I don't like streaming, partially based on the notion "too easily gained, too lightly esteemed" and partially because it's too disposable. I've quit watching more shows a season than I ever have through all my years of renting through Netflix. "That's normal, most of it is bad." No, Adventures of the Mini Goddess is bad. DiGi Charat Nyo, Tsubasa, hundreds of other series I can barely remember but with DVD plans, the more I watch, the cheaper it is per disc so I finish them. With streaming, the more time I spend watching stuff I don't like, the less time I have for stuff I do like. "Well, that just makes sense, doesn't it?" No, often my last impression of a series can change with the last few episodes but with more options every season, it's harder and harder to get to the ending. Still, buying sub only releases is pretty dumb unless they're cheap. You really are better off just streaming those. I'd like to switch audio tracks "mid stream" {what an odd metaphor to mix...} and that's usually not possible, feasible, or cost effective for anybody. It's sad that even certain Blu-rays are getting locked so I have to menu spam. Paying for streaming? Never, never. If I have to wait a week {thanks Funimation} or four weeks {thanks Crunchyroll}, I will wait. The last thing I want is "Well, I have to watch X amount of series, not just shows, to justify the price" situations or "Now that I've watched it, I'd like to get a copy because I want to rewatch it" for streaming only shows. So I buy. Also, it's nice to have money to do so. Ok, some money. Not "AoA" money but still. |
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One-Eye
Posts: 2261 |
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I'm going to agree with lem on this one. I think its sometimes part of being young for some people and not grasping the value or effort in creating a product. Do I think 99% of those people will become anime and manga purchasers? No, of course not. For most it will probably be a hobby or trend that they grow out of in a few years time (real life is only a few years away for most of them). However, I think that some of the people that do stick with it and mature with time will start to give back in some way.
I think I'm going to disagree a little with this. This is just an opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm not pretending to be the fountain head of wisdom when it comes to the anime market. First, I recall a few years ago complaining bitterly about Sentai's barebone releases. It was therefore nice to have NISA come into the market because they provided something a little different from what was out there. I used to buy old OOP shows with the Artboxes that I hadn't picked up the first time they were out, because I enjoyed that little extra effort in presentation and missed it. I think that AoA recognized that there was demand for more premium releases and this was an angle that they could exploit. Its certainly and most probably not the only thing that they factored into their calculations. They were probably quite aware that there are fans that import from Japan and some that probably were interested but were either too intimidated or didn't have the time to bother with the process. This was just another way of fulfilling another need in the market. Second, I don't think AoA prices have to do with piracy. If this was the case we would be seeing all the other Western publisher's jacking up their prices across the board. Instead what we see is more Western companies trying out premium/collector's editions, but this doesn't stop them from putting out regular editions too. This doesn't mean that piracy doesn't have a strong negative impact on the market, I just don't think this was the primary motivator for AoA pricing strategy as you suggest. However, their pricing has affected me and I do think that if another Japanese company comes in with the same strategy it will push the anime market for physical media into a more niche category. One that this collector, may not be willing to support at all.
Maybe. I'm not sure more subtitles necessarily changes people into committed subtitle watchers. Some fans just don't like subtitles, which means there is some demand for dubs. I have plenty of friends who will sit down with me and watch a dubbed anime and enjoy it, but the same friends wont or are lukewarm about subtitles (same people won't watch foreign films in subs either, but I usually can't stand dubs of live-action). I think I remember Justin (maybe it was an Answerman column or ANNcast) saying that early streaming at first hadn't provided much revenue, but that has changed in the last few years. So there's more money than there used to be coming from streaming. Wouldn't it be attractive or an incentive for some fans or specifically casual watchers if more anime was dubbed for streaming? Why did Netflix bother to dub Knights of Sidonia? If a viewer likes live-action Sci-fi and sees a genre recommendation for Knights of Sidonia in whatever streaming service they use are they as anime newbies perhaps more likely to watch it dubbed than subbed? Maybe. At this time I'm not wholly convinced of the impending end of dubbing. All of this is just speculation and opinion on my part, but I just think that there's more than one way to look at some of these issues that have been brought up. |
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Sohma_Curse
 Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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I ONLY buy anime on DVD/Blu Ray. Mostly because I ONLY watch dubs (which are few and far between via stream), but also because I like having physical copies of them. The quality is superior, the special features are nice, but the most important element for me is the collectability factor. I will go out of my way to purchase the most rare version of a particular title for no good reason other than the fact that it's super rare. And considering that almost all of my purchases are complete and total blind buys of shows I've never seen before, it only makes my behaviors that much stranger.
I can imagine, though, that budgetary restrictions coupled with the ease and low cost of streaming anime online are what have driven people away from buying DVDs and Blu Rays. I'm lucky enough to have a well-paying job that allows me to have disposable income to use towards such purchases, but for those in their teens and early 20's, who A) may not make much money and B) grew up with finding everything they could ever want on the internet, it's just second nature for most of them to consume anime via streaming. |
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rheiders
 Posts: 1137 Location: Colorful Colorado :) |
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I'm nineteen. Actually, although I have a couple friends who still stubbornly cling to their favorite fansub aggregate sites, most of my anime-viewing friends will always check for a streaming option before they watch a show. Since most recent shows nowadays are available for legal streaming, this means they hardly pirate anything anymore. However, most of them don't bother with subscriptions and just watch the ads. But it's still a big change where a lot of younger fans don't feel the need to pirate anymore because free and legal streaming is so ubiquitous now. This is just observations from my circle of friends and social media though. Edit: But in reference to the topic of the thread, except for a couple collectors like me, most of them don't buy the physical releases unless it's a really, really special show to them. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23807 |
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I am a reformed physical media collector. Meaning that I used to buy anime fairly indiscriminately (i.e. blind buys of shows just because they were cheap) but these days I'm way more careful.
My wanton ways have left me with a ridiculously large backlog of titles that I can't seem to make a dent in (watching 20+ simulcast shows a week doesn't help) and that contains a bunch of shows that I probably won't like or only watch once. Ah, if I could only do it all over again. These days I'll only buy something if I really, really want it. I'm also a big fan of legit streaming sites. I've been a CR subscriber for years and became a Funi subscriber at the beginning of 2014. I'll probably sign up for Sentai's site next year. |
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