Forum - View topicEditorial: An Open Letter to the Industry
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GATSU
Posts: 15332 |
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I doubt the younger fans don't buy these shows, or we'd see less licensing from companies like FUNimation and Viz. Or certain titles still making video sales charts, for that matter.
Sure, if the iPhone was a cheap knock-off made in China...
Japanese companies should probably post subbed sample episodes on their websites. American fans could then vote on their interest in the show, thus making it easier for both parties to not get screwed. Hell, they could make it easier by just funding pilots, too. You could then vote on whether you'd like to see more episodes of the show.
I thought moe was the cause of budgets falling, not the effect. They need to stop wasting it on cg, and start investing in the story again, damnit. Gonzo's just bitching because they haven't had anything big since "Gankutsuo". |
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
Posts: 1684 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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By "IN ENGLISH" I didn't necessarily mean dubbed.
If anime was harder to get for free, he would not be so offended by the idea of paying for it. Sort of like how, three years ago, we would have laughed at the opportunity to pay $3 for a gallon of gas. Funny how people adapt, huh? Just because people have those attitudes doesn't mean they'll keep them forever. |
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Splitter
Posts: 1276 Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door |
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But in order to accomplish this, there's a lot of work that must be done, and a lot of it involves the rights of public domain. It's not just torrents you're dealing with. What about broadcast anime? Is that not also getting anime for free? What about ADV's new streaming site? No doubt the chokehold must be placed around the consumer, and it's not like you'll lose any more money. The people who complain and say they'll never "listen to your demands" most likely never paid for it before anyway. |
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dewlwieldthedarpachief
Posts: 751 Location: Canada |
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This makes me think of Russia circa 1990; they had no economy, so they legitimized the mafia. What if American distributors contracted the fansub organizations? I think it would be a great combination; on the one hand its legitimized and regulated, but on the other hand you have the fansubber sensibilities, like let's get this out quick and do it nice. If they would both keep each other in check the end result could be interesting.
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Bisuketto
Posts: 153 Location: Middle America |
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I have to say this letter is a very nice and concise view that gets to the heart of the anime industry and market today. While most people in these type of discussions polarize to either pro-fansubing or anti-fansubing Justin actually tries to go deeper and analyze the situation. He doesn't take either side and gets his main points across. Very well done and in an intellegent way.
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Sven Viking
Posts: 1039 |
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Good article. In places it gives the impression that "people who download" == "people who do not buy", and some parts almost seem to imply that "people who don't download" == "people who do buy" , but I expect this was accidental.
The recent Bost VoD news actually sounds like it may be a step towards the "LEGAL, INEXPENSIVE WAY TO WATCH NEW ANIME IN ENGLISH" suggested by the article, though we'll have to wait and see how it turns out. (English hasn't been confirmed, of course... the 'worldwide' business just makes one think that translations may be planned). animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-23/bost-announces-global-anime-video-on-demand-from-japan Last edited by Sven Viking on Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Splitter
Posts: 1276 Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door |
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This isn't a half bad idea. Turning a fansubber's work into paid work would no doubt give them an extra motivation to release early and often. The companies may lose money initially, but if fansubbing was legitimized, they'd slowly begin to gain it back. It'd be a hell of a turnaround, but it's just crazy enough to work. |
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kenshinflyer
Posts: 58 Location: Philippines |
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I don't know about you, guys, but as far as I'm, concerned, the golden age of anime is over. I still remember classics such as Lupin III, Slam Dunk, and more recently Naruto, which is rich in story. Then there goes nonsense things like Battle B-Daman, Beyblade, and, after a few rounds, Galaxy Angel...
I hope a renaissance will happen sometime soon... Like they say, don't blame the fansubbers, but the industry itself. Why won't the industry think of a product that is so precious that fansubbing it would be a moral crime? Why won't they think that eye candy alone doesn't make for a good production? Why won't they think that there are anime fans ALL OVER THE WORLD? Another one adding to a potential demise is because of stereotypes (well, at least in the Philippines). Still, animated stuff are the stuff of kid-stuff, but, then again, there are animated stuff that ain't that. What the industry should also address is to show that anime is a medium, not some kid-related thing. Maybe it's time anime becomes mature enough... Boys Be, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Cowboy Bebop, Blood+, and a whole lot more, has proven it. Oh, well, nothing is forever in this world... |
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Sven Viking
Posts: 1039 |
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I agree... as I've said before, why fight what you can devour? Getting the Japanese companies to allow it would be pretty miraculous, though :/. It was tried a while back by a start-up company called IAD, but they ended up smothered by the "labyrinthine, Brazil-esque muddle of red tape" mentioned in the article. animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-09-19/international-anime-distribution-attempts-to-legalize-fansubs |
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Greed1914
Posts: 4446 |
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Technically, broadcast anime would be free for the consumer, it is still a far cry from downloading since the networks are paying for the show, so the licensors are still earning money. |
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Avacado Burger
Posts: 85 |
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Now watch it happen in Japan. Watch as the money they make from licensing overseas begins to die away. Watch as the budgets for spectacular productions get cut little by little. Watch your hopes of the next Haruhi or Gurren Lagann vanish before your very eyes. Watch the whole anime production world crumble at it's feet. Do you see it now? Forget about fansubs. By now, anime as you know it to be is dead.
I think Japan will do just fine if all our overseas profits just withered and died. They did just fine without our money years ago when Anime was just a gleam in our eye, and they'll do OK now. The only people this hurts are the international distributors. Honestly, I think the Japanese execs still don't give two craps about international viewing being a prime money source. Just sell the license and make some chump change, that has been and always will be the way international distribution is handled. |
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fusion duelist
Posts: 58 |
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The only problem with that is a series would have to be licensed before it airs, if they could do that, your idea would be the best way to go. |
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bayoab
Posts: 831 |
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Zalis116
Moderator
Posts: 6871 Location: Kazune City |
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I've said this before on several threads, but the industry (in terms of US distribution companies) needs to learn from fansubs on how fans want to see anime. Yeah, they can't compete on the speed or the price, but they could at least take some steps to take away the "fansubs are better than DVDs!" ammunition from the fansub afficcionados. Why is it that I can download Death Note fansubs that properly translate and position all the written text in the series, but if I buy the DVD from Viz and choose to watch it in English, I have to leave the one subtitle track on or miss out on all the written text translations? (According to posts on the AnimeonDVD forums, the Death Note DVDs don't have a secondary subtitle track for songs and signs, even though the [as] broadcast version had that stuff hardsubbed.) Why can I download Rumbling Hearts fansubs that perfectly translate the storybook at the end of episode 14, while the Funimation release just leaves these massive blocks of text untranslated? Why can I download fansubs (and R2 DVD-rips) of the Saikano OVA that have properly translated subtitles, while the Viz DVD release has 75% dubtitles that are completely and unprofessionally wrong at many occasions? Why are the subtitles in Bang Zoom releases like Kannazuki no Miko, Gankutsuou, and Haruhi clunky, stilted, and over-literal compared to the flowing, enjoyable, and almost-as-accurate fansub subtitles of the same series? Why do many fans choose to download fansubs even when presented with the equal opportunity to download straight rips of the R1 DVDs?
I mean yeah, there are problems caused by fansubs, and they are serious, but there are low-cost, feasible steps that can be taken. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Hey Zalis, what the hell does any of this have to do with the editorial that was posted? |
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