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Answerman - Why Are Compilation Films Made?

One that I watched recently that I love is Wixoss's (Selector Destructed Wixoss). It's done really neatly and adds really good new content and changes that really make the whole story better. That said, without watching Infected and Spread, Destructed makes very little sense.

Now the question becomes, why are reruns a thing in America, and not so much in Japan?

This was an era in which TV series went on a lot longer than they do today, and with 2-3 episodes per tape being relatively standard -- and costing upwards of ¥11,000 per volume -- there simply weren't very many people that could afford to collect whole series, and video rental shops had limited shelf space.

I assume the short answer would be Cash Grab, not to say that they are all bad. Macross Do You Remember Love is beloved by most Macross fans, I personally liked the Gurren Lagann films. It really depends on what new/alternative content is created, I didn't think the new scenes in Raxephon warranted the existences of the film, Ithere was only one or 2 scenes that added anything.

I think the best purpose they can serve is when you watched the show not long ago, and want to see it, but aren't interested in going through all the episodes again, and the new content is for you interesting and/or informative.

There's an entire book you could write on the cultural differences involved in the concept of 'space' (as in the space between two objects) between the US and Japan, but that's another long one.)

hmm I was wondering about this since Code Geass was announced to be coming out with 3 of these.

I guess the amount of work that goes into these varies though.
For Code Geass, the voices will be re-done and some new scenes as well. I dont recall if the entire thing would be re-animated although I doubt it. Definitely would check it out in theaters though

The worst compilation has to be Star Driver's film. They start after the TV show teasing you with a new cool story with new enemies and then we flashback to the show and never know anything else of that cool continuation content.

@walw6pK4Alo I know that Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea is a alternative retelling that's why I didn't mention it. I've never seen Do You Remember Love?, but what people said about it, made it sound like a compilation film. In its place I will leave Plus instead.

I used to wonder about this quite often. In this day and age with Internet streaming, I think that compilation anime films don't really have much of a purpose anymore.