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NEWS: Bandai Entertainment Streams Code Geass on YouTube

One thing to note is that the version on Bandai's page for some reason defaults to LQ, but if you click on the episode links it goes to the HQ version for me.

I gotta admit, I kinda like this. I do get irritated waiting for Adult Swim on Demand to update with the next episode of Code Geass, so if they do a faster update than ASOD, I'll be happy.

It's a first step, they can't just jump right into worldwide distribution yet. This is a sign that they may be looking to have some sort of wider distribution system, so I'd say cut them a break rather than hate them for something that is still outside of their control.

The big concern being voiced in the economic crisis is "Avoid protectionism at all costs". Region coding is a form of protectionism that has no place in a prefered global economy. Region coding belongs in the age before the internet.

Mohawk52 wrote:

The big concern being voiced in the economic crisis is "Avoid protectionism at all costs". Region coding is a form of protectionism that has no place in a prefered global economy. Region coding belongs in the age before the internet.

Region coding is a form of protectionism, but region locking (on web sites) is not.

If region locking is protectionism, than you're saying that the concept of licensing ITSELF is protectionism.

After all, the purpose of region locking is to prevent a COMPANY for distributing a product outside of the geographic area it has the legal right to. Companies do not region lock to discriminate against people, or to "protect a country's interests", they do it because they have no legal choice.

Now, if you think that is unfair, then what you are really complaining about is the concept of a company licensing a property for only a certain area of the world. But that's a fundamental part of business and trade: When I, as a company, do not have the ability to sell my wares in another country but wish to make money off that market, I sell the RIGHTS to my properties to another company, and restrict the region they can sell in to that country.
If you want to restrict the rights of companies to license their products in certain geographic areas, then you have to ban the concept of licensing at all.

Perhaps, in the case of the internet, I could envision a process where all internet distribution rights were always global. But, in that case, what company in Japan would ever license those rights to anyone? They could get undercut in THEIR OWN MARKET, by whatever company they licensed to, through the internet. So such a rule would do nothing but actually encourage companies to never license anything to anyone else.

Perhaps, in the case of the internet, I could envision a process where all internet distribution rights were always global. But, in that case, what company in Japan would ever license those rights to anyone? They could get undercut in THEIR OWN MARKET, by whatever company they licensed to, through the internet. So such a rule would do nothing but actually encourage companies to never license anything to anyone else.

samuelp wrote:

Mohawk52 wrote: The big concern being voiced in the economic crisis is "Avoid protectionism at all costs". Region coding is a form of protectionism that has no place in a prefered global economy. Region coding belongs in the age before the internet. Region coding is a form of protectionism, but region locking (on web sites) is not. If region locking is protectionism, than you're saying that the concept of licensing ITSELF is protectionism. After all, the purpose of region locking is to prevent a COMPANY for distributing a product outside of the geographic area it has the legal right to. Companies do not region lock to discriminate against people, or to "protect a country's interests", they do it because they have no legal choice. Now, if you think that is unfair, then what you are really complaining about is the concept of a company licensing a property for only a certain area of the world. But that's a fundamental part of business and trade: When I, as a company, do not have the ability to sell my wares in another country but wish to make money off that market, I sell the RIGHTS to my properties to another company, and restrict the region they can sell in to that country. If you want to restrict the rights of companies to license their products in certain geographic areas, then you have to ban the concept of licensing at all. Perhaps, in the case of the internet, I could envision a process where all internet distribution rights were always global. But, in that case, what company in Japan would ever license those rights to anyone? They could get undercut in THEIR OWN MARKET, by whatever company they licensed to, through the internet. So such a rule would do nothing but actually encourage companies to never license anything to anyone else.

That's simple. They wouldn't have to involve anyone else in that situation. The only need for region licence would be for region language dubbing, and DVD sales, that could be when ever the studio feels like doing that, if ever. Anime has become a global entertainment business, and if those Japanese companies want to survive they need to operate like a global entertainment business. In short they need to up sync with the 21st Century, and become fansubbers themselves with a way to make money off of that. It's the main reason they're plagued with piracy and the only sure way to fight against it.

Right, but let's be clear here, the people at fault are NOT BANDAI.
The people who are the cause of the region locking are the Japanese animation companies (in this case Bandai's parent company in Japan) themselves.
Put blame where blame is due: In this case squarely in Japan.