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Comics and Digital Piracy

No, they are a small division of a larger company. That doesn't mean that they can just spend the parent company's money without earning it back.

agila61 wrote:

No, they are a small division of a larger company. That doesn't mean that they can just spend the parent company's money without earning it back.

Right, but by the same token, I'm doubtful that people would consider Del Rey to be "small," either. When you have backing from larger companies like that, and obviously show enough muscle to do something with it, then putting Yen Press together with Vertical seems to be casting a net that's too encompassing when defining "small."

Regardless, this is just an aside: the primary point is that any lost sales as a result of scans -- especially if it's from the licensed publisher's own release -- is a negative. I just find it amazing that people are so doubtful of this occurring.

CCSYueh wrote:

Yen & Vertical are both smaller companies so I can see selling 100 more copies of a title is probably more noticable than over at Viz.

Yen Press isn't exactly what I would call a small company.

Right, but by the same token, I'm doubtful that people would consider Del Rey to be "small," either. When you have backing from larger companies like that, and obviously show enough muscle to do something with it, then putting Yen Press together with Vertical seems to be casting a net that's too encompassing when defining "small."

The anime industry collapsed years before the recession happened. If I remember right the sales started to drop in 2003, more than 5 years before the recession.

I wish it was easy as change the business model, and wait it out, but frankly it isn't that easy.

Oooo, so they're ahead in Japan.
Read more manga.

Even if much of the 2008 decline was due to the recession, the 36% decline from 2003 to 2007 cannot be blamed on the recession.
Bootlegs were only one of the two main factors: the other was decline in bricks and mortar outlets ... Musicland and Tower Records were 35% of the bricks and mortar sales, so when they collapsed, that was also a major shock.

Than what's your solution?

Simply drop the DVD and Bluray format so your only dealing with streaming?

I can't imagine the answer is that people got tired of the massive numbers of studios, I mean if that was true, why have we not seen a return of customers now that Funimation is the only studio with a large amount of anime being released?

I can't argue with the guy and have noticed it myself in recent years. I used to buy up anime constantly, sometimes purchasing 3 or 4 titles at any one time as their volumes came out. My purchases over the past 2 years have dropped to next to nothing.

Those two things present to me that fansubs are a massive problem.

Charred Knight wrote:

Than what's your solution?

This may not be fair to you, but this question shows me you're not ready to listen. I say this because you, like the industry, keeps asking for a solution as though one really exists. Hint: a solution has never existed.

Quote:

Simply drop the DVD and Bluray format so your only dealing with streaming?

Allow me to propose a hypothetical situation so you can see the issue of this question:
You walk into my store, wanting to buy a teapot.

My store specializes in unique items which go with everyday items, such as teapots. I sell, among other things, teapot covers, teapot stands, teapot decals, and teapot accessories. Just not teapots themselves.

Who should I blame because you're not buying from me?

Quote:

I can't imagine the answer is that people got tired of the massive numbers of studios, I mean if that was true, why have we not seen a return of customers now that Funimation is the only studio with a large amount of anime being released?

With this, I quote a reply shared by many out there:

Keonyn wrote:

I can't argue with the guy and have noticed it myself in recent years. I used to buy up anime constantly, sometimes purchasing 3 or 4 titles at any one time as their volumes came out. My purchases over the past 2 years have dropped to next to nothing.

So who's really to blame for the loss in revenues? People like Keonyn? Fan sub viewers? Me? One of my 5 cats?

The industry is to accept the responsibility for lost revenues and no one else. If they can't produce products people want to buy, that's a very big problem that's not being addressed in panels like this one.

Quote:

Those two things present to me that fansubs are a massive problem.

I disagree. I believe the real problem is why people go to the fansub sites to begin with and no one's asking the question.

As a store owner in the example above, it's my job to give people a reason to buy, and it's never acceptable to blame customers, whether they're buying from me or not.

CCSYueh wrote:

Oooo, so they're ahead in Japan. Read more manga.

Considering the circumstances, I seriously doubt you'd have a sales increase after you just borked 4+ years worth of untranslated material that people have had access to for free for sometime and you don't have translated yet. Unless there is some magical sales method the manga industry uses (Doubtful it's Institutional sales to Libraries and Schools).

Why do people use fansubs?

you criticize them for their actions and then admit that their is no solution. You can't win when no one wants to pay.

You also did not answer the simple fact that if no wants what the Japanese are offering how come conventions's attendances have not collapsed?

How come fansubbers are not dying out? Theirs obvious people who like what they see.

The companies are not blaming the customers, if you don't buy something than your not a customer.

Heiskell cited low sales [of Big Windup], saying, "there was not enough of an audience there who bought the series."

Now you're just being ridiculous. Stay on topic. Anime conventions have absolutely nothing to do with this discussion of DVD and manga sales. When someone says "OMG! AX lost attendance because OneConvention.com aggregated away ticket sales! Teh Anime Convention is DYING!!1!!", then we'll talk about it.

That certainly sounds to be blaming the customer to me. Who else would this "audience" be but customers?