From the Gallery

The Math of Episode Counts

Something just doesn't add up here.

In early November (2002) I picked up the fifth volume of the GTO anime on DVD. GTO quickly became a personal favourite of mine when I first saw it at the beginning of 2002. But it simply solidified its place on my shelf when I saw a fansub of the drama a few months later.

When I looked at the episode count on the back of volume five, I noticed that there were only four episodes on the disc this time, or 100 minutes worth of core material. The first four volumes of the series had five episodes worth of stuff on them. Volume one actually had four episodes, but the pilot was a double length episode, so it was still 125 minutes worth of material.

Now, TOKYOPOP made it no real secret that the episode counts would be lowered for this volume. After all, this information was in the Previews catalogue that I usually go through when making my preorders, so I had pretty much known this around the end of the summer. In the end, no problem. Then I started reading up on the future volumes of the series on the company website and in Previews and realized out that the episode counts will remain at four episodes... now there was a problem.

Lets have a quick math lesson. The GTO anime ran for 43 episodes. If you figured in the original episode count (five episodes per volume), you were looking at likely nine discs for the series. Now with the change to four episodes, TOKYOPOP will be able to eke out one more disc.

I feel like mentioning the DVD count on the Love Hina anime while I'm at it, since GTO and Love Hina were two of the more significant titles to be released in 2002 (anime or manga), and because of the fact that both their DVD runs ended in September 2003. The original 24 episodes of the Love Hina TV series were released on six discs of four episodes each, with the bonus 25th episode included with the Christmas special. If you're keeping count, that's seven DVDs already. The Spring Special that came out in March makes that eight, and the Love Hina Again finale which just came out will make the final count nine.

Now, all you Love Hina fans out there, how would you have done the episode count? I know many might say five episodes for the TV series, the specials on one DVD, and Again on one more; that would make the total seven discs... SOLD!! Now I like the middle ground and would at least agree to a version of Bandai's format for release, with episode 25 as part of the sixth disc, the specials packed on one DVD, and Again on one more. That makes eight discs... a harder sell, but it would still fly. But we are looking at least nine. Bandai had to eke out just one more disc as well.

Well let's take a look, one anime DVD goes for about $25 to $30 US ($35-$45CND). Copies sold are nowhere near the levels of Star Wars or Harry Potter (or even Pluto Nash and Gigli for that matter), but I am sure we're talking easily five digits. Either way you slice it though, we're talking a good amount of money.

Now let me tell you of some companies that seem to be doing releases in a more favourable manner. His and Her Circumstances has been a long time coming, but at least Right Stuf will release it over five volumes, with the first one containing six episodes and the remaining four volumes having five. Pioneer's release of the first 24 episodes of Ai Yori Aoshi will finish at five volumes too, with five episodes on the first four volumes and four on the last one. To me, most of the volumes of a multi-disc series having greater-than-average running times, as is the case here, is unprecedented. Then there is the Funimation handling of Fruits Basket. I know they won a lot of people over by squeezing the 26 episode series over just four discs. If you look back on some earlier DVD releases, that used to be the way it actually went (i.e first thirteen episodes of Utena).

Two really good recent examples of packaging things would be Viz and (funnily enough) TOKYOPOP, and their handling of long series like fan favorites Maison Ikkoku and Marmalade Boy respectively. Viz is releasing Maison Ikkoku in three-disc mini box sets with twelve episodes per set. At 96 episodes, expect Maison Ikkoku to go eight sets. TOKYOPOP pretty much does the same thing, but one better. Marmalade Boy when it starts coming out in 2004 will see three-disc mini box sets with eighteen episodes per set. At 76 episodes, Marmalade Boy can be as little as six sets. A part of me believes that doing something like this is a means for both companies to make up for lost time. Especially considering that both shows have been eagerly anticipated for North American release. However, the other part of me realizes that both of these series are amongst the longer series that will be available on the North American market.

For reference, I figured that much of Media Blasters' release of Rurouni Kenshin would be mainly five episode volumes, with four episodes during the Kyoto arc. But I really appreciated the fact they went back up to five episodes as the Kyoto arc reached its climax. I figure that they did this to ensure that the arc actually concluded as the fourth or fifth episode on a volume. I think mixing things up can be a good way to handle differing episode counts on later volumes because it doesn't make so obvious to anime fans the intention of squeezing out that extra disc. Looking back, TOKYOPOP might have wanted to do that with GTO.

Actually, I have nothing against the companies wanting to get a return on their investments. After all, they are the ones who are putting up their own money on what in the end still a risk. Anime as a whole in North America is still many times over a risk in comparison to domestically made entertainment. While anime has a very loyal fanbase, it is fairly limited and very picky. I feel both are changing for the better, but there are parts of North American fandom we have yet to come to terms with, and I feel that it's hampering anime's true potential in North America.

I am pretty cool with a 26 episode series being over six volumes, most of the time. I am pretty cool if 26 episodes comes out over eight volumes too, especially if they are fairly recent releases like Vandread, or Trigun. That's because I'd expect fees to be a little higher when things are hot and new... like most things.

What I don't like is when my intelligence is insulted, and that's kind of how I feel when I look at the GTO and Love Hina releases. I just plain don't like being lead on like this. It makes me feel worse when I know companies are aware that they have consumers on the hook and can act like a tease so blatantly.

The thing is, I will go on to buy the remainder of these series in their legitimate form, no matter what the final volume count may be. To me, it just wouldn't look right on my shelf otherwise (yup, companies know that too...and I hate myself because of that). But I also feel that, as a consumer who is putting bread in the jars of these companies, I have a right to say when things aren't appreciated. And I can't say I appreciate this. It just doesn't add up right.

Wanna point and laugh? okina_chair@hotmail.com