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2 page Anime article in Video Store Magazine
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A two page article in the current Video Store Magazine points out that at $65 million a year (excluding the "Pokémon phenomenon"), the Anime Industry is still small enough to be concidered a "niche" market. However, the growing sales, and profits in the Anime industry, as well as a very vocal following of "Otaku" is pushing Anime towards begoming a recognised "genre" within the American home-video industry.
"Otaku" are mentioned as one of the leading forces in the evolution of the DVD market. "Anime fans closely match the DVD demographic: They are mostly male, early adopters of new technology- and have a great deal of money to spend." "Anime fans are a vocal customer base with a great deal of influence over the decision makers at anime labels."
The influence of "Otaku" on Anime labels is further exemplified by their ability to directly affect how, and when DVDs are released, the article states as an example Media Blasters' recent rush release of the Rayearth DVD (ANN Editor's note: don't forget Princess Monoke?!).
The article reveals, though, that "The vocal bunch is the minority while the more casual fans take what they can get." For example, the article claims that "the ardent fans who frequent the Internet anime forums were in an uproar" over digital editing in ADV Films' releases of Evangelion on DVD, yet the disc is still ADV's top-selling DVD title.
Mike Pascuzzi, sales director for CPM, is quoted, "You simply can't please both [the casual fan and the "otaku"] 100 percent...[but] DVD is the best of both worlds. We're offering a choice of dual languages, subtitles and piling on lots of added features."
