Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! - Building You A Better Cartoon Show
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Hmm, interesting read.
Sadly, I've yet to see Revolutionary Girl Utena, Haibane Renmei, and Burst Angel so that mini-summary sparked some interest in me. Also, interesting response regarding Aniplex... |
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doctordoom85
 Posts: 2092 |
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I have no issue with Aniplex charging high prices AS LONG as they're not prohibiting NA license companies from obtaining them. If FUNimation, Sentai, or whoever was interested in buying the license of Garden of Sinners or Fate-Zero and Aniplex refused simply because they wanted to release it directly, than that is pretty disappointing.
However, I'm hoping Madoka, Durarara, and Oreimo is more the way they'll go from now on. Yes, getting all 3 LEs will cost you a whooping $225, but all 3 regular BRs will only cost $120 (and $90 if you only get the DVDs). I can't remeber the exact price for Oreimo, but it was even cheaper (though lacking a dub). For a series that was twice as long as those two, Durarara only cost about $150. None of these costs are too far different from what we were paying in 2007 and earlier. That's far more reasonable compared to the Fate-Zero sets in which you HAVE to get the LE version if you want the show and you have to cough up $370 for the same amount of episodes you would have gotten with Madoka or Oreimo. That IS a crazy price, and I don't think even in the VHS days one would have to pay that much for 13 episodes (if I'm wrong about that, someone please correct me). I'm not even sure why it got treated this way, sure Madoka and Durarara have a larger fanbase in the States, but I highly doubt Oreimo's fanbase is larger (assuming it's not actually smaller) here than Fate-Zero's. I do see why Garden of Sinners got that treatment, it's probably the most obscure of their releases so far, but at least you could get the whole thing in one purchase. Luckily, I've yet to watch my Fate Stay Night boxset, but if I had and was a fan of the series, I'd be pretty irked to see that I have to pay so much to own the prequel without even a cheaper alternative for those who don't need all the LE goodies. Heck, I'll even settle for DVDs if it means a reasonable price, which I should point out Aniplex is doing good by re-releasing GOS on DVD for those who couldn't afford the expensive BR set. If they do re-releases later for Fate-Zero and any other monstrously-priced sets in the future, then I'll have no issues with the company. |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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It was $70. (Edit: Or it might have been $60. It was definitely one of those two.) Same price you'd pay for a NISA set with the same amount of content and same lack of a dub, and similar level of extras. Except OreImo was DVD only (and lacking on-disc video extras that we normally would get).
Both shows that have been released that way have been Type-Moon shows, so that may be part of it. But more importantly, those are the actual JP products. They are literally shipping the JP releases over to TRSI and tossing a translation booklet into the shipping box (but not the actual BD packaging). It is the actual Japanese release so of course you're going to pay the Japanese price. OreImo, Madoka, and Durarara were not. They were completely separate discs and products. If the JP discs don't have English subtitles on them and they don't release them here at the same time like Fate/Zero, then they aren't going to do that kind of release. It will, at the high end, get something like the Madoka Magica LE release (and even that had a release that was only slightly higher for the DVD, and notably higher but not terribly unreasonable for the RE BD).
And that's the thing. So far, there's no reason to think that there won't be a more typical R1 release down the road. You're already seeing that with KnK, though we don't know what the price will be like yet. I understand that many people don't want to pay the JP prices and that's fine. But people just need to be patient and realize that Fate/Zero and KnK are not R1 releases in the typical sense and that you just might have to wait a little while. Just like you do for any other show. The length of time it took for Aniplex USA to announce a cheap(er) release of KnK is on the quick end of what used to be normal just a few years ago. Heck, even when other R1 companies announce the license for a title while its still airing these days, you're still going to be waiting quite a while for the actual release (especially if its Funimation). So, don't want to pay several hundred dollars for the show? Fine, that's understandable. Just don't act like the company is screwing you because they didn't already announce a much cheaper release before the JP set or first disc has even been released. In other words, doctordoom85's attitude is the one you SHOULD have. Last edited by HitokiriShadow on Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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configspace
Posts: 3717 |
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I have a problem with the entire discussion in the article about Aniplex simply lumping all their titles together. There is a HUGE difference between Fate/Zero and KnK vs Madoka and Oreimo and Blue Exorcist and just about everything else they produce.
With Madoka and Oreimo you have some options. And they are much much less. With Fate/Zero and KnK BD, you are paying Japanese prices. I bought F/Z, but that's only one of the few I am willing to pay for. Aniplex knows that they can only sell a few like this. A-channel and Star Driver - other Aniplex titles (licensed by other distributors) selling at the standard, bare bones US prices btw. I don't think those would sell at all at Japanese prices (nor would I have bought them) and they apparently didn't think so either. |
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doctordoom85
Posts: 2092 |
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"Except OreImo was DVD only (and lacking on-disc video extras that we normally would get)."
True, but I was comparing it more to how much you'd spend to get Madoka on DVD ($90). Thanks for clearing that up, HitokiriShadow. While I do know some stuff about how Japan releases their series over there, there is quite a bit I'm ignorant about so more info is always helpful. Yeah, I'm certainly cool for waiting for a cheaper price, and I certainly won't have the attitude of "if it's not available NOW for a reasonable price, then I'll just download it and screw you!" like that lame comic that Brian linked to in an earlier article regarding someone whining that he had to WAIT ([sarcasm]ZOMG![/sarcasm]) to get Game of Thrones in a legal way. After all, there's plenty of other great anime that I have still yet to buy not to mention series in my backlog. I actually didn't really get upset expect back when Zac posted his Garden of Sinners review and called it one of those anime that was so unique it will remind a lot of people why they got into anime in the first place. I'd be really sad if I couldn't check out such an excellent-sounding experience (and I think the set was already OOP by the time the review came up) so Aniplex re-releasing it earns them a big thumbs up for me. Plus, only two series so far have been that highly priced, Madoka, Durarara, Oreimo, and R.O.D. are all fairly-priced in my book. I know some will complain that all anime should be priced like FUNimation and Sentai do, but different circumstances for different companies after all. Also, I might be wrong about this, but I remember hearing Aniplex had prohibited the Madoka BR/DVDs they were releasing in North America from being bought by people in Japan. I might have misheard or the info was wrong, but if that's the case then that certainly explains how they were able to get such a popular show in Japan at a cheaper price compared to others. |
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HitokiriShadow
Posts: 6251 |
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I know, I was just confirming the price for you since you said you couldn't remember what it was, and added some additional information.
Yeah, that's the difference between direct imports and actual R1 releases. The only two that have been "that highly priced" were the ones that were directly imported from Japan. All the others you mentioned were separate products and actual R1 releases (though I think either R.O.D. or Baccano might have used the JP discs in different packaging).
They did the same thing for the KnK and Fate/Zero releases. Being able to do that is one of the advantages to them for only releasing things through TRSI (though places that buy it and then re-sell it like Robert's and AnimeNation are free to ignore that). That's just a standard Aniplex thing. They also did it for KnK and Fate/Zero (even though it would cost more for someone to import it to Japan from TRSI than to just buy it from Amazon.jp) and even for Blue Exorcist, and that's not even a Blu-ray release. It has no impact on how they chose to release it. They released Madoka Magica cheaper because it wasn't a direct import release of the JP BDs like KnK and Fate/Zero were. Last edited by HitokiriShadow on Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Polycell
 Posts: 4623 |
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They've expanded the ban on PMMM shipping; now it's only the US and Canada that are allowed to get them(orders placed before the change are grandfathered in, though).
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Kazemon15
 Posts: 400 |
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Even though I understand Aniplex's pricing, it still doesn't convince me to buy it.
For Madoka, I ain't shelling out even $90 for that show. I want to own it yes, but it isn't my top fav and it was mediocre at best. Asking me to pay $90 for a mediocre show where I could have normally got it for $35 dollars from any other company....yeah, no. That goes for Blue Exorcist as well. I might consider Durarara! Since it was the better show... but still not worth the high price tag Aniplex is asking for. Especially when their boxes for it are so flimsy and cheap. The biggest problem I have with Aniplex is that yes, most companies release about $30-$50 dollar halfsets that are about $60-$100 dollars altogether, but most other companies release a "complete set" down the line for those who don't want to pay that much for a show much later on. Aniplex doesn't. |
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purplepolecat
 Posts: 130 |
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The Aniplex pricing policy is an example a quirk of the free market. If you have an exclusive product to sell, you DON'T want everyone who wants that product to buy it - that means you've priced it too low. To maximize profit, you should price it so that about half of your potential customers buy it, and the other half go away disappointed. You can't really fault them for doing this, because they are a private company and it is their nature to want to make money.
EDIT: Kazemon15, why would you even want to own a mediocre show? How many times do you plan on watching it? Personally I'm loving Madoka, but I'm fine with just watching the stream. |
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Gilles Poitras
Posts: 476 Location: Oakland California |
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Brian thanks again for an interesting column, I check it and the responses every week.
Regarding Bandai Visual's Honneamise label, many were priced quite high. However some were worth every penny. For example the two Patlabor movie box sets came with full translated storyboards, A first for US publishing, and with a great book on the back ground of each movie. Now these box sets were $89.98 each. I used to commute on the same bus as a professor of cinema who was interested in looking at more anime. I brought one of the boxes for him to look at and he was very impressed. When I told him the price he was shocked, he told me that comparable box sets for Europeans movies usually started at around $200.00. BTW The Right Stuf has a special deal for both box sets for $37.99. |
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Kazemon15
Posts: 400 |
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I have a personal agenda to own everything I watch. That's the collector part of me. This is why I normally don't watch steams or new shows until they are licensed so I can buy them. The only exception is with a show I really love, which I was willing to import it at $400 dollars each boxset. Plus, I'm an AMV editor. Despite being a mediocre show, I still edit with it. And I like to rip my own DVDs for that. |
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purplepolecat
Posts: 130 |
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I can relate to this. Our hobby is about to get a lot more expensive. |
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LordByronius
ANN Columnist
 Posts: 861 Location: Philippe for America! He is five. |
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i understand that there's a vastly wide gulf between something like Oreimo and Garden of Sinners, my real point is that no matter what the complaints are, they SELL OUT. Aniplex USA only produces a bare minimum of what they want to ship, they charge accordingly (e.g. Japanese prices), and they target their deepest, most willing fans. and then they sell out.
look, whatever people's problems are with Aniplex USA (they're too expensive, too little options, etc.) my point is that to THEM, they're SUCCEEDING, because they SELL OUT OF EVERYTHING. |
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Greed1914
 Posts: 4422 |
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Fullmetal Alchemist is probably my top pick for best first episode, too. I also went into it knowing practically nothing, and was extremely impressed. I didn't know that I was walking into what would become my favorite series.
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ShinnFlowen
 Posts: 141 |
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Aniplex can do whatever they want with their prices, but I'm sure a lot of anime collectors are not going to accept their pricing policies because of how different it is from Funimation/Sentai and other entertainment products.
You should ask yourselves is paying $370 plus tax + plus shipping worth 13 episodes when you can buy a PS3 with a few games, a bunch of different animes or movies from another company, and go out with friends multiple times? The value you get is not equal to the price unless your a diehard fan with lots of money available. I love Fate/Stay Night, but you have to be rational when considering the benefits over the costs. |
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