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Ponycan USA Details Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Home Video Release


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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14746
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 2:17 am Reply with quote
VanGosroth wrote:

Also keep in mind that the US release is coming very soon after the Japanese release. There will probably be little difference in the pricing because of reverse importation fears.


Hahahaha, that'd be the only way that'd make the Japanese purchase this since they're certainly ain't purchasing it right now! Laughing
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
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Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 4:13 am Reply with quote
MagusGuardian wrote:
well, I can honestly say that I'm probably never going to see this, isn't it bad enough that we're stuck with Aniplex of America's horrible pricing system but pony canyon has to hit us over the head with their bad pricing set up too?


Also, because they possibly don't understand the pricing practice in the USA. Just because it works for the Japan doesn't mean it should/could work here like that.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 6:32 am Reply with quote
MagusGuardian wrote:
well, I can honestly say that I'm probably never going to see this

If you live in North America, you can always watch the Crunchyroll stream instead of complaining, you know.
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SpacemanHardy



Joined: 03 Jan 2012
Posts: 2509
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:30 am Reply with quote
yuna49 wrote:
MagusGuardian wrote:
well, I can honestly say that I'm probably never going to see this

If you live in North America, you can always watch the Crunchyroll stream instead of complaining, you know.


For some people that's not an option, as there are still areas in the US where reliable high-speed internet simply isn't available.

Granted, it's getting a lot better than in years past, but for some people, physical releases are their only choice. And when those releases cost an arm and a leg, no one's going to want to spend that kind of money on what would essentially be a blind-buy for them.
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SouthPacific



Joined: 24 Oct 2013
Posts: 689
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:51 pm Reply with quote
Kadmos1 wrote:
MagusGuardian wrote:
well, I can honestly say that I'm probably never going to see this, isn't it bad enough that we're stuck with Aniplex of America's horrible pricing system but pony canyon has to hit us over the head with their bad pricing set up too?


Also, because they possibly don't understand the pricing practice in the USA. Just because it works for the Japan doesn't mean it should/could work here like that.


Emotionally-based arguments are not very credible...

Anyways, it's rather funny how naysayers have been saying the same thing about Aniplex USA for half a decade and they certainly haven't displayed any signs of their price model not working out.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 3:34 pm Reply with quote
SpacemanHardy wrote:
For some people that's not an option, as there are still areas in the US where reliable high-speed internet simply isn't available.

You can watch Crunchyroll on a smart phone, too. Given the coverage maps the various cell providers are touting these days, there aren't many metropolitan areas where you cannot get at least a 3G signal, if not a 4G LTE one. The lobby group CTIA puts the figure for 4G LTE availability at "98 percent of Americans," though given the source we should take that figure advisedly.

In 2013, Pew estimated that 70% of adults had "broadband" Internet access, and that figure did not include smart phones. Adding phones increased the access rate to 80%. http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/08/26/home-broadband-2013/

Yes, not everyone can stream anime from sites like Crunchyroll or Funimation, but the proportion of those without access continues to fall rapidly. If we're talking about anime viewers, who are most likely in their teens and twenties, access rates are higher for those age groups than older Americans.


Last edited by yuna49 on Mon Sep 28, 2015 3:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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SpacemanHardy



Joined: 03 Jan 2012
Posts: 2509
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 3:42 pm Reply with quote
SouthPacific wrote:
Anyways, it's rather funny how naysayers have been saying the same thing about Aniplex USA for half a decade and they certainly haven't displayed any signs of their price model not working out.


The only reason Aniplex's model works is because they get a hold of a lot of big hit shows like Madoka, SAO, and Kill la Kill. Shows like these are so popular that they can get away with charging their usual hefty ransom because people will buy them regardless. I'm sure many if not most people don't actually *want* to pay those prices, but they do anyway because they feel it's the only way they're ever going to be able to own their favorite show.

PonyCan, on the other hand, as of now do not have any big hit franchises, and are trying to pull off the same price model with shows that are much more niche and not nearly as popular. The basic consensus of most of their releases seems to be "I liked this show, but not enough to spend that much money on it", regardless of how fast they come out or what extras they come with. Yuki Yuna sold a few copies here and there, but both Denki-Gai and Magical Boys have apparently bombed hard over here, and if what I'm reading here on these forums is correct, Rokka might just be poised to fail as well.

As of right now, the only way PonyCan is going to stay afloat is if they either nab themselves a HUGE hit, or they rethink their business strategy to become a bit more "customer friendly". Maybe, MAYBE Sound Euphonium will do well for them, but I just don't see it being the "killer app" that will save them.
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relyat08



Joined: 20 Mar 2013
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Location: Northern Virginia
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:26 pm Reply with quote
SpacemanHardy wrote:
Yuki Yuna sold a few copies here and there, but both Denki-Gai and Magical Boys have apparently bombed hard over here, and if what I'm reading here on these forums is correct, Rokka might just be poised to fail as well.

As of right now, the only way PonyCan is going to stay afloat is if they either nab themselves a HUGE hit, or they rethink their business strategy to become a bit more "customer friendly". Maybe, MAYBE Sound Euphonium will do well for them, but I just don't see it being the "killer app" that will save them.


I would be happy if those shows sold poorly for them, to be honest. I don't want these releases to do well because they suck. I'm not even complaining about the price, I'm a collector and I'm used to spending that much, I just don't like these sets. The plastic is cheap, the size is annoying, some of the pre-order bonuses don't fit in the actual set, so they end up just sitting around awkwardly, the music CD with Yuki Yuna is just 2 songs with 5 different remixes... and worst of all, is that this is now their standard release. You get the same 3 volumes with every series. At the very least, it would be nice if they experimented with some other designs.
Ugh, sometimes I just have to vent. Crying or Very sad
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One-Eye



Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Posts: 2260
PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:23 pm Reply with quote
Kadmos1 wrote:
MagusGuardian wrote:
well, I can honestly say that I'm probably never going to see this, isn't it bad enough that we're stuck with Aniplex of America's horrible pricing system but pony canyon has to hit us over the head with their bad pricing set up too?

Also, because they possibly don't understand the pricing practice in the USA. Just because it works for the Japan doesn't mean it should/could work here like that.
No, they understand. They are trying to follow Aniplex's model, which has been for the most part successful. Also like Aniplex they are only interested in hardcore fans of a show or hardcore collectors who are willing to cough up for those prices. They don't care if they alienate regular collectors or casual fans. Whether the market can support both companies at this time is a different question, especially since Pony hasn't put out a knockout hit like AoA. However, higher anime prices for physical releases in general maybe where the future is headed if streaming continues to take off.

SouthPacific wrote:
Emotionally-based arguments are not very credible...

Anyways, it's rather funny how naysayers have been saying the same thing about Aniplex USA for half a decade and they certainly haven't displayed any signs of their price model not working out.

Hey SouthPacific, you are doing it again. You're baiting people. Please stop. We don't need the thread to blow up.
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reanimator





PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 9:18 pm Reply with quote
SouthPacific wrote:
Kadmos1 wrote:
Also, because they possibly don't understand the pricing practice in the USA. Just because it works for the Japan doesn't mean it should/could work here like that.


Emotionally-based arguments are not very credible...

Anyways, it's rather funny how naysayers have been saying the same thing about Aniplex USA for half a decade and they certainly haven't displayed any signs of their price model not working out.


I agree with Southpacific. Anyone can be vocal about pricing, but only the actual sales figure and finance determine how these Japanese companies should run their business.

Speaking of running business like American licensees, it's amusing to see licensees like Funimation and Sentai are releasing their own higher-than-average priced collector's edition loaded with trinkets when it was the Japanese who initiated such method for their releases years ago. That being said, physical media collection is getting more niche no matter how you cut it.

I can't say anything about Pony Canyon, but only the time will tell if they're doing good or bad. Right now, it's too early to tell.
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SouthPacific



Joined: 24 Oct 2013
Posts: 689
PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 9:59 am Reply with quote
SpacemanHardy wrote:
SouthPacific wrote:
Anyways, it's rather funny how naysayers have been saying the same thing about Aniplex USA for half a decade and they certainly haven't displayed any signs of their price model not working out.


The only reason Aniplex's model works is because they get a hold of a lot of big hit shows like Madoka, SAO, and Kill la Kill. Shows like these are so popular that they can get away with charging their usual hefty ransom because people will buy them regardless. I'm sure many if not most people don't actually *want* to pay those prices, but they do anyway because they feel it's the only way they're ever going to be able to own their favorite show.

PonyCan, on the other hand, as of now do not have any big hit franchises, and are trying to pull off the same price model with shows that are much more niche and not nearly as popular. The basic consensus of most of their releases seems to be "I liked this show, but not enough to spend that much money on it", regardless of how fast they come out or what extras they come with. Yuki Yuna sold a few copies here and there, but both Denki-Gai and Magical Boys have apparently bombed hard over here, and if what I'm reading here on these forums is correct, Rokka might just be poised to fail as well.

As of right now, the only way PonyCan is going to stay afloat is if they either nab themselves a HUGE hit, or they rethink their business strategy to become a bit more "customer friendly". Maybe, MAYBE Sound Euphonium will do well for them, but I just don't see it being the "killer app" that will save them.


Aniplex JP produces several big hits every year, and Aniplex USA releases those titles in the US... Is this supposed to be surprising or something? Aniplex USA is a branch company of Aniplex JP, it's only natural that they'd get a slice of the cake that Aniplex JP creates.

As for PonyCan needing saving: they don't. All PonyCan needs to do is to sell enough so that it amounts equal to, or more than what they would've made off a "traditional" licensing deal with US licensing companies like Sentai Filmworks. And with their price model I reckon they don't need to move too many copies to accomplish that. Whether or not they'll be able to do that across the board when accounting future hits and misses is far too early to tell.

Another thing to consider is less US releases in the Japanese market. Surely rights holders in Japan value this as well.

And as for whether Rokka will do well or not for PonyCan USA well I wouldn't be locking my thoughts regarding that matter to this particular thread. If you check out other places than ANN you'll find different reactions to their release plans.
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NearEasternerJ1





PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:12 pm Reply with quote
"Reverse importing" is a myth. In actuality, most Japanese anime have no interest in buying US versions of anime. The rankings of these US versions on Amazon JP are pitiful at best.

@SouthPacific: I'd advise you take some economics classes. It has nothing to do with "emotion". Prices and consumption depends on the environment around it. In Switzerland, Big Macs are expensive because the cooks and the like get paid more than they do in the USA. Ditto for Norway and Denmark. Additionally, McDonalds offers different products to cater to the international market. I mean, look at Japan's McDonald's, for Pete's sake.
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SouthPacific



Joined: 24 Oct 2013
Posts: 689
PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:48 pm Reply with quote
Reverse importation is real enough for creators and producers to care about it and as long as they do it's an issue that they will address, the end.

Regarding your 2nd paragraph, you don't seem to get what i meant by emotion. The person i quoted was arguing with emotions rather than facts and I pointed that out. I'm not even going to comment on the whole McDonalds comparison...
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9809
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 6:44 pm Reply with quote
@SouthPacific

You are also arguing by emotion and not figures. Other than the fairly obvious fact that Aniplex USA has not gone out of business you have no information to support your side either. Is either company making money? If they are making money is it as much as they would have gotten for licensing the same show to Funimation or Sentai? The only people who know are working for the companies in question and they are not telling.

You have been cheerleading AoA's supposedly superior collector editions since they came out. In practice they are not consistently any better than standard editions from normal US companies.

Basically only time will tell which approach is best.
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SouthPacific



Joined: 24 Oct 2013
Posts: 689
PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:06 pm Reply with quote
Alan45, AoA has gone from four employees to 10+. You simply can't afford to more than double your workforce unless things are going your way. That alone speaks volumes of how they are doing.

But yeah, i'm arguing "by emotion and not figures".
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