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Hey, Answerman! [2008-01-25]

How realistic is that though? It's too late for that. You can't just get everyone to magically stop downloading. There has to be a balance so that companies can still make money even though people are downloading. Sorry to burst your arrogant bubble, but people aren't going to stop just cause you say it's wrong.

I'm aware that the following assertion may seem shocking, but I think it's reasonable and accurate to predict that sales volume for anime in America would plummet drastically if all underground anime distribution suddenly ceased and nothing replaced it. American consumers simply do not routinely "blindly" purchase expensive DVDs. And a massive amount of the consumer interest in particular anime titles is generated, not by advertising, but by word of mouth and recommendations from fellow fans that have watched the show. Under present industry conditions, if all forms of unauthorized anime distribution were to suddenly disappear, the vast majority of American anime DVD sales would be sustained entirely on the strength of print advertising, officially released sample footage, and a limited number of formal written reviews from pre-selected critics or individuals committed to purchasing their own discs for review. When American anime fan consumers are already heavily oriented toward delaying their anime purchases to when entire series are available as inexpensive complete sets, significantly reducing consumer opportunities to educate themselves through free initial access to anime could cause a massive further contraction of consumer willingness to invest in premier release DVDs. Circumstances would be tremendously different if the anime industry offered an equivalent alternative to "do it yourself" distribution, but presently there is no official advertising method that compares to the comprehensive opportunity that fansubs offer American consumers to educate themselves about anime series.

[if] you want to convince me of your position you have to show me the group of people that used to be buying anime that now refuses to (or buys significantly less) because of fansubs.

I think you're looking at this backwards. In any hobby, some people will move on after a time - especially in a hobby like anime where a significant part of the fandom is relatively young. That's perfectly normal and it isn't a problem provided that those moving on are replaced by new blood.

If those fansubs (and music downloads, live action movie downloads, PC game downloads etc.) had not existed, they wouldn't have been raised to believe that entertainment is essentially valueless.

The US / European anime industry should be thriving like never before. There are more "fans" than ever before, more releases, more cons, more opportunities for networking - more everything. But sales are way, way down.

You could say that these people don't value physical media the way that my generation does but the reason they don't is that they have been brought up and socialised in an environment in which a free alternative exists. Whilst fans like yourself use fansubs as a tool to help you select things to actually spend money on, the average teenager doesn't want to spend their money - any of it - on media.

The problem is, you're failing to recognise that you and the others like you are not representative of most downloaders. You actually buy the titles you like. I can't say I condone your downloading but I recognise that it's relatively benign. Most of your peers, however, are grubby little parasites who not only don't intend to give anything back but are actually somewhat bemused (and occasionally actually offended) if anybody suggests they should do so. They aren't going to pay a penny for anything if they can possibly avoid doing so.

College students are notoriously wealthy. /sarcasm

Yeah, renting and buying the boxed set is 100% legal, but does it really contribute much more to the industry than someone who watches the fansubs and buys the collection later?

In fact, a renter might feel even less incentive, because they've already been able to sample both language tracks and all on-disc extras.

@psycho 101: Yeah, renting and buying the boxed set is 100% legal, but does it really contribute much more to the industry than someone who watches the fansubs and buys the collection later? Plus, someone who's seen a series via rentals and someone who've eeen it via fansubs could have essentially the same reaction -- "I've seen this series, I don't care to see it again, so I feel no need to buy it." In fact, a renter might feel even less incentive, because they've already been able to sample both language tracks and all on-disc extras. Before I got into anime, I used to rent a lot of domestic movies, and probably less than 3% of them ever made it to my collection on VHS or DVD.

Yeah, renting and buying the boxed set is 100% legal, but does it really contribute much more to the industry than someone who watches the fansubs and buys the collection later? Plus, someone who's seen a series via rentals and someone who've eeen it via fansubs could have essentially the same reaction -- "I've seen this series, I don't care to see it again, so I feel no need to buy it." In fact, a renter might feel even less incentive, because they've already been able to sample both language tracks and all on-disc extras. Before I got into anime, I used to rent a lot of domestic movies, and probably less than 3% of them ever made it to my collection on VHS or DVD.

Was there ever proof the people were getting paid via rentals? I can't remember/find the thread we had that debate in.

I hardly doubt its more than they get off a $10 liscened plushies.
Or the $20 Naruto bento set I own. (bought before the show came over, from wizzywig) Or the $40 Sailor Moon toys. From Japan.

I hardly doubt its more than they get off a $10 liscened plushies.
Or the $20 Naruto bento set I own. (bought before the show came over, from wizzywig) Or the $40 Sailor Moon toys. From Japan.