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Chicks On Anime - International Fan Culture

sheentaku wrote:

Screw Teenagers who have little income, your not getting money from them anyway so don't cater to them. I am only 19 and i i spend 100s of pounds sterling every month on the latest DVD's. As previously said i eat little just be able to afford that extra DVD.

They might not be able to afford the DVD nor merchandises as they are right now, but they could be when they got older and enter the workforce. Case to point:

sheentaku wrote:

IT would Sadden me if DVD's die out as i am a collectior and not having the psyical product would suck. The Packaging is just as important as the disk itself.

, and:

sheentaku wrote:

I like what Funimation is doing, Streams and after you are able to buy the DVD.

, also:

sheentaku wrote:

your Moe obbssive buyers who own 2 Dakimara's (aka Me)

Yeah, kinda drove that nail to your head back there, but that's one way to get people start thinking.

sheentaku wrote:

Streaming is good for a preview but seriously it is very hard for companys to make a profit off the internet without a pysical product espically in a medium like anime. Paying for downloads is a good idea but remember what ever it is, it will get cracked and people will get it for free.

Streaming with ad inserts and download-to-own are good business models that utilize the advantage of internet, but the real problem lies with those who disrespects intellectual properties.

sheentaku wrote:

Western Fan culture is just kids stuff and quite frankley a disgrace. For every good fan who buys the product and has great discussions there is a 10000x Narutards who just cause problems.

Although the number itself was exaggerated, I understand your sentiment nonetheless. However, this is where I would personally distinguish real anime fans who are supporting the subculture with their passions, as to those who are just acting like jerks while using the fandom as an excuse to "release" their repressed aggressions.

sheentaku wrote:

Japanese Otaku Culture is alot better, they don't flaunt there hobby which i belive is the best way. It is something they enjoy in the private of there own home and if in a event they are really quite and adult about it. Actully japanese Otaku culture is alot older (20s usually to 30s) while Western culture is mainly teens.

I disagree. For one thing, the reason why anime still remain as but a subculture, and the industry only just begone collaborating with international companies is because its own immediate and domestic community is too passive about their subculture. And the fact that Japanese domestic anime fandom tend to be older, is because the whole nation's population is old.

sheentaku wrote:

Where are my gigantic boobs and hotpants!

OH YEAH!

Also the fact i only buy anime related stuff and often give up other luxarys

But these companies have already made their money with TV revenue in the case of Buffy and anime does not typically go to TV. If it did, then the cost of dubbing and subbing it would easily have been paid by this. So it's not that it's overpriced, it's that it's not subsidised.

So, first you have to convince Japanese producers that DVD is dead in North America and Europe. Second, you have to convince them that Internet distribution is the only possible profit model. And third, you need to find a way to actually accrue profits from streaming or downloadable formats. I admit: that's a formidable three-step program, since no one seems to know how to accomplish step 3 (profiting from Internet distribution).

pparker wrote:

ArthurFrDent mentioned this already, but to chime in: The economic formula that Roland describes for anime in the West is probably correct, but the actual future is probably not "no DVDs", but a large majority of digital online delivery.

While this sounds great, the big problem I see in it is that it takes one more step out of the pirating process...

To give you a sense of why I think most anime is priced too high, back in the day I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. I bought the first five season boxsets. Each season had 22 hour-long episodes, which is equivalent of 44 episodes of anime. How much did this cost? $50-$60. They came with gobs of extras, too. And don't try arguing the "translation and dubbing costs money" angle. Those DVDs had subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, with a Spanish dub track as well. I know there are costs involved in bringing it over here etc. but it's pretty damn overpriced. That isn't an excuse to never buy anime, but it is part of the reason people do it.

sheentaku wrote:

Also the fact i only buy anime related stuff and often give up other luxarys

That's sort of... sad. You don't go out to eat? See a movie? Buy drinks at the bar with friends?

Whats wrong with him spending his money how he sees fit? its his money that he worked to earn, aside from any bills he might incur, or board he may have to pay, its his to do with as he pleases. Besides its not like he said he never goes out to eat.

Miitan wrote:

But these companies have already made their money with TV revenue in the case of Buffy and anime does not typically go to TV. If it did, then the cost of dubbing and subbing it would easily have been paid by this. So it's not that it's overpriced, it's that it's not subsidised.

Hmm... hadn't thought of that, but it definitely makes sense.


And of course in recent years anime has gotten a lot cheaper thanks to boxsets and the like as well.

sheentaku wrote:

Also the fact i only buy anime related stuff and often give up other luxarys

That's sort of... sad. You don't go out to eat? See a movie? Buy drinks at the bar with friends?

physical DVDs (or preferably BD as more become available) are better than DLC, because:
1) you can take it with you
2) you don't need your PC or laptop to view your materials,
3) you can let a friend borrow a movie if they want to sample something.
4) your not SoL about your purcahse when you want to get a new PC (or laptop.)
5) physical copies are just nice to have.

So, first you have to convince Japanese producers that DVD is dead in North America and Europe. Second, you have to convince them that Internet distribution is the only possible profit model. And third, you need to find a way to actually accrue profits from streaming or downloadable formats.

I have plenty of Japanese otaku pals who say that very little quality material has come out of the industry since the late 90s.

And a lot of the stuff American otaku/fans love is already quite dated in Japan.

I also think there should be better anime clubs then some I've been to that werent meant to organize fans so much as see what products they would buy.

hmm, I was under the impression that almost all Anime went to TV unless it was called "OVA" hence the stuff from TVtokyo, Dentsu and such... am I incorrect in thinking? I can think few anime titles get made without advertizer support, those that do being OVA... Yes Buffy was gravy, but I think most DVD are.