Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2006-12-01]
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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While it may not matter to Answerman, I think a distinction should be drawn between "boxset" and "thinpak". In many cases I prefer the boxset even if the cost is the same or MORE than the individual DVDs because it looks cooler and often comes with extras. The thinpaks are cheaper and smaller and that is a benefit, but not all (altho granted, a majority) people who want a "boxset" are looking for a price break.
Companies should also SERIOUSLY consider their "collectible" strategy. Geneon came up with the COOLEST idea for a boxset/thinpak for RoD-TV which was a "container" that looked like a book with places for each DVD. Did they EVER release that WITH all the DVDs once they finished the series? Otherwise you're left with a case and a question of how to get the DVDs to fill it. I know "buy the singles" is the obvious answer, but people DID stop and wonder "what do I do with the DVD cases", and lots of people have an inclination to NOT want to just "pitch" them. Regarding the rant, the fanservice point is valid (I love the Negima manga, but Akamatsu really is a perverted fiend) but there are many series that do without (Eyeshield 21 doesn't go nuts with out of place fanservice and even makes jokes about hiding measurements) and I agree with other posters that it's more a problem of MEDIA today rather than anime specifically. Also, since WHEN is Misato the standard of judging women? I mean, if anything I thought Rei was considered the ridiculous, "WTF is wrong with fanboys", unrealistic female model of Evangelion. I mean, if you're gonna get indignant about unrealistic physicalities, why not go with the girl from Grenadier. (that's the one I'm thinking of with the girl who reloads the gun from her boobs right?) 
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chrlake
Posts: 4 |
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As to boxsets, it is interesting how the Anime companies have largely adhered to their VHS business model while the rest of the DVD industry has moved to season boxsets as the norm. I think to anime industry may be out-of-step with the rest of the DVD market.
When DVDs first came out, it was not uncommon to find individual discs for an american television series. But, in recent years, the general practice has been to release an entire season (or a large part of a season) as a box set. As far as I know, Anime is one of the few areas in which individual releases are still the norm. This concerns me because I have noticed the Anime section disappear from some stores and lose shelf space on others. In my Best Buy, the anime section use to take up most of an aisle. I now takes up about half an aisle. At the same time, the television section has grown dramatically. For example, in Best Buy, there are whole sections dedicated to specific networks like HBO and FOX. I suspect retailers would rather have thinpacks than individual dics because they can fit more titles in the same amount of space. Also the price point of series releases tends to be significantly higher than individual discs. With individual releases, there is the additional risk that the series will be dropped by major retailers because of poor sales. I have noticed several series either never make it to store shelves or get dropped after a couple of volumes. (Two series that come to mind are Hare & Guu and Kodacha). Rather than criticizng the consumer who waits for boxsets, maybe the anime industry should re-evaluate its business model to adjust for the current market. If the demand is for boxsets, then that is what the anime companies should suppy rather than stick to individual releases. |
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konohamaru
 Posts: 17 Location: the village hidden in the refrigerator |
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Wow, what a nice upbeat column this week!
 Even the rant was coherent! 
I really liked the response about maturing/changing tastes in what we watch. I still enjoy the things that I first saw ten to fifteen years ago but I do notice my taste evolving to include titles that I really didn't think I would like. But frankly, I have no stomach for the shows I watched as a kid in the sixties and seventies, they scare me now! Although I would love to be able to see Marine Boy just one more time... I loved Samuri Pizza Cats too but I wouldn't want them to do a "best of" disc. Any "best of" collection I've ever gotten has been sad reminder of all the other great episodes that didn't make the disc and therefore I will probably never get see again. Tokyo Pig was a prime example of this treatment. 
Howl's Moving Castle, well, the animation was pretty. I really think a more acurate title would have been something like "Howl's Moving Castle: a Miyazaki Vehicle With Characters and Settings VERY Loosely Based on the Diana Wynne Jones Book". I had been so anxiously awaiting this film; one of my favourite directors doing one of my favourite books, what could be better? Artistic license is one thing but that was almost unrecognizable. I also didn't care for the english voice cast but that's something else entirely. As for the rant, fanservice is fanservice. Isn't this about supply and demand; when it doesn't sell, we won't see as much of it? I'd truly like to believe that nobody honestly expects women to have breasts that look like overstocked silos and that most people watching anime can distinguish between "fantasy" and "reality" with relative ease. |
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Zalis116_v2
Posts: 33 |
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As for the reduced amount of anime coming out, it's not like boxed set buyers were the ones who made the Japanese-side licensors get greedy and sent the licensing fees into the stratosphere Besides, the companies sometimes do it to themselves and make fans bitter about buying singles--sure, Funi isn't going to piss off all the loyal fans who bought 13 volumes of FMA by releasing a set anytime soon, but anybody who bought the singles of Planetes from Bandai got hosed; the complete collection is coming my way from Rightstuf for $28, which is less than the MSRP of one single disc.
Boxed set strategies I've observed: ADV -- Thinpack 1 year after the final volume Media Blasters - "Premium Collection" 6 months after the final volume, "Economy Collection" later. Bandai -- Some sort of complete collection within a year after the final volume; man Funimation -- 1.5 to 2 years after final volume Rightstuf -- unknown, usually within a year or so Geneon -- like Zac said, depends on the popularity of the series; sometimes for some poor performer like Mermaid's Forest, their boxed sets are probably "Oh crap we've got inventory to get rid of" releases, but some come out quickly, like Samurai Champloo (6 months after last volume). They would've gotten more of my money from Ai yori aoshi had they released a set, but I scored the singles cheap in that big sale awhile back. And some lesser-known titles like Strawberry Eggs have no boxed set in sight. Central Park Media -- Oh wait, they're not releasing much of anything anymore. Gotta get to work and this post is long enough as it is 
Last edited by Zalis116_v2 on Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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About the flake: that lack of a moronic letter was a huge letdown Zac. So I present another of my simulacrum exchanges for everyone's amusement!
About the rant: if someone is using animated, fictional characters to form their image of an ideal woman, God help them for they shall always be disappointed. Anime isn't real. A Bond movie isn't real. That commercial you just watched for Tag body spray isn't real. If you're going to come up with what you think women are like or what you think an ideal woman is, base it on the reality of the women you know and live with/around. Use reality for making decisions about reality. The rant is pointless in my opinion. If a person isn't smart enough to comprehend the difference between a cartoon from a foreign country and the real world, they deserve what they get. Fictional characters are exactly that: fictional. None of it is real folks. Misato does not exist in the real world, nor do any of those other hotties or hunks from your favorite anime. If you are equating fantasy with reality, you need to go into therapy, not rant about the objectification of women in anime. And just to point out what should be obvious to everyone: there will ALWAYS be objectified versions of both men and women because people will ALWAYS want to fantasize about a "perfect" man or woman. If you think there's too much fanservice in a series, don't watch. If you find the fanservice is offensive, write a letter of protest but don't expect much. If you want to end the objectification of woman or men, become a god, exterminate humanity, and create a new race that isn't so flawed. |
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Unholy_Nny
 Posts: 622 |
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Well, since all humans are flawed, even if they managed to become a god anything they create would be flawed... So your logic is flawed. I like that word... Flawed... Fla-fla-fla-flawed.... Flawdy-Flawdy-Flawdy-Flawed..... |
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minuet
Posts: 14 Location: USA |
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I don't know about Kodacha, but Hare & Guu is up to V.6. |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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The problem is that anime is NOT American TV. American TV shows already made their money when they ran on TV and sometimes on merchandise, so they can afford cheap boxsets. Anime does not get that benefit. Anime has to be licensed and dubbed - an expensive process. Anime companies make little profit off of the box sets. Releasing all of their anime straight to cheap boxsets would put them out of business. There are other issues as well, which I don't feel like going into at the moment. Perhaps someone else can give more insight.
I love the Negima manga, but it really doesn't need the fanservice. I don't mind some here and there in low amounts or in a chapter here and there and doesn't interfere with other things. And usually the Negima manga isn't too bad on that, But unfortunately, sometimes Akamatsu decided he needs to turn the fanservice up a few notches in places were it shouldn't be.
Yes, that's Grenadier and her name was Rushuna.
S/He is talking about the retailers dropping it, not FUNI or whoever. And she's right. All of the Best Buys in my area no longer carry volumes 4+ of Macross. I doubt they'll be carry much more of Full Moon either, but the fact that they didn't get the first volume until the second one was coming out (and I have yet to see volume 2 in their stores) didn't help. Whether that was an issue with Viz or Best Buy, I don't know. Last edited by HitokiriShadow on Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Cowpunk
Posts: 168 Location: Oakland - near the Newtype Lab |
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AnimEigo seems to be doing quite well with their boxset first and individual disc releases later strategy for anime in the past few years.
Early next year will be their first box of Yawara. http://www.animeigo.com/ |
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Mohawk52
 Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
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As for the rant, what he has described there is what is more commonly known as "growing up, then growing old". I know exactly how that feels. It is also the reason that demography has age categories. If you want to see how our perception of the perfect beauty has been distorted? Watch this. 
Last edited by Mohawk52 on Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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HitokiriShadow
Posts: 6251 |
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But they license older and more obscure series that are cheaper to license in the first place. They wouldn't be able to do that with something like FullMetal Alchemist. Or anything that's come out within the last 5 years or so, probably. |
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skaly
 Posts: 148 |
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Box Sets and Thinpaks
I actually don't mind buying the singles and later buying the box sets. I look at it as an opportunity to give my otaku friends some hand-me-downs. Share the wealth! Fanservice The only non-hypocritical complaint I have about fanservice is that it tends to yank you right out of the story and is a sign of creative bankruptcy. I really don't know about the morality of filling impressionable minds with impossible standards. I mean, chances are those standards will end up in impressionable minds with or without anime. Standards of beauty are too ingrained in our culture. But I think the ranter has overlooked something. While young women are fetishized more in anime, they are also featured more prominently as heroines and stars. They kick butt and take names. Until recently, strong female heroines were hard to find on American television. Is this progress, or is this just another form of fetishizing? |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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Which is why it is advised for people to buy the blasted the series right now if they REALLY want to see it and they have the money to check it out. Hell, that's why I'm also going with the "singles plus art box" with Ergo Proxy, because if I were to wait I probably wouldn't see a complete box set until sometime in 2008 (or if it went the route of Texhnolyze, 2009).
No, keep the 'em comin' for us feline-lovers out there! Unless it's penguins, rabbits, or baby goats, there's little to compare with the cuteness and amusement coming from a kitten/cat (let's not even go there with those slobbering and constantly noisy beasts that are the "other" popular pet). And I didn't know that your favorite series is Hellsing, Zac. I'm guessing' that your giddy as a schoolgirl about the upcoming release of the OVA by Geneon, eh?
Credible fan sites for any anime are few and far between. There's about... two of them for Evangelion that I've come across.
Have you read the Ichi the Killer manga, by any chance? If so, how does the content in the movie stack up to the original manga? I can't imagine the live-action movie being anywhere near what is given in the manga, considering that there were a lot of absolutely sick and twisted... events that took place in the manga. It's the only series that I've read/watched where I was completely apalled to continue to read, guro and whatnot aside, particularly anything volume six and onward -- I've never quite hated any character(s) in any fictional story like those twins.
... Huh? I'm feeling stupid at the moment, so I don't understand what you're getting at here.
Apparently there are still people around from the higher class of the early 20th century who believe that pale skin is t3h win.
Oh, and as far the rant, I find it to be rather weak. While I agree with it on the grounds that fanservice isn't something to be advocated, some of his comments such as what is viewed as "the perfect woman," not to mention that he's saying it's "A-OK" to skip an episode that actually has some plot advancement (i.e. the hot springs episode in Outlaw Star). Fanservice exists in many forms, in many mediums, and with many fans. Stick solely to material that just has sexuality as is and not to rope in an audience (which is, admittedly, few and far between) if you are that prudish to the idea of the use of sex appeal (you were right, penguintruth). Besides, fanservice can actually be amusing in it's own right; and were it not for fanservice, we wouldn't have such fun shows such as Golden Boy and Re: Cutie Honey. |
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Joe Mello
 Posts: 2267 Location: Online Terminal |
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Can I have it? Pleeeeeeease? I'm still a Tenchi fan to some aspect, and probably will be until I die (I bought a Tenchi Universe RPG book the other week just because I could). Even though I also think the 3rd OVA ain't too good and all that, it's still amusing to watch the older stuff and it's still better than anything Akamatsu can think up. Anyway, I'm less inclined to worry about the amount of fanservice (unless there's way too much) as to be amazed at how far fanservice has come. I mean, just take a look at Mihoshi. In the 1st OVA in ye olde mid-90's, she looks nice, but there's nothing to notice, but in the start of the 3rd OVA, she bounces. I think that made me depressed. As for discounted box sets, you always run the risk of it never happening. Sure, I could hold out for a Ninja Nonense boxset, but getting the entire series for under $55 sounds good to me, especially since a thinpak or normal box won't get me anything more. Misato may come off to be the most desired because she seemed to have the best personality of the females. It may also have been because she was an adult as opposed to Asuka and Rei. I don't understand why Charles wants people to skip the Tenrei episode of Outlaw Star, even though there's regular slapstick comedy, important plot points (ya rly), and possibly a reference to Slayers. Maybe he was too focused on the evil fanserivce himself. |
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Yuukichan's Papa
 Posts: 93 |
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You know, while I agree with the spirit of the rant, this is the same tired argument that goes on with every form of visual media such as comics and television in general. As it is largely an entertainment medium, there is going to be objectification of all sorts of things going on. Deal with it. A good show can be good both with and without fanservice.
These days I only get troubled by fanservice that gets so excessive that it's awkward, unless it's done so in the name of comedy and/or parody. Case in point: While not a masterpiece by any means, I enjoyed He is My Master as a guilty pleasure show, and it's riddled with fanservice - and fanservice at the hands of 12 year old maids, for Pete's sake. I adore Mitsuki as a character yet I don't and never will hold her as some sort of model for what I'd expect in a real girl/woman. A couple of days ago I happened to be thinking about this, and I wondered: If you're going to make a 12 year old act look and act more like a 16 or 17 year old, why not just make them 16 or 17? There's probably a combination of reasons behind it, but one of the main ones is, as was mentioned earlier, target audience. Like I said, it's an entertainment medium and the most important aspect of that is getting people to watch. |
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