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What the Hellsing?


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prime_pm



Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 2341
Location: Your Mother's Bedroom
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 2:13 am Reply with quote
Ignore the stupid title for a moment and just read.

I went into a Samgoody this weekend and checked out the boxed sets for television shows. Despite it being located in a small town, I was able to find a few anime boxed sets here and there. Now, first of all, I found the entire boxed set of Excel Saga, a great 26-episode show featuring parodies of various pop culture references, Japanese and American alike. The series is separated into six DVD's, two containing five episodes, and four containing four. The price at the store? $89.99. Now, each DVD individually is worth around $30, so you'll be saving half the price for everything together. Believe me, if I wasn't in such a rush to get every episode as they came out, I would have preferred to get this instead.

Then I saw the Hellsing boxed set. You have a thirteen episode show, separated into four DVD's. An excellent show, I admit, the show has been out as long as Excel Saga has, and the boxed set even longer. For the boxed set, it costs, get this: $124.99! Now, every damn DVD for this show is $30 apiece, so by getting the boxed set, not only are you not getting the series for a better deal, but you're actually paying more than what it would cost individually altogether.

Now, what the hell?

I undestand you can get a loaf of Wonderbread for a little more money than a regular hump of crust, and I understand that Duracel and Energizer each have their own qualities that make them want to advertise their products for different prices (now that I remember, I need to get batteries tomorrow). But how can you advertise a show like this? Has Geneon gone insane after their name change? It just doesn't add up right whatsoever! Hasn't anybody realized this at all? I'm glad I started the series with the first volume instead of going for the set, because I'm not one to buy just any boxed set out there unless I knew I'd be getting a better deal in the end. I don't care how fancy the box cover is, what it all comes down to is the quality of the show itself, and that's it. I got the Niea_7 boxed set at a good time because it was at a convention and relatively cheaper. I got GTO boxed set 1 because it was affordable for five volumes and it was at Best Buy. I'm not getting the boxed set for Hellsing because I already have one DVD and it would be cheaper just to continue from where I'm at.

Doesn't anyone agree with me on this one? Tell me what you think.
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king_micah



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 994
Location: OSU
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 2:32 am Reply with quote
Edit: Oops.
Linked to wrong anime. I head berserk in my mind rather an Hellsing.
Here is a good price for Hellsing
[URL=http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.asp?item_id=471205&oldpartnerid=80137270&olduserid=00000423996059ν=1&loginCheck=24201201199001402004900&userid=00000423996059&redir=1](url snipped -c)[/url]
About 100 even. The stores you went were selling MSRP.
Why it is that high? Someone was smoking something to make it higher than the individual discs.


Last edited by king_micah on Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:40 am; edited 1 time in total
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Kazuki-san



Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2251
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 2:35 am Reply with quote
What do you expect? Samgoody and Suncoast (owned by the same company) are notorious for charging rather expensive prices for their anime.
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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Location: Frisco, TX
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:40 pm Reply with quote
Super Duper Club has it for $80.99.
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manuverse



Joined: 20 Aug 2004
Posts: 56
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:54 am Reply with quote
Yeah, the Hellsing boxset is ridiculously expensive, but thats life.
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IanC



Joined: 26 Sep 2004
Posts: 685
Location: Essex, England
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:20 pm Reply with quote
Wait a moment, so the UK Hellsing brick set i got recently is cheaper than the US Hellsing box set!!
Thats something you dont see everyday.
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:24 pm Reply with quote
IanC wrote:
Wait a moment, so the UK Hellsing brick set i got recently is cheaper than the US Hellsing box set!!
Thats something you don't see everyday.

There's a brick? Shocked Who made it? To my knowledge, I haven't seen any other versions except for the R1 and R2 Japanese DVDs, though, I guess there could be some European versions as well (correct me if I may be wrong Anime catgrin + sweatdrop).
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Abel



Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 143
Location: AnimeTen.com
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:01 pm Reply with quote
It's not only that. Geneon titles are the most expensive compared to all the other companies. Heck paying $21 to make $1.85 (then pay out 3% in fees) makes little sense to me.

As a fan who sells the goods my perspective has changed. You start cheering when any other company but Geneon gets a title. The consumer will never see a difference except maybe at Best Buy where Geneon titles are more expensive then the others (Now you know why).

ADV already had it's run with Excel Saga and it makes sense they discount the complete series. Geneon does this with their Signature Series. While not a complete series the consumer does get it cheaper.

One could argue why bother to get indivdual DVD at all if the companies will come out with complete collections? I'm not talking about the Bandai Holiday Sets but the others. Right Stuff releases are always cheaper after the series is complete and you only have to wait a couple of months after the last volume is complete. ADV seems to be doing cheaper complete sets now and I know a few fans who are not getting Getbackers because they are waiting for the complete set at a discounted rate.

I often question why as a retailer we even bother with DVD. However it is nice for fans to be able to get other goods besides the DVD when it becomes available. While I commented on Geneon titles I am happy that we have Tsukihime and related character goods from the series. We've had goods for the series before it was even licensed and now that it is out it gives me a bit of contentment. My lament is that the goods are about dried up now in Japan. -_-


Last edited by Abel on Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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IanC



Joined: 26 Sep 2004
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Location: Essex, England
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:24 pm Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:

There's a brick? Shocked Who made it?

ADV Films UK Look at the bottom of the page.
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:29 pm Reply with quote
IanC wrote:
ADV Films UK Look at the bottom of the page.

Wow! I didn't know ADV had a UK division. Shocked That's pretty cool. I like the cover of the brick set too.

Hmm... Now I can't decide which one to get... Anime dazed. I can't play UK DVDs here in The States, which leaves me with the R1. But if I get that all-region DVD player... (*ponders*)
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kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:06 pm Reply with quote
In response to abel:
I thought Geneon was the cheaper than ADV because when going to BestBuy here in Shreveport, Louisiana, they are usually cheaper than ADV on most items.

Of course Suncoast sells everything for $30, except for ADV's Essential Anime (range of $20-30) and Geneon's Signature series (they sell this for $20)

Oh, and didn't Geneon (Pioneer at the time) help finance the production of Hellsing? That could be why it happens to be more expensive. (I'm confused, I thought Geneon sold this, but I see ADV selling it)
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IanC



Joined: 26 Sep 2004
Posts: 685
Location: Essex, England
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:38 pm Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:

Wow! I didn't know ADV had a UK division. Shocked That's pretty cool. I like the cover of the brick set too.

Most of my anime dvds are ADV UK Smile I watched all of Hellsing over the weekend. What a way to spend the weekend!

kusanagi-sama wrote:

Oh, and didn't Geneon (Pioneer at the time) help finance the production of Hellsing? That could be why it happens to be more expensive. (I'm confused, I thought Geneon sold this, but I see ADV selling it)

Pioneers name is all over the end credits, thats for sure. (and on the back of the box in the credits bit)
ADV published it in the UK. they are also publishing Mahromatic, Last Exile and Gad Gaurd later this year. (and they released Boogiepop Phantom for TRSI in the UK)
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kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:47 pm Reply with quote
Does Geneon not have an outlet in the UK?
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IanC



Joined: 26 Sep 2004
Posts: 685
Location: Essex, England
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:18 pm Reply with quote
kusanagi-sama wrote:
Does Geneon not have an outlet in the UK?

They did.... In the 90s. They pulled out after the anime market kinda crashed Sad
Now Geneon stuff is handled by MVM or ADV UK depending who animated it i think (ADV UK is close to Gonzo and Gainex)
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kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
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Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:51 pm Reply with quote
IanC wrote:
kusanagi-sama wrote:
Does Geneon not have an outlet in the UK?

They did.... In the 90s. They pulled out after the anime market kinda crashed Sad
Now Geneon stuff is handled by MVM or ADV UK depending who animated it i think (ADV UK is close to Gonzo and Gainex)


Blame those onenighter companies that licensed anime in the UK and did rediculous advertising to get attention. I believe there was one company that advertised on a poster and added something like "now with more sex" or something on it. (In fact you can find links round-robin on this website if you search about some of these old out of business companies, more directly if you google about "Streamline Pictures")
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