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NEWS: CPM Lays off Staff, Prepares for Bankruptcy

Also, regarding Toei/Bandai, yes I realize their first releases have been HORRIBLE, but then again,... it might be "fairer" to compare their first releases to the U.S. companies' first releases and see how their respective first releases compare.

In any case, your post is just a series of nitpicks (It reminds me of the internet in the mid 90s), overlooking the fundamental issue here; CPM didn't have enough releases, and had made enough mistakes which lead to their current position. I don't think anybody can dispute this.

1) Japanese companies or Japanese-funded companies tend not to have to pay for licensing (Naruto, Bleach, etc). This releases them from any pressure for break-evens... err.. I mean it lightens the burden for them.

2) Japanese companies have "ethical obligations" to the authors. They have reputations to save within Japan itself. And believe me, that goes a looong way.

3) Yes, Toei and Bandai's examples are bad, but look at VIZ and Geneon as better examples. Yes, they have the super financial support, which lead to my statement that the world is better for anime fans; compare Geneon's packaging and menu designs. Pouring a lot of cash into packaging and marketing is the Japanese way of business. And while these same DVDs may go for 40-60 bucks in Japan, they don't charge nearly as much over here because they already know they can't get away with prices that high.

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p.s. Let it be known for the record that *some* companies (like MediaBlasters) have managed to prove me wrong on certain occasions and have shown hope for the American-owned Anime publishers. ADV has also started to clean up their act with the recent slim-paks as well. However, my point remains valid; the U.S. companies need to be TAUGHT what is right, while the Japanese companies already know what's right.

You really have no idea what you're talking about do you? For one thing, the costs are higher in Japan per episode than in the US, aren't available with subs generally and don't have multi-language dubs either.

Of the companies that you mentioned as the ones that should take over, reality is none of those companies have a dominant market share which is controlled by Funimation and ADV for the most part at this time. Of the cost involved in anime production domestically the bulk of that goes to pay for the licensing cost the studio asks for itself, so you can't really gripe about the price and then talk about how the Japanese companies are the only ones that know how to do it since it's their high licensing costs that are the root cause of the cost per episode.

Your examples are minor extremes that in no way represent the domestic market as a whole, no matter how much you may like the night there is day as well and ignore the sun as you might it's still going to be there. Point is, if you want to focus only on the singular negatives then be my guest, but luckily others make it a point to look at the full spectrum.

Your mindless swearing doesn't exactly make you look good either and the fact you obviously only look at the few negative examples despite them being a major minority these days doesn't add to the credibility. Not to mention your whole tirade at the end had nothing to do with your reasoning as to why CPM went bankrupt. You got one thing right, CPM likely failed due to irresponsible use of their resources, the rest of your uninformed rant has little to no real bearing on the topic at hand.

the fundamental issue here; CPM didn't have enough releases, and had made enough mistakes which lead to their current position. I don't think anybody can dispute this.

Dude, you're totally changing what I said.
So I'm not going to argue against you, when you're not even arguing about the same thing as I.

You know what, you had the least intelligent post on this entire thread. Yes, you throw in true statements here and there, but your argument is just INVALID, because I never said some of the things you are arguing about.

Wake the fudge up. Get some coffee. Get some sleep. Go eat. Take a shit.

THEN try to read this thread again.
Either way, I won't be there when you are back.

I only replied to this because I noticed your reply.

Well it's too bad, because your purchase came a few years too late. Alien 9 and Narutaru had also been out for years now (Alien 9 in 2003?), so what took you so long?

Yes. It was indeed a good show.
But again, shows like that don't' make enough money. They are the novelty shows that companies who can afford to lose some money should be acquiring. Not a company that's already struggling for cash.

And who cares of Pokemon is crap. It makes money. Something CPM hasn't been making in the last few years.

Also, when did I say they should have picked up boobie shows? All I said was that their two-three 30 minute shows each year just wasn't cutting it in terms of cashflow.

In any case, your post is just a series of nitpicks (It reminds me of the internet in the mid 90s), overlooking the fundamental issue here; CPM didn't have enough releases, and had made enough mistakes which lead to their current position. I don't think anybody can dispute this.

They've had a good run messing up packages and editing scenes to no end, and making a countless number of mistakes along the way. Companies like that simply cannot survive too long; especially after the Manga-ka in Japan gets a hold of the ugly DVD, and realizes what's happened to his precious creation.

only the Japanese know how to properly package and sell Anime

What?? CPM's Grave of the Fireflies release has arguably the best picture quality and extras of any release of that film IN THE WORLD. On all their releases their special features are consistently way above and beyond the call of duty. There are plenty of huge, successful companies that treat anime like product to be screwed with and make scads of money (4Kids, Shopro, etc). CPM is not one of them.

Bandai is a shadow of its former self, and Viz and Geneon are far from dominant when you consider Funimation and ADV. And someone else has already mentioned the complete failure of Toei. And Sony has been a dismal anime licensor (Cyborg 009, Astro Boy). So no, you're completely wrong.

Has there been a mistake on ANN's part? According to AOD's forum CPM are not filing for bankruptcy.

Did ANN's source misinterpret the Musicland bankruptcy for CPM?

No—I was also at the Saturday Anime Boston panel, and the rep specifically confirmed that CPM was filing for bankruptcy (he had received "the call" about an hour and a half before Friday's panel, and that was the reason that he had not show up for it), though he could not specify what type, telling us to wait for the official press release on Tuesday. That may have changed between then and now—perhaps Mr. O'Donnell was able to scrape up enough cash and/or cut enough costs (e.g., jobs) to satisfy his creditor for the short term.

2) Japanese companies have "ethical obligations" to the authors.

But let me ask you this (feel free to answer this one too), is this because you've finished buying everything you wanted from the other two already?

Don't get me wrong, there are a handful of good titles I purchased from CPM as well, but none of them were released after 2000. Which is exactly my entire point; they have nothing new to sell.

You can't judge Media Blasters for what they did BEFORE Berserk and Kenshin

MB, unlike CPM, continued to invest in good shows after pulling off those mega hits, while CPM simply decided to spend it elsewhere.

No. I'm not. AnimEigo does not have a staff of 40 people, at a Manhattan office, therefore, they don't *need* cashflow like CPM does.,

My point was that Genshiken is new, and the fans love it, NOW.

Slayers is going to become 10 years old by next Summer.

The company just laid off everybody because they couldn't pay for their salaries. I don't see how I am wrong.

I wrote a thesis back THEN saying that the Japanese companies will eventually take control. They did.

But what about Geneon, Bandai (come on they're not SO bad, are they? I'd take their stuff over ADV or CPM's) and VIZ?

Bandai didn't get "swallowed up". It was a Merger. They kept their name (which comes BEFORE Namco, mind you).

Because their parent companies own the rights. VIZ has dibs on every manga-based anime which gets created out of Shueisha or Shogakkan's catalog.

I have followed the international Anime market since 1993, and even spent quite a few years in the industry itself in a managerial position,

I agree with you on the issue. CPM's lagging has been eveidensed by a lack of licensing of quality, long running, high visibility series.

A CPM spokesperson told us that, while the company is re-organizing, it is also heading forward with new releases.