Forum - View topicDo you still collect anime BDs/DVDs?
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ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
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I used to be a pretty avid collector. I mean that in the most literal sense as well. That is to say, I didn't buy shows just as a means to see them or even just to support them. I actually liked the idea of owning them. I liked having an "anime collection" of all the shows I liked. That's probably why, even after the big DVD boom of the '00s burst and streaming became prevalent, I still bought a ton of anime. With very little exception I tried to buy basically everything I considered to be at least good if by no means great. I think I'm pretty much over that now though. Or at the very least, I've radically scaled back the scope of my collection. I really only buy what I consider to be strictly the cream of the crop which is usually little more than 1-3 shows a year. From 2015 for instance I'll probably buy Death Parade, Maria, and maybe My Love Story but that will be it. Also, from 2014 I only bought Space Dandy and Ping Pong. I kinda was going to buy a few others. I rather liked Garo, Rage of Bahamut, Noragami and Nobunagun after all. Those were all good shows in my opinion. I don't really imagine I'll buy any of them in the end though. I just don't really see the point.
I think a big part of it is just that I've lost the drive to "collect" anime. Honestly, Aniplex of America has definitely been a part of this. I don't want to turn this thread into a debate about them so I'm not going to make any value judgements about their release model. I can definitely say personally though that they put me off it a bit. I'm not going to pay $100+ for a show. It's not just that their pricing has prevented me from buying their shows either. It's that once there were a few gaps in my collection due to not buying one of their shows, the prospect of having a "complete" collection of all the shows I like disappeared. And once that happened, the notion of collecting kinda lost its appeal. I mean if my collection is gonna be forever "missing" the Aniplex shows I like then it's fairly immaterial whether or not it is also missing any of those other good not great shows I mentioned earlier. I don't know. Maybe that's fairly silly but that's definitely part of the reason I've gone out of my way to collect anime in the past. I just like collecting stuff. There are other reasons too though. On the more practical side, I think I've become much more realistic about what shows I'm ever gonna actually re-watch. There are plenty of "good" shows out there that I liked enough to watch to completion but that I'm never in a million years gonna re-watch. Like...am I ever gonna want to watch Nobunagun again? I don't mean to pick on that show because I did absolutely enjoy it. It's just a perfect example of the sort of thing that I'd have bought in the past and then never actually watched. It's not even that I wouldn't enjoy it if I did re-watch it. I'm just never going to. I've got a perpetual backlog of new stuff that's gonna take me years to watch and a pretty sizable collection of true classics that I like to revisit fairly often. Hell, I haven't even gotten around to re-watching a lot of the legitimately great stuff I've had sitting on my shelf for years. Finally, there's the fact that streaming is so big now. I've bought a lot of DVDs in the past that I'll probably never get around to watching. I don't strictly mind though because a lot were shows I pirated initially. I don't necessarily feel strictly obligated to buy a show in that case but I'm generally happy to do so even if the DVD just winds up sitting on my shelf. Even if that happens I kinda feel like I broke even so to speak. Now though, I watch basically all my anime via legal subscription streams. Of course, the price of a yearly Funi/Crunchyroll/Netflix subscription is a lot cheaper that buying everything on BD/DVD. (And I still like supporting the industry by collecting BDs/DVDs which are where the big money is). Still, dropping $40+ on a BD I'm never gonna watch feels a lot more like throwing away money somehow when I'm already shelling out for my subscriptions. I'm still a big fan of physical media at heart. There are definitely certain shows, the ones I absolutely love, that I want a physical copy of without question. I've definitely reached a point where it is just that stuff though. Anyway, that's me. What about the rest of you? Do you find you've eased off collecting anime in recent years (or at some point in the past) or are you still going strong? Or did you never really get into collecting anime in the first place? |
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louis6578
 Posts: 1861 |
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Yup. Not much else to say. I have too many to list. At least 100 different series. That includes a bunch of 100+ episode ones like Inuyasha, Dragonball, One Piece, Sgt. Frog, and Yu Yu Hakusho.
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Touma
 Posts: 2651 Location: Colorado, USA |
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I do not consider myself to be a collector but I do buy anime on DVD and BR just so that I can watch it. I do sell some that I am sure that I will never watch again but I keep most of it, just so that I can watch it again.
This is the only way that I have ever been able to watch anime.* My Internet connection is not, and never has been, suitable for streaming. I do not have cable or satellite TV and the local stations do not carry any anime. I am buying less than previously because I do not have much money for it and I already have enough anime to watch. Fortunately for me I have always liked to re-watch shows that I have enjoyed, and I own a lot of those now. Between that and the fact that I still have a huge backlog I have not felt the need to buy more. I still do buy a few, but only those that I am confident that I will really like and only if they are on sale. So I do still "collect" anime, but not nearly as much as I once did. *I just realized that this is not strictly true because I have been able to borrow some anime from the library. They do not have I lot but right now I am watching Sword Art Online from the library since they recently got the last volume. |
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lesterf1020
 Subscriber Posts: 292 Location: Trinidad and Tobago |
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No change for me. I am a collector by nature and I add to it regularly. Since I have enough disposable income to indulge my hobby the only thing slowing down my collecting is the frustrating delay by anime distributors to release stuff.
I love preordering my stuff months in advance and grumbling and complaining and worrying when it does not show up instantly on release day (where is my Giant Gorg rightstuf???). I enjoy hunting bargain bins and second hand retailers for hidden anime gems and I buy anything I like, whether it is "good" or not. Whenever I feel myself falling out of love with anime or collecting, normally as a result of one to many crappy Light Novel adaptations, I just rewatch my favorites that made me an anime fan and all is right with the world again. |
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ivorymoose
 Posts: 240 |
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Yes, but only Bandai/Sunrise and Rurouni Kenshin titles. I downsized years ago, it was like a bloodbath, do it with no regrets.
I re-watch from time to time but not frequently. I am not upgrading to BluRay unless the new titles come only in BluRay. The small collection displays well in my living room. The titles I keep are those that represents me as an anime fan from the time I was little, characters that shaped my life long ago; Visitors to my home look through the titles and can tell from there my interests and my personality. I am surprised, the bi-shoujo Candy Candy is not in my collection when it should be. |
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st_owly
 Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
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Yes, I do. My rule is that if I like something enough to want to watch it more than once, then I buy it on disc. There's also no guarantee a show will stay legally streaming for ever. Lastly, it's useful having physical media for when I'm at my parents' house, which since it's in the countryside, the internet is often too slow to stream stuff. I also travel a lot, and train wifi is decidedly not capable of streaming.
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18185 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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To some degree or another I've been buying anime DVDs/BRs for more than 16 years now, and I don't anticipate that changing unless my finances take a nose-dive again. I don't buy anywhere near as much as I did during my peak back in the mid-2000s, and getting a fair amount of stuff as review copies is a mitigating factor in my situation, but it's an odd month when I don't have at least one or two anime titles on my credit card bill.
I'm with others who say that they'll buy things that they feel have rewatch value, and the recent news items about Funi losing the licenses to a couple of long-standing titles is precisely why I'm not inclined to purely rely on streaming; I see that more as an avenue for watching new anime or anime which is unlikely to get a physical release than for watching something I'm going to come back to periodically over time. Also it's far easier to lend out DVDs/BRs to friends and family, especially ones who may not have the bandwith for streaming to be feasible. All this being said, I've never really considered myself a collector. I actually care very little for elaborate physical Extras or fancy packaging. (Rare exceptions? The box for Bandai's My-Hime collection is really, really cool in a display sense, as is the sphere-shaped packaging for the Gantz set.) Last edited by Key on Fri Jan 29, 2016 7:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Alan45
 Village Elder Posts: 9838 Location: Virginia |
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I still buy anime on Bluray and DVD, a lot of it as far as that goes. However I'm not really a collector. I buy stuff I think I want to watch, or if I saw it streaming stuff I want to rewatch. That doesn't always work out, I have a big backlog, mostly because I'm bad at finishing series. But watching was always the intent. I certainly have never bought anything just to have it.
I've been into anime for over eighteen years now, though the VHS tapes of the first few years are mostly gone now. At first it was all blind buys as buying was the only way I got to see stuff. Now with streaming, most of what I buy I've seen or seen part of. It is surprising though how much comes out still that isn't available streaming. I used to collect the works of specific authors, first editions etc. I know what that is like. With anime I'm simply accumulating shows I want. Any gaps in my anime are of shows never available on disk, only streaming. I have gotten rid of collectors editions of some shows to get a more compact thin pack or lite box edition. Storage and display space is more of an issue than cost. Though when it comes to storage and display, anime is not the problem, manga and figures are. I long since ran out of space to display my manga and figures and am now running out of storage space. |
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Saffire
 Posts: 1255 Location: Iowa, USA |
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For the most part, what I've physically bought in the last couple years falls into one of two categories:
1) shows I cannot watch streaming 2) shows I'd be upset if they suddenly disappeared from streaming There aren't a lot of titles left that meet those two and that I don't already own, so my anime purchasing has shifted rather hard into manga and light novels. I've never been big on expensive collector's editions, just give me the show at a reasonable price point. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16935 |
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I am much the same. I too don't buy near as much as I used to but I still buy plenty. I've actually simply learned to save up and wait for holiday end of year sales or other various sales during the year. I've learned to be more patient and discerning as well. I used to collect everything I could get my hands on. Now I am much more discerning. I watch a few episodes online first and ask myself the hard question, "Will I re-watch this?" If the answer is no I might download or stream but I won't buy. If the answer is yes I buy it. Now I re-watch A LOT of my titles so I still buy alot. Just not quite as much. Though I must say with the prevalence of anime sets or half sets, as opposed to single dvd releases, it's easier now to own full series than ever before.I can get full series on sale for the cost of 2 single dvd releases from back in the day. Don't even get me started on vhs releases. I do think twice long and hard before buying AoA sets due to the prices. I get why they charge what they do (not saying I agree with it but I understand it) but when I can get 2 or 3 sets for the price of that 1 set I have to think reallllllly long and hard about if I want it or not. PMMM was obviously one worth the cost for example. As was the Expelled from Paradise movie. Gunslinger Stratos, Godeater, and Valvrave however, not so much for me. Much like ikill I enjoy collecting. I enjoy having the anime collection like a movie buff enjoys having his movie collection or the stamp collector enjoys his stamp collection. Anime is my hobby, one of a few, so I enjoy collecting and adding to that hobby. Finances do obviously play a part in how much I spend on a year to year basis. Especially when balancing my anime collecting with my comic/manga collecting, PVC figure collecting, and whiskey selection. So I might spend on one hobby one month and then switch to the other the next. Or just do a small purchase for each.
As I said I used to buy almost everything. So between finances being tighter (thanks mortgage/rent) and my tastes evolving, and space limiting, I do think more carefully about buying a show before pulling the trigger on the bank card. Recent issues with DTB and now Baccano have strengthened my idea of not relying on streaming or downloads. The same applies for movies or music. There's no guarantee it'll be out there digitally forever. That physical copy however will be if I get it. I was in the midst of clearing out more older anime which now I am re-thinking on some of the titles. The idea of "I can always get the set later if I want it" also is not as secure as recent news show. Plus as Key said it's easier to share a dvd or br. Just the other night when I got stuck at work I brought in my laptop and BR copy of Sword of the Stranger, The other guy I was working with watched it with me. We hooked my laptop up to the giant wall monitor we use for treatment orders in the back of the vet clinic. Thing is like 50 some inches. So that was fun. Recent news has also made me re-think some pre-orders and instead invest that money in older titles, or just titles past 5 years old, that I want for the collection. Best to get them now while I can.
Now I do consider myself a collector. I however don't feel the need to get the limited or special editions of everything in order to consider myself one. I typically don't care for all the fancy whistles and doodads myself. I did however love the art boxes back in the day of the dvd singles era. Some were just more basic true but I always loved filling them up and displaying them. I do agree though the My Hime, and Mai Otome, boxes were rather nice and some of the best done. So was the Trinity Blood 3 way open box and the ROD tv box that looked like a book. Those were creative. Short answer to the topic question is yes I do, and I plan to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. |
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zawa113
 Posts: 7357 |
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Oh yeah, totally, and manga too! I came into anime during the era of DVD singles, there's just something right about having things on DVD or Bluray that feels right to me. Though if I'm unsure, I do try to preview an ep or two online, sometimes I'll get a quick "no way is this going to be for me" and other times I'll be like "yep, I want this"
But now I totally work for a (used) movie store, my employee discount is pretty sweet, actually (just got Railgun S for $29). And as much as I love getting great deals online, there really is something about getting something in a physical store and glossing over it at every red light on the way home (or, if I'm at work when it comes in, since employees can take things home early that they pre-ordered, gloss over it all shift long then take it home with me nice and early!) And now that feeling of getting it from a store is something I can experience more often, awesome! I mean, places like Best Buy and Walmart really don't carry anime anymore, just some Sailor Moon, DBZ, and a few other huge sellers here and there. And if something good comes in, I can squirrel it away and buy it in a few days or something (we can't hide things indefinitely anymore, just a few days, which is usually fine for me) As for selling, yeah I sell things. Sometimes, it's not what I expected when I bought the series, and not in a good way, so those get sold. Sometimes, I enjoyed it, but won't watch it again. Or maybe the manga finally got licensed and the anime was more like a place holder for me (Princess Jellyfish ended up being this recently, though I plan to keep my Master Keaton DVDs) But I also like looking at my glorious walls of anime and manga, it makes me happy. Of course, nothing makes me happier than cuddling my cat, but having a sweet collection is pleasing to the eye and brain. Thankfully, my cat is ok with my collection. She'll rub against my manga piles on the floor in front of my bookshelves (they're full, ok?), so they've been claimed as hers by cat logic (it has her scent on it now), but she doesn't bother them otherwise. I enjoy having a nice collection of physical, cus when my friends come over, it's like "sure, take your pick!" and it's also why I do have a good number of anime movies too. As for the old school chipboard boxes, I'm kind of mixed on them. I enjoy them, except they take up too much space and now that I have to check every single disc people bring in for trade, I realize how annoying having all those damn cases are. Sometimes it's like "who on earth made such an evil DVD case style?! And then switched it to something sorta nice halfway through the damn series too!". If I really like a series, then yes, I like having all that stuff. But sometimes, it's also like "just give me something that takes up less space, dammit!" |
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Shadowrun20XX
 Posts: 1935 Location: Vegas |
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At 34 our era of holding media in some collectible high regard has vanished with the ease of access everything has to a degree thanks to the internet. Even more so with high speed. That world is gone.There is too much being released, very few things are memorable. Not very many things can't be viewed online.
Sounds like your inquiry is an individual one, I also only have an American perspective. I did sympathize but then again I move every 2 years currently. Collecting physical media is a burden once I got to about 32 giant boxes of VHS, DVDs, games, systems, ect. Collecting and constant moving killed it for me. The thrill of the hunt and the wonder is long gone IMO, media now has little value. People are less curious with all the answers and shows streamed at their fingertips. I've been slow to collect Blu ray despite being stunning and desirable, I've reached an age where I gotta save but if I had about 15K I'd have that sweet shelf of Funimation I seen at Fry's. |
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Chiibi
 Posts: 4828 |
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I only grab blu-rays of my most favorite 'pretty' shows. I get dvds of lessor faves. Less expensive that way.
I find this an odd question; "do you still"...I mean, why would you stop? Also, I absolutely hate streaming. I hate signing up for things, I hate the commercials, I hate paying for subscriptions, I hate having to get online every time I want to watch something. I stick with fansubs and then I buy my favorite shows when they come out.
Yasssssss |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 9838 Location: Virginia |
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@ikillchicken
After reviewing this thread so far, I would say that the answer to your question is that broad based collecting of anime is not dead yet. At least not among those answering here. With regard to anime, I do think that you may just be ahead of the curve. It is possible that between Aniplex pricing and increased licensing costs we will see increased prices across the board in anime. This would likely drive more to primary streaming and only purchasing a few favorite titles. The problem with this is that if it becomes the norm, the reduced sales would lead to further increased prices, producing a classic death spiral. The end of disk sales of media is not impossible. A little perspective on this. When I was young all entertainment was both ephemeral and time and/or place dependent. You watched movies in the theater when they were showing. If you were lucky you might get the chance to watch again if they ran on TV. TV series had random reruns and a few lucky series might go into syndication. But you still had to watch when they were shown. We got our first VCR in 1983 and it was later in the decade that prerecorded movies became inexpensive enough to think of having a library. I gather from the history here that it was the mid 1990s before anime became widely available. What I'm getting at is the whole concept of a library of anime is only twenty to twenty-five years old. It may just be a passing thing. Currently streaming is possible in a lot of locations and it is getting better. I suspect that the current generation is not only used to streaming but is drowning in content. Under those circumstance I can see an attitude of watching when you want but only once and moving on setting in. This may be the future. Of course, the older you get the more you get nostalgic for things from the past. It is amazing the things people will dredge up from the past. It is also amazing just how bad things we liked in the past can be on returning to them. 1950s vintage TV was, not good. Of course it was all we had. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18185 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Oh, I'd probably feel differently, too, if I moved more often, but I have moved exactly once in what I call my Otaku Era (and only twice in my life, which I know is well below average) and don't anticipate moving anytime soon (when you're a teacher in a metro area in a time when there are rampant teacher shortages, you only move if you really want to). Hence that's not even a consideration for me. |
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