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Answerman - Is Anime Streaming Consumer-Friendly Right Now?

But I don't know how to fix that, or even if it's rational to expect such a thing. A basic law of economics is that you can't always get everything you want, and that absolutely applies to media. With media becoming so accessible in the internet age, people no longer accept this

What else can streaming providers do to better serve their customers? What can be done as consumer-facing competition? What can be done to ease the frustrations of international fans? What, aside from carrying more simulcasts, can these sites do to win your business?

I've never used Hulu other than the free version on my PC, but I've heard horrible reviews because of the business model. This business model was that even paying subscribers had to watch ads. At that point, why should I even pay for it other than access to an app on my PS3/PS4?
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Crunchyroll show adequate clemency with their free tier, perhaps in part out of a desire to be seen as being considerate, though the industry's newer mainstays are not so alike in compassion.

FUNimation: Make your simuldubs available for free users as well, except just add video ads for them.

I think they already do that...for the first episode or so. That's how I tried out Kado, Tsukigakirei and Kenka Bancho Otome's dubs back in the spring.

Amazon - remove double paywall

Netflix - simulcasting and standalone anime subscription

Then we'll talk.

Daizo wrote:

In terms of subtitle styling, Crunchyroll has always been the leader of the pack, but they've also been hopelessly behind fansubs since their inception. Sentai is basically the only other company that tries to do some sign styling, while with everyone else it's pretty much a joke. No-one certainly seems too interested in reaching higher in this regard, even when they're hardsubbing the signs into the video and could really do anything (including reaching the level of fansubs).

This is something I find kind of interesting about anime fans: They go all out with fonts and colors and such. Among foreign film viewers, they don't care one bit about that, and many would even find it distracting as it calls attention to itself.

Personally, I prefer my subtitles to be as plain as possible. I want to forget I'm reading something at the bottom of the screen. I've seen some fansubs for stuff like One Piece where they'll actually animate the letters and such, and it always got annoying to me because it felt like they're saying, "Look at us! We made these subtitles!"

Something DRM-free AND pay-to-own would terrify the content owners though, as there's theoretically nothing preventing you from creating copies of it and sharing it with everyone you know. How did the anime companies let Wakanim get away with this, and how has Wakanim remained profitable in this way?

it can be a VERY tough job to create something that can function well on every major device. This is a problem everyone who develops apps for Android encounters

I wish that every simulcast streaming company would put their shows on steam - maybe it sounds stupid to some people, but I love the fact that I pay for shows that I WANT to watch. I don't want to give any penny to help produce shitty animes that I don't like.

This is why I love a Steam's anime distribution system. You love Kemono Friends? Buy it and watch. Tanya the Evil? Here it is. Oh, you don't like new Berserk anime? Welp, just don't spent your money on it.

What I find terribly amusing is that everyone wanted to cut the cord to save money and when you throw in, streaming services, game subscriptions, and an a la carte internet package, you aren't actually saving anything and adding the hassle of everything having its own red tape.

There are plenty of people that create "in their spare time" while working a job to pay bills.

I've never used Hulu other than the free version on my PC, but I've heard horrible reviews because of the business model. This business model was that even paying subscribers had to watch ads. At that point, why should I even pay for it other than access to an app on my PS3/PS4?

Now, the elephant in the room, Amazon's Anime Strike. I think the double paywall is dumb and it's not even reasonable. Like if it was $6 for Prime and $3-4 for Anime Strike, I would decided to do so.

This is almost depressing...anime just payfor Advertisement and its technically a commercial for the most part. Ok, more so now than way back in the two decades ago in better years.

That's sad. Given all the paywalls popping up everywhere, interest especially for young kids is going be non-existence to support this art form we call dear.

I don't got good feelings for what accrues next.

I haven't actually had problems on any of my Android devices, just my Roku TV. Which as I said used to work great with the Crunchyroll app at least until it suddenly got all buggy. I definitely acknowledge that it can be tough to build something that works across platforms, but that Roku TV is the main thing I like to watch anime on, so if Crunchyroll's app won't work on it, I'm not very incentivized to keep paying for it.

A basic law of economics is that you can't always get everything you want, and that absolutely applies to media.