Forum - View topicNEWS: Bandai Visual USA Gets Shigofumi, True Tears Anime
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Ultenth
 Posts: 229 Location: Washington State |
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I am the exact same way to be honest, I'm not a collector or a fanboy type, so I don't feel a need to spend money on stuff (I'd rather spend money on experiences, like vacations or a nice night out on the town etc. etc.). I also only usually watch things once, with very few exceptions. For me DVD's are usually not a good investment, but I make a very good living so I buy quite a bit regardless (lots of them I just lend out to friends constantly). But I'm still not in the habit of burning money, plus I understand the concept that if you DO fall for someone fleecing you, that just means that them and other people will fleece you the same way (or worse) next time. I don't see any reason for me to spend such a ridiculous amount of money on under 5 hours of entertainment that I will only watch once, and am blind buying because it's not on TV over here for me to judge if I like it or not first. Personally I have to agree with some of the others in saying that this will just push more people into fansubs, as to be honest that fits my viewing style more to begin with (download, watch once, delete). I'd hate to see them do even more damage to a flailing R1 market by pushing even more people out of buying DVD's, so I hope they revisit this strategy and realise that it's simply not going to work over here. |
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teh*darkness
 Posts: 901 |
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Haha... sorry, just had to comment on this. If you don't already know, the anime is based off a PS1 game and it just barely covered the contents of the first of two discs, with several filler episodes thrown in. I would have liked to buy the anime except that I already knew it only went through half of the storyline, so it would have been a waste of money to buy an eternally and intentionally unfinished series. If they had dropped the filler episodes and condensed the story a bit more, they probably could have fit the whole story into only 26 episodes, since the second disc is mostly fighting and there'd be no reason to include the Cave of Trials in the anime version. Oh well, I can always play the game, with it's wonderful 1999 CG. 
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Mylene
 Posts: 2792 Location: Indiana |
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People seem to be disregarding DVD rentals as a viable alternative to the blind buy or downloading. Legal, inexpensive, and allows you to test out expensive series such as these in order to determine if you do want to save your pennies to make the purchase (or hope for a BV sale someplace.) Netflix carries Galaxy Angel Rune and other Bandai Visual releases, no reason to think they won't get these. Same for other services like RentAnime (can't speak for Blockbuster, I don't know what their online selection is like.)
I'm somewhat interested in these titles, so once the releases are complete, I'll stick them in my Netflix queue and see if they're worth the extra expense. Given the genre, they probably won't be, but that way I'll know for certain. |
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Ishantil
 Posts: 12 Location: Virginia, US |
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That's a good point. I wonder how much action you can get on Netflix in the anime medium. I don't really rent stuff much, usually if i I want it on DVD, I want it on DVD. And I'm actually one of those people who can re-watch things occasionally. |
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Ishmoo
 Posts: 413 Location: Fredericksburg, VA |
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I rent anime from Blockbusters about once every week or two for "Anime Night" with my friends, but I'm about at the end of what our local Blockbuster offers. Anime still isn't a big commodity there yet but heck, 15 years ago there wasn't even an aisle FOR anime so there's definitely been an improvement. Certain locales offer more of a section as well, while others simply lump anime in with the rest of the "kids section" cartoons. I'm not sure how to accomplish getting more anime to the rental stores but I'm all for that as a solution. It's true, people don't want to drop big money on a sight unseen product but if they can rent it first, which is what I tend to do when possible that takes the mystery out of buying. |
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Mylene
Posts: 2792 Location: Indiana |
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Quite a bit. There are problems with missing discs with some series, but I've found the selection to be quite acceptable, personally. Then again, I haven't already seen 'everything,' so perhaps my perspective isn't a good one to use. And I agree, if I want the DVD, I want the DVD to own and keep. But I won't know if I want it until I see it, so I use Netflix a lot. Thank goodness I do, or I might have bought Shana based on hype alone, and I've ended up really disliking the series (as I watch it via Netflix.) |
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poehitman
 Posts: 93 |
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I used to use Netflix when I had an income. I won't use them now even if I had an income because they lie. Once you reach a certain number of rentals per month, they will throttle your rentals. Instead of sending you the DVD from the closest distribution center, they'll start sending them from one in California if you live in Florida like I do. Just to increase the time it takes for you to get the DVD. That way instead of recieving it in one business day like they advertise most rentals reach the consumer in, it can take upwards of 7 if coming from the west coast. They get away with it because they state in their commercials that "most" dvd's arrive in 1 business day. Then you also have the return trip as Netflix won't send a new DVD until the old one is returned. And the return envelope they send you is for the distribution center it came from. I found a workaround for the return trip by printing labels for my local distribution center and placing it over the address for the west coast distribution center. That way I can at least cut down the return trip time. I refuse to be a customer of a company that will advertise "unlimited" rentals when they have been repeatedly sued because it's a lie. Every time they settle they admit no wrongdoing, the lawyers get millions, and those who are still members and part of the lawsuit get a free month of rentals, which they continue to throttle. |
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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Not to be rude, but there is something called Social Security disability most handicapped who are unable to work are eligible for. If you applied & were denied, did you appeal? Appeal is a must. THe pencil-pushers who process these things are unable to approve complex cases such as my father who, in the initial decline was told none of his conditions were severe enough to warrant disability, but the appeals judge said all the conditions (bad heart, bad knees, age) made him unemployable & he got the checks.
If you want a Big Mac, you pay for it. Granted, your food dollars probably stretch further if you buy groceries & cook them yourself. You may enjoy anime. THat doesn't give you the right to watch it for free unless someone buy the licenses & someone pays to broadcast it on your tv screen (If you have cable, you're paying for your "free" tv). "Free" tv is paid for by someone else. Fansubbers don't pay anyone & thus lack the right to offer it to you. I'm a widow with a kid. I buy my anime.
I'm in the "Busy working mom misses many eps/distracted by too much-do you really think I can keep track of all this stuff when you drag it out for 22 eps over 9 months?-box set is quicker & easier to actually remember the whole show school.
???????????????? Guess what I finally got around to watching a couple weeks ago having bought it at one of the Geneon sales (think it actually took 2 sales because they were missing a disc at first). Excuse me, you need to pay more attention. It has an ending, bucko. Yeah, it's more the "Who shot JR/Lets leave the Charmed witches lying bleeding to death all summer", but there IS resolution. Say, win the battle & taking the fight to the enemy's own territory? Yeah, that describes it pretty well, don't you think? Think of it as a series that was set up for a second season & didn't get it. Imagine your own ending OH MY! Do you really expect the HEROES will lose the battle? Come on. It really doesn't matter, does it? All you people whining about Bandai Visual? It comes down to are these titles any one of you would purchase & if so are you willing to pay the sticker price? If it is you will, like me, buy the Bandai Visual titles you like. If it isn't, then you don't. If you don't, you aren't their customer so you really don't matter. It's like bidding at an auction. Most bidders have a ceiling. They hope it won't go over & they can get it for less, but they have that point where the item offered is no longer worth it so they drop out & it goes to the one willing to pay for the item. You may think its a nice painting & be willing to bid $100. The other bidder may like it more & be willing to bid $200. Who goes home with the painting? |
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Vortextk
 Posts: 892 Location: Orlando, Fl |
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I thought the point of having a forum to discuss articles is so that everyone can have a say in the matter. I might be a customer if the price point wasn't ridiculous. I can just imagine a whole new division of PR spouting up at companies repeating what you said back at the consumer "If you can't afford our product, get lost, you're worthless anyway." That sells a product. I think if 90% of the people who are interested in the product say this is way above their means for the product's worth, it doesn't matter what the other 10% do. That seems more logical to me. |
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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Logical to you, maybe. Ever go into a store a bit out of your league? I love how the clerks zoom in as though they think you're going to shoplift or something just because you're in jeans & a t-shirt & not armani or whatever the high-class chicks that shop there would wear. THEY know you're windowshopping or looking to shoplift because you don't look the type to drop $100 on a pair of underwear. Bandai Visual is looking for the American equivalent to the Japanese Otaku who'll drop $2000 for Legend of the Galactic Heroes. If you aren't that type of fan, your opinion doesn't matter (to them). I do get tired of the endless screaming about Bandai Visual. It's as predictable as the fansub debate. It's like being flabbergasted over Middle Eastern Oil-rich sheiks dropping 2 mill on a plane-we don't move in that world. We might find it obscene, but they don't. Bandai Visual's pricing only affects you when it's a title you would normally buy, otherwise it's like whining about the lives of the rich & famous. We don't move in that crowd |
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Ultenth
Posts: 229 Location: Washington State |
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I disagree, several people (including myself) have explicitly stated that they can easily afford the costs involved. It's just when compared to equivalent costs for other entertainment it just doesn't make sense, especially when I can get what they offer (or better since I prefer the more artistic subtitles of fansubs to blocked black and white ariel) for free online. There is a difference between splurging on something you like that's high quality (like expensive tailored clothes made of nice cloth) and being complete taken advantage of over something that really isn't that great to begin with. There is a difference between being poor and being unwilling to be taken advantage of.
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Goodpenguin
Posts: 457 Location: Hunt Valley, MD |
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Ultenth wrote:
This stuff kills me in these fansub talks. People watch fansubs (I watch fansubs) and while I wish more folks purchased product, I'm not scandalized at this eventuality. What kills me is the ridiculous self-justification blather, as if at the heart of watching fansubs lies this very noble, market motive. Sometimes it's novel length rants about IP/copyright laws, sometimes it's long self-centered soap-boxing about 'buying what you value', it starts to blur together after awhile. For all the people who use arguments like then one quoted, I put to you this: -Did you get a luxury car for free using the same principals? -Did you get a beach-house home free using the same principals? -Do you get restaurant food for free using the same principals? -Do you get upscale clothes for free using the same principals? -Do you get expensive electronics (PS3, ipod) for free using the same principals? If the answer to these questions is no, and the sum result of your self-made consumer stance is a hard-drive full of torrents, then your not living your life by some virtuous consumer code. Your downloading entertainment for free off the internet because it's very easy and carries no risk of being punished. You download fansubs because it's nice not to have to pay for things, period. End of story. There's nothing more 'high-ideal' to it then that. People download fansubs, that's not changing for the foreseeable future, let's knock off the 'Oh I've got a higher purpose' rhetoric. |
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Vortextk
Posts: 892 Location: Orlando, Fl |
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First, in the US, entertainment is equal. If you go to a rental place, both shawshank redemption and the latest crapper from Steven Segal is the same price(roughly). If you see a movie in the theatre, same thing. Within it's own industry, the entertainment is roughly the same price. Football games, movies, new video games, etc. And, True Tears looks like a title I'd want to see. I'm not paying that much though. *Edit* And Goodpenguin, that would be equating these titles to the top 5% "cream" of all anime. The good stuff. No that justification wouldn't work, but no one has to pay 270$ to watch 5 episodes of something like law and order. Good but extremely regular programming. I guess if a lot of people are going to be buying this then power to BV huh. Hopefully we can start to buy all anime at 1$ a minute. |
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Goodpenguin
Posts: 457 Location: Hunt Valley, MD |
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Vortextk wrote:
No, my point is there are many things in life everybody would like at a lower-priced alternative. Yet, for all the high-minded rhetoric used to justify the watching of fansubs (outside the simple and honest-'It's free and easy') and about how they are 'empowered' consumers, the only things these modern day Huxley's have in their Brave, New consumer World are a hard-drive full of downloaded entertainment (If there such consumer mavericks, where are all the other expensive things free for them?). That says 'free and easy' is the motivating factor, not some high-minded post-hoc, defensive justification. So, if a person can show me all the nice things I listed above that they blazed a way of getting free based on their deep-seated consumer convictions, I'll tip my cap and acknowledge free anime is part and parcel with everything there getting for free. If all they have is a bunch of torrents on their computer, then they are just reaping the easy bounty of pirated internet material, and polishing defensive excuses to make it seem a noble consumer choice. Also, yes BV's prices are high in comparison to modern average price points. Everyone yaks about how the anime companies have to adapt to the reality of the fansub-dominated market , yet this is a two-way street. Fan's may think this is short-hand for 'get cheaper', but a company like BV may take the perspective if it's going to be heavily pirated, then let's just make a premium package for hardcore fans who'll pay premium price-We'll sell less but make a greater margin on each unit. That's a perfectly legit 'adapt to market reality' maneuver whatever it's eventual success or failure is.
? Anime is an import luxury, it's right in line, and in fact many times cheaper then other (legit) import Hong Kong/Japanese/French movies/series I buy. You can compare it to domestic material and say BV's prices exceed it on a 'pound for pound' basis, but that's mixing apples and oranges a bit (you can argue that in a realist sense a young anime consumer wouldn't understand that distinction and conclude the product is to expensive, but a decision not to buy is a sales choice. A decision to then watch fansubs is a choice of personal convenience, not of consumer behavior-a person can't tell the guy at Mazda his RX-8 is too expensive and then go home and download one for free). And if we are mixing entertainment genre's, I'll make mention that the same teen audience for anime sucks down $50-60 video games like there's no tomorrow. Again, I watch fansubs too, I'm not pulling a moral 'high-hat' (though I do wish just half of the people who say '..but I buy plenty' actually did). The name of the game is it's free, easy, and largely risk-free. Everything else excuse-wise is dubious self-justification. It's nice to watch stuff from Japan right after it airs, but you can't argue it's any kind of necessity. It's good for you if BV's stuff is to expensive that you can watch domestic rips for free, but you can't argue there's any legitimate necessity in your actions. Nor, I'm betting, for all your consumer justifications can you somehow wrangle a free Porsche, though I bet you (and me) would like one because you find the 'official release' is too expensive. Free and easy, that's the whole story of watching fansubs, let's stop rhetorically trying to turn coal into diamonds with the justifications. |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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Well, I broke down surprisingly quickly. I decided to use TRSI's GA member coupons to help soothe the pain and pre-ordered the first volume of True Tears when I made my Emma orders. I plan to use those coupons on all my BV orders. I'll likely end up getting Shigofumi too. After pre-order and the GA member discounts (but not including the coupons, which I can't calculate ahead of time) it comes out to $182.50 for each series. Ouch.
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