Spring Anime 2010
- Thread starter firehawk12
- Start date
Maybe it's Macross Frontier then. 
Anyone catch the Bang Zoom dude's rant this week?
http://goanimetv.com/?p=668
As a Canadian, I'd just be happy if I could have the same access to the deals Americans get. Buying anime 150 bucks at a time from rightstuf can get to be a bit much.
http://goanimetv.com/?p=668
As a Canadian, I'd just be happy if I could have the same access to the deals Americans get. Buying anime 150 bucks at a time from rightstuf can get to be a bit much.
Yeah, what a blowhard. As much as I love Bang Zoom, the dude deserves a boot to the head.
Personally, I think fansubs actually help support the domestic sales market a great deal because people want to know what they're buying before they buy it and anime companies don't advertise worth crap with the exception of Funimation where you can sample most of their series on their website before buying. Fansubs equal Free Advertising, and if nobody's watching them then I think sales would decrease not increase. So comments like his would just be comparable to the industry shooting itself in a foot because it has a kind of symbotic relationship with fansubs. I already do my part by buying all the stuff I've watched fansubed when companies here put it out, and my DVD collection is pretty sizable, so this doesn't really affect me.
I'd also be happy to buy the unlicensed series I've seen that nobody cared enough about to license here as well. Speaking of which I wholly support not downloading licensed things you can go out and buy, but if we all stopped watching unlicensed fansubs then we would all be missing out on great stuff that's falling through the domestic licensing cracks like:
Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor
Denpa Teki na Kanojo
Denoh Coil
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai
Kara no Kyoukai
Kemonozume
Kurenai
Library War
Macross Frontier
Natsu no Arashi
REC
Real Drive
Rideback
Ryoko's Case File
School Days
Shakugan no Shana: Second
Stratos4 Advance
Time of Eve
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
XXXHolic Kei
Personally, I think fansubs actually help support the domestic sales market a great deal because people want to know what they're buying before they buy it and anime companies don't advertise worth crap with the exception of Funimation where you can sample most of their series on their website before buying. Fansubs equal Free Advertising, and if nobody's watching them then I think sales would decrease not increase. So comments like his would just be comparable to the industry shooting itself in a foot because it has a kind of symbotic relationship with fansubs. I already do my part by buying all the stuff I've watched fansubed when companies here put it out, and my DVD collection is pretty sizable, so this doesn't really affect me.
I'd also be happy to buy the unlicensed series I've seen that nobody cared enough about to license here as well. Speaking of which I wholly support not downloading licensed things you can go out and buy, but if we all stopped watching unlicensed fansubs then we would all be missing out on great stuff that's falling through the domestic licensing cracks like:
Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor
Denpa Teki na Kanojo
Denoh Coil
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai
Kara no Kyoukai
Kemonozume
Kurenai
Library War
Macross Frontier
Natsu no Arashi
REC
Real Drive
Rideback
Ryoko's Case File
School Days
Shakugan no Shana: Second
Stratos4 Advance
Time of Eve
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
XXXHolic Kei
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There is also the issue that the cost for entry with anime is pretty high. It's gotten better now that box sets are becoming more common (oh the days when you spent 20 bucks for 4 episodes 
) but the price for a set is pretty high if you're just going to blind buy it. 90 percent of the anime DVDs I've purchased, I bought because I watched the fansubs first. 10 percent were blind buys, and of that the only blind buy I liked was Mai Hime so I'm probably not going to do the blind buy thing anymore
) but the price for a set is pretty high if you're just going to blind buy it. 90 percent of the anime DVDs I've purchased, I bought because I watched the fansubs first. 10 percent were blind buys, and of that the only blind buy I liked was Mai Hime so I'm probably not going to do the blind buy thing anymore
Yeah, that's the big difference. For the most part, all of these shows air on TV in some capacity - even if it's at 3 AM. So for someone over there, they can at least watch a show before deciding whether or not to plop down money for it.
Of course, the funny thing is that whole reverse-import problem where Japanese nerds are just buying American sets because they're cheaper. I suppose that's why they keep packing in weird extras with their DVDs over there anyway.
Still, I dunno... I barely watch any dubs and I'm sort of tired of the Bang Zoom crowd doing everything. It's not like I want them to go out of business or whatever, but I'm not sure if I'd care all that much if all anime was just subbed at this point.
(I know I'm probably in the minority and that most people prefer to watch shows with dubs. God knows all the English speaking anime blogs have that opinion.
)
Of course, the funny thing is that whole reverse-import problem where Japanese nerds are just buying American sets because they're cheaper. I suppose that's why they keep packing in weird extras with their DVDs over there anyway.
Still, I dunno... I barely watch any dubs and I'm sort of tired of the Bang Zoom crowd doing everything. It's not like I want them to go out of business or whatever, but I'm not sure if I'd care all that much if all anime was just subbed at this point.
(I know I'm probably in the minority and that most people prefer to watch shows with dubs. God knows all the English speaking anime blogs have that opinion.
)
)
I'm not a real big stickler for either, I'll take it dubbed, subbed and sometimes raw if I'm desperate enough, though if I have a choice it's usually dub, since it's the most convenient. It's usually the default, in a language I understand the most, no reading involved unless it's for on screen sign translation, and the subtitles don't get in the way of the picture if they're not enabled. Some series are just plain better dubbed as well like Black Lagoon, Darker Than Black, and Baccano.
Yeah, I love me some boxsets, they're good to my wallet, but I really don't blind buy much anymore due to that. I've had a bit better luck with blind buys though. I bought Beck, Baccano, Aquarian Age, Ghost Hunt and Red Garden all blind and loved them. On the other hand I'm also stuck with crap such as Gantz, and Gilgamesh, as well because of blind purchasing.There is also the issue that the cost for entry with anime is pretty high. It's gotten better now that box sets are becoming more common (oh the days when you spent 20 bucks for 4 episodes
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It's strange because I never would have bought Aria blindly, yet it's my favourite SF series ever. Just looking at my small collection, I can't imagine buying any of them based on cover art and the blurb alone. It doesn't help that everything basically looks the same, so you really can't tell unless you educate yourself before hand. But really, that's almost impossible here. I mean, without watching a fansub, how would you even know what a Shaft-Shinbo show is?
I'd like to think most anime fans know that they're somehow supporting the anime industry in Japan by buying a DVD in America anyway... but there just isn't a good way to test the product - especially if it's niche stuff.
(And yeah, there's also all the stuff that just doesn't get localized. Giant Killing and OoFuri S2 will never come here legitimately, especially ofter OoFuri S1 apparently bombed for Funimation).
I'd like to think most anime fans know that they're somehow supporting the anime industry in Japan by buying a DVD in America anyway... but there just isn't a good way to test the product - especially if it's niche stuff.
(And yeah, there's also all the stuff that just doesn't get localized. Giant Killing and OoFuri S2 will never come here legitimately, especially ofter OoFuri S1 apparently bombed for Funimation).
I'd never blind-buy an anime. I always to extensive research before buying it; or, I usually just watch it.
The stuff really is too expensive and I just don't understand why. If you compare it to live-action shows, on a dollar to minute ratio it's just so much more expensive.
It's become a frivolous expense for a lot of people, and, in tough economic times, most people can't justify spending the money. So they look to downloads as an alternative. In that sense I don't think the downloading in itself is the problem.
I know I (and AFAIK, everyone else here) will buy something if they like it once it's licensed, but that, of course, is assuming we have the spare cash.
I think the other big reason for the low sales is anime was kind of a fad. It was really popular for a few years (mid part of the decade), but it's clearly on the decline. Certainly, there are more fans now then there were 10-15 years ago, but I'd say the good majority of us were fans before the fad.
I also think that BR will help anime--perhaps even more than DVD did. This is, of course, assuming the publishers get wise and use all the available tools. If they were wise, they'd realize the best way to squash the fansubers is to beat them at their own game. BR gives them the ability to do that.
On a side note, I just finished the first episode of Seitokai no Ichizon and literally fell out of my chair from laughing so hard.
The stuff really is too expensive and I just don't understand why. If you compare it to live-action shows, on a dollar to minute ratio it's just so much more expensive.
It's become a frivolous expense for a lot of people, and, in tough economic times, most people can't justify spending the money. So they look to downloads as an alternative. In that sense I don't think the downloading in itself is the problem.
I know I (and AFAIK, everyone else here) will buy something if they like it once it's licensed, but that, of course, is assuming we have the spare cash.
I think the other big reason for the low sales is anime was kind of a fad. It was really popular for a few years (mid part of the decade), but it's clearly on the decline. Certainly, there are more fans now then there were 10-15 years ago, but I'd say the good majority of us were fans before the fad.
I also think that BR will help anime--perhaps even more than DVD did. This is, of course, assuming the publishers get wise and use all the available tools. If they were wise, they'd realize the best way to squash the fansubers is to beat them at their own game. BR gives them the ability to do that.
On a side note, I just finished the first episode of Seitokai no Ichizon and literally fell out of my chair from laughing so hard.
BR gives them the technology, but they'll never match the speed. Which is why Funimation and everyone else caved and is trying the whole simulcast webstreaming thing. I'd be okay even with upscaled BRs as long as they can make subs that aren't either white or yellow though.
I figure there was a glut with Pokemon and DBZ in the 90s but those times are gone I guess. There are no real big hits and the only thing that really gets play is the latest Studio Ghibli thing that Disney decides to release.
I figure there was a glut with Pokemon and DBZ in the 90s but those times are gone I guess. There are no real big hits and the only thing that really gets play is the latest Studio Ghibli thing that Disney decides to release.
Not entirely true, Bleach and Naruto/Naruto Shippuden are the current "village bicycle-Everyone's had a ride" series at the moment. They're pretty popular. DBZ is comming back too with Dragonball Kai set to air on TV, I'd imagine.
Also I don't remember if I mentioned it or not but I've also picked up Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou. Not only is it funny but it has good characters, and some action and fanservice as well. I give it a
Also I don't remember if I mentioned it or not but I've also picked up Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou. Not only is it funny but it has good characters, and some action and fanservice as well. I give it a
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Yeah, but the new shounen shows don't seem to have as much cachet as the old ones. Like, I'm sure there are people running around with headbands... but back in the 90s, Pokemon was everywhere. I mean, they managed to milk the franchise here for four or five theatrical movie releases? Yick.
Daimou is alright for yet another harem show. I just find it funny that they couldn't help themselves with the lesbian orgy in the third episode.
Seitokai is sort of strange as well, because like Lucky Star, it's a show meant to make fun of while also appealing to geeks (ie, Family Guy style non-sequitur jokes about random pop culture/K-On references).
Daimou is alright for yet another harem show. I just find it funny that they couldn't help themselves with the lesbian orgy in the third episode.
Seitokai is sort of strange as well, because like Lucky Star, it's a show meant to make fun of while also appealing to geeks (ie, Family Guy style non-sequitur jokes about random pop culture/K-On references).
I wouldn't have even got into anime if it wasn't for fansubs, and yeah, certainly wouldn't buy a series that I haven't already seen, whether anime or not.
Also, Seitokai no Ichizon is hilarious.
Also, Seitokai no Ichizon is hilarious.
Which is funny because the writers seem to have it out for KyoAni. They managed to snub FMP, K-On, Clannad, and Suzumiya (twice!) all with in the first ten minutes.
Yeah, which is either good or bad, depending on the review you read.
I think it calmed down later on, as I've noticed that most anime seems to do. I liked what they did with the final arc anyway. I don't know though, it sort of seemed like BakaTest to me - in that I can't tell whether I liked it or not.
I sort of understand why some people would think it's just way too dependent on nerdery to be successful which is endemic of the problem with anime as a whole (it seems like every podcast has an opinion on how to save the industry, funny enough) but popular American animation pretty much works in the same way, so I dunno.
I think it calmed down later on, as I've noticed that most anime seems to do. I liked what they did with the final arc anyway. I don't know though, it sort of seemed like BakaTest to me - in that I can't tell whether I liked it or not.
I sort of understand why some people would think it's just way too dependent on nerdery to be successful which is endemic of the problem with anime as a whole (it seems like every podcast has an opinion on how to save the industry, funny enough
) but popular American animation pretty much works in the same way, so I dunno.
Just watched Summer Wars... someone should have pointed out that this was a War Games homage. I don't get the hype it got, but it was cute for what it was. Hanafuda + Math + Shonen fighting ending.
Personally, I thought it was alright though I generally would prefer films like the Kara no Kyoukai movies. I'm not much for family entertainment, usually. If I went through all the anime that I've seen, I'd probabally only find about 20 titles that were "child safe" most of them Miyazaki works.
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