The weekend that was and other things
This was a busy weekend for me. I had an Anime USA staff meeting. It was fairly quick and for the first time in a while I got home early (6:30 PM) and had home cooked dinner on a Saturday for once since Easter.
Yesterday was much more peaceful for me. After Weight Watchers, breakfast and some Birthday shopping for mom, I finally got a chance to watch some anime including more of Gundam 00. I am really enjoying Gundam 00, so I will probably be buying Part 2 and Part 3 soon (at A-kon or Otakon). I am finally getting comfortable enough with the emotions in Japanese language to enjoy subtitles along with dubs. It is a strange process for me.
http://goanimetv.com/?p=668 is the link to a statement from Eric Sherman of Bang Zoom basically begging people to buy anime to save the industry. I think Anime's problems are much more complex than he is saying they are. I still buy anime either digitally or through DVD's. I am actually looking forward to buying Birdy the Mighty Decode on DVD when it comes out and I discovered it through watching it online.
I think we will see alot less english dubbed anime releases in the next few years. Only those that will get on to American TV will get dubs. I think what we are starting to see (either through DVD or Funimation's Streaming site) is more subtitled only releases. Section 23 (former ADV films) is a leader in this and is actually starting to dub some of their releases, also. It is cheaper and faster to do a sub only release on a title. It is something that Right Stuf has learned a couple years back.
I don't think that is the only change we will see. We will see more titles being directly handled by the Japanese and I think the Japanese releases will start seeing a more comparable price point to American DVD's. There is still alot of restructuring that will happen on both sides of the pacific. You are seeing streams of titles within hours of their showing in Japan to beat the fansubbers at their own game. I think we will see alot more of this in the future.
I also fear that what will sell is Merchandise and Manga instead of actual content. Content is what is still the biggest revenue stream for the American licensors. Most of the merchandise sold goes to the Japanese companies. Funimation does a better job at that than most of the rest of the remaining companies.
I kind of wonder if a non-returnable place for DVD's would help the industry (like it does for comics with Haven and Diamond Comic Distributors). It may make things more valuable in the long run and they won't do as many reissues (like Funimation is doing). It would help the publishers know they won't get stuck with unsold product. What may I be missing in these thoughts? I know I am missing something in these thoughts, but am not sure what.
Yesterday was much more peaceful for me. After Weight Watchers, breakfast and some Birthday shopping for mom, I finally got a chance to watch some anime including more of Gundam 00. I am really enjoying Gundam 00, so I will probably be buying Part 2 and Part 3 soon (at A-kon or Otakon). I am finally getting comfortable enough with the emotions in Japanese language to enjoy subtitles along with dubs. It is a strange process for me.
http://goanimetv.com/?p=668 is the link to a statement from Eric Sherman of Bang Zoom basically begging people to buy anime to save the industry. I think Anime's problems are much more complex than he is saying they are. I still buy anime either digitally or through DVD's. I am actually looking forward to buying Birdy the Mighty Decode on DVD when it comes out and I discovered it through watching it online.
I think we will see alot less english dubbed anime releases in the next few years. Only those that will get on to American TV will get dubs. I think what we are starting to see (either through DVD or Funimation's Streaming site) is more subtitled only releases. Section 23 (former ADV films) is a leader in this and is actually starting to dub some of their releases, also. It is cheaper and faster to do a sub only release on a title. It is something that Right Stuf has learned a couple years back.
I don't think that is the only change we will see. We will see more titles being directly handled by the Japanese and I think the Japanese releases will start seeing a more comparable price point to American DVD's. There is still alot of restructuring that will happen on both sides of the pacific. You are seeing streams of titles within hours of their showing in Japan to beat the fansubbers at their own game. I think we will see alot more of this in the future.
I also fear that what will sell is Merchandise and Manga instead of actual content. Content is what is still the biggest revenue stream for the American licensors. Most of the merchandise sold goes to the Japanese companies. Funimation does a better job at that than most of the rest of the remaining companies.
I kind of wonder if a non-returnable place for DVD's would help the industry (like it does for comics with Haven and Diamond Comic Distributors). It may make things more valuable in the long run and they won't do as many reissues (like Funimation is doing). It would help the publishers know they won't get stuck with unsold product. What may I be missing in these thoughts? I know I am missing something in these thoughts, but am not sure what.