Anime dead in U.S.?

NejinOniwa · October 25, 2009, 05:26:40 PM

Here we go again with the politics.
Seriously, that's what it all is. Read up before you even start talking about "lost profits", because the only thing that is, is brainwash and propagandery from the butthurt companies who can't FOLLOW THE TIMES.

IanDanKilmaster · October 25, 2009, 06:45:42 PM

I don't think piracy is keeping anime alive, not hardly. I don't think pirates are the men in black hats certain people make them out to be, but they're no effin messiah either. I just happen to think their impact on animu in general is negligible.

Let's keep in mind when speak of the anime "industry", it's not the same guys in suits as the MPAA or RIAA. Sure the MPAA enforces their rules, but they aren't HUEG studios (with the exception of Disney who owns the Miyazaki shit). I happen to think every little contribution can help when it comes to these smaller studios.

Ugh, the "dub card", I'm not simply referring to licensed anime, I've been keeping track of the stuff overseas as well - it's not so good either. The problem is there's just so many copy cats and not enough interesting and unique stories, everything seems so done before.

NejinOniwa · October 25, 2009, 07:00:49 PM

True enough, but aiding the overseas companies isn't exactly within sane range of possibility for your average /a/-tard, now is it.

As for any messiah of any kind, well - with the risk of sounding slightly religious, they won't get any messiah until they deserve one. As you say, repetitiousness will be their end, unless they get their asses off the mat and do something worthwhile.
And while piracy itself may not keep anime alive, it keeps alive the interest in anime - which is at least one of the necessary factors for its survival as a business.

Aurora Borealis · October 25, 2009, 07:35:21 PM

I don't have any anime DVDs and if I want to watch an anime series, I usually just whatever I can find on local channels or it's not there, I just watch it on YouTube (if I can find all the episodes! More times than not I have to sift through a lot of AMV crap and just give up) because local stores don't sell anime DVDs and I can't buy anything online.

This decade, moe, school comedy and magical girl series are all the rage. Before that, it was the shonen genre and before THAT, it was the mecha genre.

Different anime genres fall in and out of favor over the years. There is sort of a 'follow the leader' effect going on, but that doesn't mean a series in one of the popular genres can't be original, though finding a new series that is very different is highly refreshing!

Vash342 · October 25, 2009, 07:54:56 PM

I recently ventured into my local FYE, Comic Book Store, and Walmart.

Located on the east coast, in case this matters to any. FYE's selection included movies, specialties, and a lot of shoujo series. Most Single DVD's of anime were around 20-30 dollars ranging from 2-5 episodes. Many of the DVD's all sounded dull and repetative, except for a few of them. All of the series that were there, other than specialty were mainstream you could find anywhere.

Wal-Mart had boxsets of dragonball Z and they stopped carrying The Tick box sets T_T. Very sad.

Comic Book Store sold a very limited selection of very good looking series or series I loved watching. Price was around 10-15 a DVD, most ranging in 3-4 episodes. Most series were older though.

Shows me that I honestly just need to look, because people still must be buying it from somewhere whether it be deepdiscount dvd or their local specialty shop/comic book store.

So from my research anime is not dead, it's just in a recession, much like the country as a whole is. I know tons of people who won't watch it either unless it's on their directTv or cable service, because they otherwise can't afford it.

pirates only come into play though when people want something but can't afford it but have the know how or have friends who have the know how, and just give them the series. AKA people who don't follow the rules of licensed anime, or recently licensed free fansubs. Times are going all digital, and I don't see piracy stopping, and I definitely don't see anime going out either. After all, Japan is still pushing out anime all the time, so there will never be a shortage anywhere, especially if it's a good series. on the other hand if it's like Fire Emblem the anime, then don't expect it to survive anywhere.

Really that's where I honestly see this entire thread going.

IanDanKilmaster · October 25, 2009, 10:51:32 PM

Well, I only have five complete series on DVD along with a few other random anime DVDs (mostly movies), so obviously my collection isn't very exhaustive. Only one of my sets was particularly expensive (FLCL), but that's only because I managed to find the rest on sale. Still, most of the stuff I've bought is old, as there's only been a few modern series I've actually taken a shine to.

Personally, I'd prefer it if there were more older animu on TV, some classics could really reinvigorate interest in the genre as a whole and might possibly inspire studios to actually come up with something interesting. Now, as a comic book fan, I have to admit I'm very intrigued in the licensing deal Madhouse has worked out to produce some Marvel animu. Can't say I dig the Twilight Wolverine, but the trailer I saw for Iron Man looked pretty badass.

Sora · October 26, 2009, 01:14:14 AM

Quote from: "Vash342"pirates only come into play though when people want something but can't afford it but have the know how or have friends who have the know how, and just give them the series.

Or just can't be bothered to pay for it...

NejinOniwa · October 26, 2009, 03:04:05 AM

You're unredeemable, aren't you. -.-

Seamore · October 26, 2009, 10:14:13 AM

Well....I don't know about some country, but at least in my country, buying the real Anime DVD is extremely costly. Not because of the price, but because of damn government people.
I once bought lots of DVD costing over 100 US dollars and what do I get? Those damn government people said I need to pay Import Tariff. And so I ask, How much? And they said 3x time the value

3x time the value!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I don't bring that much that time, so I tell them that I will be back tomorrow.
And the next day when I arrived there, they said they already destroyed the illegal goods.
...................................
I HATE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT. I WISH I HAVE A NUKE AND BLOW THAT DAMN PLACE

NejinOniwa · October 26, 2009, 10:58:55 AM

Viva bandwidth. Banzai! _M_

Sora · October 26, 2009, 05:07:20 PM

Here in Australia the tax is fixed at 10% for pretty much everything except "essential goods" like food, which don't get taxed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goods_and_Services_Tax_%28Australia%29

Vash342 · October 26, 2009, 05:24:19 PM

Tax in the Commonwealth is 6% on everything except food, unless it's prepared, and the only tax exemptions are churches, nonprofit organizations, and lemonade stands.

NejinOniwa · October 26, 2009, 07:26:30 PM

Tax in Socialist Scandinavia is ridiculously high. I believe it's something like 20% on computer parts, or something...

Red-Machine · October 27, 2009, 04:55:27 AM

We have a universal Value Added Tax that is at 15% at the moment. Previously it was 17.5%, which I believe it will return to next year.

Chocofreak13 · October 28, 2009, 11:10:41 PM

we don't hav a sales tax in my state. :3 one out of 6 states in this country that don't. ^^

however, i'm still pretty shit-poor. all of my anime is used, or was gifted, or is burned dvd. the only thing remember buying new for no special occasion was my first anime vid, kiki's delivery service, and that was about 12 dollars, about 6 years ago, bought at a store that has since shut down.

piracy seems like a saving grace to me. yes, it's wrong. but in a way it's vigilante justice, a sort of futuristic robin hood. most of my anime/manga stuff was gifted, collected over time, or stolen. (i don't steal stuff myself, except a vincent valentine and a zac plushie i stole/recieve from a friend.)
i can't afford much anime, and i don't get any decent anime on my tv. (basic cable.) my grandparents get some good titles on demand, so when i say i'm watching xXxholic or solty rei i'm watching it there.

almost all the music in my library is pirated. i'd like to start on anime, because i figure, just cause i'm not rich, does that mean i shouldn't get to watch?

maybe you don't support it, but i do.