Slashdot had a link to a story about an Anime Studio sending cease and desist letters to certain sites that were distributing fan-subtitled versions of their shows. Here is the link to the article. It gives a decent look at the background of fan-subbing.
I hope this does not become a trend. Anime is something I am very much interested in and it is amazing how some of these shows build such an enormous following prior to it ever airing here in the United States. Naruto is an excellent example of this and a series I am a loyal follower of.
The article mentioned that even the mediocre titles that used to sell decently aren’t doing well anymore, saleswise and that fans were only picking up the ‘must-haves’. I would say that is entirely accurate. People now have the chance to sample the series beforehand now, and not have to guess, take a leap of faith, or rely on word of mouth about deciding to buy an anime dvd. It would also help if these titles were not twice the price of a normal dvd. A normal dvd might cost between 15 – 20 $US, whereas the average anime dvd will cost 20-30 $US. Not only that, but you also only get 3-4 episodes for that pricey commitment. Thats nearly 10 dollars an episode. I could go to the movies and get ripped off for that much. I think anime titles could be a lot more competitive domestically if they lowered prices and/or improved quality. There is a reason why Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell do so well. It is by far quality. These mediocre titles certainly don’t have that.
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