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More Thoughts on the Issue at Hand
By Ace | October 24, 2007
Follow up to my most recent post.
After putting some more thought into the situation, I realized that my previous post may have made me come across as an advocate of piracy (at least as far as anime is concerned). I wish to stress that this is not the case, quite the opposite actually.
I just argued with my anime club (for the most part, I’ll admit that I was on my own in this argument) about if you own the fansubs, buy the R1 DVDs, plain and simple. I argued it to the point that I upset several of them even, and almost to the point where I was directly calling out names of people that I knew thrived off fansubs while returning nothing to the industry. These people aggravate me, but I choose to co-exist and get along with them otherwise. The thing that irks me is people that try to argue that they’re “too poor”… guess what, I’m currently in college, and have no real source of income outside of $2000 in student loans each semester (and after buying books, software, gas, food, etcetera… that leaves me with a total of maybe $500 of “money to enjoy myself on” for 4 months time), and yet I still buy anime as much as I can, I spent all of this $500 on my ticket, room, and anime at AWA.
Lack of money is not an argument for not owning one single anime DVD, sorry.
But after some thought on the issue, I have thought of an interesting “fix” if you will. If they’re so dead-set on the money issue, then provide the fansubbers with the copies, commercials intact. Make the advertisers pay for the fansubs if the primary argument is that they get no return because the advertisements are not intact.
I know, too easy to work right? I just hope that Japan realizes that, they’re going to have to provide a fansub alternative, lest the anime industry flop.
I know I for one would have no problem even paying say, $5/month for a download service that allows me subbed anime almost as soon as it comes out in Japan. Anyone else out there? I may make a poll on this after I figure out how.
Popularity: 34% [?]
Topics: Anime in the News |
October 24th, 2007 at 9:33 am
For the most part, the “thanks to these sponsors” part has stayed in most fansubs I’ve watched but I haven’t really thought about the cut-out commercials. Keeping the ads in is a nice, clever thought but I think it wouldn’t work because 1) the commercials would mostly be for items foreigners couldn’t buy or be out of date months later (although they could provide some sleight entertainment…), 2) the commercials aren’t supposed to be tied to the program it airs with because it’s the network/affaliate’s duty to fill ad slots, not the production company (they do the sponsors, though!) and 3) I don’t think many subbing groups would voluntarily lower themselves to accept an “official” raw from the broadcasters.
On the other hand, I might try out your suggested subscription download service if there isn’t too much DRM involved and there is a good selection.
October 24th, 2007 at 9:47 am
>>the commercials aren’t supposed to be tied to the program it airs with because it’s the network/affaliate’s duty to fill ad slots, not the production company
To be honest with you, that particular part was more to pick fun at the people saying “Fansubs are ruining the industry because the production companies don’t gain revenue from the commercials.” Which, as you just pointed out is a bogus argument from the get-go.
The DRM thing just sort of popped into my head as I was typing this, so I figured “What the hey?” Though, the more I think on it, the more it would be an interesting idea.
Perhaps, the Japanese companies hire fansubbers to release these series as they normally do, and they make them available on an American website for download (or even a program like iTunes) with like a $5-10/month membership fee. Granted, there would probably be some DRM involved since this would be an attempt to stop piracy (haha, yeah right). Granted there would probably be licensing issues which is where (from what I gather, no insider info to confirm this unfortunately) most of the series released over here get tied up.
Who knows? Maybe some random Japanese Production company will find this post, take the idea and run with it…
Okay, now I’m just amusing myself with off-the-wall thoughts again.