Forum - View topicANNCast - Aniplex Machina
|
Goto page Previous Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2634 |
|
|||||||||
No they only released about 2 series so far neither of which I have any interest in. I was only going by pictures and what it said the sets included. But then I did say I was withholding judgement for now. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Cptn_Taylor
Posts: 925 |
|
|||||||||
|
Zac should have asked the Aniplex representative why the hell the situation doesn't get fixed in Japan you know the source of all these price problems ? Since they're all terrorised of reverse importation isn't it the time to make anime releases you know kind of well priced in Japan ?
Japanese otakus are not happy to pay those outrageous prices (only deluded fans over here can have this idea that paying hundreds of dollars for a freaking animated show somehow makes you a better person). They pay because they have no alternative. In the few instances they had the choice they bought the lesser priced releases. So that goes to show you just how much they care for the "experience" and limited editions bullshit that anime companies are spouting left and right. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24758 |
|
|||||||||
Well, duh. What is it about AoA apologists that inspires them to spout the trite and the obvious?
Ah yes, the typical AoA apologist "entitled" charge. Just once I'd love for an AoA apologist to say, "I don't agree with your position, but yeah, I can see how you might not be thrilled with paying, in some cases, 3x the going rate that every other company charges for basically the same product." But then, that would entail being reasonable and where's the fun in that? One thing I will say is I don't hold with people who call AoA customers "suckers." We each assign our own personal value to the things we buy and if you buy something you like and you don't feel ripped off, anybody who tries to make you feel differently is being douchey.
But you aren't a Japanese otaku. Look, if reverse importation really were a problem then Japanese licensors wouldn't license their titles to foreign distributors at all. That should be obvious. The reason they do is they know that they more than make up in license sales from around the world what they "lose" in reverse importation. The proof is in the pudding. They know as long as they delay foreign releases and do other things like make sure subtitles can't be removed from the Japanese audio, they'll be fine.
Which means exactly zero to me. I buy anime to own it, not to hold onto it in the hope I can gouge somebody in the future.
Ugh and now we get to the slimiest arrow in the AoA apologist quiver: "hey, their stuff isn't really that much more expensive than other distribs!" First, unless you are an unprincipled, dishonest debater, you never compare one company's MRSP to another company's discounted price. That's just a slimy way to try and shrink the price differential. Second, you have to make sure you are comparing similar products. There is no point me comparing a Funi non-limited title to an AoA LE just as cheap tactic to make it seem like AoA is even more expensive than it actually is. Third, there is no point throwing prices around unless there is a specific title to go with it. If you want to compare AoA prices to others, this is how you do it: At the end of June, NISA is releasing a Premium Edition of A Lull in the Sea. It's MRSP is $180. This set includes 25 dubbed episodes on Blu-ray. It includes two OSTs and a 76-page full color hardcover artbook. A year and a half ago, AoA released Fate/Zero in two LE sets. Set 1 has a MRSP of $188 and Set 2 has a MRSP of $175 for a combined MRSP of $363. Together, the two sets give you 25 dubbed episodes on Blu-ray, 2 OSTs, 1 bonus DVD with staff interviews, 1 bonus DVD with cast interviews and 2 deluxe booklets. In other words, both A Lull in the Sea set and the two Fate/Zero sets are very comparable. Except owning all of F/Z costs $183 more in MSRP than Lull. Now if you feel the two bonus DVDs that come with F/Z justify that difference in MRSP, there's not much I can say. Last edited by Blood- on Sun Apr 26, 2015 5:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
DmonHiro
|
|
|||||||||
You should win an award for knowing the least about the Japanese business model, and about business in general. Listen up, maybe you'll learn something. The demand for anime in Japan is basically inelastic. That means it is not affected by changes in price. Thus, halving the price will not give you an increase in sales. This was tested several time in the mid 2000s by several anime producers. Also, in Japan paying for premium IS a status symbol among the otaku. Just search online about otaku bragging about how much money they spent. You said "In the few instances they had the choice they bought the lesser priced releases", to witch I respond with "Duh". You rationale is that Japan should make this anime cheaper to buy in Japan, so you could get cheaper anime in America? That's {Quit with the insults. ~nobahn} if you think the studios could survive for more then 2 years like that. |
||||||||||
Top Gun
 Posts: 4905 |
|
|||||||||
Maybe that's because FUNi and Sentai releases are affordable to a lot of people, which is pretty universally considered a Good Thing? One would have to be a pretty massive elitist prick to take the viewpoint, "Man, this thing is too affordable; it should be way more expensive so that only a few people can buy it!" On the flip side, we have overpriced releases that a lot of people would love to buy if they were set at a comparable price point as the rest of the market. I think it's perfectly natural that one approach has garnered ongoing criticism since its inception, regardless of the effectiveness of said complaints. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
gloverrandal
Posts: 406 Location: Oita |
|
|||||||||
Being too affordable isn't a criticism, but how cheap and flimsy those releases are is. It's not elitist to want a good product, especially if you've imported Japanese releases before and realize just how amazing they are by comparison. I imported the Occult Academy Blu-Rays and when the R1 released here I was amazed when the premium edition for the series had less stuff than one volume of the original Japanese release. For most of the Japanese releases I own, one volume has multiple disks and cases that include audio commentary, drama CDs, music tracks, and other features. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
penguintruth
 Posts: 8516 Location: Penguinopolis |
|
|||||||||
|
The collector's market. Aniplex caters to the collector's market, huh?
Well, I don't know what kind of collectors the rest of you are, but I've been collecting anime for over a decade, and I tend to want to spend less so that I can collect more. After collecting hundreds of discs, I think I probably qualify as a "collector". Now, of course I've indulged in the odd pricey release (you can tell in those photos). But to the tune of 50-80 dollars more than the same amount of content on the same format from other licensors? Almost never. And I regret it when I give in (it's called having shame). Because I have more sense than that. Aniplex customers aren't "the collectors market", they're the prestige market. The people who buy for the brand, not for the product. There's nothing "entitled" about not wanting this company to get away with price-gouging and throwing off the market. What's entitled is defending your poor purchasing decisions by claiming elite status. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10157 Location: Virginia |
|
|||||||||
|
gloverrandal wrote:
Now you have me curious. For Occult Academy, not in general, tell us all of the specific on disk and pack in items that you got with the entire series. Do you understand Japanese or are all of these extras subtitled? TRSI is currently offering the Bluray for $46.74. You would have to order another item or pay shipping. So how much of a premium over say $50 did you pay to get the entire series from Japan? |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Felis
 Posts: 80 |
|
|||||||||
|
If Aniplex isn't going to re-release the Rurouni Kenshin TV series and Movies (and Garden of Sinners and everything else they let go out-of-print), then they should let someone else license them. They aren't making any money by not doing anything with those licenses.
If they don't want to re-release it themselves for whatever reason, at least they would be paid a license fee and possible royalties if someone else licensed it. The way I see it, they are leaving money on the table, so to speak, by not doing anything with those licenses. I just don't see that as a good business decision. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Dfens
Posts: 462 |
|
|||||||||
|
Blood you want titles and prices to prove my point fine I'll give them to you.
But before we get to that MSRP means nothing if a item can regularly be had for under that price all day long with out looking. I'll give you Rightstuf for example whether it be say Funimation's MSRP vs Anipex's MSRP neither companies titles are sold for full MSRP. So no Fate Zero on Blu Ray is not $363.00 dollars. It can be purchased for the same price as when it's first released in Nov-Dec 2013 for $289.96 with free shipping and no sales tax unless you live in Iowa. That's a difference of a real world price of $73.00 off MSRP. Will the price be any cheaper than $289.96 I'd bet good money never, can I get any other membership or coupon discounts nope says excluded. Now to the titles and prices for sake of argument forget fancy extras, chipboard boxes, CD's or whatever trinket it comes with. And whether it has a dub or is sub only lets not count that for right now. Lets look at just number of episodes only. On Rightstuf right now this very moment actual price which is under MSRP for these Sentai titles: Outbreak Company Blu-ray Complete released last month for $52.49 Knights of Sidonia Season 1 Blu-ray Complete releases in June $45.49 Angel Beats! Blu-ray Complete released way back in July 2011 $52.49 Maid Sama! Blu-ray Complete double the episodes at 26 for $74.99 Here is the break down for some Funimation's titles very similar pricing: Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends DVD/Blu-ray Complete $48.74 Jormungand Season 1 DVD/Blu-ray Complete $48.74 Nobunagun Limited Edition DVD/BD releases in June $47.49 Ben-To DVD/Blu-ray Complete Series (Hyb) Limited Edition $52.49 These are the prices for newer and some older released shows if they are not part of the manufacture sale that Rightstuf constantly has going on every other week. I've got it down to a science which people can do as well it's no secret that only a select few can get even a lower price. During one of the sales even a new Blu-Ray only Sentai or Blu-Ray/DVD combo from Funitmation Limited Edition can be had for $41.99 every time. Don't want the LE from Funimation save 4-5 bucks more. The point I'm trying to make is some of Aniplex's titles are cheaper than some of their other titles. Lets now compare a few of them to the their above 2 competitors just episode count only give or take a episode. Bakemonogatari Blu-ray Complete $149.98 Nisemonogatari Blu-ray Complete $119.98 Puella Magi Madoka Magica Blu-ray part 1,2, and 3 complete $119.94 Durarara!! Blu-ray Complete $129.98 - double the episodes at 26 Kill la Kill Blu-ray part 1,2,3,4, and 5 $199.90 - double the episodes at 24 So on average the typical Funimation or Sentai title is going to cost you $41.99 plus $3.49 shipping and handling the cheapest option for a grand total of $45.48 for 12-13 episodes of content. If it's two parts and ordered together with free shipping now available for purchases over $49.00 dollars $83.98 total and that's at the lowest price. If the title is not on sale and you can't wait you will be paying $97.48-$104.98 total. So at the lowest prices possible on sale compared to the constant set price title for Aniplex example Durarara, $83.98 vs $129.98 is only what $46.00 more dollars at most and at least $25.00-$32.50 a minimum more. Even the mega hit Kill la Kill is $199.90 a difference of $115.92 at the very most. But right this second without the sale price the difference shrinks to $94.92 more. Luckily Rightstuf constantly has sales and I'm patient but if tomorrow the prices I listed right now for non-Aniplex titles becomes the new norm. And they do away with sales all together I guess I and everyone else would have to either pay it to own a copy or be quiet and move on. For them to constantly put titles on sale allows me to buy more and more series but if the good times came to a end we all have to make choices what series we want to own and how much we want to budget and spend. Yes not all of Aniplex's titles are in these price ranges. Sword Art Online on Blu Ray was $359.92 now can purchased at $239.92 that's now $120.00 bucks cheaper than before. Now that's still not the greatest discount for some, but either take it or leave it. Or Gurren Lagann that Blu Ray import Set when it was available was $549.98, now the series can be had for $249.90 well over 50 percent of what it used to cost. I've said it in the past I'm no fan of Aniplex's prices either I've passed on Fate Zero for now and Sword Art Online because to me personally I didn't like the show enough to want to own them at the prices which they sell for. But if and when I want to own them for my collection I'll have to pay it or not buy it. You won't see me crying about how Aniplex is evil and a bunch of greedy bastards milking me for every last penny I own. Or how they charge so much that only rich people or who have a certain level of income are the only ones able to afford their releases. If that was the case how are ordinary people who are not wealthy by any means able to some how find away to buy them and still eat, pay their rent, and still live comfortably. Last edited by Dfens on Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:17 am; edited 2 times in total |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Kadmos1
 Posts: 13652 Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP |
|
|||||||||
|
I know that that there have been times where Japanese companies have tried to lower the BD/DVD prices for the native Japanese fans. However, please give me explanations as to why this hasn't worked.
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Lord Geo
Posts: 2776 Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey |
|
|||||||||
I guess one could argue that the titles that saw lowered price DVD & BD, or just went straight to boxset, were the titles that weren't going to be giant sellers in the first place. At least, I can't think of a time where something obviously big like a Fate series, Attack on Titan, Madoka, etc. were given those experimental (for Japan) releases. The titles that got those seemed to be the ones that companies weren't really expecting big sales of in the first place, so they probably hoped that lowering the price (or going straight to boxset) would help offset the lower sales, and they likely didn't. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
|
|||||||||
|
As the story goes, lowering the price didn't expand the market - it didn't encourage more sales, they sold the same number of units at the lower price and made less money. Raising the price back to what it was = higher profit, same audience.
"I spend a lot of money on this hobby" is part of otaku culture in Japan and a source of pride for a big chunk of that community. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
|
|||||||||
|
I'd hate to see the Japanese companies give up entirely on the possibility of shifting to a higher volume, lower revenue per sale business model. I think such a model would be much less insular and more sustainable long term. But yeah, I must admit, I'm no longer optimistic it can be done. At the very least, it can't be done in the short term. Simply releasing cheaper BDs is only going to loose them money. The demand is just too inelastic. Maybe that can change. But for now we're probably just stuck with this model in Japan which means we're stuck either with expensive immediate "import" releases initially or with waiting a year or so like with Funimation.
Honestly Zac, this post seems about as melodramatic as any in this thread. I mean, who is this even in reference to? Can you point to the people in this thread actually making any of these claims? I see...maybe one guy? And he's more opposed to capitalism in general it seems. Other than that, there's a few people being overly dramatic as usual but nobody whatsoever actually contending that they're owed or have some right to lower prices here. Hence, this really just seems like the same dishonest misrepresentation that defenders of Aniplex (or really defenders of anything) trot out in response to criticism. It's the classic criticism = censorship/entitlement fallacy. "You complained about x so you must be a fascist who things x should be forbidden/an entitled brat who thinks he has a right to ~x!" Your other claim is highly unfair as well. Yeah, at some basic level the complaints about Aniplex start with the fact that people want to pay less. That's fairly obvious. And I don't doubt that sometimes people want something (to pay less for instance) and thus make up reasons to justify why they should get what they want. But when you yourself admit that Aniplex's prices are pretty absurd, I can see no basis whatsoever for such an accusation here. Ultimately, people want a lot of things to cost less. But they generally don't complain in most cases because those things, while expensive, seem justifiably expensive. Their price seems reasonable given the item's value, its innate scarcity, or the cost of production. That doesn't seem to be the case here though and that's the basis on which people are objecting. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
samuelp
Industry Insider
Posts: 2259 Location: San Antonio, USA |
|
|||||||||
|
So the rumor in the 'stry here in Japan is that Aniplex and the other bluray distributors which are still pushing 2-3 episodes for 7000+ yen are gonna have the bottom fall out from under the market in 1-2 years, because of the growth of online streaming services here.
Otaku here are getting more like the ones overseas when it comes to their buying habits, and the ones that are still buying discs are getting older and older (have you noticed the trend of what's getting collector's editions these days?). I'm thinking what may end up happening is that anime bluray prices will crash here in Japan (maybe down to ~$5-10 an episode from $20), and then that will be reflected in the overseas subsidiaries. The whole point of Aniplex (and Pony Canyon) having direct subsidiaries overseas is to attempt to insulate their bottom line from slow growth in the domestic Japanese market. So everyone complaining about high prices: wait a year or two and Japan might be on the way to fixing that. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group