Hey, Answerman!

All Scanlations, All The Time

Hey guys! Welcome back to another scintillating example of internet discourse that is Hey, Answerman!

So, last week I guess I caused a bit of a fracas with a few comments about scanlations, and that of course means I need to take a moment to clarify a few of my statements, because I feel like some people - namely, the response I got below - didn't quite understand what I precisely meant.

I'm curious; how many "FEW ****ING MONTHS" do I need to "WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LEGITIMATE RELEASE" of the first volume of Mahoraba before being considered one of those "poor, leeching souls who might be asked to, perhaps, NO LONGER ACT LIKE SPOILED, IMPETUOUS CHILDREN!"? Just wondering, since it was first serialized in Gungan Wing in November 2000, and published in its own right in late 2001, which last time I checked was about 114 months ago.

Well, see, that falls into that nice little "gray area" that also encompasses fansubs of shows like Legend of Galactic Heroes and the like. Properties that have a definitive and strong following in the West, but are considered "too old" to be considered profitable in today's shrunken, competitive anime and manga market. I'm not asking you to "wait patiently for the legitimate release," because there isn't one; and from the looks of it, there probably won't be one for Mahoraba in the foreseeable future.

I'll go a little more in-depth on that in just a minute, as it JUST SO HAPPENS to correspond to one of my questions this week. Clever, no? So let's get started:

Dear Answerman,

I've been a fan of Gainax for years and I was lucky enough to see a screening of Wings of Honneamise a few years back. It has since then stuck in my mind as being something I really want to own. But why is it always so darn expensive? I've never seen it for sale under 60$US or 5800 Yen (I went looking in several Akihabara used anime stores). If this is the standard price, how was this high price decided on? Why doesn't it ever drop with subsequent DVD releases?

Ah, sorry. I guess you missed out on the internet NERD RAGE a few years ago when Bandai Visual Japan decided to hastily enter the US anime market?

So, as far as getting yourself a copy of Honneamise, I hate to say that you're probably going to have to spend about 60 dollars since the only way that Bandai Visual decided to release it was packaged in with the Blu-Ray version. Which, if it makes you feel any better, the Blu-Ray looks exquisite! But if that's not cool with you, then you can probably track down a copy of the long-out-of-print Manga release of the DVD from about 10 years ago. The transfer they used for that DVD looks like ass, though, BUT it does have quite a few neat special features and things that didn't make it to the recent release. There's a neat pilot film that Gainax produced to pitch the film, a fully-animated deleted scene, and even a subtitled commentary track by the film's director. Cool stuff. If you're an obsessive like myself, I'd say just buy both, but the transfer on the Bandai Visual release is far and away worth the extra cost. In short: SPEND ALL YOUR MONIES

Hey Answerman! Question for you, if you please:

So, I'm a huge manga fan. Manga is pretty much the main sink of my disposable income; I own several hundred volumes in three different languages (despite only understanding one). I also admit that I read a ton of scanlations, and like many (but perhaps not all) fans, I decide upon buying the majority of my collection based on what I've seen illegally. I realize that by reading scanlations, my money is not immediately being channeled to the publisher and author (unless I buy the Japanese volumes, which are both expensive to ship and difficult to read for this gaijin); I can pay for it eventually by buying the manga years after if it's licensed, but sometimes that doesn't work. I'm sure many manga "pirates" can provide a laundry list of reasons, legitimate and illegitimate, for not buying the US release.

Some airlines give you the option of "buying up your guilt" for polluting the environment by offering an optional charge for carbon offsets. This might be kind of a far-fetched idea, but do you think it would be possible for fans here to just directly write a donation check out to a Japanese publisher or author to offset the supposed "lost sale" due to scanlation? Feasibility, logistical details, and potential popularity of this idea aside, would a publisher even be willing to take them?

That's a nice sentiment, but completely infeasible.

I mean, I'd say the best way to sort of implement your idea into a practical product is to offer some kind of legitimate service comparable to scanlation sites, which, by the way, segues nicely to my next question:

In a recent column, regarding scanlation sites, the companies have made effort to curtail scanlations from the net. Okay, it's their right, but isn't it kinda stupid to shutdown scanlation sites and not offer legitimate options to obtain the works in their place?

Looking at my reading list at (whoops, can't say that here), I count 7 titles that have not made it to US shores. One only has made it so far as an Arcade Game series to the USA (HINT: Seibu Keisatsu). I also have 5 titles where the US Licensors either lost the rights to them, or they went out of business.

Among other gripes, I would love to support the artists, but when the only options are costly imports (which may not be new books/magazines, i.e. used) or free on the internet, which one do you think I'll go for? Why don't the Japanese Companies undertake a print-on-demand scheme or something similar?

Sure, I'm with you. I think some kind of online, Crunchyroll-style subscription service for digital manga would be a tremendous thing to make real customers out of the fans who've been coddled by instant and free scanlation sites. I also think it's kind of an inevitability, given how that's what the print market in general seems to be drifting towards, and I can see the manga industry quickly follow suit.

I can't blame people for clinging so tenaciously to scanlations. It's never a cut and dry issue. If you give a large group of people an option to get a product that's slightly inconvenient for them and costs money, or give them an option that's fast and free, you can't necessarily blame the entire group for what happens.

No flakes again this time, so let's get into this week's Answerfans-related shenanigans! Last time, I asked for you all to light a few candles in your room, calmly meditate, and then dictate the answer to this question:

Cathy's the first, and I have to disagree about the Escaflowne manga, which is awful:

Oh boy, where do I begin on this one? I have several favorite anime series that I love, but not many new anime fans want to watch. But to keep it simple I'll just go with The Vision of Escaflowne.

I saw this show years ago when it was on TV and extremely hacked up, but despite all of that I fell in love with it. Escaflowne has this really interesting plot and these wonderful characters that feel very human and relatable. I was also fascinated by the artwork; it was very different from the other anime shows I saw at the time (i.e. Dragonball, Sailor Moon, Digimon, and Pokemon). I also liked the lore that was introduced in the story, heck I would love to have a book on the complete myths of Gaia if it was possible.

But, of course, many newbie's to anime have never seen or ever heard of Escaflowne. I think one of the problems is that Escaflowne is considered “old” even though it was made fourteen years ago. The art can now be considered a bit dated due to the advent of computers, hand drawn and hand painted animation going the way of the dinosaurs.

You could also say that the story pace is kind of slow at points compared to some new anime that contain a lot of flash and action. The flow is interspersed with these quiet subtle moments that can drag and for an anime viewer that is around the age of thirteen to fourteen years of age it can be boring.

I think the best way to reverse Escaflowne's obscurity is to give the show more exposure. Even though shows like Cowboy Bebop are considered “old” by new fans they still follow it because it's on TV. I haven't seen Escaflowne aired since the heavily edited version that was on Fox Kids back in 2000. I think that's the best way to get the newer fans interested in these shows.

I also think that the manga series that were released along with the anime should be brought here. I know that Tokyopop released the shonen adaptation a while back ago, but I believe its now out of print. Bringing that manga back and releasing the other manga over state side is a good idea. It gives a chance for new fans to read a version of the story and then find out that there was originally an anime that these mangas were based on.

JR Turbyfill, I just need to get my ball from your yard, Jeez:

I grew up at a time when Anime was not really even called anime and came on either in the afternoons during the week, or early Saturday morning. I remember watching Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) and Starblazers (Space Battleship Yamato), then evolving into Robotech and Tranzor Z (Mazinger Z). Even when my family got cable, and Showtime did one of the earliest forays of anime on cable with Thunderbirds 2086. These shows were, in a way, cutting edge for their times as very complex stories and themes, as well as rich characters and settings. The action was intense and constant, and yes, even marketable on many levels. As the shows eventually ended or were canceled, and as I grew, I evolved in my taste of what I watched. When I reached high school, I moved and made new friends who brought back my love for Robotech, which ebbed again in the mid-late 1990's, when the comics had ended, until the advent of Robotech.com and the re-release of the material. I even had collected the comics and novels (which is how I have stayed in love with comics, anime, and even manga to this day). This material is rare, difficult to find, and costly, to say the least. Even with the VHS tapes and box sets that came out in the late 1990's - early 2000's, there was a difficulty in obtaining the treasures of my youth. Today, with the advent of You Tube, Crunchyroll, Hulu, etc., we now have the ability to watch the iconic stories that really paved the way for anime to be the popular niche entertainment that has inspired a now growing trend of properties in Hollywood, for better or worse. Sadly, these classic stories that I loved were bittersweet to watch again. Alas, even though I watch them as I am being scorned by the new generation of fans, some who are almost young enough to be my children, I begin to understand why "my anime" is different than "their anime."

I would say the chief reason the younger / newer fans do not find enjoyment in the shows that made it possible for their shows to be presented as anything more than an import / rarity is the evolution of anime as a medium in general. All the shows I enjoyed as a child were pretty much a Hero, Space epic, or Giant Robot / Mecha show. This is only a fraction of the broad spectrum of anime that permeates through society today. Oh sure, there were elements of other genres that would evolve from these shows (Moe, Harem, even lolicon if you look for it) but not in enough doses to satiate the hunger that fans of these genres crave. All they see, as visually stimulated beings is, "Ewww, Giant Robot Crap! Shut it off!" Secondly, I would say that the animation has evolved dramatically. Animation has grown exponentially from just hand-drawn cells to CGI and digital finishing. Quite frankly, the old school style just doesn't always hold up. Voice-overs and dubbing in general can be off or just not good enough for the new fans (and those who are hardcore fansubbers, but that's another story). Also, some of the older property was never made available with a japanese track, inciting much ire from purist otakus. Other major differences include the music of older shows were originally scored versus highly marketable J-pop; and the overall flood of choices of anime on the market today, versus virtually no choice other than broadcast or bootlegs twenty plus years ago.

So, how do we get the new school to "give props" to the old school? That's tricky, especially in this volatile time in the industry. There have been several attempts, such as the new Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles or the 3-part modernized OVA of Gatchaman, but these received a lukewarm response outside of their fanbase. Though Gatchaman is / was to be a CG feature, Astro Boy showed that without a major marketing push and great story to back it, the property will die, screaming. There is a possibility of driving interest by doing a live action re-boot, ala JJ Abrams' Star Trek or Nolan's Batman Begins. The trick with this being successful would be a HUGE budget, BIG names, and LOTS of marketing. The properties that could be deemed worthy would be small in number. If they were re-imagined in animation, I would think the best avenue for success would be to emphasize another genre that is more marketable these days (i.e. Gatchaman as a moe vehicle, with a possible bishonen relationship between two of the members). The problem is that the older stuff is of a genre that was limited in scope with other elements. It would really be hard to push something like Gatchaman or Gundam and focus on something other than Space and Mecha. Again, I think the distributor and production company would have to really get behind the property in marketing. Otherwise, you need to promote the creative talents behind these works. Leiji Matsumoto or Hayao Miyazaki gets recognized by name, and the property is practically considered an instant classic. If Tite Kubo worked on a version of Yamato, then Boom! hot property.

The bottom line is, if an old property is to be revived, re-packaged, and re-introduced to the masses in an effort to garner new fans, it's going to need more than the love of the old fans to get it. Some of the older fans don't always find the new stuff exciting, either. Some even find the newer, grittier, more sexual and violent themes to be to much for an animated show. I don't mind it if it makes sense, but I have no intention of letting my child see Black Lagoon when I have Gatchaman to fall back on. At the end of the day, maybe it's better to leave the old property alone, as not to alienate the old-schoolers. Even though I have learned to enjoy new stuff like FMA, Soul Eater, and GITS, I still like my old stuff. It was good enough for my generation, it should be good enough for theirs. Now get off my lawn!

Never mention Nickelback in my column again, RJ Bear:

Well I suppose there are a few shows I could mention but what's the point? To show new fans what they're missing? That's not my job and I don't want it. If someone is happy with Justin Beiber and Nickleback who am I to suggest they should try listening to Led Zeppelin and UFO?

And despite the questionable preferences new fans have in anime and how they obtain it, there is some functioning gray matter in those developing skulls so they certainly know there is old anime out there to watch if they want. Though they probably won't like the fact that it looks like it was drawn by humans, their biggest complaint may be that they can't find many old shows on their favorite fansub site.

Besides, I'm not one of these butthurt old timers pining about old anime always being better. It doesn't matter what year it was made, there have always been some good anime titles, some really bad ones, and a lot inbetween that are just ok. Though in my humble opinion the crap category has increased considerably in the past 10 years. Maybe someone, if they're up to the challenge, can suggest a new anime title for me to watch, one that doesn't look a lot like something that's already been done a hundred times. Hopefully a show with an original theme song, not a J Pop tune that's there because the band happens to be on a label that pitched in money for production.

Ah, the good old days. Not always the best but at least they tried.

Brian (not me) and I (Brian, me) reminisce about Toonami:

If there is something I want to share with the next generation of anime fans, it wouldn't be a single series, but my fond, fond memories of the after school television block that was "Toonami". Unquestionably, my greatest experience with anime was during those golden years when the biggest concern on my mind was racing home from middle school so as to not miss the first minutes of Dragonball Z. Every day after school I had my ritual of plunking down in front of the television and do my homework while watching Goku, Tenchi, Gundam, and even Sailor Moon continue their adventures. (Reboot was cool too, though not an anime I don't think) There are people who say that these memories are clouded by nostalgic feelings (and I'm sure they are at least a little bit right), but why couldn't the younger generation have the same chance to experience a rose-tinted, golden age of diverse anime programming at an age when they were still too young to know or care about things like subbing vs. dubbing or the fact that Goku's Master Roshi was choosing to indulge in a frosty, foamy glass of water on a hot day? (The horrendous amount of editing/censoring) No matter how butchered the anime might have been, Cartoon Network and Toonami did right by the fans, putting together excellently cut-together promos and videos that still make me want to go back in time to watch these shows all over again. (Especially the 2 minute gundam wing promo and the "coming of age" themed Broken Dreams)

Oh, and they put out a great cd of atmospheric space sounds.

Long before Adult Swim switched from more serious Anime to american cartoons (a bad move in my opinion), Toonami was there every day after school at 3:00, doing everything better.

When Montana asks if you want to ****ing watch Patlabor you'd best do as she says:

Perhaps it has to do with our introductions into the culture of anime in America. You see, I grew up in a time when anime was not a common word in pop culture. To see Venus Wars, on television, on a saturday morning, at 2am was a real treat (and something I lost hours of sleep over.) Best Buy didn't have a section for anime (you found Akira and Ghost In The Shell in the sci fi section.) And if you wanted to get your hands on a copy of Bubblegum Crisis you either needed an amazing rental store or a ride to a convention. So perhaps the lack of interest in older series such as Macross, Ranma 1/2, and Gal Force etc... has nothing to do with their actual content, but rather, with their availability.

The average anime fan today has a catalog of titles so large, they couldn't possibly watch everything. Thus these classics fall by the wayside: Beaten by digital animation and 3d robots. So maybe the next time you go to a convention and you see that table full of VHS tapes all marked down to $1, pick up a classic like Armored Tooper Votoms, Giant Robo, or just about anything Hiroki Hayashi had a hand in making (Hell, pick up" Ayane's High Kick" I don't care!) I will personally guarantee it will be better than Naruto, One Peice, Pokemon, or Bleach.

And for the love of Pete: If one of your otaku friends say, "Hey you wanna watch Patlabor?" DO IT!

I do not appreciate B.J.'s insinuation that I am unable to control my saliva:

Define old stuff!! Ha-HAH!

Seriously though, I think the biggest problem that new fans would have is, unfortunately, the production values. Modern anime series look and sound better than the "classics." Amongst my friends I can imagine having a hard time pitching a series that's older than 2002-2003 (unless it's Cowboy Bebop). I think it's more of a difference in paradigm, the reason we watch anime. There are those who are merely interested in the entertainment value and, naturally, the newer the better. The older fans (or fans of older stuff like me) take to more as an art form or a medium, believing that some titles ARE timeless and worth searching for. Not that the older fans are somehow better: I'm sure they're tired of the new series not being that original. For me, I have a hard time being interested in any harem/free girlfriend series when I feel that Tenchi Muyo and Oh! My Goddess did it much better years ago. The fans of the newer stuff are probably so swamped by the mass of anime available every season that they probably don't feel they have the time to catch older shows anyway.

It's in this vein that I think reversing this "trend" is actually a bad idea. Anime is great because of its diversity, that fans can dedicate themselves to one type or genre without ever feeling like the well is running dry. Just because I don't Naruto is the greatest thing since sliced bread doesn't mean I should discourage those who do (I personally see it as DBZ version 1.5). Perhaps this makes the fan landscape seem cliquish, with the shonen crowd there, the moe crowd there, the mecha crowd there, the old farts over here, but if people are happy with what they love, why try to ruin that? Anime has proven to be robust enough to give each group what they want, for better or worse.

I think fans of older series should understand that they're a niche or a minority in the anime world and accept that new fans will most likely want to watch new stuff. Hang out with other old anime fans, go to Mike Toole's panels, or on a more basic level, enjoy anime the way you want to. This is supposed to entertainment, for crying out loud, not a religion.

Of course, if you do find someone poking their head in for something older, invite them in and show them your favorites. Just try not to drool on them.

Chantal brings in mysticism and sociological implications to this incredibly intellectual debate:

One reason I believe why anime fans of today don't watch old school anime is because they are not curious enough.

Curiosity might have been why most fans watch anime today (personally I was curious why there was a show called Bleach, Clorox anyone?) But the main reason they don't watch old school material is because they AREN'T curious with things that happened 10 to 50 years ago. Other than Ranma 1/2, the Phoenix series was one of my favorite 80's anime!!

It could be that fans nowadays want more crisper and cleaner digital animation than watch 'fuzzy' full animation. Also, mainstream anime distributors don't really try to encourage their consumers to purchase a title that has long been forgotten and thus, does not peak the interest/curiosity of the modern day fan. (But then again Funimation has Slayers.)

Which is rather sad since shows of the past are what made anime now so popular.

The best way to encourage new fans of anime to watch old school shows is to peak their curiosity. Mention some current title (like Xxxholic) then compare it to a similar 70's-90's show (in this case GeGeKitaro) and have them find out more information.

After all, without curiosity, the 'sun goddess would have never left her cave'. http://www.ancient-mythology.com/japanese/amaterasu.php

Finishing it off strong for the week, the talented Biscuit drew this super-cool comic response:

I have only followed this program in the past year. It remains perennially popular in Japan, yet, it has difficulty getting a foothold in other countries, especially the US. Yet, I want everyone to see this show. That show is Cyborg 009.

I've tried for the past few days to describe my love for this series in text. It's been difficult. The original manga, the zany 1960's TV series and movies, the 1979 series, and the 2001 series all carry that same message of the ruthlessness of man, the horrors of war, and the trials those who must fight against it must endure. The characters appear to be stereotypes (some more painfully so than others) but, that ends with their visuals. Their characterizations are full and rich, with their own unique perspectives and experiences. They use their strengths and experience to work through disagreements and battle for a resolution.

The things that make it difficult for it to catch on, speaking in regards to the 2001 anime, are some of the reasons I enjoy it. The retro designs, the lead character is over the age of 15, and few if none of the traditional shonen trappings or storytelling. The manga has even more hurdles for the modern audience. The artwork is difficult to view with a fresh eye. Though, in subsequent volumes Ishinomori's art went through a revolution, showing his skill through his expansive layouts and background artwork. But, those volumes have never been translated into English.

Now, whether Cyborg 009 caught on in the past is not a big deal. I want to show it to as many people as I can today. But, my problem is, I cannot guide folks to a reputable archive or product for them to view this show. Some of these frustrations I've pulled together in a comic.

Yup, no DVD to share of loan with friends, or to recommend to buy. The show was never even aired in its entirety on US television. The visuals of the 2001 anime still stand up well to today's anime. This series deserves to be picked up by a streaming site, so American fans can finally see the end of this show. A DVD release would be my ultimate goal, but, given the marketplace, even more unlikely than a streaming venue. Until that time comes, I'll continue to share my love for this series through the fandom.

I hate being reminded that many people are able to draw better than me. Anyway! Next week's question!

Now you've got this week's question, and it's time to get answerin'.

For those of you new to Hey, Answerfans!, I'll explain the concept.

Believe it or not, I'm genuinely curious what you think.

That's right; as much as I love the sound of my own voice, I do love to listen to what other people have to say on a subject. I'm finding that over the last few years, the attitudes, reasoning and logic that today's anime fans use eludes, confuses or astounds me; I have so many questions for you, and I'm dying to hear what you have to say in response.

Welcome to Hey, Answerfans!

Basically, we're turning the tables. Each week I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to email me your answer. Be as honest as you can. I'm looking for good answers; not answers I agree with or approve of, but good, thoughtful answers. People feel passionately about these subjects and I'd like to see that in the responses I get. I'll post the best answers I get, and maybe some of the crappy ones. Sometimes there may only be one or two good ones; sometimes five or more. It all depends on what I get in my inbox! Got it? Pretty simple, right? Start writing those answers and email them to answerman [at] animenewsnetwork dot com.

We do have a few simple ground rules to start with.

Things To Do:

* Be coherent.
* Be thoughtful.
* Be passionate.
* Write as much or as little as you feel you need to to get your point across in the best possible way.

Things Not To Do:

* Respond when the question doesn't apply to you. For instance, if your email response starts with "Well, I don't do whatever you're asking about in the question... " then I'm going to stop reading right there and hit delete.

* Be unnecessarily rude or use a lot of foul language.
* Go off-topic.

Once again, thanks for stopping by the Hey, Answerman corner of the internet-world, and I'll see you next week! Remember to stuff my inbox full of questions and question-like-musings at Answerman (AT!) Animenewsnetwork.com! Adieu!