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VanGosroth
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
Posts: 299
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:21 pm
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ShanaFan852 wrote: |
VanGosroth wrote: | To those of you buying this... what's the reason you would be willing to shell out 500+ dollars? Are you just a hardcore fan of GL? It's pretty much 100% certain that any series that's popular in Japan will eventually be licensed for US distribution. Is it that you don't want to wait the 2-3 years it may take? All of these are valid reasons, so I'm not looking at poking fun or insulting your collection habits. I've just always been very curious. |
Ever heard of how Japanese releases are usually far better? There will not be a BD anywhere near this nice for Gurren Lagann here ever (Unless Aniplex USA gets it, but we have no idea if they're interested in rescuing it).
It will be in a single BD case probably, very bare-bones. |
Aniplex USA = Aniplex. It's the same company afaik.
Personally, I don't care for all the extra stuff collectors editions include and the only time I've ever ordered a S.E. was if it included an set box.
I'll be editing my previous post to include these add on items such as art books, figures, cd's and whatnot.
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bemused Bohemian
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Posts: 404
Location: central Mizzou (Moral Oralville)
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:51 pm
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Well, got 2 of the 8 volumes to go on Accel World BD via Amazon.com.jp at 5332 yen @ month not including zip ship so will stay posted when this gem comes about for pre-order. If there is a NA release later, fine; if not, here's an opportunity. Thank you, Japan. I'd rather you get my theoretical discretionary money than Mr. Obama.
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Fencedude5609
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:00 am
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TarsTarkas wrote: |
Even at $500.00, the price is still unreasonable for the North American market. |
AND THIS HASN'T BEEN SOLICITED FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN MARKET
Goddamn. Follow the plot people.
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walw6pK4Alo
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:53 am
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Fencedude5609 wrote: |
TarsTarkas wrote: |
Even at $500.00, the price is still unreasonable for the North American market. |
AND THIS HASN'T BEEN SOLICITED FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN MARKET
Goddamn. Follow the plot people. |
More or less. The inclusion of subs and dubs is a cheap addition in the hopes that a few international customers will fork it over as well to supplement the release, thus more than covering the cost of having added them in the first place.
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bemused Bohemian
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Posts: 404
Location: central Mizzou (Moral Oralville)
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 1:52 am
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Found it on Amazon.com.jp via ANN link. <thanks> May run $525.00 USD + or - plus $24.00 USD zip ship via DHL (wish it was a different forwarder...only gripe) with eta here at my domicile around June 28, 2013.
Pre-order done, 'nuff said.
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Annf
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
Posts: 578
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:45 am
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TarsTarkas wrote: | We don't live in Japan and we are not the main life support for Japanese anime. |
I feel like this way of thinking is somewhat obsolete.
It's not like people in Japan are obligated to buy Japanese releases--they can just as easily wait a few years for a cheap North American release as well. International mail order is so easy these days in many countries, and within Japan it's really easy to buy North American releases because they're stocked by local Japanese import stores and listed on Amazon Japan, so it's not even personal import for Japanese residents, it's just normal shopping.
The choice to be part of the main life support for Japanese anime is pretty much the same regardless of whether you live in Japan or not. (Obviously a little tougher in countries with dutifully applied VAT on personal imports.) So it's not really a matter of "Japan" or "America" but personal decision to choose the expensive collector's release or wait for a later bare-bones release.
The above is an oversimplification, but I think it holds true enough that I don't have to think of myself as affiliated with my geographical location.
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Nonaka Machine Gun B
Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Posts: 825
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 3:09 am
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The price is ridiculous, yes, but it's 2013 and it's time to stop being surprised every time this happens. Pinch your pennies, I guess. Definitely something to look out for.
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walw6pK4Alo
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 3:30 am
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Annf wrote: |
It's not like people in Japan are obligated to buy Japanese releases--they can just as easily wait a few years for a cheap North American release as well. International mail order is so easy these days in many countries, and within Japan it's really easy to buy North American releases because they're stocked by local Japanese import stores and listed on Amazon Japan, so it's not even personal import for Japanese residents, it's just normal shopping. |
If there's a cheap North American release, and that if becomes the entire changing system where the Japanese producers are aware of this habit, and they're trying to curtail it. Starting with simple tactics of making releases take a year or longer, and moving into more direct attacks like forced subtitles on the Japanese language tracks or significantly costlier releases (BGM, Madoka). After that, you move into the drastic: price matching Japanese releases, dub only BDs, or simply no BDs at all through only allowing DVDs to be distributed for that licensee. And after that, it becomes a Japanese-side export to America, keep more or less the same price point as the Japanese disc, but now it has subs (Fate/Zero).
They're ready and willing to marginalize, cannibalize, or simply forgo the North American markets to keep their Japanese from easily obtaining cheaper releases. The delay tactic is first line of defense, and likely the most effective for the majority of buyers: who wants to wait a year+ when that anime is hot *now*. As to why otaku haven't all become patient zen masters, waiting it out for every single license announcement, hoping the show they like will be discounted to a fifth? Maybe that's just Japanese Otaku culture, which can be rabid loyalism and quick trend hopping.
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enurtsol
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14869
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 4:38 am
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TarsTarkas wrote: |
Panon wrote: |
Kurohei wrote: | All things considered, $721 isn't all that unreasonable. |
Especially since that's just retail price. It's about $500 for pre-order on Amazon.co.jp, for example. |
Even at $500.00, the price is still unreasonable for the North American market. This BD box is for the high end collector, if you have to have all things Gurren Lagann, then the collector will pay that price. We don't live in Japan and we are not the main life support for Japanese anime. Maybe in Japan this price point is reasonable, but not outside of Japan. I don't begrudge or blame those who will pay those prices because they must have it or even if they wave it around proudly proclaiming their fandom, it is their right for their monetary sacrifices to the anime gods. |
Heck, we paid more than that for the original PS3!
(Actually, we bought 2, then auctioned the 2nd one for twice the price to someone willing to pay, so essentially paying for both our PS3s! That's why we don't mind if the next PS4 is over $500 again.)
tuxedocat wrote: |
I have a few Aniplex collections on my shelves, just not the $500 - $700 ones.
It all depends on the individual, and if they think it is worth it.
I know there are fans that buy every release, including imports of specific franchises because that much passion for the franchise. Using the Aniplex model, that would be Type-Moon fans.
I know people who will easily spend that much on a bottle of wine.
One. Bottle. |
And those guys are coocoos................. unless they sell it later for a better aged investment.
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Annf
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
Posts: 578
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:01 am
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VanGosroth wrote: | To those of you buying this... what's the reason you would be willing to shell out 500+ dollars? Are you just a hardcore fan of GL? It's pretty much 100% certain that any series that's popular in Japan will eventually be licensed for US distribution. Is it that you don't want to wait the 2-3 years it may take? Do you look for art books / cds / special edition addons in your releases? All of these are valid reasons, so I'm not looking at poking fun or insulting your collection habits. I've just always been very curious. |
I’m not enough of a GL fan to buy it, but I would say, if Aniplex’s foreign releases of Madoka are anything to go by, most likely the extra audio content (commentary tracks, character songs, drama CDs) won’t be included. Artbook might be. The text-heavy archive book probably won't. Parallel Works/music video shorts/DS game OVA/live-event footage might or might not be but I wouldn’t count on it. Limited releases makes waiting to find out the contents of the U.S. release a risky proposition—don’t want to wind up paying double for the Japanese release later. Physically, the Japanese release will be more interesting looking simply due to the number of discs and box size, providing more things/space to stick artwork on.
VanGosroth wrote: | Look at your dvd collection. Would you continue buying anime if each one of those series was 500+ dollars sitting on your bookshelf? I wouldn't. |
Heh, well, the majority of my collection is Japanese releases, so...
People who buy from the Japanese market typically don’t buy as many titles as North American-version collectors do, and we rarely blind-buy. We still watch a lot of anime, but we expect to see it streamed (or on TV) for free or cheap first before buying discs, and then only buy stuff we love so much we want to watch again and own the best possible version of, one or two shows a season and maybe one movie a year.
In my case, in 2012 I bought four new TV series and two new movies, for around $1700, then also got the BD box release of Macross 7 for another $440, giving me a total for the year of $2140. Not really expensive as hobbies go. My friend spends way more than that on his music hobbies, buying guitars and speakers and amplifiers and keyboards and things.
Of course with buying associated things like soundtracks, video games, the original manga/light novels, pillow cases, doujinshi, etc. my real hobby total for the year is a little higher than that, but even still it's not an unmanageable amount of money if viewed as a dedicated hobby in the same way that other people like to buy musical instruments or go traveling or build super-PC gaming rigs or whatever.
Obviously for most people, anime, even if they like it a lot, is still just one part of their entertainment diet and not something they want to treat as a core hobby moneysink. Most Japanese-resident fans record off TV to BD recorders or just rent (physical or ppv/streaming) things when they want to see them.
VanGosroth wrote: | if the time comes that it's making a choice between filling my cars gas tank 12 times or watching 600 minutes of anime, I'll stop my purchases and move on to a new hobby. |
You’d abandon watching anime, or just abandon collecting it but keep watching streams or whatever?
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Sylontack
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 193
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:13 am
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Yes, AniplexUSA is evil because of a hypothetical overpricing of a title they haven't gotten yet (which by they way I don't know why they'd bother getting it considering most of their other releases are top notch and new enough for people to actually BUY it at those prices, people won't do the same for Gurren Lagann because they would already have it if they wanted it). Makes sense
You see they aren't some diabolical overpricing council of evil demonic slenderman-like sub-human people. They release what people want at a price people are willing to pay, you aren't? Tough luck, doesn't mean nobody will buy it, because funnily enough, they manage to sell out of stock every time.
If you want Gurren Lagann it is more than avaliable for a very good price and chances are you already have that release because it was one of the bigger titles of the late 2000's (Heck I am not even that big a fan and I own a deluxe release of it). Nobody is asking you to buy some $800 (which I don't disagree, even for a Japanese release, is a pretty steep price) Blu-Ray set for hardcore collectors, nobody is holding the avaliable DVD release that is likely pulled from your shelf above your reach and teasing you into buying the set. Heck nobody is even licencing it here at the moment so don't get your panties in a twist ._.
And just to end, I am actually sick of people saying $150 is a bad price for the Garden of Sinners DVD Boxset. It's f***ing ridiculous.
It's a deluxe release of a highly sought after title (for damn good reason too), it's 8 films, I see that as $17.5 per film plus $10 for the box and the few physical extras which is pretty good (considering where I live you used to pay an extra $10 for the collector's box to hold a series). If they were released seperately, you could expect an initial price point of $30 per film (once again, at least where I live, and it wouldn't be much better on the North American end initially) plus $10 extra with the first or last film for the box. Complain to me when it's $250 plus seperate shipping for each title. Which for the record I'd still pay, as would many others.
In fact $250 was about how much most people paid for all of Madoka if they got the Limited Edition sets like myself, now I heard complaints about that, but nowhere near as much as I have heard on Garden of Sinners. Get it together people -__-
So instead of complaining, either buy it, or don't buy it, and deal with it because you're being offered no different than anyone else.
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Annf
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
Posts: 578
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:23 am
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Dumnerd
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 152
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:25 am
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This set isn't as expensive as I thought it would be.
Heck, when I saw "10 Blu-rays" and "5 DVDs," I easily assumed this would fall in the $1000 range.
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enurtsol
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14869
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:13 am
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Sylontack wrote: |
You see they aren't some diabolical overpricing council of evil demonic slenderman-like sub-human people. They release what people want at a price people are willing to pay, you aren't? |
Tell us about it. Building computers is another one of our hobbies, and Microsoft always sells Windows a hundred bucks and up.
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Marzan
Joined: 29 Mar 2009
Posts: 518
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:59 am
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I'll wait a couple of years for the non-japanese version.
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