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Imagica, Cool Japan Buy Localization Company SDI Media

Japanese companies still "don't get/understand the US market",

@mdo7

The problem with blanket statements like

Quote:

Japanese companies still "don't get/understand the US market",

is that even if they are true in general they may not be true for the individual. That is why stereotypes are considered bad. Also just because something was true in the past doesn't mean it will be true forever.

My point is that individual Japanese companies can learn to understand the US market or hire people to understand it for them. That appears to be what is being attempted here by Imagica. It remains to be seen if it is successful. It probably depends on the individuals involved.

I've spent years trying to navigate and understand the Japanese reason the entrenched Japanese entertainment business refuses to do things that will clearly make them money, and start growing a bigger audience overseas. Part of it is definitely arrogance ("This is one of the biggest stars in Japan! If we're going to invade America now, I want my client to be paid what he's worth!"), the ever-present expectation that audiences in the West will work exactly like they do in Japan (ludicrously priced CDs and all), and a demand for control that simply isn't tolerated elsewhere. In my opinion, the Japanese entertainment industry has sabotaged itself with its methodology, and until that changes they won't be able to grow much of an overseas audience.

Once in a blue moon, some renegade production committee will somehow find the money to make a major push with something only Westerners would like (Space Dandy, anyone?), but for the vast majority of productions, what American fans want is irrelevant. Producers in Japan don't understand American tastes, and don't try to predict them. The few times they've tried in the past, they've mostly ended up with very expensive failures.

Once in a blue moon, some renegade production committee will somehow find the money to make a major push with something only Westerners would like (Space Dandy, anyone?), but for the vast majority of productions, what American fans want is irrelevant. Producers in Japan don't understand American tastes, and don't try to predict them. The few times they've tried in the past, they've mostly ended up with very expensive failures.

Japanese companies still "don't get/understand the US market",

I think there is some SDI branch for US, but did they do anything noticeable?

http://www.sdimedia.com/locations/ < yeah, pretty much european-oriented.

@mdo7
When your company lacks a skill set, the easiest way to get it is to buy a company that has it or hire their employees. Microsoft, Google and others have been successfully doing this for years. The hard part is learning to listen to the new employees you acquired when they offer advice. Both Kodansha and Aniplex seem to have done this successfully.

Considering SDI makes a lot of stuff not related to anime, this can only benefit consumers in general if Imagica and Cool Japan let SDI do its own thing and not force it to only make Japan-related products. Otherwise, it'll be cutting off a major localization company for a variety of products and countries to selfishly make things for one country's whims.