Forum - View topicAbout Kadokawa's Investment in ANN
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Thesarum
Posts: 428 |
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Weird, isn't it? Though cutsio is right that the site tech is all a bit 2004, so it's good to hear there's some investment promised in that direction. I'm pleased they've announced no staffing changes, because that was my first thought on reading the headlines. Corporate promises of "no changes" have a pretty limited shelf life, but we should give Kadokawa the benefit of the doubt and assume they do genuinely mean what they say, it's just there are no final decisions in business, and everything gets re-evaluated eventually. That is just the way of the world, but it's rare for companies to act against their own best interests. They're not looking for profits from ANN directly. I'm sure its about marketing opportunity primarily (expect to see announcements of Bookwalker sales and promotions I guess?), and they don't get the benefit of that if they drive the community away. So I fully expect they'll largely leave ANN to its own devices, but ANN will get more content/access on upcoming Kadokawa properties (I can see interviews and features on creative teams and such being considered a win-win arrangement). They don't need to ask ANN for unreasonably positive coverage to reap the benefits of increased exposure. I've not been here as long as many, but I like ANN. I enjoy reading the streaming reviews (thanks review team!). I find the database a useful resource (thanks unsung database heroes!). I'm not that interested in which VAs are off sick this week but I don't begrudge the site for publishing those articles for people who do like to keep up to date on that sort of thing. I like making a fool of myself on the forums with my idiotic British sense of humor and dumb opinions on TV shows really aimed at people half my age. Until at least some of these things change, I don't really care (within reason) who is paying the bills. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
Posts: 6543 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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I'll keep an open mind on ANN's editorial content moving forward, but I am hoping Kadokawa will provide some badly needed investment.
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Nate148
Posts: 480 |
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seems like you guys did a lot of work and due diligence can't fully shake off my worry, but it seems like it could be a good thing and it's not like it's the first time you had corporate funding.
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Nate148
Posts: 480 |
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As a FYI Yen Press was always a co-op between Kadokawa (thats why Yen gets first dibs on dengki stuff) and Hachette one of the big five that own 90% of book publishing |
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Covnam
Posts: 3740 |
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Well, wasn't expecting this news when I saw it earlier. For now I'll hope for the best. With a large company behind it, maybe the ads can be toned down a bit? It'd be nice to open a few articles in tabs without a CPU spike
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BigOnAnime
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 1233 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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The following may be of interest.
I currently don't know how to really feel about this, other than "Another company buying up another company in this industry?". Seriously in the past year we've had FUNimation buying Crunchyroll and rebranded as Crunchyroll, LLC, AMC Networks bought Sentai Filmworks, PLAION PICTURES bought Anime Limited, Kadokawa bought J-Novel Club, Crunchyroll bought Right Stuf and subsequently then sold Critical Mass Video to Adult Source Media... Where does it end? We're so far removed from the days of ADV's "What is anime?" ads for The Anime Network and everything feels so corporate, the atmosphere is absolutely suffocating as a result. Things are completely unrecognizable from when I got into anime almost 14 years ago (it'll be 14 years in a week). Anime has always been a business, but it now resembles what happened to video games. I'm hoping nothing negative comes out of this, but I'll remain cautious given how often you hear corporate speak when this happens and then we see all the negative effects (See: Everything going on with Crunchyroll and FUNimation merging in a completely chaotic and haphazard manner). My primary use of this site currently is mainly the encyclopedia and every once in a while the news articles, interviews, and columns like Answerman, so I'm not as concerned about the reviews and such as I currently rarely read them (I rarely read reviews in general). I wonder if I'll be made to promote Kadokawa stuff even though I'm an Encyclopedia Editor, or a volunteer. I wonder if I'd have to promote say Strike the Blood... Kadokawa overlords, you can pay me to promote "No Senpai, this is our fight!" (Couldn't resist making a joke with my love for Strike the Blood, a big Kadokawa property.)
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Boonabadoopadoop
Posts: 12 |
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The idea that the reviewers would be forced to sing the praises of Shield Hero's next season is pretty funny, not going to lie. Kadokawa is one of the biggest producers of light novel adaptions/isekai works which a lot of the reviewers seem to dislike so this team-up is certainly interesting. I remember when Trash Taste partnered with Kadokawa. A lot of people called them shills or PR divisions too. But it also let them do cool stuff like tour their offices in Japan or interview LN authors like Redo of Healer. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Cardcaptor Takato
Posts: 4958 |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Rising of the Shield Hero - Funimation Rinne - Viz spent a fortune advertising this with us Rent a Girl Friend - Crunchyroll I'm sure I can find Aniplex and Bandai shows that were heavily criticized, but I have to get to dinner. I'll come back and add to this later. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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They can't fire her so long as I'm here. They can't fire me so long as I own shares. They can't force me to sell my shares for years. Eventually I will. I plan to retire. After that, hopefully ANN's independence will be well established within Kadokawa. That's the most I can do, set that foundation. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Last edited by Tempest on Wed Nov 02, 2022 4:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10441 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Closing thoughts: I don't blame anyone here for being skeptical. I would be too. I believe quite firmly that we will be able to remain editorially independent, but you should wait and see. Let us prove it to you.
Should we fail, no one will be more disappointed or angry than I will be. -t |
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