Forum - View topicNEWS: Bandai Visual USA Picks Up sola Anime
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Porcupine
 Posts: 1033 |
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I agree with what you said in general but I wanted to clarify some of these remarks. I have a reasonable amount of experience checking bitrates on various anime DVDs from various companies. Bandai Visual USA does indeed use a much higher base bitrate for all their titles. Generally speaking their average bitrate runs at 9 Mb/s. While the maximum is questionable. I don't agree with you that the maximum bitrate for DVD is 9.8 Mb/s. If you have an extremely reputable source to prove me wrong I'd be interested to see it, as I've already done a TON of digging on this matter. I have dug up plenty of sources stating that the maximum bitrate for DVD was 9.8 Mb/s but all were not reputable enough to me. I have dug up a few sources saying that 9.8 Mb/s is only the maximum AVERAGE bitrate for DVD. Similarly, these sources were no more or less reputable than the other sources. In the end, I decided that short of someone showing me white papers of the codec itself, I was not going to believe any statements about the maximum bitrate for DVD. But I'd welcome any new references other than that too, it's possible I would still judge it to be reputable but that would be according to my own prerogatives. BTW, the software ripper I use regularly reports maximum temporary bitrates for many titles to be in the 9 ~ 13 Mbits/s range. I have also seen 25+ Mbits/s reported on very, super ultra rare occasion. Also, it's not hard to make 9.8 Mb/s encodes. When I record my own DVD captures from LaserDisc with a regular run-of-the-mill analog-input DVD-recorder, I encode at 9~9.8 Mb/s average. Anyways, the typical average bitrate for anime DVDs in the USA is 5.5 to 6 Mb/s. So Bandai Visual USA really does use almost double the bitrate.
You are a fool who doesn't know a thing about video quality, but it's not because all DVDs are crap, it's because you are incompetent to notice quality issues. For one thing, DVDs are almost never in 704x400 letterboxed resolution. Only crap-quality fansubs are. You are trying to watch a 180 megabyte 704x400 fansub on your 720p TV, of course it looks like crap. DVDs are in 720x480 resolution and generally run about 1 to 1.5 gigabytes an episode. This may not sound like much more but it is. Not only because of increased resolution but because of being a pure source. Fansubs are often downscaled from DVD or TV broadcasts, and are captured non-digitally half the time, so the resultant video quality is awful. Add to that a huge reduction in bitrate (which isn't as harmful as it sounds though because of the much better codecs and encoders used by fansubs) and you do get your "crap quality". But most DVDs are a huge step above and can look excellent on an HDTV. If your DVDs look like crap it is because your player is not playing them in good quality. Let me guess, you are using a computer to play your DVDs? Well, that might be fine but it depends on what player you are using and whether or not you've properly disabled or bypassed hardware overlays. But true DVD players usually play back DVDs in the best quality. Of course Blu-Ray or true HD-DVD (and I don't mean HD fansubs which so far that I've seen are in crap quality because they are sourced improperly or have a too-low bitrate) will be better. But there's still a huge difference between DVD and a fansub, and DVD quality can be quite good already, especially when a high-enough bitrate is used such as Bandai Visual USA does. Last edited by Porcupine on Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:41 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Paploo
Posts: 1875 |
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I think it is a part of the reason why a lot of people complain though. Mind you, I do think BVUSA's prices could be better, and I tend to support companies giving me a better value more- but still, much of what BVUSA is releasing is stuff I figure we wouldn't see otherwise [of the only really long shows they've licensed, one is Haruka and regular priced, the other is Super Robot Wars, which I don't see anyonelse touching in a gazillion years]. They're not aiming for the mass market [which is what MB is aiming for, and doing a really good job at], rather primarily the very niche anime consumer. Most of the people on ANN aren't their target audience. It seems like ADV and Geneon's pitfalls were aiming dozens really niche anime titles at the mass market with all the bells and whistles, something BVUSA and MB both get around with different plans- whether it's MB's cheap, quick, basic but still great releases of a limited selection of titles aimed at a wide audience, while BV focuses on "bellsandwhistles" type releases [physical extras like booklets] and a higher price. Both are also focusing on fewer titles at a time, with only 3-4 per month vs. Geneon or ADV's 10. For the record, I've only bought their Gunbuster boxset, which is goshdarned gorgeous, and makes me want to check out their other stuff when I get the chance. I think there'd be less gripping if they stuck to a 39.95 price ala their initial releases [or even 34.95 with less frills], though I'm guessing opting for a more limited distro requires a higher price. Anyhoo, I'm mostly just saying it's not all that bad, even if it's not all that great. They're just one other way to release anime. [and I guess that's all I'm saying, as I don't really feel like arguing with the DVD ripper/fansub crowd today.... sorry, but as I don't do either/see that as sketchy, I guess my logic doesn't really fit in with yours.....] [and I wonder if their release of Haruka is a test to see if they could do dvd's at that price range. I hope fans support it, as it's not all that bad a deal] Last edited by Paploo on Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sir Hamilton
 Posts: 63 Location: Massachusetts |
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50 bucks for one dvd is ridiculous.
They've completely swipped their younger fans out of range. I couldn't afford that dvd even if I wanted it. |
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Kirkdawg
 Subscriber Posts: 742 Location: California, USA |
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To specifically limit that to the "younger fans" is a bit odd; I'm pretty sure just about everyone knows that $50 is a bit much for what BV is offering. |
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Westlo
 Posts: 1684 |
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Give them one more year, the anti moe crowd are getting more and more retarded so I'm sure they will get onto that sooner than later. Claymore = moe (Young clare is cut.. i mean moe!) Ghost Hound = moe (that miyako chick is young so she has to be moe!) |
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Myaow
 Posts: 1068 |
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It seems that Netflix is not afraid to stock BV discs. It already has the Gunbusters and GA-Rune. Yes! I was mildly curious about this (since it has the same writer as the Kanon game and has Naru Nanao designs) and now I'm hoping that I'll actually get to see if I like it without having to trade in my birthright. Yay!
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KairuRoukan
 Posts: 68 Location: California |
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I was kind of looking forward to sola, I haven't see it before but it looked interesting. But for that price it's just a little too steep to warrant a blind purchase. So much for that.
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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It would appear that this price point (Gundam Igloo was also 3 episodes for $50) seems to be working for BVUSA since they continue to do it. I prefer this to their 2 episodes for $40 like Shigofumi or even worse 25 minute episode of True Tears volume 1 for $30.
I've sent away the little business reply card that was included with almost all of my BVUSA titles. There is a question on price value which I always circle the worst option. I suggest people send these in since they are free postage. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15378 |
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Westlo:
No, but these shows are...
Claymore and Ghost Hound are emo, not moe. 
tehdarkness:
No, just under-aged girls.
If they were really dramatic and/or romantic, then we'd recognize it. Kaioshin:
Fair enough. CCS:
If you think BV only licensed Haruka and sola to appeal solely to hobbyists, you're sadly mistaken on that one.
If those shows aren't mainstream, what the hell is, bud? "Niche" is Mind Game, not Haruka.
Geneon got titles which pandered to the lowest common denominator, while BV at least licensed shows with some appeal. Anyway, I think this series would be acceptable at $40 a dvd, but $50's dumb. grgs:
I think what bugs me about BV was they were trying to present themselves as an upscaled version of Animeigo, and now they've turned into a over-priced version of Geneon.
In business, the customer is always right. 
Key:
I know you're being sarcastic, but I really do wonder how can they be going strong, when they just pump out dvds without taking more time to evaluate sales. I can't imagine there are that many Americans otaku who are willing to pay these prices at such a constant basis like the Japanese. Paploo:
I think Toei U.S.A just collects the dough for their licenses, and doesn't do much else. [Except screw up dvds...]
I agree, but if you price the dvds beyond any profitability, then you're as likely to lose sales.
Other companies wouldn't be touching these shows for a reason: They're average. I'm willing to acknowledge Honneamise's price, because that's a "classic" which has a small following, even among Gainax fans. But at least it's high-profile and adds something different to the market-not more of the same at a higher cost.
ADV ain't dead yet. They're just upgrading.
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Furudanuki
 Posts: 1874 |
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The root of the problem is people using the term moe as a genre description in the first place. By definition, moe describes an emotion that is generated by a character for the viewer. Therefore referring to an anime as a "moe series" makes just as much sense as an "angry series" or a "happy series". Yes, some series go out of their way to field a stable of characters that match up with the more common moe archetypes, but you can find characters who some people will consider moe in almost every genre and sub-genre of anime you care to examine. And yes, I can even make a pretty good case for the tachikoma's being moe: they are innocent and childlike in many ways, and events in the series definitely presents them as being vulnerable so it isn't hard to sympathize with their plight and want to protect them. 
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Tyrenol
Posts: 398 Location: Northern California |
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It's not about "how the R1 industry is falling apart." It's about how "evil" a few companies, like BVUSA, are. We all understand how expensive it is; but money should be nothing to a true anime fan. When nothing changes except for the costumes, then it becomes a problem. And some titles tend to bomb when more people hate it than like it. (One's self-denial and one's wallet, Zac.) |
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vega427
 Posts: 80 Location: lansing, MI |
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$250 for five volumes? For sub only? Screw that! Are they trying to price themselves out of business? I don't care how good it may be(I don't actually know anything about it) I can't see it being worth that kind of money.
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BluMeino
Posts: 65 |
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Yeah, even if I regret the fact that I may be paying for a dub when I buy a DVD, it's at least nice to know it's on there in case I may for whatever reason choose to watch it. And at those prices, it better damn have every capability available compared to say Media Blasters or Anime Works who can keep lower prices without dubs. |
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Emerje
 Posts: 7371 Location: Maine |
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They think they can give us a high price because of a couple extras in the DVD case, but for what they save in being sub only (no dub cast, production staff, ADR, or expensive facilities) they should be able to offer those things for free. Taking popular titles and treating them like niche products is nothing more than greedy IMO.
Emerje |
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loka
 Posts: 373 Location: Pittsburgh, PA |
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i like everything BVUSA licenses. if they were priced 'normally', i would be buying everything they put out. but as it stands, i have not, and will not, pay their prices.
it's hard for me to believe that they wouldnt make more profit by lowering their prices. |
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