Forum - View topicBandai visual anime pricing?
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Dragon King
Posts: 14 Location: Adrian Michigan |
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I was just wondering if any of you think that bandai visual new dvd pricing for 39.99$ for an anime dvd will be a future trend in the anime market.
I hope it does not because it only has three episodes per disc and lacks extrages and an english dub. |
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LydiaDianne
 Posts: 5634 Location: Southern California |
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And which Anime DVD are you talking about? |
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Nagisa
Moderator
 Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Bandai Visual are, frankly, out of their minds. What they're attempting to do is bring the Japanese DVD release strategy (very few episodes, VERY expensive price tag) to a market used to much more humane treatment (average five episodes per volume with multiple language options at around $25), all while claiming that their releases are of the "highest quality" and are "made to appeal to a specific demographic."
But there's a problem. While they nailed the first two Patlabor movies perfectly, they've bombed on everything else they've released. Unannounced edits to the original material, a lack of English dubbing, few if any extras, all resulting in a product that does not justify paying $40 for two episodes. And as far as appealing to that "specific demographic," well...I am part of that demographic, being a person who has longed to add things like the Patlabor movies and both Top wo Nerae! OVAs to my DVD collection. And I can tell you that I wouldn't touch these releases with a fifty-foot pole. They're way too expensive for essentially being shoddy, threadbare, budget DVDs, and I'm one of the few people in this demographic that even BUYS DVDs at all. So I can't really see Bandai Visual cornering their target market with this strategy. Long story short, to answer your question, I do not see this becoming a trend. I see five episodes per volume at well under $30 each remaining the standard for the North American market, as we're simply too used to it, and see the sort of crap Bandai Visual's pulling as a cheap screw job. On the contrary, I see Bandai Visual suffering dearly for their practices (the upcoming first volume of Galaxy Angel Rune is one episode—one twenty-three minute episode—for $20), and quite likely going the way of Toei's own attempt at Region 1 DVDs much sooner than later. |
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Deltakiral
 Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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That's an interesting point seeing as how there are lots of people who frankly won't buy DVDs because US companies don't have this or that. And as someone who tries to support this Industry by buying dvds filling out the customers survey, I want the market to increase so that more new licenses are picked up, but BV is looking at this the wrong way. I'm completely with you here Nagisa, this pricing plan is by the far the most insane plan ever. I know people are going to reference Hellsing (OVA) but lets face the facts people. Hellsing is HUGE compared to any title being released by BV, yes Patalabor and Gunbuster are extremely important anime but the casual fan (who really drive the sales) isn't going to care all that much. That said I just think that the people who want these titles are willing to pay a little extra because they know the title is niche......but these prices just don't justify what I am getting in return. It's really a great case in point in how Japanese business thinks compared to the US, and it's sad because I want a lot of the titles but I am probably just going to rent them.....  Why Bandai Visual why?
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Nagisa
Moderator
Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Hellsing Ultimate also comes with a dub, the super expensive version is loaded to the back teeth with extras, and it has the excuse of being a currently ongoing series that will take a very, very long time to produce (and would thus take the better part of a decade to get here were Geneon to wait for it to be completed). Nothing Bandai Visual offers short of the Patlabor movies can make the same boasts. |
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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 Maybe the other Bandai will liscense it.)
The price wouldn't be so bad if they were providing the things fans want. I'd much rather pay more for a decently released niche title than have cheap DVDs that lack the things I want, but who in their right mind would buy an expensive DVD that's more bare-bones than some hentai releases? I know they want to turn a profit, but I'm thinking they might want to take a few classes in basic econimics. You can't charge the price for diamonds and give people cubic zirconium. You won't get any repeat customers doing that. |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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That's because the insane priced releases haven't come out yet. So far they've released the Patlabor movies and Gunbuster. Gunbuster had a music edit, but the price wasn't that bad (it was like buying two 3 episode DVDs). But they have proven that they are a bunch of F***ing morons with there new pricing strategy. And rather than test out one or two, they are releasing about 5 different series with absured price tags for 1-2 episodes per disc. And only Gunbuster 2 has much of a fanbase or selling power. And unless its changed, $40 is the cheap end. Some of these releases will be $50 or even $60 per disc. Only Freedom can excuse the 1 episode per disc since it is still coming out in Japan, but it can't justify their price tag. What they are doing with Galaxy Angel Rune is laughable. Galaxy Angel doesn't appear to have done very well in the U.S. and GAR isn't exactly well liked among GA fans. It seems that few would bother getting it at regular price, nevermind BV's absurd prices. |
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I completely agree with this. I love the Patlabor films release. The gorgeous shiny boxes, square bound bonus book, completely translated storyboard book, and bonus DVD make this well worth the $80 that Bandai Visual charged for it. On the other hand paying $80 for 4 sub only episodes that come with a 16 page book really seems absurd for a R1 release. I was really excited with the first couple of Honneamise releases especially since they had a bare bones version for those who didn't want to get the LE version. The 2007 price lineup is a big mistake, especially since companies like Manga and Bandai are having an increasing amount of $25 MSRP and under new releases often with five episodes. I hope BV will go back to their initial strategy and release LE versions (alongside with standard editions) complete with interviews, bonus discs and nice square bound 150 paged books. |
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mdauben
 Posts: 24 |
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I think that this is in some ways just a test, to see if the market will indeed support these sort of high-priced, low-value "niche" releases. I fully expect them to bomb utterly, and they hopefully they will revert to a more sane pricing policy. |
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Deltakiral
Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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Wasn't Patlabor (1 and 2) the test products? The first Patlabor dvd came out last April and the second dvd came out in July.....does Bandai think based off those two dvds they can enter the market with inferior products and jack the price up....I mean hell Gunbuster 2 is going to cost $120! I wonder if after the bomb if BV will let someone take over (Toei style) or if there going to complete pull out of the market. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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I could see that type of anime pricing becoming a trend... in the next generation format with whatever works over here (HD-DVD or Blu Ray), which won't be for a good amount of time. For DVDs? I don't get into fits of RIGHTEOUS RAGE AND CURSING like a lot of folks have at BV USA for their "marketing strategy," but that sure as heck ain't going to follow through in North America, nor do I agree with it.
Uh, I think it's because of how the first two Patlabor releases went, in addition to perhaps Gunbuster, that they pushed up pricing and closed the lid on opening up any English dubs. And inferior products? I wouldn't describe BV USA's releases as that if you're solely talking about presentation, not the actual quality of the anime itself. They're putting a good number of extras on their upcoming DVDs, and the Gunbuster set didn't really have anything really vital missing from the original R2 one that I know of, unless you're some sort of completionist or crazy Gunbuster fanatic. Now, if you're going on about a lack of English dub, that's another matter on the "inferior products" that they put out.
Or else they could always, yanno, change their prices to more expected and reasonable ones in the R1 market. I can understand the outrage that people have with the prices, but what I don't understand is why a lot of these people want BV USA to pack their bags completely. Have them changed for the better so we can continue to get some shows we wouldn't otherwise. Right now I'm just picking up Gunbuster 2 as it comes out, and dearly hope that the DVD release of The Wings of Honneamise is formatted in the way that Freedom is; then just sit back and wonder if BV USA will bother to adjust to the actual state of the market. |
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Deltakiral
Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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When I meant inferior I was referring to the video or audio quality which have been top notch. I merely meant that the Patlabor release (the SE) had a ton of extras on it, and with the new releases it looks like BV is only putting a 24 page booklet (doesn't appear to be like the GB release) and saying there your extras be happy with that. I am really hoping that the Freedom dvds are worth it, basically it the one release I really want. That and I would like to have an HD-DVD cut of the movie, and also the trailer looked really nice...so that is the one releases I might get if Rightstuf has a sale. |
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digitalkikka
 Posts: 462 Location: Chicago, Illinois |
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The prices are definitely extreme and to make it worse, they're releasing anime I actually want. I would love to own Wings of Rean, Diebuster, and Freedom but these prices will probably prevent me from adding them to my collection. Being a Demon Prince Enma fan I didn't mind paying $20 to pre-order the first volume but this will most likely be their only release to end up on my shelves (well, until there's a very nice sale).
I can't imagine this would become a trend. Bandai Visual is doing its own thing and I doubt a company like ADV or FUNi would increase their prices because of this. Bandai Visual USA doesn't seem to understand the market and I'm guessing they won't be around for long unless they make some changes. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18386 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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"Ask John" has some very interesting things to say about this exact issue in Friday's column over at AnimeNation.
Definitely worth reading if you have any opinion on this subject. |
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Asako
 Posts: 751 Location: Hawaii |
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I was wondering...
What do companies pay to obtain licenses to anime? Could this be influencing the price of the dvds? If I recall, Viz had to merge with another company just to license Naruto because of the price (or so I heard from a friend). So does this have a great impact on the prices they put on the products they release? I'm sure, after a while, companies in Japan wised up and probably asked for more money for the licenses. But this might influence Bandai Visual as far as prices go. Since Bandai Visual Japan and Bandai Visual US seems to be the same. Do they still do licensing negotiations? I'd imagine they do, but maybe not so demanding. So if they're not receiving a lot of money out of the license itself, maybe a portion of the sales? So, how does Bandai Visual US make money? They might have to push up the price. But this is total speculation... my mind just kinda runs once it starts thinking, and I start asking more questions  I wish there was a way to find all this out... but there is a company privacy thing.
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