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NEWS: Toei Expands Online Anime Service




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AkiraKaneda



Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 61
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:54 am Reply with quote
I wonder if this could be the future of anime in the United States at some point in time. Could you imagine paying $26 for a 26-episode series? The major issues, of course, would be costs of translation, particularly for dubs, but still...if the downloading community could finally find a legitimate way to experience anime, it could be worth a whole lot of $$$.
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BlaqNumbr9



Joined: 28 Mar 2005
Posts: 155
Location: Bowing before the Master...
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:06 pm Reply with quote
I don't think it's a matter of "if" as it is a matter of "when." Everything is going online now-a-days and companies are charging full steam ahead with downloadable content.

CDs and DVDs will, at some point, go the way of the cassette tape and the 8 track. Games, movies, television shows, music, etc. are all available now and more are on the way everyday.

Better get those external drives ready now...
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tripperdan99



Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 136
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:33 pm Reply with quote
I believe it's also a matter of "when" I've been happy with toonami's Jetstream though you can only watch what's availiable for that month. The concept of an anime warehouse for access would be fantastic.

Being able to purchase, download and have anime via a legitimate Internet channel would be great.
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starcade



Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 204
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:51 pm Reply with quote
AkiraKaneda wrote:
I wonder if this could be the future of anime in the United States at some point in time. Could you imagine paying $26 for a 26-episode series? The major issues, of course, would be costs of translation, particularly for dubs, but still...if the downloading community could finally find a legitimate way to experience anime, it could be worth a whole lot of $$$.


No need to wonder. It almost certainly is.

Once the Japanese companies can figure out a way to properly encrypt the files, translate the words to English _quickly_, and get the resources to counteract fansubbing, this is the future of anime in America.
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Tenchi



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 4555
Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer.
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:53 pm Reply with quote
While commercial downloads of anime (and TV shows and movies in general) may one day be a significant means of distribution, it will never be the sole means of distribution. A lot of us prefer to buy "hard copies" of the things we watch for archival and/or collector's purchases.

Predicting that stores won't sell DVDs, or whatever physical medium comes after DVDs, in the future is like predicting that there won't be stores that sell books on paper, because you can print it out at home and there will probably be technology eventually that'll let you print on hardcovers and do the binding, or because of e-books displaying text on a handheld screen. It may be an alternative to traditional printed books in the future, but it will never replace them as too many people prefer having something tangible, just as some people still buy CDs even in cases when they can legally download the same content.
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starcade



Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 204
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:54 pm Reply with quote
It won't be the sole means, but it may be the means which keeps Japanese companies willing to license the work in America, rather than lose their shirt on fansubs.
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hikura



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 565
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:39 pm Reply with quote
Now if i can get all of the sailor moon epsiodes and even some live action movies(namely gojira(might have spelt it wrong) aka godzilla) i will be extemely happy.
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Ovalshine



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 44
Location: California
PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:44 pm Reply with quote
BlaqNumbr9 wrote:
I don't think it's a matter of "if" as it is a matter of "when." Everything is going online now-a-days and companies are charging full steam ahead with downloadable content.

CDs and DVDs will, at some point, go the way of the cassette tape and the 8 track. Games, movies, television shows, music, etc. are all available now and more are on the way everyday.

Better get those external drives ready now...


Working at an auto auction and working with repos, I can say that cassette tapes aren't quite dead yet.

Aside from that side note, you'd probably be right about CDs and DVDs going the way of the dinosaur, but it won't be by online distribution. Online media does not work well with 50-inch plasma TVs like DVDs can. I don't have such a TV, I'm just illustrating a point.
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AkiraKaneda



Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 61
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:14 am Reply with quote
Actually, I was really bringing out the low price point as the deal maker for anime online in English. The only thing I see keeping the floodgates back on the anime phenomenon in America is that the prices are still too high. If the prices get slashed online, then you have the possibility of anime really taking off beyond its current niche.
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technomike



Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 26
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:12 pm Reply with quote
Ovalshine wrote:
BlaqNumbr9 wrote:
I don't think it's a matter of "if" as it is a matter of "when." Everything is going online now-a-days and companies are charging full steam ahead with downloadable content.

CDs and DVDs will, at some point, go the way of the cassette tape and the 8 track. Games, movies, television shows, music, etc. are all available now and more are on the way everyday.

Better get those external drives ready now...


Working at an auto auction and working with repos, I can say that cassette tapes aren't quite dead yet.

Aside from that side note, you'd probably be right about CDs and DVDs going the way of the dinosaur, but it won't be by online distribution. Online media does not work well with 50-inch plasma TVs like DVDs can. I don't have such a TV, I'm just illustrating a point.


Nor DVDs or CDs are going the way of the dinosaur, because the average consumer does not want to watch TV on a computer because they want overall audio & visual quality. As you’ve said, online media does not work well with a 50-inch plasma.

Online media is just an expansion not a replacement for physical media. Besides, anime is on free and pay TV and DVDs being not as expensive as before... why would anyone pay $26.00 online versus paying the same or cheaper price for a better quality DVD. Moreover, this has been mentioned before, I highly doubt a company can make a profit of $1.00 an episode.

The future is high definition. The problem now is which format will win the war.
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StudioToledo



Joined: 16 Aug 2006
Posts: 847
Location: Toledo, U.S.A.
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:16 am Reply with quote
starcade wrote:
It won't be the sole means, but it may be the means which keeps Japanese companies willing to license the work in America, rather than lose their shirt on fansubs.

Still thought it sucked at how Toei tried bothering to release their own DVDs in a market they didn't fully grasp yet.
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.Sy



Joined: 11 Mar 2005
Posts: 1266
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:46 pm Reply with quote
I think this could bring in a lot of money for Toei, but how much profit is questionable if they decide to make new titles available online for only about a buck each. I would go for it if it were to be available in my region, since an episode (through DVD) here is about five-six dollars.
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Riyousha



Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 817
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:56 pm Reply with quote
So Toei is going to launch a cartoon service online I see. Well I would like to see that online service, too. I hope it's similar to Toonami Jetstream.
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