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NEWS: Japan's Video, Anime Sales Drop Further in 2009's 1st Half


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pparker



Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Posts: 1185
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:52 pm Reply with quote
Bet Kadokawa is regretting that Endless Eight debacle more now. Their latest comment was apparently “Well… All that can be said is that it would be nice if they sell, wouldn’t it?”. Shouldn't get their hopes up for breaking records with 4 discs of 2 of the same episodes. The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon Wink.

The BD numbers are interesting. Anime is carrying the flag. And since each unit is higher priced, could help turn revenue around, or at least slow losses, in the second half.
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megumi's guy



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 67
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:53 pm Reply with quote
Since DVDs in Japan are usually in the $50-60 range I'm not really surprised.
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Lemoncookies23



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 355
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:01 pm Reply with quote
pparker wrote:
The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon


What do you mean?
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pparker



Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Posts: 1185
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:08 pm Reply with quote
JairStout wrote:
pparker wrote:
The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon


What do you mean?

The Haruhi Endless Eight arc, with 8 eps of essentially the same episode over and over, caused quite a backlash amongst hardcore fans wanting to see more of the manga animated in season two. Kadokawa says they are going ahead with standard Japanese DVD volumes, meaning 2 eps per disc. So Japanese fans have to buy 4 separate discs if they want the complete series. To be seen if they will buy all, or will only buy some of them (Vol. 1 and 4 of the arc, for instance), or if any significant number truly abandoned the franchise entirely (having already mutilated their Haruhi figures Wink)
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Lemoncookies23



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 355
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:14 pm Reply with quote
pparker wrote:
JairStout wrote:
pparker wrote:
The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon


What do you mean?

The Haruhi Endless Eight arc, with 8 eps of essentially the same episode over and over, caused quite a backlash amongst hardcore fans wanting to see more of the manga animated in season two. Kadokawa says they are going ahead with standard Japanese DVD volumes, meaning 2 eps per disc. So Japanese fans have to buy 4 separate discs if they want the complete series. To be seen if they will buy all, or will only buy some of them (Vol. 1 and 4 of the arc, for instance), or if any significant number truly abandoned the franchise entirely (having already mutilated their Haruhi figures Wink)


Ah, I see. I can certainly see why some may be at the breaking point! Is KyoAni exempt from blame or has this been mostly Kadokawa's shenanigans? I don't think it would be all that hard to animate a legitimate, standard second season....
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Vent



Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 322
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:04 pm Reply with quote
pparker wrote:
JairStout wrote:
pparker wrote:
The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon


What do you mean?

The Haruhi Endless Eight arc, with 8 eps of essentially the same episode over and over, caused quite a backlash amongst hardcore fans wanting to see more of the manga animated in season two. Kadokawa says they are going ahead with standard Japanese DVD volumes, meaning 2 eps per disc. So Japanese fans have to buy 4 separate discs if they want the complete series. To be seen if they will buy all, or will only buy some of them (Vol. 1 and 4 of the arc, for instance), or if any significant number truly abandoned the franchise entirely (having already mutilated their Haruhi figures Wink)


Yes, truly that's the only thing that matters here. Not the declining sales all the way around and how much trouble the anime industry is in, it's a thing that isn't even out yet.
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:35 pm Reply with quote
pparker wrote:
... wanting to see more of the manga animated in season two.

Light novel.
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child of Lilith



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 137
Location: Egg of Lilith ( the black moon)
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:40 pm Reply with quote
It doesn’t really surprise me their going with a standard release, Japans not very big on change, even when what their doing is clearly failing. I really hope this comes back to bite them on the ass, then maybe the industry as a whole will realize they’ve got to make some serious changes to how they are marketing and distributing their products, because short of completely going broke, I can see any other way for them to finally get of their collective ass and do something about the tanking anime industry.
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 7584
Location: Wales
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:52 pm Reply with quote
Today I learned a new word:

bellwether: From bell + wether, originally a sheep with a bell around its neck, that led a flock. A ewe may fill the role, but the word wether is specific to a castrated male sheep.

So.. are Otaku the wether, as they are unlikely ever to have children, or the sheep who follow blindly behind?
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samuelp
Industry Insider


Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 2248
Location: San Antonio, USA
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:32 pm Reply with quote
Shiroi Hane wrote:
Today I learned a new word:

bellwether: From bell + wether, originally a sheep with a bell around its neck, that led a flock. A ewe may fill the role, but the word wether is specific to a castrated male sheep.

So.. are Otaku the wether, as they are unlikely ever to have children, or the sheep who follow blindly behind?


More like a canary with asthma.
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pparker



Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Posts: 1185
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:22 pm Reply with quote
Vent wrote:
Yes, truly that's the only thing that matters here. Not the declining sales all the way around and how much trouble the anime industry is in, it's a thing that isn't even out yet.

Ehhh, just a joke. Noticed Kadokawa's comment yesterday, first time they've admitted any negativity associated with Endless, and I've been following the Haruhi Endless drama with amusement. Though I was disappointed as well. I'm aware of the bigger issue.

I'm still most interested in the BD sales figures. It's a bright spot, say, if re-releases in BD would sell well. Who knows when number of units is going to bottom out and stabilize, but maybe the BDs will make up for fewer sales with higher revenue, and hopefully profit.

Plus this problem has been discussed to death. And I don't have an answer, nor have I heard one. I buy a lot of DVDs, or did until recently when there's less R1 to buy and less that interests me. Maybe that's the case generally in the market. Or that the bubble hasn't finished deflating. Or that the younger digital generations are comfortable with lower-quality streaming as an alternative, so aren't buying DVDs. Or fansubs won the war. Or, or...

I don't know myself. But more importantly, I hope the people who should know are getting a handle on it.

JairStout wrote:
Ah, I see. I can certainly see why some may be at the breaking point! Is KyoAni exempt from blame or has this been mostly Kadokawa's shenanigans? I don't think it would be all that hard to animate a legitimate, standard second season....

We'll never know who mentioned it first in a meeting, but Kadokawa would have the final decision. It's one of those ideas that could sound really brilliant in the bar after a few drinks, but should have died along with the brain cells.
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mglittlerobin



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 1071
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:56 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if someone from Japan can answer the question of if they import anime from America, 'cause it's WAY cheaper over here than over there, all they'd need is a region free player and to be able to read the English menu and set it in Japanese and turn off the subs, even though they DO get stuff sooner than we do.
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edzieba



Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 704
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:07 am Reply with quote
mglittlerobin wrote:
I wonder if someone from Japan can answer the question of if they import anime from America, 'cause it's WAY cheaper over here than over there, all they'd need is a region free player and to be able to read the English menu and set it in Japanese and turn off the subs, even though they DO get stuff sooner than we do.
"Fear of reverse importation" is the oft-cited reason for the delays between domestic and licensed overseas releases. The huge leap in BD sales puts yet another a spanner in that: R2J DVDs have fewer episodes per disc, and a comparatively higher cost, but alos have a much higher bitrate per episode. Comparing a 6-episode R1 disc to a 2-episode R2J disc, the R2J will have much higher picture quality (ignoring any IVTC-fail and the like that plague R1 discs). Think normal single-layer DVD vs. the rarely seen double-layer Superbit DVDs.
That only goes for those who desire to buy the best quality. For those who don't care, they'll just download it from share/winny/PD like usual.
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:00 am Reply with quote
JairStout wrote:
pparker wrote:
JairStout wrote:
pparker wrote:
The true test of the otaku fan factor is coming up soon


What do you mean?

The Haruhi Endless Eight arc, with 8 eps of essentially the same episode over and over, caused quite a backlash amongst hardcore fans wanting to see more of the manga animated in season two. Kadokawa says they are going ahead with standard Japanese DVD volumes, meaning 2 eps per disc. So Japanese fans have to buy 4 separate discs if they want the complete series. To be seen if they will buy all, or will only buy some of them (Vol. 1 and 4 of the arc, for instance), or if any significant number truly abandoned the franchise entirely (having already mutilated their Haruhi figures Wink)


Ah, I see. I can certainly see why some may be at the breaking point! Is KyoAni exempt from blame or has this been mostly Kadokawa's shenanigans? I don't think it would be all that hard to animate a legitimate, standard second season....


Most likely Kyoto Animation's idea. Basically they where trying to be cute, and make fans go 'Endless Eight lasted eight episodes? GENIUS!"
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:34 am Reply with quote
edzieba wrote:
That only goes for those who desire to buy the best quality. For those who don't care, they'll just download it from share/winny/PD like usual.

This means that Japanese viewers unwilling to pay for their domestic releases are far more likely to download than they are to wait for the chance to reverse-import, does it not?
I'd like to assume the companies involved are aware of this trend and might start to reconsider their foreign business strategies, but my pessimism gets the better of me.
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