"...Anime News Network website that says that Japan's Bandai Channel and North America's Bandai Entertainment are going to provide downloadable anime through Amazon Unbox."
(I took this from the Kanameiji yahoo group e-mail).
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"I believe in dragons, faeries, good men, and other fantasy creatures."
... Considering that the only reason to buy licensed anime is for the box art I see no reason to offer downloadable anime. Even the fact that theres an english dub doesnt matter anymore as I can download that for free anyway.
I'd rather buy my anime, actually. I feel that since I watch so much of it, why not support the genre and buy it? I mean, I pay for cable that I don't even watch becasue I hate american TV...why woulnd' t I pay for anime that I watch over and over and over?
I think it's becoming a matter of preference. If you want a legal copy of something, and you want the DVD with artwork, then hell, they've had that for years. But as people have been moving towards computerscomputerscomputers all day every day all the time, I think they're trying to service people like me...who move every three months because of school and have a crappy lap top that may/may not have a working DVD drive. ;)
I think it's an interesting idea in concept, but I've heard in practice it's terrible and not effective.
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"I believe in dragons, faeries, good men, and other fantasy creatures."
Ashley wrote: I'd rather buy my anime, actually. I feel that since I watch so much of it, why not support the genre and buy it? I mean, I pay for cable that I don't even watch becasue I hate american TV...why woulnd' t I pay for anime that I watch over and over and over?
I think it's becoming a matter of preference. If you want a legal copy of something, and you want the DVD with artwork, then hell, they've had that for years. But as people have been moving towards computerscomputerscomputers all day every day all the time, I think they're trying to service people like me...who move every three months because of school and have a crappy lap top that may/may not have a working DVD drive. ;)
I think it's an interesting idea in concept, but I've heard in practice it's terrible and not effective.
Well what I'm referring to IS the practice. Any time when their is a downloadable AND a physical dvd, etc. version of anime, hentai, or games, chances are that if you are going to buy it then you will buy the physical form that you can hold in your hands. Downloadable anime (at least to AMERICAN CONSUMERS) sounds like a joke, however if they wanted to make it like an online rental store then that may be a good idea. I'm assuming from what you said that this is like Japan where they sell physical and digital games and such where you have the option of one or the other.
As for me I prefer to BUY anime as well, when I have the money for it, and considering the size of my archives, I really think I can afford to download in bulk at the moment....
Now if we want to talk about the hentai market.... well that's another story.
I'm not too familiar with their Unbox thing, but I am sure they do something with the video files where they aren't as easily manipulative as video files youd ownload or buy elsewhere. My Shoppe sells nothing but either dual language or str8-up Japanese original w/translastion and for a better price than this unbox stuff.
There are certain things that I wll buy originals of to support the group/genre (such as Max CDs, or SailorMoon soundtracks). Otherwise, people are smart enough to go to know where they kno its cheap, or buy a better copy w/nice CD/DVD artwork. I guess it's all a matter of preference.
Actually, I was referring to the fact that in the future, it might be more conveinient to buy a download of an anime. Perhaps they will offer some kind of bonus with it. I have no idea. Right now I find myself in a rut. I just got through disk 8 of Kyo Kara Maoh. I REALLY like the DVD version way way waaaay better than any fan sub I've found thus far but now...now I am out of DVDs! The newest (9th) DVD just came out, and if I order it now I can get it in two-three days. However, if there were a downloadable, purchasable version, I might just be swayed to get that. It's a really good series and I want it right away.
Now, I know that won't hold true for everyone, but for some people, downloadable anime might just be worth it, with or without the cover art. I have a rather sizable collection of a verity of media at this point and I'm interested to see where they go with this idea.
And yes, I do prefer to buy my anime when I can afford it. I'm not really sure where you were going with some of your points.
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"I believe in dragons, faeries, good men, and other fantasy creatures."
I'm personally a bit torn on the issue of legally downloadable media. Most of the anime I have now is digital (in the form of fansubs) because it's very convenient (and moreso because it was free). Legal digital copies would seem to be just as convenient, but it has a few pitfalls, like DRM.
If they are offering legal video downloads then I'm sure there is SOME kind of Digital Rights Management involved, and until that whole sticky issue is resolved or abandoned, I'm very wary of buying ANY legal digital media. I don't want to buy (or rather "buy a licence for") some digital file that might not play for me anymore if I upgrade my computer too many times, or get the new version of Windows, or won't play on a TV I get next year, or ect. There are still too many uncertainties built in to "protected" files that I just don't want to deal with. So yeah, that's my personal canned "why I won't pay for files/why DRM sucks" speech.
Anyway, if they offer an affordable rental type service instead (pay per view type or something like a legal version of youtube) I think that on the other hand would be awesome. Being able to watch a few episodes of anime for a few bucks would be a great way to decide which series are worth seeing while still feeling like I'm supporting the industry.
So in spite of being a technophile I'd have to say I still prefer physical DVDs when I'm actually going to *buy* something. At least for the time being.
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Health on a gay ardvark therefore resulting in maroon dumpling olive shrub kangroos
No matter how everyone gets their anime, from an online shop or downloading, I just hope that the industry doesn't forget who really made anime catch on here for the more casual fan (people who don't know Japanese as well), and those are the hardcore fans, and old-school (and current) fansubbers who make it readily available for everyone and put the awareness out there.
Dchan wrote: No matter how everyone gets their anime, from an online shop or downloading, I just hope that the industry doesn't forget who really made anime catch on here for the more casual fan (people who don't know Japanese as well), and those are the hardcore fans, and old-school (and current) fansubbers who make it readily available for everyone and put the awareness out there.
Actually some companies have begun using fansubbers as guinea pigs to determine what series to bring over.
YEAH, I'm def glad to kno that. But my friend had given me a letter her local Anime store in Canada had sent out to her from Bandai, about them stopping the "piracy" of fansubbing of any titles they own period, whether they arare broadcast or not.
Speaking of which, where do you guys, the WCU Anime Club, get a lot of your titles from? Spronsorships, or personal collections? (just curious ^_^)
We have a section in the library for anime that can be checked out from the school. Other than that, we use whatever members have on hand. So...personal collections, and my netflix account. ;) And of course, the traditional "download-it-before-it's-liscenced" method often works, too.
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"I believe in dragons, faeries, good men, and other fantasy creatures."
how was the anime unboxed thing/idea even born anyway? whose idea was it to create a video cart thing like that online? ive heard mixed reviews about it from other people....
... Considering that the only reason to buy licensed anime is for the box art I see no reason to offer downloadable anime. Even the fact that theres an english dub doesnt matter anymore as I can download that for free anyway.
