So I need a blog for putting down my thoughts on anime-related issues, because well, not that I think the local economy is in such bad shape, but my wallet certainly is, which is why I can't afford web hosting anymore. AnimeVice came across my mind because I've been following Gia's video blogs for a while now. I was previously under the impression that AnimeVice is bound to fail at some point, but I guess its main focus isn't to sell ads, it's to demonstrate the software behind it? Oh, I sure hope we won't be asked to move our blog posts elsewhere too soon.
My name is Miha, by the way, I'm a semi-retired otaku in the process of going casual. I used to be a fansubber, I used to spend a lot of money on my hobby, but now I'm just downloading stuff or streaming it for free. I'm trying to redesign my life, but I definitely want to keep anime as part of it. What prompted me to open this blog was the recent announcement regarding One Piece online simulcasts. Funimation accomplished an amazing feat, but I can't help but be irrationally angry at the fact that it's planned as a North-American release only. I live in Slovenia, so obviously we won't be able to follow it via official means, but you'd think that with Crunchyroll trying to push for international streaming rights Funimation were at least try to do the same with some of their titles. It's a regional licensing issue that rests to be resolved by the Japanese and their international partners, but my annoyance lies in Funimation's kind of aggressive anti-piracy stance. I'm surprised that I can't find a working torrent of Code Geass S01E01 listed on TokyoTosho; that's how good their IP-enforcement team is. That's not to say that you can't find their pirated properties on the internets. My argument for keeping piracy around is that anime stuff will always sell, the industry just has to find a right way to do it, and suppressing piracy is definitely not the way. By doing that, they are just postponing the inevitable (= people not caring for DVD releases) and spending unneeded resources in the process (= paying guys to take down torrents and streams). Anime fans in my country buy anime stuff--despite the lack of legal anime availability --the only difference is that they have no choice but to rely on fansubs before they decide to buy. It's been this way even before broadband internet, we just got pirated CD copies of Ghibli films before we decided to buy the official DVDs.
Imagine going out on a date with a gorgeous girl, but the date didn't go so well, clearly because she's out of your league. The only thing you have left is the confidence that you too can get girls like that. The only problem is you're not willing to admit to yourself that this girl has had to resolve some issues and will now procede to date people from her own playfield. I think it's the same with anime and the American anime industry. Anime had a lucky shot in North America, NA didn't make the best of it, now the companies involved are expecting it to sell over the capacity of the current market's interest. It's not going to happen, guys.
Miha
My name is Miha, by the way, I'm a semi-retired otaku in the process of going casual. I used to be a fansubber, I used to spend a lot of money on my hobby, but now I'm just downloading stuff or streaming it for free. I'm trying to redesign my life, but I definitely want to keep anime as part of it. What prompted me to open this blog was the recent announcement regarding One Piece online simulcasts. Funimation accomplished an amazing feat, but I can't help but be irrationally angry at the fact that it's planned as a North-American release only. I live in Slovenia, so obviously we won't be able to follow it via official means, but you'd think that with Crunchyroll trying to push for international streaming rights Funimation were at least try to do the same with some of their titles. It's a regional licensing issue that rests to be resolved by the Japanese and their international partners, but my annoyance lies in Funimation's kind of aggressive anti-piracy stance. I'm surprised that I can't find a working torrent of Code Geass S01E01 listed on TokyoTosho; that's how good their IP-enforcement team is. That's not to say that you can't find their pirated properties on the internets. My argument for keeping piracy around is that anime stuff will always sell, the industry just has to find a right way to do it, and suppressing piracy is definitely not the way. By doing that, they are just postponing the inevitable (= people not caring for DVD releases) and spending unneeded resources in the process (= paying guys to take down torrents and streams). Anime fans in my country buy anime stuff--despite the lack of legal anime availability --the only difference is that they have no choice but to rely on fansubs before they decide to buy. It's been this way even before broadband internet, we just got pirated CD copies of Ghibli films before we decided to buy the official DVDs.
Imagine going out on a date with a gorgeous girl, but the date didn't go so well, clearly because she's out of your league. The only thing you have left is the confidence that you too can get girls like that. The only problem is you're not willing to admit to yourself that this girl has had to resolve some issues and will now procede to date people from her own playfield. I think it's the same with anime and the American anime industry. Anime had a lucky shot in North America, NA didn't make the best of it, now the companies involved are expecting it to sell over the capacity of the current market's interest. It's not going to happen, guys.
Miha
