UK Anime Distributor Anime Limited Discussion Thread

[Rui]

I hope there will be a nice blog post from Jeremy which covers the book and contains lots of explicit photographs showing the quality of the various components. That would help.

R

 

[NoSurprises]

Just throwing my two cents back at ya

it's not about being luke warm to the show, i've never watched any of the shows AL have released and i've bought every one of them, it's about value for money and being priced out of supporting the Ultimate Editions. At best we're likely looking at a situation where the show will be around £70 by launch with pre-order discounts, but when a usual AL pre-order registers in at around £40, that is still a massive difference.

As mentioned, on paper there is nothing here to really distinguish this release from a Collectors Edition other than the larger book and the larger box, and with books being standard in AL sets, some like Blood Lad being around 100 pages, some like space Dandy being closer to 200, you start expecting a decent size book anyway, and with the RRPs of those being £49.99 and £69.99, it becomes hard, as a consumer, to see where the additional value is coming from.

I'm assuming when you say you've never watched an AL licensed show, but you've bought all of them, you mean you didn't watch it before you bought it right? (Just confused as it reads as if you don't watch the show, then buy it, then continue not to watch it?).

I didn't mean to offend or anything with the "luke warm" comment, I think what I was trying to say was; if there isn't the perceived value there for you with the ultimate edition, there is another option.

I think qaiz has put it pretty eloquently by saying that while the book may have the same page count as cheaper editions, the quality of content is a deciding factor. Not to mention the following that the particular series commands, like he said, lot more factors at play than page/episode count when people make their value judgements.

For example; AL could put out a bare bones amaray Katanagatari release and I'd buy it for £100 in a heartbeat (hint!), whereas they could put together an impressive ultimate edition for the Eureka Seven Movie for only £10 and I'd still turn my nose up at it.

I'm not picking holes with your argument or anything! I get that you're concerned that it's too expensive and that's a totally valid response, I'm just trying to explain my thought process of how I think the price is justifiable.

 

[jonno394]

If I'm allowed to think the price is unjustified then it's only fair that I accept some think it is justified. I'm just slightly concerned because I've never once scoffed at an AL price, whereas in social media countless others have, so if I'm doing it for this, it must mean so too are an even larger number then usual, which doesn't bode well. I just hope the rrp of this, or potentially the lack of sales out of the Gate doesn't hurt them too much.

I will most likely order this day one, aprils budget allowing, but that doesn't mean I'll be Happy with what I'm paying and what I'm getting in return. The completionist in me means I HAVE to get the best version available, I'm just currently disappointed that it's come with this price tag. Truth being told, i wouldn't even entertain the thought of buying a standard edition, I just don't think this is worth the price of entry.

Oh and yes I meant I hadn't watched them before buying them, I have since

 

[NoSurprises]

If I'm allowed to think the price is unjustified then it's only fair that I accept some think it is justified. I'm just slightly concerned because I've never once scoffed at an AL price, whereas in social media countless others have, so if I'm doing it for this, it must mean so too are an even larger number then usual, which doesn't bode well. I just hope the rrp of this, or potentially the lack of sales out of the Gate doesn't hurt them too much.

I will most likely order this day one, aprils budget allowing, but that doesn't mean I'll be Happy with what I'm paying and what I'm getting in return. The completionist in me means I HAVE to get the best version available, I'm just currently disappointed that it's come with this price tag. Truth being told, i wouldn't even entertain the thought of buying a standard edition, I just don't think this is worth the price of entry.

Oh and yes I meant I hadn't watched them before buying them, I have since

It's cool that you see both sides of the argument (that never happens with people on the internet!). Hopefully AL can convince you that what you're paying is justifiable given the contents of the book/discs and the quality of the series/package itself when they release a little more info about it, fingers crossed the price drops a bit more before launch too.

If you're still skeptical at release, I'd suggest sticking with your guns and voting with your wallet by not buying it on release, and waiting for further reductions later (assuming it doesn't sell out!), even if the collector in you hates you for it!

 

[Smeelia]

Some interesting discussion on the Terror in Resonance set. It does seem like there's a reasonable explanation for the cost, although I have to admit I'm more hesitant than usual to go with a blind-buy (on the plus side, I should be able to watch it on Netflix). I suspect it might be a show where I'd have to settle for the standard version, which is something I really should be doing more often anyway. At least they're going to be doing a standard release, which is something I do like about Anime Limited (even if I rarely end up getting those).

I wonder if it could benefit from some export sales for people that really want the translated book. It kind of sounds like the book might have cost a little more to make than would be ideal so it's interesting that they still went with it. Knowing that how much the staff at Anime Limited like something could have a direct impact on it's release, there are a few series that I'm really hoping they're fans of (don't worry, I'll resist the urge to list them all again).

It's good that they're having another sale, although thinking about it I'm not really sure there's anything I'd be likely to get. I'd say that's more because I have most of their releases than because there's not much I'd want.

I notice that Samurai Flamenco is on the shop site now. I was kind of hoping it'd be a bit lower in price (at least along the lines of Ping Pong) but at least it's available. To be fair, I haven't decided if I want to buy it right away anyway and I'm not sure a lower price would have made a huge difference since that has more to do with my budget than anything else.

 

[jonno394]

Yeah I've been waiting for Samurai Flamenco to go up for some time but as it's the same price as my amazon pre-order I'll just keep it locked on over there.

Looking at the AL catalogue, there's only the Gundam Origin stuff I have yet to pick up, and seeing as they're Bandai imports I imagine the chances volume 1 is included in the 12 days of Christmas sales are about 0%

 

[mrclt1994]

If they AL do put out a Standard Edition BD, will it also have the same on-disc extras?

 

[jonno394]

If they AL do put out a Standard Edition BD, will it also have the same on-disc extras?

I'd imagine so. Only difference should be the missing artbox and book. You'll probably get the exact same Amaray packaging if you buy SE seeing as that's what AL use in the Ultimate editions now :lol:

 

[Yami]

I loved Terror in Resonance, but at that price I'm content on waiting for a standard edition. They can be a nice touch, but I don't value art books that highly.

 

[mrclt1994]

If AL do put out a Standard Edition BD, will it also have the same on-disc extras?

I'd imagine so. Only difference should be the missing artbox and book. You'll probably get the exact same Amaray packaging if you buy SE seeing as that's what AL use in the Ultimate editions now :lol:

So i guess the part in their newswire about justifying their high price for the UE set with the on-disc extras in addition to the book is pointless then? (assuming the SE will also include the on-disc extras). Basically all you get for the higher price is an oversized box and a 100 page book.

 

[Morbo]

Hmmm, am I going to have to start getting up early to make sure I don't miss some deals?

Oh god I remember the days when 9am was early... I'll be a good hour into my working day by the time the deals arrive. I'm not envious... honest :cry:

Luckily it means I hopefully wont miss any I want due to infinite freedom on the works internet :thumb:

 

[IncendiaryLemon]

Hmmm, am I going to have to start getting up early to make sure I don't miss some deals?

Oh god I remember the days when 9am was early... I'll be a good hour into my working day by the time the deals arrive. I'm not envious... honest :cry:

Luckily it means I hopefully wont miss any I want due to infinite freedom on the works internet :thumb:

You get up early because you have a job, meaning you can actually afford all the deals. It's swings and roundabouts

 

[Jatz]

Hmmm, am I going to have to start getting up early to make sure I don't miss some deals?

Oh god I remember the days when 9am was early... I'll be a good hour into my working day by the time the deals arrive. I'm not envious... honest :cry:

Luckily it means I hopefully wont miss any I want due to infinite freedom on the works internet :thumb:

Same boat as you. Have money saved up for their sale.

 

[ilmaestro]

I'm not accusing anyone of having their panties in a twist because of that and am sorry if I gave that impression! Being half way to Tokyo and been awake for ages probably doesn't make me the most eloquent I've ever been - I'm suggesting that people are jumping to assumptions that there won't be a standard edition too of the BD .

This thread truly became Terror en route from Tokyo.

That is insane. That is going to sell very poorly unless that price gets a serious deduction. Giving TIR an ultimate edition always seemed like an odd choice to me. It's not some really well known, fan favourite show like Gurren Lagann

Watanabe Shin'ichiro. Yoko Kanno. Short of coming with a boxed copy of Heston Blumenthal to cook you dinner to go with your viewing, I'm not sure how much more recognition a show could have.

****. If AoL are listing it with a £99.99rrp then that's pretty much confirmed and you're looking at around £70 on Amazon in the long run, with their preorders usually chopping 30% off the rrp, if that.

Absolutely ridiculous pricing for an 11 episode show. I've usually been a strong supporter of AL releases and operating, but even I've got a limit!

As prices get higher and higher I do feel like I'm just wasting my money on this hobby and find it harder to justify. Sad times.

I always compare to JP and think we are still getting it very cheap

Or, you know, the UK market back in the days of singles. I think this view so many people seem to take of price being relative to runtime is absolutely hideous - are they buying a creative work, or a bag of chips?

 

[anime_andrew]

Goddammit. I was also holding out until later too...

Don't worry too much - Amazon will still have units with the box left through to Christmas or end of January at the very least as they always stock up to last there, so it's not a panic buy but it is out of the warehouse now and further print runs won't have the box.

AP

 

[anime_andrew]

I think this is where the AL staff's passion for anime shows it's downside.
As Andrew has said, they wanted to make the best release they could because they enjoyed the series but from a business perspective; will an ultimate edition that is being called too expensive, be profitable in a market (anime) that's pretty tough to survive in?

Art wise the series never ventures into anything unusual, it's just set in Japan with normal people so I don't think the series had enough personality for an art book to be that desirable. That's my personal opinion though and I didn't enjoy the series enough to pick it up at any price so feel free to disregard.

From a business perspective - we design the price point around the best possible chances of recoupment. Sometimes that takes longer than others and the actual profit to re-invest in future works is lower or virtually none in the short to mid term but by and large all our products make their production costs back pretty quickly. Without digging in too deeply (just due to time constraints) I can say that there have been products that we've been railed at for pricing or something else that if we'd not put it there, we'd have lost money and because we did - we have not.

From what I have seen of how people reacted to TiR too - there are folks who love it, folks who are eh on it and folks who really didn't like it. If you break it down on that side, there are actually more people who will either go for an Ultimate or go for a Standard than go for the middle point of a stereotypical AL Collector's.

So until sales come in, I can't be sure how sales will pan out for TiR Ultimate - but my suspicion says better than Giovanni's Island's Ultimate but by no means a blockbuster hit. I'm confident though that we'd have done no better (perhaps in terms of actual sales vs break even actually done worse).

Not really a point either way there but figured folks would be interested in the mindset .

AP

 

[anime_andrew]

Glad I got my Mobile Suit Gundam BD set at MCM London - I had never watched the original series and had picked up both MSG The Origin sets (had the second on pre-order at that time) so was glad it was coming to BD. It's sad that some of the other classics in the franchise won't be seeing BD releases, at present time anyway, as it would be great to have a BD collection of all MSG series.

It is a shame on that frontier as my personal choice if we'd licensed direct would be a BD collection of all MSG from a fan of Gundam's point of view too! At the end of the day though it's more a partnership than anything so while we can make our views clear, we certainly can't force anyone to do anything and cost-wise there's a lot involved in doing it but what I do know is all people involved in bringing MS Gundam out in English do want to bring as many as they can to BD that makes commercial sense .

Plenty of series coming up for BD in the Gundam world though so it could be worse !

Also, am glad you have picked up the original series and it's well worth the watch!

AP

 

[anime_andrew]

how dos andrew feel about the older lupin the 3rd stuff ? ie season 1 ? ( which dos not have a blu ray release in the west) or a full dvd relase of season 2 ?

I really love it and would love to do Season 1 on BD.

Who knows what the future holds, eh ?

AP

 

[anime_andrew]

Ha there are a lot of jimmies being rustled here.

I'll have to monitor the price of Terror In Resonance on Zavvi before I commit. I struggling to justify that much money spent on 11 episodes. If by any chance Zavvi pull a FMP and drop the price to below half then I'll probably jump on it. But until then...

Absolutely fair POV! I'd keep an eye on the Anime Ltd store during the sale too, I may mix in one or two special offers for direct pre-orders too .

Andrew

 

[jonno394]

Just noticed that gundam the origin was on sale via right stuff so maybe AL will be able to discount it too

Or, you know, the UK market back in the days of singles. I think this view so many people seem to take of price being relative to runtime is absolutely hideous - are they buying a creative work, or a bag of chips?

As mentioned before, a lot of it is comparing what this set is with what anime limited usually put out and not perceiving much difference in value. Exactly what is hideous about that?

The UK singles market was long enough ago for many to have forgotten and for many to have never experienced, plus the argument of "back in my day" isn't really a good enough one to justify any price now imo.

If you're happy with a price then great Just accept that others aren't. I've moved on from it all. Pre order made, still think it stinks but whatever, I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford it and dumb enough to actually pay the price of asking. I hope when I get the set in hand and watch the show then read the book I'm proven wrong about its value!