Infamous anime streaming hub Crunchyroll gets big investment

Paul

Paul

Ghost of Animes
Administrator
In news that essentially flys against everything that the US (and by extension, the UK) anime industry has been fighting against for several years now, the video-streaming site <a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com">Crunchyroll</a> (much like <a href="http://www.youtube.com">YouTube</a>, but primarily aimed at streaming anime and Asian TV\film), well-known for its unauthorised streaming of illegal anime fansubs, <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-11/video-site-with-unauthorized-anime-gets-us$4m-venture">has secured</a> $4.05 million (roughly &pound;2 million) investment from a company called Venrock.

In the past, Crunchyroll has always removed offending media when requested by copyright holders, like Funimation and Bandai, both of whom <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-12/funimation-responds-to-crunchyroll-us$4m-funding">have since</a> revealed their collective concerns that if sites like Crunchyroll are allowed to continue to stream free anime (let alone gain such massive investment) the impact on the US anime industry can only be negative.
 
fan subs are free advertisement
and the company's that make them say not to distribute it after it's been released.

(of course you can find any anime you want at the click of a button and that's what worrys the companys)
 
This could be a big problem. Fansubs are now only detrimental to foreign (ie not Japanese) anime industries. This kind of investment is most likely only going to make things worse.
 
I hate it when sites stream anime. The visual and audio quality are awful.
Ice Climber said:
Fansubs are now only detrimental to foreign (ie not Japanese) anime industries.
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And how do you figure that? I've seen countless people try to argue against fansubs, but not once has anyone provided proof. The very fact that there are people (like me) who buy the DVDs of fansubs they liked is proof enough that they are beneficial.
 
To be quite honest Youtube is already probably doing more damage. The quality may suck and the episodes may be in pieces but you can watch most animes on there. Even ones released in the US and UK.
 
This is one of the most interesting developments yet; it's a direct challenge against the industry. It's no surprise the likes of FUNi and Bandai have reacted in horror, Crunchyroll's business plan completely cuts them out of the loop. That's the crux of this new digital age, and why the established powers are fighting so much against it, any eventual move to digital distribution destroys their grip on the Japanese content and hands the power of distribution right back over to the Japanese themselves.

Looking at this logically, it could be the beginning of a new era. I felt that when I was writing this news post this morning and reading this latest development, I'm feeling it even more. Reading through those press releases from Funimation and Bandai, it's clear they are completely toothless in stopping sites like Crunchyroll, they simply don't have the resources available to remove every video when a copy is uploaded almost as soon as an offender is taken down. If they aren't going anywhere, the industry has to embrace websites like Crunchyroll before it's left in the dust. This contact with GDH is the first sign of what's to come; it's all down to the Japanese and thankfully, it's looking like we might finally see some real progress.
 
Crunchyroll removes series that are licensed, but mayn, I do hope with this money they're given they'll stop trying to install spyware on my computer whenever I watch something on there.
 
This is utterly scandalous. The vast, vast majority of the stuff on Crunchyroll are illegal, and sites like it are actively ruining the anime industry and yet a company is so brazen as to endorse this (illegal, I might add) site with a whopping 4 mil? It's disgraceful.

Gekko Go said:
fan subs are free advertisement
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Oh man, that is weak; do you even believe that yourself?
 
CitizenGeek said:
This is utterly scandalous. The vast, vast majority of the stuff on Crunchyroll are illegal, and sites like it are actively ruining the anime industry and yet a company is so brazen as to endorse this (illegal, I might add) site with a whopping 4 mil? It's disgraceful.
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All fansubs are illegal, and everything on it is illegal (baring the trailers possibly). but if you look a few threads up or down on this board there is the whole thread debating the ethics of fansubs and how much damage they may or may not do.
However is Crunchyroll a good example of a business model that works? Large user base, big name sponsorship, tech that works to a decent quality. The only hitch is the illegal part of it.
If they where to use that $4mill to pay for toward licenses it would be totally legal, and according to ANN and the site itself they are starting to try and get more legal content.
ANN said:
The company stated that it intends to begin inserting video ads into full-length episodes, and intends to work directly with "a select number of Japanese firms" to acquire content legally.
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Shinji@Crunchyroll said:
I have some exciting news! Recently, the anime company Gonzo/GDH (they've made some really awesome titles like Last Exile, Vandread, and Full Metal Panic!!) messaged me. The popularity of CR and our community has really impressed them. We've been trading ideas about what we can do together so everyone will benefit. I know there has been some fan frustration with the approach the anime industry has taken to the internet and fansubbing, but after talking a lot to GDH, I feel that they are definitely listening and doing their best to give fans what they want. With all of your help and support, I think we can convince a lot of ppl that CR is the perfect place to reach out to fans ^_^
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Lupus Inu said:
Crunchyroll removes series that are licensed, but mayn, I do hope with this money they're given they'll stop trying to install spyware on my computer whenever I watch something on there.
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only once they've been ordered to though
 
Paul said:
Looking at this logically, it could be the beginning of a new era. I felt that when I was writing this news post this morning and reading this latest development, I'm feeling it even more.
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This is an interesting move, though I look forward to greater details, because, as it stands, I can't determine why this officially approved showing of anime is any different to non-approved anime. Not to mention the fact that any other streaming website could appear (and do exist), undermining whatever benefits may or may not exist from this co-operation.

CitizenGeek said:
Gekko Go said:
fan subs are free advertisement
Click to expand...

Oh man, that is weak; do you even believe that yourself?
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Excepting those who keep fansubs on their computer or burn them to DVDs, you can't deny that it is. Even the poster you so contemptuously dismiss said he/she watched fansubs and then bought DVDs because of them. Most people aren't in the habit of buying a DVD without having seen its content before hand. In my case too, fansubs have aided the anime industry, heck, I wouldn't even know what anime was without fansubs, and I certainly wouldn't have impulse bought some anime before I'd first become acquainted with it via the 'net. The huge choice of anime available demands the availability of some way to sample it, and that's where fansubs come in for every real fan of anime (and incidentally, those who watch fansubs and don't buy the DVDs, aren't real fans, because that very act shows they didn't even enjoy the anime enough to buy a hard copy, and likely wouldn't have bought it even if fansubs didn't exist. While I don't necessarily think they have the right to watch free anime, the industry doesn't lose money because they do)
 
Crunchyroll is an awesome site just because it abides the rules of taking off anime series that have been licensed... If it gets taken away this Taylor will cry... haha
 
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