It's not just 2-cour series that die halfway on UK Blu-ray

[Just Passing Through]

It's probably a region thing.

They could do a reciprocal thing with Kaze, get them to distribute Manga BDs (with Euro subs) in Europe for them, help them get sales up that way. Although other companies probably licence Manga titles there anyway. Stupid UK only rights!

Another idea would be to work closer with Australia who are also Region B. Those marginal titles, like Xam'd and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood!?!

Anyway, they should buy the Australian discs, but get them early off the production line. Buy 500 silvers at a little less than wholesale, bring them over here, get them rated by the BBFC, stick their own label art with BBFC stickers, and put them in their own packaging, and put them on the shop shelves (hell put a little premium on as they are limited editions). That way, they have only 500 to clear instead of 3000. They may have to pay a little more per unit than if they manufactured them here, but it would still be less overall, and the Australians get 500 guaranteed sales, if at a little less then would usually get.

It's a lose lose situation. I mean win win...

 

[ayase]

Given that plenty of new US BD releases don't seem to be region locked anyway (even ones which claim to be on the packaging and disc!) that hardly seems like a stumbling block any more. If US distros can pretend their discs are region A then surely UK distros could pretend those same discs are region B?

 

[Rui]

Oh, and I'm one of those people who doesn't like peripheral DVDs with my BDs (honestly, they didn't keep including VHS tapes with DVDs)

Some of them did...

(I agree with what most of you are saying here, I just had an opportunity to moan about this stupid set of DVDs. I like combo packs, during this dodgy transition period.)

R

 

[alexrose1uk]

If pricing and availability was right, there wouldnt BE an import market for the US BDs.

The US releases exist, they have English subs / dubs and don't need to wait for / waste disc space on European languages... why Manga don't just enter into a deal to distribute US discs in the UK is beyond me (unless of course it's our friendly national censors the BBFC who balls everything up) but then that's hardly surprising given that the whole system of anime licensing seems archaic and arcane anyway.

Oh, and I'm one of those people who doesn't like peripheral DVDs with my BDs (honestly, they didn't keep including VHS tapes with DVDs) but would be more than happy to buy combi packs if it meant everything was released on BD.

Trimmed, but yeah that's pretty much what I'm getting at. If we could get releases at roughly the same time as the US release, at a similar price, we wouldn' BOTHER importing. As it stands we do because its often far quicker, and often cheaper. The whole import market exists because of the discrepency between availability and prices here compared to the States.

Like you, it wouldn't surprise me if the BBFC are at fault; but it's still an extremely strange situation and not one thats beneficial to consumers, as there are perfectly fine english sub/dubbed copies available from the states that take along time to reach us.

@Mangaman

Missing your point, as that falls directly on availability

 

[Mohawk52]

I think if the price was right, more people would see the Bluray as a bonus, whereas right now they keep leaving fans dissapointed.

If pricing and availability was right, there wouldnt BE an import market for the US BDs.

This same sentiment was being felt when DVD's came out to replace VHS.

 

[fabio de lunatico]

I still can't get my head round why combi packs aren't *worse* for business, given that you're basically selling two copies for the price of one, one of which can be given away / sold on meaning the distributor is potentially missing out on a sale for every combi pack sold. ::shrugs::

I don't see that being a huge problem since anyone who really wants anime on some kind of physical media will want packaging to go with it. If they didn't care about packaging they'd just download it.

Shawne from Right Stuf talks about combi-packs and why he thinks they're a good idea here from 45:40.

I was actually considering that same thing recently - would total sales for a combo-only release be enough that they can cost less than regular BDs do now?

It's certainly an interesting thought. If release X does 5000 on DVD at £25 and 1000 on BD at £35, I wonder how many would it shift as a combi-pack at, say, £30? (Using RRP here for simplicity's sake.)

 

[ayase]

I still can't get my head round why combi packs aren't *worse* for business, given that you're basically selling two copies for the price of one, one of which can be given away / sold on meaning the distributor is potentially missing out on a sale for every combi pack sold. ::shrugs::

I don't see that being a huge problem since anyone who really wants anime on some kind of physical media will want packaging to go with it. If they didn't care about packaging they'd just download it.

We'll find out soon enough when I put all my combi-pack DVDs in paper sleeves and stick them on eBay next week.

 

[Silanda]

Like you, it wouldn't surprise me if the BBFC are at fault

The only stumbling block the BBFC causes is the mandatory addition of labeling on the discs. AFAIK the same classification would apply to both types of disc so there isn't a problem there. If they could purchase unlabled discs, or print an additional BBFC symbol on to completed discs, it would seem like a good idea to make a deal with a US or Australian publisher.

Something needs to change anyway; as it stands Manga are successfully poisoning their own market by dropping series on Blu midway thorugh. Things like the Haruhi screw up aren't helping either.

 

[ilmaestro]

I love getting the DVD version as well, I especially like a convenient "digital copy" that they put in some big movie releases. If I need to watch something somewhere I don't have a BD player, if I want to lend the thing to someone, numerous ways it can come in handy.

 

[Vashdaman]

I don't see that being a huge problem since anyone who really wants anime on some kind of physical media will want packaging to go with it. If they didn't care about packaging they'd just download it.

There's were your wrong. I very much like my anime in the physical and while I do grudgingly watch anime online, I just don't really like having to watch it on my computer and to be honest just generally feel less comfortable watching anything online then off. So physcal anime is arguably quite important for someone like me. But I absolutely do not need the gratuitous, excessive amounts of packaging they feel the need to usually shove on everything, nor do I need a extra copy of the DVD :? As I've said before I'd be happier with my anime discs coming in brown paper envelopes and nothing more.

I swear some manufacturers hear that we're fast depleting mother natures resources and so respond with "Aha! We'll put even more needless packaging on everything and even through in an extra disk for very little sensible reason other than pure decadence, problem solved boys"

...I apologize to all the people who do buy Combi packs. But you have to admit they are pretty decadent

 

[ConanThe3rd]

...I apologize to all the people who do buy Combi packs. But you have to admit they are pretty decadent

Maybe, but they're a great way of transitioning people to Blu Ray.

If your only Blu Ray player is your PS3 or your PC you might not be so willing to get Blu Ray Disks on massé as you might think DVD is enough for you (especially when the PS3 Up-scales AFIK).

Combo Packs not only allow you to acess the show at normal resolution, it allows you to "demo" the Blu Ray experience and, if it's for you, allow you to go "Wow, this blu ray thing is neat! I think I'll buy more blu rays from now on!"

It doesn't work for every instance (I Don't think it would have saved Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood and it's somewhat pointless if you release a DVD only SKU) but it's the idea of letting people experience HD Content like that.

Really, the whole industry is about letting people experience the product and then allowing them to make a decision on wether or not that's worthy of a purchase/further investment.

Mate, I think you need to get to Vitriolics' Anonymous for some serious therapy and de-tox before you OD on the venom.

And I think Manga should think with their heads for five seconds and do smart things that won't paint them as the horribly incompetent twats they are. I guess nether of us will ever get what we want.

 

[ayase]

Like you, it wouldn't surprise me if the BBFC are at fault

The only stumbling block the BBFC causes is the mandatory addition of labeling on the discs.

And the mandatory process of having the release rated in the first place, which costs the distributor time and a significant amount of money. It doesn't help anyone when the costs of releasing a niche product like anime are forcibly increased by law before even a single copy has been sold.

@Conan - An interesting argument but I'm not convinced people transition to BD like that. For one thing, I'm not sure why anyone would buy an HD TV unless they had the intention of purchasing HD media to watch on it. Surely people make the decision as to whether they want something on BD or not before purchasing rather than after? People who've made the decision they just want DVDs will just keep buying DVDs. They're not going to buy combi-packs unless pure DVD releases are phased out, and for my money the only reason that's not happening (and forcing people to upgrade in the process) is the state of the economy. It's not like BDs are expensive any more.

 

[Silanda]

Like you, it wouldn't surprise me if the BBFC are at fault

The only stumbling block the BBFC causes is the mandatory addition of labeling on the discs.

And the mandatory process of having the release rated in the first place, which costs the distributor time and a significant amount of money. It doesn't help anyone when the costs of releasing a niche product like anime are forcibly increased by law before even a single copy has been sold.

I thought we were talking in the context of combo discs. In that context AFAIK there is no additional BBFC cost to release a combo (or a stand alone Blu Ray) than there is to release just the DVD.

 

[fabio de lunatico]

As I've said before I'd be happier with my anime discs coming in brown paper envelopes and nothing more.

Fair enough, but I suspect that you would be in the minority. And I could be wrong but I don't see the people scouring ebay for discarded combi-pack DVDs being inclined to buy new physical media very often. Hence I believe the potential lost sales would be very low.

...I apologize to all the people who do buy Combi packs. But you have to admit they are pretty decadent

Not really. Take Funimation's release of Spice & Wolf II: both DVDs and both BDs in one case with one paper insert. That's more environmentally friendly than two separate releases. (EDIT: Although I see what you mean about having more discs than needed.) Of course, the version with the art box is a different story...

Dare I ask how you feel about extravagant Japanese releases with 1-2 episodes per disc? /o\

@Conan - An interesting argument but I'm not convinced people transition to BD like that. For one thing, I'm not sure why anyone would buy an HD TV unless they had the intention of purchasing HD media to watch on it.

You'd be surprised at how uninformed people can be. Family members have bought HDTVs with no clue that you need a HD source to make the purchase worthwhile. I even know someone who bought a BD player without realising that there would be little to no benefit without the HDTV they didn't own. And this was when BD players were expensive...

 

[mangaman74]

@Conan - An interesting argument but I'm not convinced people transition to BD like that. For one thing, I'm not sure why anyone would buy an HD TV unless they had the intention of purchasing HD media to watch on it.

You'd be surprised at how uninformed people can be. Family members have bought HDTVs with no clue that you need a HD source to make the purchase worthwhile. I even know someone who bought a BD player without realising that there would be little to no benefit without the HDTV they didn't own. And this was when BD players were expensive...

How about those buying a HD TV for playing video games or for watching HD TV such as on Sky, Vigin Media or Freeview? The TV I recently purchase came with freeview installed so I can get around 5 HD channels (BBC1 to Channel 5) plus I have a PS3 connected to it (for games only - I don't intend to watch blu-rays on a console).

 

[ayase]

How about those buying a HD TV for playing video games or for watching HD TV such as on Sky, Vigin Media or Freeview? The TV I recently purchase came with freeview installed so I can get around 5 HD channels (BBC1 to Channel 5) plus I have a PS3 connected to it (for games only - I don't intend to watch blu-rays on a console).

Mind elaborating on why that's the case? The PS3 is consistently ranked one of the best BD players. More than half of my decision to buy a PS3 was based on the fact that at the time it was one of the cheapest BD players around and is still my primary unit.

I tend to forget that people can get HD channels on Freeview (I can't) so that's a valid point. Gaming less so because if people are going to the expense of buying an HD TV to play a console on they might as well have bought a PC IMO. I still feel like most people with an HD TV and BD player surely *must* be buying BDs over DVDs... Otherwise it would be like buying a surround sound system and just playing cassette tapes from a charity shop, which would just be silly, wouldn't it? But as Fabio points out, people can be rather silly.

 

[alexrose1uk]

More than half my decision to get a PS3 was I didn't have a BD Player at the time, and I had the option of getting it free with a mobile contract

It's been a good player; and Sony update it regularly with the firmware, so apart from a few brief issues with some slightly iffy discs and perhaps dust on the laser, it's never failed to play anything; even if the older models (one of which I have) cannot do some things like Bitstream HD Audio codecs, only decode and PCM stream.

@Ayase.
One thing to remember is that it's not easily possible to get NON-HD TVs anymore. Most people; whether they're buying as an upgrade, to replace a broken set, want something smaller, or want a larger screen, will now be getting a HD set, even if HD and Bluray just don't register for them.

Simply put, whilst most people 'in the know' will want to buy a HD tv for HD material; its often not something that registers to the casual buyer, they just want a TV, see the marketting that 1080p is better (or look at the costs and go for 720p) and buy that. HD material for said TV doesnt always even cross thier mind.

I know it took me a while to persuade my family of the benefits of the HD Formats (we have HDDVD around too), although once they cottoned on, they will buy BD over DVD if the cost is right, as they've realised it DOES usually look better.


@Vashdaman

...I apologize to all the people who do buy Combi packs. But you have to admit they are pretty decadent

To be fair, we're talking about buying anime (or large sets of TV shows), that's already pretty decadent depending on your PoV

Like has been said, some sets come inside a single case, just with another disc, so the actual material difference is minimal, just the extra disc.

 

[Rui]

Dare I ask how you feel about extravagant Japanese releases with 1-2 episodes per disc? /o\

I anticipate a rant ^^;

I'm one of those evil people who buy DVDs over blu-rays when it's something I'm not that bothered about. Japan embracing blu-ray so passionately has sort of pushed me onto the format (an increasing number of things are either blu-ray only now, or the DVD version is lame and lacks key features). But for the most part until very recently when ilmaestro brutally pressured me to buy a second player, I would watch my blu-rays on PS3 and the bulk of my stuff on my then-DVD-only computer. Combo packs are awesome as I have the best of both worlds, and I build up a big blu-ray collection in the background ready for a time when support is more widespread.

Generally though I go with features over resolution. I bought the Japanese DVD version of Sengoku Basara 2 because it came with more bonus material, but I ordered the blu-ray for the movie because this time, that's the version with the most extra stuff.

R

 

[alexrose1uk]

The fact that the costs of the BD equivalent is coming down heavily also helps.

PlanetAxle have DoHS for £16 for BD as an example, whereas the UK DVD is about that as well. For those with the option, the decision to buy the Bluray suddenly makes more sense, because the pricing difference has dissapeared.

It's always about costing in the mainstay. Now that BD players are getting massively cheaper, and BD prices are falling, uptake will increase. It was the same with DVD (although there was more impetus because it was a bigger jump from VHS), it wasn't until prices fell that it truly came out of the niche segment.

Personally, I still think its a shame HDDVD died when it did, because aside from space on the current discs, it was ahead of BD at the time by several factors (not to mention no region coding ****ocks). Unfortunately no one thought far enough ahead to put one in the 360 by default, and I think in the end, that's what actually killed it.

The BD, simply by virtue of being in the PS3, established a userbase much faster (comparatively).

 

[mangaman74]

How about those buying a HD TV for playing video games or for watching HD TV such as on Sky, Vigin Media or Freeview? The TV I recently purchase came with freeview installed so I can get around 5 HD channels (BBC1 to Channel 5) plus I have a PS3 connected to it (for games only - I don't intend to watch blu-rays on a console).

Mind elaborating on why that's the case? The PS3 is consistently ranked one of the best BD players. More than half of my decision to buy a PS3 was based on the fact that at the time it was one of the cheapest BD players around and is still my primary unit.

I tend to forget that people can get HD channels on Freeview (I can't) so that's a valid point. Gaming less so because if people are going to the expense of buying an HD TV to play a console on they might as well have bought a PC IMO. I still feel like most people with an HD TV and BD player surely *must* be buying BDs over DVDs... Otherwise it would be like buying a surround sound system and just playing cassette tapes from a charity shop, which would just be silly, wouldn't it? But as Fabio points out, people can be rather silly.

1) I own a multiregion blu-ray player (excluding the PS3)
2) I prefer to keep a disc in the machine during the period I am playing a game. I don't want to keep having to change the disc when I want to watch a blu-ray then again when I want to play a game - it's a personal choice.
3) My blu-ray player is connected to the main TV (it is a HD one)