MVM Interview

N

Neferpitou

Stand User
http://www.uk-anime.net/article.asp?Int ... trPageNo=1

Found this recently, two interesting points:

1.) There best recent sellers were Witchblade and Black Lagoon. Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, FLCL, Shana and Starship Operators all sold well too. But no surpise Gravitation is not selling well, Slayers first volumes sales are good too.

2.) At least 6 news series to be annocaned in coming future, most likely they will be titles which are already or are soon going to be MADMAN titles to save on encoding costs.
 
I believe that I once vowed, after "Sailor Moon", never to go near a big franchise. Ah well!!
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That was thier own damned fault. Edited when there was subtitled versions avaiable for like £50 a season? Oh it's a wonder that didn't sell (!)
 
Conan-san said:
I believe that I once vowed, after "Sailor Moon", never to go near a big franchise. Ah well!!
Click to expand...
That was thier own damned fault. Edited when there was subtitled versions avaiable for like £50 a season? Oh it's a wonder that didn't sell (!)
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A sub-only release would have sold less regardless of your own personal opinions and the ADV releases of uncut Sailor Moon suffered from very poor quality audio, especially on the later episodes of the second series. The best chance it had was for the dub version, which had previously shown on TV but even that, alongside a low cost release, did not spark interest in the UK market. The franchise never really took off over here, which is somewhat a shame but a simple fact.
 
I'd have liked to ask "So what's the deal with your cover art department? Do they need a sharp blow to the back of the head or what?"

That's probably why they don't talk to us... Sometimes the truth must be told though. MVM's releases look cheap. Seriously, how hard would it have been to take five minutes to line up the spines on Black Lagoon, Lain or Ergo Proxy? Or to have covers printed at a consistent DPI so they don't look like bootlegs? Or to find some better art for their Slayers covers? They look like old VHS tapes.

Edit: I notice Manga are talking to them as well. What's going on? There's even less action on those forums than there is here...
 
Gawyn said:
Conan-san said:
I believe that I once vowed, after "Sailor Moon", never to go near a big franchise. Ah well!!
Click to expand...
That was thier own damned fault. Edited when there was subtitled versions avaiable for like £50 a season? Oh it's a wonder that didn't sell (!)
Click to expand...
A sub-only release would have sold less regardless of your own personal opinions and the ADV releases of uncut Sailor Moon suffered from very poor quality audio, especially on the later episodes of the second series. The best chance it had was for the dub version, which had previously shown on TV but even that, alongside a low cost release, did not spark interest in the UK market. The franchise never really took off over here, which is somewhat a shame but a simple fact.
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And who's to blame in all that? MVM for releaseing the shoddy version of a product (and you can argue all you want about that but that's the truth, in business, releaseing the bad thing out of a choice of the two will get you punched in the face, it might take a while but that punch is headed your damn way) and Jetix/Fox Kids for canceling the show for no honest reason apprent (Which, I'll be quick to add, was also what happened to Digimon).
GMTV is also guilty too but from all accounts that was the house of mouse's fault too.

MVM got what it deserved. Jetix is still running around like an asshole with a knife. However, with any luck that might change with the change to XD, if that ever happens.

Short of it is: MVM backed the shoddy version of a product with little to zero tv backing (which, it has to be noted, is a massive problem with them. "Oh hey, let's cancel YuYuHakushou's dvd release and try to get it on TV and not start again untill we get it on tv, whoops! We're utter **** at geting stuff on tv, DRUUURRRRRRR") and they paid the price for thier nonsence in the form of nearly going bankrupt as a result of Sailor Moon and losing exclusive rights from Funimation.

Cut, Print, Present.
 
ayase said:
I'd have liked to ask "So what's the deal with your cover art department? Do they need a sharp blow to the back of the head or what?"

That's probably why they don't talk to us... Sometimes the truth must be told though. MVM's releases look cheap. Seriously, how hard would it have been to take five minutes to line up the spines on Black Lagoon, Lain or Ergo Proxy? Or to have covers printed at a consistent DPI so they don't look like bootlegs? Or to find some better art for their Slayers covers? They look like old VHS tapes.
Click to expand...

The thinpack boxset version of their single releases are quite nice, got several of them. The single releases can at times look a tad cheap looking but I never once had a case that came broken which can't say the same about MANGA or ADV. The thing that really matters, the DVD themselves are great as generally the disc has already been encoded and released once by madman so lowering the chances of disc problems.
 
Dave said:
The thing that really matters, the DVD themselves are great as generally the disc has already been encoded and released once by madman so lowering the chances of disc problems.
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Exactly. So apart from the shoddy cover art, what exactly are MVM doing to deserve, say, £40 for one series of Slayers? (which you can buy for £15 from the US in a box). Broken cases are the least of my worries when I can get a box of 50 Amarays for a tenner.

I don't want to sound anti-MVM as they have released some of my favourite series, but when I look at what the US got with their single volume releases of Ergo Proxy, Haibane Renmei and Black Lagoon (pencil boards, collection boxes with the first volumes, Steelbook cases) it seems as though if we in the UK can't even have consistent cover art we're getting shafted. Again. You'd think in order to give people some small incentive to buy the domestic release they would at least try to equal the R1 in terms of goodies.
 
I strongly agree with ayase there. The print on my chobits covers is some of the worse I have ever seen, it looks like someone has printed them out on a home printer. And, they are also inconsistent, the chobits logo bounces up and down throughout the 1-7 dvd's. I would of been interested in slayers, but I think I'll get the US set; It's alot cheaper, and, as ayase said, it doesn't look like some cheap VHS art.
 
ayase said:
Dave said:
The thing that really matters, the DVD themselves are great as generally the disc has already been encoded and released once by madman so lowering the chances of disc problems.
Click to expand...
Exactly. So apart from the shoddy cover art, what exactly are MVM doing to deserve, say, £40 for one series of Slayers? (which you can buy for £15 from the US in a box). Broken cases are the least of my worries when I can get a box of 50 Amarays for a tenner.

I don't want to sound anti-MVM as they have released some of my favourite series, but when I look at what the US got with their single volume releases of Ergo Proxy, Haibane Renmei and Black Lagoon (pencil boards, collection boxes with the first volumes, Steelbook cases) it seems as though if we in the UK can't even have consistent cover art we're getting shafted. Again. You'd think in order to give people some small incentive to buy the domestic release they would at least try to equal the R1 in terms of goodies.
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B-b-b-b-b-b-but you MUST buy the brittish release because of...stuff! Horrible stuff and nonsence that will decend from heaven because you didn't take it up the jackcy!

But seriously, there's no excuse for MVM's Slayers nonsence but if they want to piss away money then that's thier choice.
 
ayase said:
Dave said:
The thing that really matters, the DVD themselves are great as generally the disc has already been encoded and released once by madman so lowering the chances of disc problems.
Click to expand...
Exactly. So apart from the shoddy cover art, what exactly are MVM doing to deserve, say, £40 for one series of Slayers? (which you can buy for £15 from the US in a box). Broken cases are the least of my worries when I can get a box of 50 Amarays for a tenner.

I don't want to sound anti-MVM as they have released some of my favourite series, but when I look at what the US got with their single volume releases of Ergo Proxy, Haibane Renmei and Black Lagoon (pencil boards, collection boxes with the first volumes, Steelbook cases) it seems as though if we in the UK can't even have consistent cover art we're getting shafted. Again. You'd think in order to give people some small incentive to buy the domestic release they would at least try to equal the R1 in terms of goodies.
Click to expand...

Be sensible not even MANGA could afford to release slayers series for £15 a boxset in the UK. Also the USA slayers boxsets aren't that great quality, cheap cardboard efforts.

Those extra you talk about are for Premium release in the USA not the standard, with titles selling only 1000 copies for MVM I can't see the demand to have all the other physical extra.

Also taking account the exchange rate drop which equal a 30% rise in importing, high postage cost from the USA and the low £18 custom limit which could could you easily stung for £10 if you go over it.

Yagami also mentioned title like chobits, but with Geneon collapse it not that easy to import that title anymore and a lot of others too. Having companies like mvm means we can still now get title which even the native American can't easily find.

I don't see this massive fuss over covers as the last 2 single titles I brought from MVM: ah my goddess & Speed grapher had good & consistent artwork. If you not sure about the artwork you can always pick up the boxsets which will always look nicer on the shelf than singles would unless in art work box.
 
Dave said:
ayase said:
Dave said:
The thing that really matters, the DVD themselves are great as generally the disc has already been encoded and released once by madman so lowering the chances of disc problems.
Click to expand...
Exactly. So apart from the shoddy cover art, what exactly are MVM doing to deserve, say, £40 for one series of Slayers? (which you can buy for £15 from the US in a box). Broken cases are the least of my worries when I can get a box of 50 Amarays for a tenner.

I don't want to sound anti-MVM as they have released some of my favourite series, but when I look at what the US got with their single volume releases of Ergo Proxy, Haibane Renmei and Black Lagoon (pencil boards, collection boxes with the first volumes, Steelbook cases) it seems as though if we in the UK can't even have consistent cover art we're getting shafted. Again. You'd think in order to give people some small incentive to buy the domestic release they would at least try to equal the R1 in terms of goodies.
Click to expand...

Be sensible not even MANGA could afford to release slayers series for £15 a boxset in the UK. Also the USA slayers boxsets aren't that great quality, cheap cardboard efforts.

Those extra you talk about are for Premium release in the USA not the standard, with titles selling only 1000 copies for MVM I can't see the demand to have all the other physical extra.

Also taking account the exchange rate drop which equal a 30% rise in importing, high postage cost from the USA and the low £18 custom limit which could could you easily stung for £10 if you go over it.

Yagami also mentioned title like chobits, but with Geneon collapse it not that easy to import that title anymore and a lot of others too. Having companies like mvm means we can still now get title which even the native American can't easily find.

I don't see this massive fuss over covers as the last 2 single titles I brought from MVM: ah my goddess & Speed grapher had good & consistent artwork. If you not sure about the artwork you can always pick up the boxsets which will always look nicer on the shelf than singles would unless in art work box.
Click to expand...
Those are all excelent points, however, it still isn't going to convince me to pay though my arse for Slayers just because MVM fail at release.
 
Dave said:
Be sensible not even MANGA could afford to release slayers series for £15 a boxset in the UK. Also the USA slayers boxsets aren't that great quality, cheap cardboard efforts.

Those extra you talk about are for Premium release in the USA not the standard, with titles selling only 1000 copies for MVM I can't see the demand to have all the other physical extra.

Also taking account the exchange rate drop which equal a 30% rise in importing, high postage cost from the USA and the low £18 custom limit which could could you easily stung for £10 if you go over it.

Yagami also mentioned title like chobits, but with Geneon collapse it not that easy to import that title anymore and a lot of others too. Having companies like mvm means we can still now get title which even the native American can't easily find.

I don't see this massive fuss over covers as the last 2 single titles I brought from MVM: ah my goddess & Speed grapher had good & consistent artwork. If you not sure about the artwork you can always pick up the boxsets which will always look nicer on the shelf than singles would unless in art work box.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying they, or anyone else for that matter, should be releasing stuff here for the same price as the US. I'm simply talking about value for money. Lack of effort on their part means MVM's discs are simply not worth what they charge for them.

Yes, the exchange rate is a bit of a kick in the arse at the moment, but saying we're better off because MVM are still around and Geneon aren't is a bit like saying you're better off buying a brand new Skoda rather than a classic Jaguar because it's easier to find one. Besides, Geneon's titles have been picked up again in the US anyway.

And I will be buying boxed sets from now on. I enjoy collecting single volumes, but since it now seems devoid of any reward for the extra outlay - and this has gotten worse. Booklets, covers printed on both sides, anything which adds even a couple of pence to the cost of production seems to have gone out of the window recently where UK companies are concerned. I'll exempt Beez from this as theirs are the only products currenty increasing in quality without going up in price.

And Aion, here. I apologise for forgeting about postage, which is another fiver. You might be better off getting a hundred, that's what I did last time. You can order different colours and doubles and they'll all come in the same box.
 
How long have you two been into anime again? The UK will never be the market that the US is, and so will never be viable enough to make a profit off of as it is. I can remember just 8 years ago I was just glad to get a DVD of anything that wasn't old Manga UK, or ADV dirge, or a few crappy hentai from Kisekei (sic). You don't know what you've got till it's gone, and it could go back to those days any time soon.
 
Again, a brillant point, but it isn't going to get me shelling out double for Slayers because MVM is pathetic at releaseing stuff.

Also, any point where I'm told to be "Glad" that I have something usely means that said thing is of poor quality.
 
Mohawk52 said:
How long have you two been into anime again? The UK will never be the market that the US is, and so will never be viable enough to make a profit off of as it is. I can remember just 8 years ago I was just glad to get a DVD of anything that wasn't old Manga UK, or ADV dirge, or a few crappy hentai from Kisekei (sic). You don't know what you've got till it's gone, and it could go back to those days any time soon.
Click to expand...
Okay. So there are less anime consumers in the UK. Agreed. Is then the best strategy not to try and grow the market? Is charging people more money for lower quality or quantity goods they can get better versions of elsewhere a good way to grow your market?

Wouldn't either giving your small market better quality things, in pretty packaging and advertising them in order to make people want to own them a better strategy? Or if you want more consumers, lowering the price at the same time if you're going to release budget editions?

Okay, so there were the bad old days when nothing got released and no-one could get their hands on any anime. We don't live in those times anymore. Now we live in a time where anyone can download an entire series for free by clicking a button. The way to tempt people away from this is not with shoddy releases which make people wonder why they even bothered to spend money on them (bar supporting the creators, which, let's be honest, very few people care about). It is with better value editions of the popular series like Manga, or with very nice collector's editions for the niche titles like Beez.
 
ayase said:
Mohawk52 said:
How long have you two been into anime again? The UK will never be the market that the US is, and so will never be viable enough to make a profit off of as it is. I can remember just 8 years ago I was just glad to get a DVD of anything that wasn't old Manga UK, or ADV dirge, or a few crappy hentai from Kisekei (sic). You don't know what you've got till it's gone, and it could go back to those days any time soon.
Click to expand...
Okay. So there are less anime consumers in the UK. Agreed. Is then the best strategy not to try and grow the market? Is charging people more money for lower quality or quantity goods they can get better versions of elsewhere a good way to grow your market?

Wouldn't either giving your small market better quality things, in pretty packaging and advertising them in order to make people want to own them a better strategy? Or if you want more consumers, lowering the price at the same time if you're going to release budget editions?

Okay, so there were the bad old days when nothing got released and no-one could get their hands on any anime. We don't live in those times anymore. Now we live in a time where anyone can download an entire series for free by clicking a button. The way to tempt people away from this is not with shoddy releases which make people wonder why they even bothered to spend money on them (bar supporting the creators, which, let's be honest, very few people care about). It is with better value editions of the popular series like Manga, or with very nice collector's editions for the niche titles like Beez.
Click to expand...
Reducing prices or spending more money on releases will not somehow grow this niche market much bigger than it is already and certainly not enough to offset the reduction in revenue/costs involved and you are incredibly naive to believe otherwise. You cannot simply grow additional market share where there is none to begin with, especially in the midst of a recession where everybody is cutting back on their spending. Tony has already stated that he practically funds the anime side of his business from his shop so that would presume him to be on the just about the right side of profitability with not much leeway to play with. Manga is fortunate enough to have heavy financial backing allowing for the release of product at what amounts to a net loss (a slim profit on production costs of the physical media against licensing and pre-production costs, such as BBFC certification). MVM do not have that same flexibility and many net losses would quickly leave the company insolvent. In this respect you cannot compare a small UK company with even a small US company in the same field since the scale of economics is vastly different given the gap in consumer numbers.
 
Gawyn said:
Reducing prices or spending more money on releases will not somehow grow this niche market much bigger than it is already and certainly not enough to offset the reduction in revenue/costs involved and you are incredibly naive to believe otherwise. You cannot simply grow additional market share where there is none to begin with, especially in the midst of a recession where everybody is cutting back on their spending. Tony has already stated that he practically funds the anime side of his business from his shop so that would presume him to be on the just about the right side of profitability with not much leeway to play with. Manga is fortunate enough to have heavy financial backing allowing for the release of product at what amounts to a net loss (a slim profit on production costs of the physical media against licensing and pre-production costs, such as BBFC certification). MVM do not have that same flexibility and many net losses would quickly leave the company insolvent. In this respect you cannot compare a small UK company with even a small US company in the same field since the scale of economics is vastly different given the gap in consumer numbers.
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Cut price releases would make more people likely to pick them up on a whim, especially if combined with some damned advertising which UK anime companies don't seem to have heard of. Honestly, who is gonna take a chance on a four episodes of a series for £20 in HMV? You're telling me they don't wanna grow the market? That they think it's impossible and that trying would result in their business collapsing? That's a hell of a business attitude. You can sell people anything if you make them want it badly enough. The strategy I was describing would involve aiming budget products at new adopters and focusing more special releases on the collector's market.

And really, even if you weren't including US first print goodies, how much would it cost just to sort out your cover art? We've gotten into a bit of a economic discussion here so let me just clarify what it is I'm against - badly repackaging and removing value from already released titles from the US and Australia and selling them to us at a higher price. That's all. I find it hard to see how anyone can find that stance unacceptable, or find that business practice sane.
 
ayase said:
I'm not saying they, or anyone else for that matter, should be releasing stuff here for the same price as the US. I'm simply talking about value for money. Lack of effort on their part means MVM's discs are simply not worth what they charge for them.

Yes, the exchange rate is a bit of a kick in the arse at the moment, but saying we're better off because MVM are still around and Geneon aren't is a bit like saying you're better off buying a brand new Skoda rather than a classic Jaguar because it's easier to find one. Besides, Geneon's titles have been picked up again in the US anyway.

And I will be buying boxed sets from now on. I enjoy collecting single volumes, but since it now seems devoid of any reward for the extra outlay - and this has gotten worse. Booklets, covers printed on both sides, anything which adds even a couple of pence to the cost of production seems to have gone out of the window recently where UK companies are concerned. I'll exempt Beez from this as theirs are the only products currenty increasing in quality without going up in price.
Click to expand...

Not all geneon titles have been or will be picked by funimation. to name just a few off the top my head; chobits, Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, Requiem From The Darkness. All good shows which you can only get from MVM or importing from Australia (which at bit pointless because they are the same product and high postage).

I must admit there seem to be no reward at all buying single now apart from getting them early. It should be single buyers get the best version possible then the eventual cheaper box set should the be no frill version. BEEZ seem to be doing the reverse now, I would be angry if I brought the Wolf Rain or Gundam wing singles to now see the deluxe cheaper box set.

Apart from the occasional bad cover print, MVM are frankly the best overall quality as I know the disc itself will never let me down. Price are falling gradually as at one point all releases were £20 rrp mvm have now lowered it to £15.99 rrp. Also MVM now are releasing 26 part series on 4 disc which would been unheard of couple years ago.

I just don't see the massive fuss over print cover quality as it just going to unseen most of the time on the shelf.
 
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