Request for questions for UK/OZ Anime industry reps

[alexrose1uk]

Ah, I was just a little confused by his example, because I have a good 4 examples of otherwise sitting not 2 foot from me, and wasn't sure if I'd missed something

Just finishing off the interview as we speak, and rather than editing my previous post as it's now getting pretty large, although I'm dissapointed by the lack of Clannad BD (although my brother will potentially pick up the DVDs), I do find it interesting he mentions they're releasing as 4 parts, S1/2 parts 1 and 2. Now does that mean they're going to be smaller collections of 6 episodes, or that fundamentally they're rolling Clannad After Story in as well, in 4 lots of 13(?). I don't believe there's a US release of After Story on BD yet, so that's more interesting potential news.

 

[Just Passing Through]

Ah, I was just a little confused by his example, because I have a good 4 examples of otherwise sitting not 2 foot from me, and wasn't sure if I'd missed something

Just finishing off the interview as we speak, and rather than editing my previous post as it's now getting pretty large, although I'm dissapointed by the lack of Clannad BD (although my brother will potentially pick up the DVDs), I do find it interesting he mentions they're releasing as 4 parts, S1/2 parts 1 and 2. Now does that mean they're going to be smaller collections of 6 episodes, or that fundamentally they're rolling Clannad After Story in as well, in 4 lots of 13(?). I don't believe there's a US release of After Story on BD yet, so that's more interesting potential news.

Yeah, they're releasing Clannad and After Story, although they called it After Party on Twitter...

 

[alexrose1uk]

Oh dear, hopefully they correct that by the time they release the series

As it stands though if thats the case, I might well import the BD of the first series, but buy AS from Manga, IF they haven't screwed up, and there's no word on a BD release from Sentai.

It's a difficult position really, I'd like to reward Manga for deciding to bring the title to the UK officially, but when I can buy it for roughly the same amount on BD (via Axel), it's somewhat an obvious choice from a consumers point of view.

 

[reborn]

Next up, is MVM and Tony will take all of your questions. Could a while before he answers but you never know.

For MVM off the fly:

What is the on-going status of these 'supposed licenses'? Can he either give any new hints or even go onto say what the actual titles are?
Is there a possibility of licensing Durarara at all for a dub boxset release now that Beez is no longer releasing new titles?
How well are new titles and re-releases currently selling?
Does MVM plan to expand on communication in the future considering they don't have Twitter yet the likes of MangaUK and Kaze do?
Would it be possible in the future to expand to digital downloads for their shop or would they rather make use of a service like Netflix?

 

[Eeeper]

Thanks for asking, I'll take a listen through with interest; I found the previous interview with Kaze really good. I read the questions highlighted below the interview before I saw your post so I was worried it'd fallen into the too aggressive or too silly region haha

Edit:
Listening through now and there are one or two wierdities

Funimation never use normal Bluray style cases... because Bestbuy don't have much shelf space for BDs

They're using the standard Amaray BD (see through blue, rather than DVD cases) casings with a slip card over the top, which aside the slipcard are exactly the same as my manga BDs and many other BDs I own (big studio titles), what's not normal about them?
They're certainly not just DVD casings as they're noticeably shorter? Perhaps I'm missing the point of what he's trying to say, but as far as I can see, the typical casings they use are exactly the same as Manga's releases and most other UK releases, and certainly not just DVD casing with BD labels stuck on the inserts etc.

I think Jerome's talking about those limited edition DVD/BD combo packs, which are the same size as DVD amaray.

I also find his point about anime fans being impatient to be a bit unfair to label us as a whole.

He was saying it in jest. The audio doesn't support it because my recording program mangled it.

 

[Eeeper]

For MVM off the fly:

What is the on-going status of these 'supposed licenses'? Can he either give any new hints or even go onto say what the actual titles are?
Is there a possibility of licensing Durarara at all for a dub boxset release now that Beez is no longer releasing new titles?
How well are new titles and re-releases currently selling?
Does MVM plan to expand on communication in the future considering they don't have Twitter yet the likes of MangaUK and Kaze do?
Would it be possible in the future to expand to digital downloads for their shop or would they rather make use of a service like Netflix?

Aside from the phrasing, I just sent those exact questions to Tony. Only exception is that Twitter question. Tony told me that he didn't do the whole social media thing and I can respect that. You're either in it all the way or not at all.

 

[Vashdaman]

This Jerome chap. Is he the type of person who jumps off of a speeding train just to ask some girl he's spotted out of the window, for her phone number? Or regularly approaches random females on the street and starts with the line "Yo babes", but often ends up accidently scaring them?

If he's to live up to his namesake, these are the kind of things he should be doing.

 

[alexrose1uk]

I also find his point about anime fans being impatient to be a bit unfair to label us as a whole.

He was saying it in jest. The audio doesn't support it because my recording program mangled it.

Ah fair enough, I'll let him off that one.

Thanks again for your time in organising these. The full question I posed which you gave a short version of to Jerome (although let me know if he ever sends you a full response as I think it was mentioned you'd send him the lot) is valid for all the distros, so please ask them all if you get the chance, it'd be very interesting to see thier views on market fragmentation (DVD vs BD, and the realities of basing interest on one set alone as manga typically seems to, which seems fundamentally flawed to say the least), cost differences and driving customers abroad for BD releases.

Again, thanks for your time in organising these, they are interesting and it's a shame we don't see more of this.

 

[Zin5ki]

Or regularly approaches random females on the street and starts with the line "Yo babes", but often ends up accidently scaring them?

I have found his manner of speech to be of a somewhat antipodean nature, if that at all elaborates.

 

[Paradox295]

This Jerome chap. Is he the type of person who jumps off of a speeding train just to ask some girl he's spotted out of the window, for her phone number? Or regularly approaches random females on the street and starts with the line "Yo babes", but often ends up accidently scaring them?

If he's to live up to his namesake, these are the kind of things he should be doing.

Neither. He's a Micheal Cera.

 

[Vashdaman]

Ah, I see. So he's a Jerome in name but not a Jerome at heart.

 

[theirsbailiff]

This Jerome chap. Is he the type of person who jumps off of a speeding train just to ask some girl he's spotted out of the window, for her phone number? Or regularly approaches random females on the street and starts with the line "Yo babes", but often ends up accidently scaring them?

If he's to live up to his namesake, these are the kind of things he should be doing.

Neither. He's a Micheal Cera.

Nah, too passive aggressive to be Cera.

 

[Vashdaman]

^
Well aggression is actually a symptom of what I like to call the 'Jerome effect', however it's usually more direct than passive...

 

[ilmaestro]

There has to be a price point somewhere between stupidly expensive and ridiculously cheap at which enough people buy something at a high enough price to turn a profit.

Theoretically? "Maybe".

In practice? Why bother risking finding it when you know you make money from your core audience with the high price point?

Your logic looks great when applied to enormous industries like video games and films, where there is more leeway for publishers. With niche products, it seems to be a much more delicate issue, and this is true for not just anime.

 

[ayase]

There has to be a price point somewhere between stupidly expensive and ridiculously cheap at which enough people buy something at a high enough price to turn a profit.

Theoretically? "Maybe".

In practice? Why bother risking finding it when you know you make money from your core audience with the high price point?

At it's simplest, because with a niche product like anime in the Western market where you have a small number of dedicated fans (but nevertheless, fans who don't have the disposable income to pay Japanese prices) you're more likely to sell 500 copies at £50 than you are 1250 copies for £20 (not enough fans) or 250 copies at £100 (not enough fans with enough money).

 

[alexrose1uk]

Same, although like always there'd be weaker throwaway series I'd want to pay less for.

 

[ilmaestro]

There has to be a price point somewhere between stupidly expensive and ridiculously cheap at which enough people buy something at a high enough price to turn a profit.

Theoretically? "Maybe".

In practice? Why bother risking finding it when you know you make money from your core audience with the high price point?

At it's simplest, because with a niche product like anime in the Western market where you have a small number of dedicated fans (but nevertheless, fans who don't have the disposable income to pay Japanese prices) you're more likely to sell 500 copies at £50 than you are 1250 copies for £20 (not enough fans) or 250 copies at £100 (not enough fans with enough money).

Once you start applying specific arbitrary numbers to it though, you really have reached the point where you are almost arguing against yourself. Or, at least, you are presenting too many things as "fact" with no evidence to back them up.

 

[ayase]

There has to be a price point somewhere between stupidly expensive and ridiculously cheap at which enough people buy something at a high enough price to turn a profit.

Theoretically? "Maybe".

In practice? Why bother risking finding it when you know you make money from your core audience with the high price point?

At it's simplest, because with a niche product like anime in the Western market where you have a small number of dedicated fans (but nevertheless, fans who don't have the disposable income to pay Japanese prices) you're more likely to sell 500 copies at £50 than you are 1250 copies for £20 (not enough fans) or 250 copies at £100 (not enough fans with enough money).

Once you start applying specific arbitrary numbers to it though, you really have reached the point where you are almost arguing against yourself. Or, at least, you are presenting too many things as "fact" with no evidence to back them up.

I dunno what evidence to present as I don't actually work in the anime industry. All I'm going off is my own experience and judgement based on a working life spent buying and selling goods. Everything has a price point at which it will generate the most profit, and my "arbitrary numbers" represent what I believe (based on everything I've read on the subject of the UK anime industry works) to be roughly the right price point for anime in the UK.

I have two potential buyers at that price in alexrose and Kyaku already. That must count for something.

 

[ilmaestro]

But of what? What are you selling for £50? A 26 episode series? We know that people in this country now think this is too expensive, because they get upset when they see one split into two parts for more than £18 each! Using such specific numbers, to me, means you have/need some very specific arguments to back it up.

I also have worked selling a particular type of product for most of my working life (it is slightly more abstract than "an anime DVD", but the concept of finding the right "price" at which to maximize profit is identical), and spend arguably more of my time evaluating and making purchases (since, as well as my actual personal purchases, part of my job is evaluating the "products" that our competitors sell), but I wouldn't presume to be able to pull such specific numbers off the top of my head for something outside of my specialized industry.

That middle ground "should" exist, I agree. But what tends to happen is you have larger groups of people at each end of the scale, and whichever way you start to move towards you end up going further and further trying to reach that group you think you are missing out on.

I can find you more than two people on this forum who have bought, and will buy, Aniplex's very expensive releases, so whilst I know your closing comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, you can consider yourself seen and raised as far as anecdotal evidence goes.

 

[Just Passing Through]

Question for MVM.

Would you consider licensing more from Funimation, in terms of series that Manga have chosen not to licence and aren't Gonzo titles? There are plenty of titles that Funimation have that are more eclectic and would be interesting to see in the UK, stuff like El Cazador de la Bruja, Galaxy Railways, Glass Fleet, Heroic Age, or Shuffle, older titles that may be of interest, the way that you got back Chobits and Fruits Basket.