With the majority (if not all) of the UK anime companies having confirmed or finalising their Q4 line-up, I thought it would be an interesting time to gauge opinion of what we would like to see in 2010. It's really the perfect time for Anime fans to voice their opinions and aid in shaping the Anime scene in 2010 (Well, at least attempting to, providing people in industry are reading 
).
From what you would like to see change (or stay the same) with the major names of UK Anime, be it release strategies, pricing, etc or to the Anime you want to see licensed. Do you want to see MVM finally ditch the singles? Or Beez lower prices, and finally get around to bringing Lucky Star to the UK? Perhaps you would like to see changes to Digital Distribution?
This shouldn't be considered a topic overly concerned with logistics, 'MVM aren't going to drop singles because yada yada', this is about what you want to see, regardless of likelihood. A wishlist if you will.
---------------------------------
So I'll start:
Manga Entertainment UK: Manga are making it easy to get behind them and support them with their release strategies and they seem to be bringing some quality titles to the UK and I hope they continue with this. Manga seem very much on the right track to me. I do, however, wish to see less 'stirring of the pot'. It really annoys me to see a representative of the company to be so negative about core users values (such as subtitled Anime). I'm sure people are very much aware an English language track will help to drive sales, but at the same time, there is little need to weigh this against the core fans who value subtitles. Comparisons are of little value, and really only serve to segment the audience. The recent comparisons of an established franchise like Appleseed and something like Vexille in the most recent Neo were pretty redundant in my opinion, and there was little need to make them. You should value your core audience regardless of their requirements, as they're the ones most likely to stick around.
Licenses I'd like to see: One Piece, Dragon Ball Kai, Casshern Sins, Bamboo Blade, Baccano and Eden of the East.
MVM: MVM need to ditch singles! It's gotten to the stage where even series' I have been dying to see licensed, finally are, when it comes to picking up the volumes I can't be bothered! Which is bad. Sure I should be more proactive about this, but MVM should also be more proactive in persuading people to pick up their releases. Personally I'd like to see them at least double up on volumes (perhaps counter balance this by raising RRP to £19.99). I also want to see MVM do a little more research into what they're licensing. They release Berserk just before the remastered set is announced in the US, and they're releasing X very soon, yet in the US they're about to receive the X remixes (again). I understand there are constraints to MVM and what they can do, but you don't want fans to purchase and feel cheated, and I did after buying Berserk.
Licenses I'd like to see: Revolutionary Girl Utena! Do it now! NOW!
Beez: I think the consensus is, that we'd all love to see cheaper Beez releases. While you can get some nice deals online, I still find Beez to be pretty pricey (Sorry Andrew). I also believe they've effectively priced themselves out of retail, which perhaps is not as huge a force in Anime sales today; I still believe a presence is important. I'd also love to see a budget style label, similar to Anime Legends here. I think it would do wonders, perhaps you won't make as much profit, but by getting people to bite, you're raising awareness with the promotional materials you have on the discs, of your other releases, and building a relationship with the consumer.
Licenses I'd like to see: Lucky Star, Kannagi, Hayate, Silent Mobius.
Revelation: Shape up or ship out. If you want to release Anime, do it. You've released some well-produced FMA sets, but you've also left many an anime fan with incomplete collections. I honestly wouldn't even like to see you pick up any more licenses at the moment. I also hope you make up your mind what to do with the Xxxholic and Tsubasa movies.
Anime on TV: It amazes me that we still have next to nothing. Channel 4 for example, is required by law to provide varied and niche entertainment and that which other channels do not offer the viewer, regardless of whether it will make a profit and be successful. Yet no one in the industry appears to be pushing channel 4 or MPs? There was an article in a newspaper that caused some interest, but it all seems to have fizzled out from there. Sony has this channel just playing away, with plenty of English language content... I want to see Animax FINALLY make an appearance in the UK.
Digital Distribution: Digital Distribution offers such interesting avenues when it comes to revenue. What's stopping companies picking up older, or more niche titles that will perhaps not sell well physically, and releasing them online? While licenses may perhaps be exactly the same (although I'm sure negotiations could be made), you're erasing the costs to produce and distribute the physical copy. Surely someone has to try it, at the very least. I'd love to see older stuff like Cyber City OEDO 808, Geno Cyber (which didn't actually finish releasing in the UK yeah?), Doomed Megalopolis, etc, but also series that perhaps would never ordinarily get licensed in the UK, like Genshiken.
So, I'd be interested in what other people here would like to see. Don't feel the need to write so much, or set it out the same way, but please, if you want to see something different, or changed, or list some licenses you'd like to see, let us know, and more importantly, let them know.
).From what you would like to see change (or stay the same) with the major names of UK Anime, be it release strategies, pricing, etc or to the Anime you want to see licensed. Do you want to see MVM finally ditch the singles? Or Beez lower prices, and finally get around to bringing Lucky Star to the UK? Perhaps you would like to see changes to Digital Distribution?
This shouldn't be considered a topic overly concerned with logistics, 'MVM aren't going to drop singles because yada yada', this is about what you want to see, regardless of likelihood. A wishlist if you will.
---------------------------------
So I'll start:
Manga Entertainment UK: Manga are making it easy to get behind them and support them with their release strategies and they seem to be bringing some quality titles to the UK and I hope they continue with this. Manga seem very much on the right track to me. I do, however, wish to see less 'stirring of the pot'. It really annoys me to see a representative of the company to be so negative about core users values (such as subtitled Anime). I'm sure people are very much aware an English language track will help to drive sales, but at the same time, there is little need to weigh this against the core fans who value subtitles. Comparisons are of little value, and really only serve to segment the audience. The recent comparisons of an established franchise like Appleseed and something like Vexille in the most recent Neo were pretty redundant in my opinion, and there was little need to make them. You should value your core audience regardless of their requirements, as they're the ones most likely to stick around.
Licenses I'd like to see: One Piece, Dragon Ball Kai, Casshern Sins, Bamboo Blade, Baccano and Eden of the East.
MVM: MVM need to ditch singles! It's gotten to the stage where even series' I have been dying to see licensed, finally are, when it comes to picking up the volumes I can't be bothered! Which is bad. Sure I should be more proactive about this, but MVM should also be more proactive in persuading people to pick up their releases. Personally I'd like to see them at least double up on volumes (perhaps counter balance this by raising RRP to £19.99). I also want to see MVM do a little more research into what they're licensing. They release Berserk just before the remastered set is announced in the US, and they're releasing X very soon, yet in the US they're about to receive the X remixes (again). I understand there are constraints to MVM and what they can do, but you don't want fans to purchase and feel cheated, and I did after buying Berserk.
Licenses I'd like to see: Revolutionary Girl Utena! Do it now! NOW!
Beez: I think the consensus is, that we'd all love to see cheaper Beez releases. While you can get some nice deals online, I still find Beez to be pretty pricey (Sorry Andrew). I also believe they've effectively priced themselves out of retail, which perhaps is not as huge a force in Anime sales today; I still believe a presence is important. I'd also love to see a budget style label, similar to Anime Legends here. I think it would do wonders, perhaps you won't make as much profit, but by getting people to bite, you're raising awareness with the promotional materials you have on the discs, of your other releases, and building a relationship with the consumer.
Licenses I'd like to see: Lucky Star, Kannagi, Hayate, Silent Mobius.
Revelation: Shape up or ship out. If you want to release Anime, do it. You've released some well-produced FMA sets, but you've also left many an anime fan with incomplete collections. I honestly wouldn't even like to see you pick up any more licenses at the moment. I also hope you make up your mind what to do with the Xxxholic and Tsubasa movies.
Anime on TV: It amazes me that we still have next to nothing. Channel 4 for example, is required by law to provide varied and niche entertainment and that which other channels do not offer the viewer, regardless of whether it will make a profit and be successful. Yet no one in the industry appears to be pushing channel 4 or MPs? There was an article in a newspaper that caused some interest, but it all seems to have fizzled out from there. Sony has this channel just playing away, with plenty of English language content... I want to see Animax FINALLY make an appearance in the UK.
Digital Distribution: Digital Distribution offers such interesting avenues when it comes to revenue. What's stopping companies picking up older, or more niche titles that will perhaps not sell well physically, and releasing them online? While licenses may perhaps be exactly the same (although I'm sure negotiations could be made), you're erasing the costs to produce and distribute the physical copy. Surely someone has to try it, at the very least. I'd love to see older stuff like Cyber City OEDO 808, Geno Cyber (which didn't actually finish releasing in the UK yeah?), Doomed Megalopolis, etc, but also series that perhaps would never ordinarily get licensed in the UK, like Genshiken.
So, I'd be interested in what other people here would like to see. Don't feel the need to write so much, or set it out the same way, but please, if you want to see something different, or changed, or list some licenses you'd like to see, let us know, and more importantly, let them know
.
