The UK DVD Market - Why the wait?

Paul

Paul

Ghost of Animes
Administrator
"The DVD market is a weird and wonderful thing these days. With a lot more variety and a greater range of genres to pick from things seem to be on the up and up. But is this really the case? There are advantages and disadvantages of the UK being further down the food chain than our big cousin, Mr. USA, The focus of today&rsquo;s article is the waiting time between Region 1 and Region 2 DVD&rsquo;s. Are we getting the short end of the proverbial stick? Or are things better than 5 years ago?" [<a href="http://www.animeuknews.net/article/49/the-uk-dvd-market-why-the-wait">The UK DVD Market - Why the wait?</a>]
Anime UK News writer Lewis talks with anime distributors Beez and a wide variety of British anime fans in his bid to understand the relative lag of DVD releases between the UK anime indistry and its more lucrative foreign counterparts.
 
It's an interesting article, the problem being it only highlights a problem we already know about. It doesn't go as far to offering suggestions to the problem.
 
I honestly couldn't believe the extremely long wait between volumes of Rev Films releases. I'm buying the region 2 versions they release but at that rate they're releasing them I can see myself getting impatient waiting and I'm not one to rush through series.
 
Fudce said:
It's an interesting article, the problem being it only highlights a problem we already know about. It doesn't go as far to offering suggestions to the problem.
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It's nigh on impossible to offer suggestions to the wait. No one knows what goes on in the industry, how things are licensed etc (apart from those in the industry). I'm sure its more complicated than it seems, and i'd rather not act as an armchair expert ranting on how they could do this and that when its the complete opposite on thier side of the fence.

Although it did touch on digital distribution thats nothing more than a pipe dream.
 
Very interesting. And I'd just wonder... Is buying from UP1 (HQ in Kent, England) technically import or UK based purchases?

I'm sure that most online shops like them buy from america anyways, so is that necessarily helping UK economy or the US?

(BTW, OMG!!!! I got a mention in it!!! *Crazed frenzy of cheers and waving arms* Thanks for the recognition!)
 
Chaz said:
Very interesting. And I'd just wonder... Is buying from UP1 (HQ in Kent, England) technically import or UK based purchases?

I'm sure that most online shops like them buy from america anyways, so is that necessarily helping UK economy or the US?

(BTW, OMG!!!! I got a mention in it!!! *Crazed frenzy of cheers and waving arms* Thanks for the recognition!)
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In looking back to the first post of this topic I think region 2 DVDs are how to support the UK marketplace? I think this is the pros and cons of buying region 1 and 2 DVDs, and how the UK is affected by our choices.
 
Chaz said:
Very interesting. And I'd just wonder... Is buying from UP1 (HQ in Kent, England) technically import or UK based purchases?

I'm sure that most online shops like them buy from america anyways, so is that necessarily helping UK economy or the US?

(BTW, OMG!!!! I got a mention in it!!! *Crazed frenzy of cheers and waving arms* Thanks for the recognition!)
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Importing is defined as buying product sourced from outside the UK/EU. Since UP1 sell R1 DVDs then this is most definitely classed as importing. Most UK shops do not sell R1 DVDs. In fact it is illegal for most to do so since they need a special permit to allow it. Of shops in the UK I think only UP1 and Otaku legally sell R1 DVDs whilst City Cyber in Leeds sell R1 but the legality of that is questionable from something I picked up a while back. The only other places are on Amazon's marketplace, which should be treated with the same caution as Ebay given that it is fairly unregulated or at least has the occasional dodgy item slip through. I don't know of any other sources for domestic distribution of imported products.
 
I imported my first region 1 DVD recently, just seemed daft to a) wait for a long time and b) pay nearly double the price for the DVD just because it is region 2. My usual format will still be region 2, only because I don't buy anime often and have started collecting several series in this format already...and not all my friends have multi-regional DVD players yet for borrowing them!

I think if the pricing were more in line with what Americans were paying over here I'd have more patience to wait for something I really wanted.
 
The biggest beef I have with the UK market is with the incredibly long periods they spread a series’ volumes over. I could happily wait a month or even two after a US release if I knew the UK market could match the US markets ‘a volume a month’ release schedule. But with schedules like the example in the article (4 volumes over 9 months) it’s just taking the piss really.

Surely a shorter period in-between releases would help sales? I’d imagine that quite a few people buy maybe the first couple of volumes but then lose momentum and interest and drop the series with the existing schedules.

And I don’t see what the excuse for it is either. Once you have an agreement or license or whatever is necessary for a title, surely you then have it and if you really wanted to, could release volumes daily!
(I appreciate that daily releases aren't technically possible but I'm sure you get the point)
 
I'm not loaded like all of you apparently are, so I prefer the amount of time given for R2 releases. Although...

"Surely a shorter period in-between releases would help sales? I’d imagine that quite a few people buy maybe the first couple of volumes but then lose momentum and interest and drop the series with the existing schedules."

That did happen to me with Eureka Seven, after DVD 3 I just lost the buzz completely. >_>
 
Extremely interesting and something I’ve been wondering about for ages. I always thought though it’s partly to do with the BBFC messing around and taking ages >_> seeing as Australia gets releases a lot faster than here as well -_-
But I agree I have the idea of digitally downloading anime for keeping if I’m going to spend money I want something to show as mine lol
 
Lupus Inu said:
I'm not loaded like all of you apparently are, so I prefer the amount of time given for R2 releases. Although...

"Surely a shorter period in-between releases would help sales? I’d imagine that quite a few people buy maybe the first couple of volumes but then lose momentum and interest and drop the series with the existing schedules."

That did happen to me with Eureka Seven, after DVD 3 I just lost the buzz completely. >_>
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You did slightly better than me. I managed DVD 2 before being distracted by other things. Shame really.
 
Personally, I don't know whats the main problem on releasing the DVDs with ease. But so far, I hate waiting for the DVDs to come out here... Which forces me to rely on fansubs, and I will buy them once they eventually releases here.

But since my mum is sick and tired of her DVDs such as Shark, Dexter and other detective stuff not having any sign of being released here and paying nearly double the price, she is getting the Region Free DVD player.

Heh, who thought it's also a problem outside of anime. So now, in my opinion, Screw the anime companies who aren't managing the releases, because if they think that this is alright to release it so late, and at bad quality (DVD boxets, Dubtitles etc), then I ain't wasting my money on them.

So far, I've only been impressed with Beez and Rev Films (and looking at Rev, it's starting to disapoint me).

Plus... Rev and Beez are the only DVDs where they actually have decent dubs and really nice boxset <3
 
Lupus Inu said:
I'm not loaded like all of you apparently are, so I prefer the amount of time given for R2 releases. Although...

That did happen to me with Eureka Seven, after DVD 3 I just lost the buzz completely. >_>
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While the pricing issue is a different matter, well done on picking up on the hype and buzz. This is completley valid and an excellent point.

The best example in modern times is Haruhi, we all know just how big this show is and this year America has had it dubbed, boxed and released the complete first series (i think, last time i checked it was upto vol 3) But what about the UK? i don't think (and prove me wrong if im incorrect) that anyone has picked it up for here yet.

As lupus said, what will happen in 2008 or 2009 when the next big show comes along and steals the limelight. Granted Haruhi has another season to go but interest will start to dwindle after time. Missing the moment if you will.
 
Nyu said:
While the pricing issue is a different matter, well done on picking up on the hype and buzz. This is completley valid and an excellent point.

The best example in modern times is Haruhi, we all know just how big this show is and this year America has had it dubbed, boxed and released the complete first series (i think, last time i checked it was upto vol 3) But what about the UK? i don't think (and prove me wrong if im incorrect) that anyone has picked it up for here yet.

As lupus said, what will happen in 2008 or 2009 when the next big show comes along and steals the limelight. Granted Haruhi has another season to go but interest will start to dwindle after time. Missing the moment if you will.
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That is another fine point. The UK market is so cold on the heels of everyone else that the benefit of riding the wave of interest is always lost.

And as for the Haruhi in the US, well that was finished being released a while ago. Rather expensive but at least it was an option.

I thought the UK market was improving (and maybe it is) but this thread has somewhat depressed me now.
 
Meh, even if we got UK releases sooner there'd still be fans bitching about something else - most likely the length of time between Japanese and western releases. :roll:

I'm not rich enough to be up to date with every series out there I'd like to see, so having a bit of breathing space allows me time to catch up on various shows. A bit of patience is all that's needed. (Giant Robo 7 back in the day was over a year as it was still being made - it was worth it :D )

If the UK scene wants to be on a level/ahead of the US then it seriously needs to stop leeching American sources and get back into the habit of producing its own dubs and subs. Maybe that way they could get even more money by licensing their own work to America!
 
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