"Dark days ahead?"
12 / 09 / 04
exanimate
I don't know how many of you get/read the ANN feed at LJ, but if you don't, you missed the latest on the stormfront. Seems a law firm on behalf of Media Works sent a "request" to certain sites like AnimeSuki to stop offering links/downloads of their works. (read full article)
I understand perfectly that they are well within their legal rights to do this, but if they think this is going to help their sales, boy, are they mistaken. And if they believe fansubs or those who have them stops people from buying the licensed goods, then I need to junk my GB, Gravi, YnM, WR, and WK dvds now, huh? Not to say that everyone is going to do that, but more often than not, people will buy the DVDs when it's licensed. (Though admittedly it might take a little while just because one has seen them, but they still get bought.)
If these companies were worried about sales, maybe they could ::gasp:: either lower the friggin prices, or stick more eps on a disc. (Because thinking about what Viz did with the Inuyasha series still leaves me pissed and refusing to buy them.) I don't know about everyone else, but I could do without some of those "extras" they like sticking on the discs to take up space from putting on another ep or two.
I know one group is taking an "indifferent" approach/response to this. The biggest concern I see now is whether other companies are going to follow suit. If that does happen, I think sales are going to suffer for DVDs more than what they may be doing now with fansubs. For the most part, I can say nearly every DVD I have now I bought because I saw it first, usually because of a fansub.
I see the problem when something is licensed, (though again, looking at Viz, I also see the temptation), but to restrict material that technically can't even be received in a given country until it's licensed is extreme. (And there's no guarantee things do get licensed. Take Ayatsuri Sakon, for example.)
Well all I can do at this point is wait, though I see a massive revolt if this starts a trend.
Sorry, spammers forced my hand. Comments reviewed before being published.
still winds
