Comments on: Japan’s Manga Industry in Dire Straits http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/ Anime, manga and games, observed from Japan Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:24:29 +0900 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-361694 Anonymous Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:25:15 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-361694 Borders, and Barnes and Noble overprice their merchandise. Yotsuba&! from Borders (EN TL'd, printed and bound in Canada, shipped to the US): $10.99 (MSRP $9.99). Yotsuba&! from Kunokuniya in the US (JP language, printed and bound in Japan, shipped to the US): $6.99. Yotsuba&! (JP language, printed and bound in Japan) Japanese MSRP: 600 Yen. Borders, and Barnes and Noble overprice their merchandise.

Yotsuba&! from Borders (EN TL'd, printed and bound in Canada, shipped to the US): $10.99 (MSRP $9.99).

Yotsuba&! from Kunokuniya in the US (JP language, printed and bound in Japan, shipped to the US): $6.99.

Yotsuba&! (JP language, printed and bound in Japan) Japanese MSRP: 600 Yen.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-358906 Anonymous Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:39:55 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-358906 Thats like saying hip hop isn't dead then. Okay (American) comics as a whole (counting the other comic providers that aren't all about super heroes and what not) are not totally dead but like rap it's dieing. (I don't listen to rap btw just using it as an example) Thats like saying hip hop isn't dead then.
Okay (American) comics as a whole (counting the other comic providers that aren't all about super heroes and what not) are not totally dead but like rap it's dieing.
(I don't listen to rap btw just using it as an example)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357929 Anonymous Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:19:04 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357929 Well its not the internet perse that crippled the manga sales rather in my opinion that the mobile phones and the Internet lifestyle that are responsible.The current Japanese youth generation are more into the mobile thing than any other previous generation,so the hikikomori argument is not viable.They prefer chat rooms ,forums and emails to converse and trade ideas rather than convention (yes the comiket always attract crowd but mostly its newbies or hardcore die hard fans),thats why the figure is also in decline and there is proof ,this year the only figure convention thats always full of fans (Wonder Festival)has less visitors than last year.Its a generation and trend thing that has nothing to do with lack of innovation.Look at Hatsune Miku she became one of the first internet idol that really rule the charst,why?because of the internet culture.It was the people that markets Miku not Yamaha.The True Internet Age has just began,so if the Manga Industry do not follow this trend then they are going down the hard way just like the news industry and their lame watchdog Rupert Murdoch (He blame google (who allows online news readers to read news for free) for stealing his market share of newsreaders ...a stupid move thats bound to get nasty payback from the Internet Culture). Well its not the internet perse that crippled the manga sales rather in my opinion that the mobile phones and the Internet lifestyle that are responsible.The current Japanese youth generation are more into the mobile thing than any other previous generation,so the hikikomori argument is not viable.They prefer chat rooms ,forums and emails to converse and trade ideas rather than convention (yes the comiket always attract crowd but mostly its newbies or hardcore die hard fans),thats why the figure is also in decline and there is proof ,this year the only figure convention thats always full of fans (Wonder Festival)has less visitors than last year.Its a generation and trend thing that has nothing to do with lack of innovation.Look at Hatsune Miku she became one of the first internet idol that really rule the charst,why?because of the internet culture.It was the people that markets Miku not Yamaha.The True Internet Age has just began,so if the Manga Industry do not follow this trend then they are going down the hard way just like the news industry and their lame watchdog Rupert Murdoch (He blame google (who allows online news readers to read news for free) for stealing his market share of newsreaders ...a stupid move thats bound to get nasty payback from the Internet Culture).

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357904 Anonymous Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:11:11 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357904 Do what the American comic industry had to do. Cut the number of titles, do smaller, better quality print runs (the US no longer prints comics on newsprint) and subsidize your print industry with your online/licensing money. Comics in print HAVE to stay as the biggest target for a comic company is children, who do not have the means or money to do electronic distribution but certainly can read a comic. These are the most important fans because they're the ones that become life-long collectors and collecting is central to the comic industry. Without the physical objects it's just stories and frankly there are better sources (i.e. movies, anime, novels) for that. Finally, make manga full colour. Do what the American comic industry had to do. Cut the number of titles, do smaller, better quality print runs (the US no longer prints comics on newsprint) and subsidize your print industry with your online/licensing money. Comics in print HAVE to stay as the biggest target for a comic company is children, who do not have the means or money to do electronic distribution but certainly can read a comic. These are the most important fans because they're the ones that become life-long collectors and collecting is central to the comic industry. Without the physical objects it's just stories and frankly there are better sources (i.e. movies, anime, novels) for that. Finally, make manga full colour.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357895 Anonymous Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:01:39 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357895 1 dollar for new installments? My current bi-weeklies (Young Animal, Kindai Mahjong) offer 10-12 new installments an issue for 300-400 Yen. That's between 3.50 and 4.50 US. Why on earth should I pay 2-3 times more for what I currently buy? 1 dollar for new installments? My current bi-weeklies (Young Animal, Kindai Mahjong) offer 10-12 new installments an issue for 300-400 Yen. That's between 3.50 and 4.50 US. Why on earth should I pay 2-3 times more for what I currently buy?

]]> By: GodOfSpeed http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357478 GodOfSpeed Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:50:48 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357478 Well manga is really important...without manga there won't be so many anime shows, and without those, there won't be that much figures as now, OST, and other fan related stuffs. Well manga is really important...without manga there won't be so many anime shows, and without those, there won't be that much figures as now, OST, and other fan related stuffs.

]]> By: destructorv2 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357474 destructorv2 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:47:30 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357474 mm i dunno, make your manga moar entertaining, i mean, i can point out their bad things for the mangas now, and its not piracy. - Naruto is full of it now, and Kishimoto draws like he don't care anymore. - Bleach is delaying so much, just finish the fight, we wanna see something else. - One Piece: Still good, but if you stopped somewhere, don't try to continue. that, and all the other awesome manga finished. mm i dunno, make your manga moar entertaining, i mean, i can point out their bad things for the mangas now, and its not piracy.

- Naruto is full of it now, and Kishimoto draws like he don't care anymore.
- Bleach is delaying so much, just finish the fight, we wanna see something else.
- One Piece: Still good, but if you stopped somewhere, don't try to continue.

that, and all the other awesome manga finished.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357348 Anonymous Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:37:46 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357348 Yeah that's what I wanna do, but it's hard when you come to love so many titles, so I'm even compromising with them. ;_; Yeah that's what I wanna do, but it's hard when you come to love so many titles, so I'm even compromising with them. ;_;

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357218 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:23:23 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357218 Where's kenshiro? Where's Kinnikuman? Where's kenshiro? Where's Kinnikuman?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-357015 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:14:55 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-357015 Without Manga there will be alot less and crappier animes comming out. BUY SOME MAGS ! ;D Without Manga there will be alot less and crappier animes comming out. BUY SOME MAGS ! ;D

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356988 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:40:42 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356988 would so buy manga for like a half or quarter of the price online. since it will save alot of shelf space. Buy the really good ones physically though ;D would so buy manga for like a half or quarter of the price online. since it will save alot of shelf space.

Buy the really good ones physically though ;D

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356959 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:07:53 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356959 Comment by Anonymous 15:32 16/11/2009 # ! Neutral (0) THERE IS A WORLDMARKET! PUT THAT STICK OUT OF YOUR A** AND START DOING LICENSES THE RIGHT WAY! That^ Comment by Anonymous
15:32 16/11/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

THERE IS A WORLDMARKET! PUT THAT STICK OUT OF YOUR A** AND START DOING LICENSES THE RIGHT WAY!

That^

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356955 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:05:15 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356955 Wrong there are still many independent comic book markets that are still going strong. DC Vertigo comics Fables series is one of them. Just because Superman, Batman, X-men etc are worn out and declining doesn't mean the Comic Book market is dead. Archie comics are still going strong for some strange reason too, Wrong there are still many independent comic book markets that are still going strong.

DC Vertigo comics Fables series is one of them.

Just because Superman, Batman, X-men etc are worn out and declining doesn't mean the Comic Book market is dead.

Archie comics are still going strong for some strange reason too,

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356944 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:52:42 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356944 Damn Detective Conan is still going on? Is Rachael still clueless about Conan? lol I actually used to like that series but they kept going in circles like the Inuyasha manga did. Damn Detective Conan is still going on?

Is Rachael still clueless about Conan? lol I actually used to like that series but they kept going in circles like the Inuyasha manga did.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356940 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:47:18 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356940 Comment by Anonymous 16:14 16/11/2009 # ! Neutral (0) Because Bleach is a perfect example of the neverending bullshit you can find in the most popular manga titles. ^That, and the Naruto example from anon... Comment by Anonymous
16:14 16/11/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

Because Bleach is a perfect example of the neverending bullshit you can find in the most popular manga titles.

^That, and the Naruto example from anon...

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356928 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:34:31 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356928 Comment by makkun 01:06 16/11/2009 # ! Bad (-0.6) ....because lack of creativity or originality? at least that's what i thought.... You win K.O....! +5...no wait I'll try to log in for the plus. Comment by makkun
01:06 16/11/2009 # ! Bad (-0.6)

....because lack of creativity or originality?

at least that's what i thought....

You win K.O....! +5...no wait I'll try to log in for the plus.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356925 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:32:50 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356925 You win K.O....! +5...no wait I'll try to log in for the plus. You win K.O....! +5...no wait I'll try to log in for the plus.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356840 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:11:11 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356840 From http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2008/10/16/2008-anime-dvd-sales-ranking/ 5,251　 俗・絶望先生 / Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (First week) 5,937　 ゼロの使い魔～三美姫の輪舞～ / Zero no Tsukaima III (2 weeks) Man, Zero no Tsukaima sure sells better than Zetsubou-Sensei! (And Zero no Tsukaima is one of the more popular harem series.) The problem isn't that generic shows make viewers not watch non-generic shows - it's just that not enough non-generic shows (and manga) are becoming less and less common (producers take the safe approach: if you know it will sell, why take the risk to make something you're not sure of if it will sell well?). This naturally leads to a decrease in sales over time. And with the lack of anything better to focus on, moe shows get the spotlight. Generic shows and manga have always been there. It goes for every medium - generic books, generic films, generic TV shows, generic manga, generic anime, generic games, generic visual novels - and it has never killed an industry. A lack of non-generic titles kills an industry, not an abundance of generic titles. From http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2008/10/16/2008-anime-dvd-sales-ranking/
5,251　 俗・絶望先生 / Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (First week)
5,937　 ゼロの使い魔～三美姫の輪舞～ / Zero no Tsukaima III (2 weeks)
Man, Zero no Tsukaima sure sells better than Zetsubou-Sensei! (And Zero no Tsukaima is one of the more popular harem series.)

The problem isn't that generic shows make viewers not watch non-generic shows - it's just that not enough non-generic shows (and manga) are becoming less and less common (producers take the safe approach: if you know it will sell, why take the risk to make something you're not sure of if it will sell well?). This naturally leads to a decrease in sales over time. And with the lack of anything better to focus on, moe shows get the spotlight.

Generic shows and manga have always been there. It goes for every medium - generic books, generic films, generic TV shows, generic manga, generic anime, generic games, generic visual novels - and it has never killed an industry. A lack of non-generic titles kills an industry, not an abundance of generic titles.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356832 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:56 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356832 Well, some of us mentioned concerns over a lack of originality in manga. So if the manga copies a good story from a visual novel it won't count as an original manga-story. Get the idea? Well, some of us mentioned concerns over a lack of originality in manga. So if the manga copies a good story from a visual novel it won't count as an original manga-story. Get the idea?

]]> By: Artefact http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356703 Artefact Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:29:36 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356703 These kind of longer, more thoughtful articles do very poorly all things considered... These kind of longer, more thoughtful articles do very poorly all things considered...

]]> By: Artefact http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356697 Artefact Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:24:56 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356697 Did you notice how the research is sponsored by a business involved in music royalty collection? Not that Wired is any less partisan in this respect... Who cares about consensus when you can just look at Amazon's share price? Did you notice how the research is sponsored by a business involved in music royalty collection? Not that Wired is any less partisan in this respect...

Who cares about consensus when you can just look at Amazon's share price?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356681 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:04:45 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356681 -I'LL- say it's failing! You have a giant poster of Jump stars and no Cobra?! THAT'S why your stupid magazine's failing! Your damned ninja pirate soul reaper kids are killing it! Give us something with REAL adventure, naked chicks, and actual FUN! Stop pandering to elementary school kids and moe blobs and START MAKING SOME -REAL- MANGA AGAIN!!!! -I'LL- say it's failing! You have a giant poster of Jump stars and no Cobra?! THAT'S why your stupid magazine's failing! Your damned ninja pirate soul reaper kids are killing it! Give us something with REAL adventure, naked chicks, and actual FUN! Stop pandering to elementary school kids and moe blobs and START MAKING SOME -REAL- MANGA AGAIN!!!!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356644 Anonymous Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:38:14 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356644 They should start consider going digital. I love manga and I love buying it, but I don't have the space to go around hoarding it like crazy. Yeah I know we have online free manga already, but I'm talking about still supporting the industry without sacrificing space. They should start consider going digital.

I love manga and I love buying it, but I don't have the space to go around hoarding it like crazy.

Yeah I know we have online free manga already, but I'm talking about still supporting the industry without sacrificing space.

]]> By: OTIKA http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/16/japans-manga-industry-in-dire-straits/#comment-356605 OTIKA Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:04:36 +0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/?p=25010#comment-356605 [citation needed] [citation needed]

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