Anime Industry Laments Bust: “We Could Sell Anything!”
- Categories: Anime, News
- Date: Feb 9, 2010 02:16 JST
- Tags: Blu-ray, Business, DVD Extras, Marketing, Mecha, Moe, Production Controversy, TV
A business article on the burst of the moe bubble explains the trials the industry faces, with an anime industry figure woefully admitting that he could sell anything he dumped on consumers at the boom’s height.
The article, translated from the pages of top Japanese business rag Weekly Toyo Keizai:
Even the representative of the Japanese content industry, the anime industry, is at its wits end over struggling DVD sales.
The management at an anime production company holds forth on the subject:
“In hard times people keep a tight reign on their purse strings. 2-3 years ago, if it was a moe or robot anime, we could sell absolutely anything, but now things have become selective.”
Over 50% of broadcast anime occupies late night slots, but the production costs for one episode alone are from 10-13 million yen ($100,000-130,000).
Publishers have to buy up slots from TV stations [at something like 500,000-3,000,000 each episode for late night broadcasts on typical stations], and most of their revenues come from DVD sales.
Illegal distribution online is an issue, as are business conditions.
With late night anime being a niche market, if revenues are assured even a potential hit won’t secure funding – just making each title is becoming more difficult.
One TV station’s management gloomily expresses their concern: “The number of projects we are seeing is close to half that of last year.”
Selling late night slots, which otherwise cost money to programme for, to anime publishers is a good earner for these stations. Reduced DVD sales thus also harm the stations. Some have reduced prices on their slots, but the effect remains unclear.
Amidst these shrinking DVD sales, some are pinning their hopes on Blu-ray.
But the anime producer interviewed is sceptical:
“The impact is nothing like the move from VHS to DVD. The market’s not going to grow with just the switch from DVD to BD.”
The audiovisual content industry still appears to be facing a harsh future indeed.
Many are now saying the industry is justly reaping what it has sown, with the market collapsing after being saturated with innumerable derivative works of questionable quality.
And the expected scathing 2ch response:
“And what’s left is just ero-moe anime.”
“Who the hell’d watch a bunch of ridiculously censored anime anyway.”
“They’re practically all the same pictures anyway, it’s like playing a visual novel.”
“Just stop making anime for God’s sake!”
“The DVDs aren’t selling because they’re overpriced. You can rent them at Geo for 100 so I’m even less likely to buy.”
“Most anime otaku are downloading rather than buying. They’d be better off just making children’s anime.”
“It’s hard to believe anyone even buys these BDs at 3000 per episode.”
“It’s the middle of a recession so what do they expect?”
“I think it’d be best if they decrease output even more. There’s too many irredeemable anime out there still.
I don’t mean to say ero-anime is no good, but it’d be best if they didn’t bother making drivel like Sora no Otoshimono into anime in the first place.”
“In the eighties it was the anime movie boom, in the nineties the OVA boom. They all end the same.”
“’The issue of illegal distribution on video sharing sites’
Isn’t this free publicity? Otaku in the regions or overseas can decide to buy the DVDs. If they want to expand their audience there’s nothing for it but to harness the Internet.”
“Illegal distribution doesn’t promote them.
Haruhi may have ended up like that overseas, but most of them are just freeloading scum happy at whatever they can get for free. People in the regions can just rent them cheaply, and foreigners hardly buy them at all.
If it promotes them why aren’t they all distributing online?”
“’freeloading scum happy at whatever they can get for free’
How does this differ to people watching for free on TV but not buying?”
“It’s all because most of their anime was trash.
It goes: 2-3 cute girls come on, show us their pantsu, and then give some half-baked loli dialogue.
How the hell can do they expect to expand their customer base with this stuff?”
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when it all falls down..
All the dvd/blu-ray's of 3 episodes for about $30.00++ is so absurd to anyone.
Is no way they can even lie to themselves..
I agree with 2ch. All the recent anime has been ero rubbish, it's little wonder nothing is selling.
Endless Eight on blue-ray!!!! That would be awesome... (just being sarcastic)
I love the fact that Konata's hair is going all over kagamin~
Wow that came out of nowhere.
Its kind of lame that 2ch just bashes everything mostly. kinda makes it a not viable resource except for humanity's inner negative thoughts that everyone has but never says
Well... That's the internet for you...
If the prices are high, the recession is high and the recycling is high, then... Shouldn't they change their ways?
It's not like bubble bursting is anything new to them. Shouldn't they have planned for an eventual moe burst? These guys seem to me like they just ride the wave without any regard to what will happen when it ends.
Why don't they try producing something different? It's not like they don't have a more or less decent quantity of available genres.
They could even post an online poll and 2ch is sure to respond... In a scathing way as usual, but they will respond. And while not a representative result, they can use it as a basis for establishing an idea on what could sell and what could not.
The way things are, Seikon no Qwaser is like the last bubbles coming out of a sinking ship.
And it can only go too far with the censorship it has and the timeslot it must be in.
DVDs just cost too fucking much for anyone to buy. Now if it were at reasonable prices (which happens once they are huge sales...), I would buy a lot more than I have.
if dvd sales are so low why are they not lowering the price
fear of not making massive profit off ther ealredy chealy hierd animators?
wasn't it $30 an episode for blu-ray? DVDs were about $50 for 2 episodes so that's $25 an episode there.
to be honest i buy boxed sets of the better quality stuff, however most of the releases for the last two years have been trash i didnt even finish for free.
if its trash the fan sub is good enough.
thinking about it i bought the haruhi boxed set and finished off eureka 7 which was soso. ill probably pop for black lagoon and if they do a decent dub of princess lover i could see buying that.
nothing else really looks like its worth spending money on.
We're in a recession, this is to be expected. But seriously, when will they realize they can't keep giving the quality they have been. Hopefully Angel Beats! will be the start of a new quality era~
"Hopefully Angel Beats! will be the start of a new quality era~"
Mission: Impossible
Although it might go well, I'm more looking forward to Little Busters.
Angel Beats looks interesting, and it probably is the only thing worth waiting for this season.
Little Busters...Not so much. I didn't like the VN that much; it was fun, just not that interesting.
I dunno, Senkou no Night Raid looks like it may be promising. I know that for many Sora no Woto was a let down (I still ahven't bothered watching it) but Night Raid looks to be avoiding the moeblob crap.
Angel Beats looks more promising atm though cause its latest PV was kickarse.
Qualiity before quanity.
Spell check before posting.
Dear Lord! Two "I"s! That bastard must have been plotting to ruin the English language with that incorrect spelling of "Quality"! He must be subjected to grog, buggery, and the lash! Good thing you were on the ball and saw his plot anon. otherwise we would all be looking down the barrel of a gun held by a thug who can't even spell his own name 20 years from now.
You forgot the misspelling of "quantity".
Funny, but you missed the missing "t".
Some sort of viet gook?
I feel bad for the industry but I knew this was coming a long time ago. I think that one guy is right if it means they have to save what little the anime industry has left they should just cut back on realsing goo gobs of anime. And run a stricter anime lineup with more quality shows that can also have a better impact outside japan. The ero stuff I'm not sure of but the mainstream I feel can at least pull this off. Because if not they'll have to focus on reaching a younger crowd to boost the future of the anime industry and you know what that means some new pokemon bullshit.
I don't feel sorry for them at all.
When they switched over to producing anime with computers rather than hand-painted cels, the production costs dropped significantly, and they were able to start pumping this stuff out like there was no tomorrow.
Any sane person COULD assume that video/DVD prices would thus similarly drop, but they didn't, or if they did, only marginally and insignificantly.
They like to keep blaming the "freeloading scum" but it's not a valid argument. The RIAA failed to make this argument valid, so why would the anime industry make it any more valid? Simply put, there is not a 1 to 1 ratio of downloaded content to lost sales. Not even close. Assuming that you successfully stopped EVERYONE from downloading your stuff, you would see no statistically significant rise in sales whatsoever.
If they want to increase revenue, they need to break away from the following formula: Shit Anime + Too Expensive = ??? (not profit).
I don't agree that killing all piracy somehow wouldn't impact sales significantly. While there are some who would not or could not buy all the crap they produce, there are also those who just leech just because they are cheapsakes who put no value in their entertainment.
It's true that the media industry is overrating the impact on digital copyright infringement. We don't agree with how license holders handle it, but that's not reason to call them liars.
Torrents didn't appear out of nowhere. There are reasons behind them and the only way to get rid of them is to address those reasons.
What I hope is some really really good anime for now...
There is really good anime out right now. All of you need to stop paying attention to the moe crap and instead look at the interesting titles like BakaTest and Durarara.
There was plenty of good stuff last season as well which was so far away from moe it wasn't funny. Namely Aoi Bungaku and Kuchuu Buranko.
I agree, except for you saying that BakaTest was interesting...
BakaTest has Hideyoshi. Your argument is invalid.
Stop giving ero-anime and start giving some pure comedy or somewhat entertaining ones! To get a good customer base first they'll have to go for the younger audience
The younger ones actually like the erotic stuff - recall To Love-Ru was published in Jump and the popularity of Kanokon amongst children.
Kanokon sucks serious ass.
You mean they should produce some pure comedy like Tom & Jerry, Flintstones of old, or contemporary American style cartoon´s ugly animal comedy?
You don´t get the humor in ero-ecchi anime, or are mentally blocked to enjoy it?
Anime producers could as well kill themselves instead of taking so self-destructive route you´re suggesting.
Only solution is cheaper prices on DVD and BD, there`s nothing wrong in contemporary content.
I would be more then willing to buy my Fav anime instead of DLing it, But at $30-$100 a DvD.....Im sorry but no not going to happen, and on top of that half the time its a Dub soundtrack without the Jap One on it.
Sora no Otoshimono WAS VERY ENJOYABLE
don't hate!
The island episode solidified my enjoyment of that series, darn shame like all the rest, it never had a cohesive story or ending. That was why I loved 'Itazura na Kiss' with a hilarious narrative that completed itself.
Also; I can also hook onto a show that had fully Animated fight scenes. A show like 'Tears to Tiara' where in an early (stealing a ship) episode, there was a sequence that aped the style of '300'.. simply Awesome shit. All sword fights where done without poses of characters + speed lines in background + flash and a fall of one opponent. The usual shit was dropped, but the Moe wouldn't disappear and I still had to deal with that.
So I wasn't the only one that enjoyed Tears to Tiara! Awesome. XD
Sora no Otoshimono was/is very enjoyable and I for one am looking forward to the 2nd season.
I even pre-purchased the 1st season from Amazon (already have the 1st and 2nd DVDs), although it is disappointing so far that the Episodes didn't have any *extras* compared to the TV broadcast (the 3 postcards are interesting :-) ).
any way, am going to support SnO with my money and hopefully they will decide on the 2nd season (I am looking forward to the BD box set for it as well).
Far to much moe and censorship in anime today. Thats why i don't watch much of it anymore.
Plus butchered series puts me right off as well.
That type of attitude is what is destroying the industry. Its NOT all moe and it's not all censored. Actually watch some of the stuff coming out now and you can see that.
Goes to show you that most of those who complain about there being no quality titles hardly actually look around and support the industry at all.
sora no otoshimono is good...stupid otaku
Maybe if they actually put some effort into making quality anime then freeloading scum like me would be more willing to buy the DVDs and BD. I never watch most recent anime more than once so why would I want to spend so much money on it?
Unfortunately, as evidenced by Gonzo's sales record, Quality Anime didn't sell well as Moe Anime, no matter the time period...
That's because you morons don't even bother to support quality anime when you see it.
Amen brother stupid otaku
I'm talking to the guys that are bitching about the saturation of "moe" titles, numbnuts. The "stupid otaku" like what they see and spend their money on moe titles and moe goods--They support the companies based on their preferences. The artsy Type-As bitch about how companies like to cater to the otaku, but they don't even try to buy any DVDs from Gonzo when they produce a title that breaks the mold.
I bought some of Gonzos' work like that six part tree huggin' "sci fi" underwater show because it was originally produced with CG and pretty characters.
I bought 'Last Exile' for the original steam punk feel.
I bought 'Vandread' because it was also unique, and the hinted possibilities promised by a developer for the sequel.. I saw a picture in Newtype(Japan Edition) of two girls made by One Man with Two women! What tale was to be told? Never will know because it was screwed by the upper chain playing it safe. Vomiting out the sequel. You wonder why it never had another season? Watch it and see why.
'Full Metal Panic' was a buy too.
But by then they started to cough up more and more series and production failed in story/animation/originality; then the libatard gaia worshiping creator made that awful retarded movie about crazy plants destroying humanity. I believe gonzo died financially when they green(heh)lite that turd. They pulled a '~Spirits Within' move that crippled Square soft.
One day I might buy their final huzzah (Tower of Druga) because the first season was wonderful, but sadly.. they butt fucked the sequel and played it safe with the characters again.
Yeah, 2nd season suck!
Jil should've ended with Fatina
Gonzo? Quality anime?? Strike Witches is good I agree, but Gonzo wasted too much time and effort on western oriented SHIT....Afro Samurai being one of them.
Gonzo? Quality anime?? Afro Samurai is good I agree, but Gonzo wasted too much time and effort on SHIT....Strike Witches being one of them.
FIXED.
Made of win
'If it is good, it's worth it.'
I somewhat understand that, though I am blessed with small anime-related goods market. If it wasn't for that and the Internet, I'd have probably gone bancrupt.
I live in Central Europe. Many, many years ago I had chance to watch The Vision of Escaflowne and was stunned. Since then it became my all-time favourite, so I decided to buy something - anything related to that. After about five years I found original DVD of this show on auction, the second volume. I bought it. And it didn't even matter that I couldn't watch it (it was from Australia and didn't work on my DVD), I have it even now and am happy because of that.
Why? Because it was good. So good, that I wanted to show I approve it by buying the DVD.
And that was how it worked for me until I got my hands on fansubs from teh Internet. Sure, thanks to that I watched many good series, but with every new it was less and less exciting. I took watching it for free for granted - whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, excusing myself from buying the DVD by having problem with deciding which show to buy.
The sad conclusion I came to is, that even if I were to watch something as good as VoE (yes, there are better shows, I watched them too, but that's not the point), the amount of shit I have to watch to find something that suits my tastes would spoil the whole fun of engaging in the story.
The second conclusion is, that free and easily available shows aren't so fun for me anymore and never were as fun as those that I had to buy first. It's all compliant with microeconomic theory.
The third and final conclusion I came to is,
that nowadays most people buy dvds only to have more fun and engagement from watching a show, no matter how good or bad it is. That's how the companies came to conclusion that every shit can be sold: the customer will cherish it more if the price is higher, and that's a fact, because the customer himself wants to believe that. They didn't bother with focusing on doing quality shows anymore and, unfortunately, they forgot that trends are cyclic and customers reaction will change, as it happens now. Buying anything habituated and doesn't give fun anymore, thus, I guess, they will have to do something really good so that people buy it thinking 'it's so awesome I want to capture that feeling' instead of 'It will be even better when I buy the whole collection and 10 figurines'.
I'm afraid they forgot how to do anything good though. Now is my right time to stop watching anime for ~5 years.
'If it is good, it's worth it.'
I somewhat understand that, though I am blessed with small anime-related goods market. If it wasn't for that and the Internet, I'd have probably gone bancrupt.
I live in Central Europe. Many, many years ago I had chance to watch The Vision of Escaflowne and was stunned. Since then it became my all-time favourite, so I decided to buy something - anything related to that. After about five years I found original DVD of this show on auction, the second volume. I bought it. And it didn't even matter that I couldn't watch it (it was from Australia and didn't work on my DVD), I have it even now and am happy because of that.
Why? Because it was good. So good, that I wanted to show I approve it by buying the DVD.
And that was how it worked for me until I got my hands on fansubs from teh Internet. Sure, thanks to that I watched many good series, but with every new it was less and less exciting. I took watching it for free for granted - whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, excusing myself from buying the DVD by having problem with deciding which show to buy.
The sad conclusion I came to is, that even if I were to watch something as good as VoE (yes, there are better shows, I watched them too, but that's not the point), the amount of shit I have to watch to find something that suits my tastes would spoil the whole fun of engaging in the story.
The second conclusion is, that free and easily available shows aren't so fun for me anymore and never were as fun as those that I had to buy first. It's all compliant with microeconomic theory.
The third and final conclusion I came to is,
that nowadays most people buy dvds only to have more fun and engagement from watching a show, no matter how good or bad it is. That's how the companies came to conclusion that every shit can be sold: the customer will cherish it more if the price is higher, and that's a fact, because the customer himself wants to believe that. They didn't bother with focusing on doing quality shows anymore and, unfortunately, they forgot that trends are cyclic and customers reaction will change, as it happens now. Buying anything habituated and doesn't give fun anymore, thus, I guess, they will have to do something really good so that people buy it thinking 'it's so awesome I want to capture that feeling' instead of 'It will be even better when I buy the whole collection and 10 figurines'.
I'm afraid they forgot how to do anything good though. Now is my right time to stop watching anime for ~5 years.