The Japanese government is promising to finally stamp out illicit anime streaming sites overseas, and in China in particular, and replace them with an official streaming site with the cooperation of publishers and studios.
As part of the Abe administration’s efforts to muscle in on the anime industry and roll it into its “Cool Japan” programme, thankfully taking a break from attacking it with censorship for now, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is teaming up with 15 publishers and studios to quash illicit anime streaming sites.
In contrast to the previous disorganised efforts by individual companies to restrain the domination of international anime by “pirate sites,” this time around a “large scale” operation to “exterminate” the sites, although what measures they can take against sites based in China is not clear.
Their first step in this operation is to be sending takedown demands to 580 sites on the first of August, to be followed by the establishment of an officially endorsed streaming site carrying some 250 titles new and old.
The new site will be available for the equivalent of “several hundred yen a month,” although strangely no details or marketing fanfare for this new site are in evidence (and similar efforts in the form of daisuki.net and an upcoming Kadokawa/NicoNico site seem not to have made much impact either).
The ministry is keen to proceed despite the lack of details, as one of their PR flacks enthuses:
“We wish to ensure overseas fans can safely enjoy Japanese works legally, and to make a system where anime studios and publishers see their profits returned to them.”
Culture ministry guesses are that this year Chinese sites alone raked in over 560 billion yen in illegal sales, which Japanese companies saw not a penny of – and which would certainly finance the creation of more than a few new series were it actually to find its way to studios.
What impact unauthorised distribution of titles Japanese publishers never even bothered to market overseas had on sales, such as they are, has as usual been ignored – some uncomfortable studies do suggest it may have been a positive one, much as the huge “grey” market for unauthorised doujin works hardly seems to damage “white” publisher revenues, and the international appearance of the likes of Naruto can hardly be attributed to savvy marketing on the part of Japanese companies.
Amongst Japanese there is cynicism as to whether freeloading barbarian fans will ever pay their way as the Japanese so fastidiously maintain they do:
“Destroy the gaijin!”
“I bet they mean several hundred yen per title, not unlimited as the report seems to suggest but doesn’t actually say explicitly. Although at high quality that would be quite good.”
“If not it would seem to be impossible to compete with CR.”
“The ones who never buy would never have bought anything so their ‘losses’ to piracy are non-existent.”
“Doesn’t mean they are obligated to let them watch for free!”
“TV is behind the times – but they will never succeed with their series spread willy-nilly over a bunch of different paysites. They need to reform their distribution model as well.”
“That’s right. I looked up the legal streaming sites after reading this – we have d-anime-store, Gyao!, U-NEXT, Hulu, NicoNico, Bandai Channel, Noitami Channel – who the hell knows where they can watch which title out of this lot! Looking through all their unlimited plans to try to find one where you can actually get all the series you want, anyone would soon lose interest. They need to consolidate.”
“I live in America – you can’t subscribe to any of the domestic Japanese streaming services from overseas, you can’t watch on demand, there are no broadcasts on normal TV channels, and importing DVDs costs a fortune. There aren’t any legal options for most shows, they need to address this.”
“Don’t forget, most Japanese never buy the discs either – they are just watching for free on TV.”
“I wish they would actually make all shows viewable on TV throughout Japan.”
“Right – for the stuff not shown on satellite there are shows which are only shown in certain regions by certain stations.”
“The overseas releases are $100 for a season box set, the Japanese releases are $80 for two episodes…”
“What about FC2?”
“Give the old anime a break. You can’t get them rental or as new discs nowadays.”
“It’s whack-a-mole, but if you leave them alone matters only get worse.”
“Just promoting a single official anime site overseas would probably do more to discourage illicit streaming than a crackdown.”
“Why did they leave it so long?”
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Would it kill them to follow Bandai's lead & just make an official youtube channel? Worked out just fine for Gundam Build Fighters.
That's because GBF is a commercial for gunpla... and it worked on me!
Rest in peace your wallet and savings. I kinda feel your pain.
I think you will be able to keep your wallet and just watch a ad. Much like Hulu or Netflix. This isn't the government alone, it's also the publishers hoping for this and if you're a fan of anime you should want this too. I mean this will pave the way for more anime on cable and everywhere else (like theatres). I'm talking worldwide too. Anime and Manga publishers deserve this as well as the fans.
Profit-wise yes, but for the sake of the industry, no.
The more 'commercialized' anime becomes, the more it's at threat of being heavily regulated. Understand this, everytime a sexy anime comes out there's always a feminite and moralist complaining about it.
If the anime and manga stays in Japan, and is not commercialized through exposure in official medias overseas, then the more likely this genre will stay around without being watered down to bits.
I had enough Disney Princess, Feminist-Powah and lame-ass love-stories to fill up a closet full of poop. I want my dangerous, edgy, sensual and down-right dirty animu's and mangah's. OH, AND THE FLATTER THE CHEST, THE BETTER.
Fuck... U sound so stupid! If anime reaches a wider audience it would make more profits than ever compared to their money coming from horny virgins. You want sensual and dirty, go but some hentai!!!
Disney can't write love stories worth a damn. Hell, Hollywood generally can't write love stories worth a damn.
15:53
It's been a long time, but ever heard of the movie "the professional"?
I know, I know.
@Palmtop Tiger
shut up bitch
Or like Fate/Zero on nicovideo, where they aired it weekly and took the last episode down when a new one is released.
They'd make money from ad revenue, if they posted an official high quality streaming source. Partnering with Hulu or other sites to offer their shows would probably work too.
but they'll just spin their wheels trying to chase a large imaginary market share. Spending a fortune in lawyer fees and takedown orders of content which will just crop up somewhere else. Even if they have some success, people will just defer to p2p networks or stop watching anime.
It's funny how they think free viewers somehow represent a large potential customer base.
Well! They need to try something and soon. They're going to be bankrupt with all the inflation and animators choosing video games over anime. Also with the help of the government is a lot different then some companies trying to change things, also if you get rid of the illegal sites in the search engine, then they will choose the next option which will be their site and other official sites.
ayy lmao
LOL! Imouto watching and learning from anime. She should pay careful attention.
Her way of dropping him a hint.
Unfortunately he is willfully blind. There's just so many obvious come-on's he is passing off.
I think I should make an anime streaming site now.
When they try to take me down I'll sue the fuck out of them and call it a monopoly for sites like Crunchy Roll.
Enjoy jail.
Real hardcore gangster stream up that AOT or Madoka shit like real OG. They should be locked up along with the rapists and murderers......?
this would be a classified as a civil lawsuit, and no matter who wins: jail has nothing to do with it.
but it's funny when people like you show the rest of us how dumb you are. keep trolling bro
Actually, some countries would class this under the same as 'counterfeiting goods', which is a CRIMINAL offense.
Then Why is CrunchyRoll Still Functioning
Pbbbt haha haha.
Then when I go "legitimate" like CR did with its pirate roots, I'll demand a gross part of ALL the income.
FREE MONEY!
source of whats playing on the 2nd pic?
It's from Yosuga no Sora. Actually a good anime with its last arc.
By the way, it's not even an hentai ^^
Though it has hentai elements.
One of the very few incest series where the siblings are Actually related by blood for a change. But yeah the best was the Sora Arc though.
Incest. the girl on the floor is the guy's sister and the girl coming through the door his class mate.
Yosuga no Sora
Way to spoil it dumb shit.
Just spoils one route. The anime pretty much covers all routes. Besides, it's an old anime. No one cares for old anime.
I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable fixed fee for what I watch. If they made it work, I'd actually pay for my torrents if the money went to the ligit place. But I'd want the file and not the streaming shit that requires internet connection.
Time for copyright law~~~~~!!!!!
When US federal government kills Mega upload, Mega soon form up another site...
Can we really trust Japanese government O_O?
https://mega.co.nz/
Reminds me of the scene from Taken:
"Good Luck"
Except this time, they cant find everyone... and when you've found one, you've ended up finding none.
It's about time and people think the internet will be free forever and that's where you're wrong. Netflix is proving this to everyone and the internet will become more regulated and will have more surveillance. It doesn't matter if it's just data, it's still stealing folks and deludes the next product.
We'll need to find better, safer ways to steal then, I guess.
The internet is in the governments hands and all this will lead to is special forces breaking in to your house, destroying your stuff and arrest you or kill you (if you retaliate). Just support the official release by watching the or paying, what's so wrong with that? I don't get it.
*watching the AD*
Okay unless you show me where it said the internet is own by the government I'll say to you that's bullshit (unless you're living in China). But regardless, ownership of the web itself is impossible since it's the fucking worldwide web. If you want to have the government to control the content you receive I suggest you move your ass to China or North Korea if you really want to push for the extreme.
The long and short of it is the NSA and their display of power and for being just a single entity of the government. Is proof to me and you that if the government wanted to lockdown the internet they can.
The way I see pirating sites is terrorism on the market.
Now you may think the music industry and Hollywood is making tons of money and they want more. But who are you or I or anyone for that matter get to say someone should only be paid this much?
@15:31 anon, go google darknet.
Oh you mean the same NSA that were put on court for abusing their authority outside their bound, who clearly violated a constitutional amendment NSA? Than by all means I guess it's okay for them to break a constitutional amendment if they're part of the government.... And to add to your last point both the business and consumers should have the right to deem how much something should be worth. What we have right now is a one sided market where the entertainment industry filters the shit they produces yet barely do the recipient have any say for the matter.
15:49 I know this! I know people who were arrested in the U.K. and U.S. because they were using this and the onion router to view live action child porn. So yeah if the government wants it done it will be.
Do you guys hate the idea of anime to flourish that much? Why are you here anyway?
O.o
15:57 It's funny how you say consumer and yet it seems you or the other anon seem very unlikely to be a consumer. So you and your friends aren't really part of this market you speak of. Seeing as you can't be a part of the equation, if you aren't supporting anything.
Dem fools don't know how to use secure encrypted Networks. For them to watch that stuff is just lame anyway.
The government is all over any publically used or commecialized VPN that's in the U.S. Onion is past experimental at this point, the U.S. intelligence has nothing else to do with tax-payers money obliviously.
Doesn't matter though. Despite such efforts there will be other networks that pop-up inplace, so it's a never-ending thing. When these networks start popping up overseas is when things get trickier.
The deep web.
Wow Char must hate her show. If she doesn't want her makers to make money, which in turn will make more seasons. More money means more risks to losses, not saying you won't sell Char but it's better to have a backup plan.
You seem to think the industry will properly compensate the original creators and animators. That's a cute thought but I doubt we live in the world you describe where money is distributed to the right people and they would never under finance to save themselves a quick buck.
They do though. They do compensate them. But if companies have to take more and more risks on them, then they won't. If anime and manga doesn't grow beyond those tiny borders of Japan, then there won't be more anime and manga. They will be bankrupt. Shits getting more expensive in animation and a lot of Japanese artists and animators are choosing games over anime. So if nothings done, then anime and manga are done.
16:07 They do though. They do pay them. Though if they're on the verge of going bankrupt. I can see why they won't. Which might be the future of anime and manga, if they don't extend past those borders soon. Seeing as animators are choosing games over anime. I hope for the best for anime and manga, unlike some cynical assholes. If they weren't being compensated properly, then where is the writers strike? I've yet to see one in Japan quite honestly.
Vous avez le cervau d'un sandwich au fromage.
Eh Quantam Computing will change everything, still years out though.
The interesting thing about the current set-up is surveillance doesn't do much. They already know every time you torrent something, stream something, download, view, etc. If they target very specific things, they can chase people down no problem - except if there are millions of people doing it, like there are, it simply doesn't work to prosecute.
What happens is they nab a few unfortunates, publicize the hell out of it and hope that it stops people. Of course it doesn't though, just think about the RIAA trying to screw people with those lawsuits. Not only did it not stop anyone, people simply improved how they pirated music.
Make the Internet useless after people were used to it & I'm sure the 'problem' will be 'fixed'. The only way to do what you suggest is to break (not in encryption code sense but literally disabling[blocking]) all existing protocols. Think signing requirements for all packet sources.