RSSChannel

Recruiting

Ota7

Wolfheinrich


NicoNico Douga to be Japan’s National Infrastructure

Nishimura (2ch founder) on the left, with his taskmaster Natsuno watching over him to try to stop him spending any more investor cash

NicoNico Douga bosses 夏野剛 / Takeshi Natsuno (a seasoned seller of mobile phone melodies parachuted in to try to stop the cash haemorrhage at Nico’s managing firm Niwango) and 西村博之 / Hiroyuki Nishimura (no less a man than the founder of 2ch and now Nico honcho) have given a most interesting interview on the future and past of NicoNico.

Much is revealed of their plans for expansion; notably we hear they intend to see NicoNico become a part of the national infrastructure of Japan, that they intend a plan of overseas expansion, just as soon as they have dealt with the trifling matter of losing millions of dollars, and that, yes, the biggest challenge facing them may indeed be kowtowing to the intellectual property cartels without wiping their servers bare.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • Anonymous commented on May 2, 2009 08:46

    He's not the creator, the writer was comparing him TO the maker. And the article is exactly about his lack of money. Poor bloke.... More

  • Resonance commented on August 12, 2008 03:16

    Hm, I always wondered what kind of person the creator of 2ch would be like. While this is a novel idea (global expansion) I don't think it'll go beyond the bounds of where it is now.... More

3 Comments »

Nico Wipes Anime

This young lady in an act of domination is a fitting figurative representation of what has been done to Nico.

NicoNico Douga has prostrated itself before the might of Japanese intellectual property cartels such as the AJA, JVA and MPAA, and Nico maintainer Dwango is now their willing and obedient slave in all matters, we hear. They have supinely expunged all content the groups deem infringing (and not just limited to anime), so they must be excused if their servers are a little bare at present.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • Gosun commented on November 18, 2008 22:19

    Have they even considered that they should stop trying to put in so many censors in their broadcasts and offer over-priced dvd sets just to see the "extras?"... More

  • lordchair commented on September 22, 2008 12:11

    Well said!... More

10 Comments »

Japan Plans Assault on Fansubbing

Stop fansunbs now? This at least doesn't have the backing of the Japanese government.

In their “Intellectual Property Strategic Program 2008”, the Japanese government proposes measures for curbing the unauthorised online sharing and distribution of anime and manga, in what could very well turn out to be an assault on fansubbing and the sharing of anime and other Japanese cultural products.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • Anonymous commented on February 4, 2011 00:53

    No, that's a stupid idea. No one would buy those fansubbed episodes. Maybe if they were true 720p and $0.50. I could spend 50 cent on an episode of anime but I'll just get it... More

  • YandereSama commented on November 12, 2010 09:21

    Puh, you cannot stop fansubbing or scanlating. It's like trying to stop piracy and terrorism.... More

22 Comments »

Adult Game Makers Face Mass Bankruptcy?

Adult Game Makers Face Mass Bankruptcy? Taichi Kiriyama

The recent political attacks on the adult game industry seem to have stirred up a hornet’s nest in defence of the eroge makers, but the makers themselves seem to other concerns, claiming their industry is in imminent danger of mass bankruptcy, not due to the depredations of populist politicians, but due to that most reviled nemesis of software developers everywhere, piracy.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • Anonymous commented on February 23, 2014 00:37

    THANK YOU! This would be the best course of action. Not to mention if they HAD to block stuff for certain countries, upon request by authority, they could just block the infringing items from the... More

  • Neko commented on May 1, 2011 13:12

    screw politics ur not taking away my fap material.... More

9 Comments »

Japan to Legalise Dojinshi?

Haruhi non-ero dojinshi - soon to be legal?

The “grey zone” into which dojinshi fall may soon disappear, which full legal recognition of the right to fair use, if a new government initiative to reform copyright law reaches fruition. The reform is still under formation, but could very well see the light of day.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • jorge commented on August 12, 2012 11:08

    wow O_O... More

  • Neferius commented on December 23, 2010 23:52

    Date:May 28, 2008 How long does it take for a bill to be passed in Japan O.o?... More

5 Comments »

Anime Tops Japanese Music Royalties

Anime Tops Japanese Music Royalties - Hana Yori Dango No. 1

Japanese recording industry mafia JASRAC reports that 2007 royalty collections for music licensing are ranked as follows:

1: 『Flavor Of Life』 宇多田ヒカル – Flavor Of Life, Utada Hikaru (Hana Yori Dango)
2: 『エヴァンゲリオンBGM』– Evangelion BGM
3: 『LOVERS AGAIN』 EXILE
4: 『ドラゴンボールZ BGM（TV）』– Dragon Ball Z BGM (TV)
5: 『涙そうそう』　夏川りみ、BEGIN、森山良子

Total proceeds increased 4.1% over the previous year to ¥115 billion, about $1.1 billion, with cable television said to be a primary factor in the revenue growth.

Flavor of Life from is from one of the many Hana Yori Dango adaptations, and the Eva and DBZ titles need no introduction (apparently international airing of DBZ contributed heavily). With even more Eva related sales on the cards it is likely the strong showing will persist.

It seems an interesting development for their sales to apparently be moving away from direct sales via CD and the like towards indirect licensing ventures. From the JASRAC fiscal reports, digested by AnimeAnime.

  • w334b00 commented on December 22, 2010 16:46

    [size=25][b][color=#FF0000]:\[/color][/b][/size]... More

1 Comment »

Arrest for $30,000 Eroge Pirate

Arrest for $30,000 Eroge Pirate - Elf All-stars Strip Mahjong 3 / エルフオールスターズ脱衣雀３

Asahi reports that a Tokyo area student has been arrested on suspicion of unauthorised copying of Elf All-stars Strip Mahjong 3 (the ignominy – not even arrested over a decent game), amongst many others, but ardent P2P users can, for once, relax as this idiot was not arrested over P2P usage, as other unfortunates have been lately, but for loading the games (some 180, it is claimed) onto HDD and selling them in online auctions.

Apparently he managed a modest profit, selling a hundred drives over a year, and netting himself ¥3,000,000 (for study expenses, he pleas), though as you can see, the risk/reward ratio ultimately was hardly favourable. It seems he downloaded the software from a Chinese P2P service, presumably a torrent forum.

  • H8gwb commented on January 31, 2009 10:09

    Somehow they'll find a way to blame all of this on the Chinese.... More

1 Comment »

An unauthorised dojinshi featuring Gainax anime これが私の御主人様, by 偽MIDI泥の会

This is an extremely interesting interview with top anime studio Gainax’s copyright head 神村靖宏/Yasuhiro Kamimura, in which he explains how Gainax grew out of the dojinshi scene, and how it currently views dojinshi, garage kits and the like.

Interesting to see such views straight from the person concerned rather than some PR type, although I think he definitely falls into the “old media” camp, however relatively enlightened his views on dojinshi may be. I provide a summary translation of the interview (actually, it is almost complete) – original article by ITmedia here.

Read the rest of this entry »

  • Anonymous commented on February 10, 2013 09:02

    The circle Nana / Shinagawa Kaoruko comes to mind...as revealed in the court case (tax evasion) she made a few million dollars(!) in just a few years. Still, there was no talk of copyright violation,... More

  • Anonymous commented on May 13, 2010 05:34

    that pic is from NiseMIDIdoronokai's He is my Master Nakaba 2 :3... More

7 Comments »

Page 18 of 18« First...«1415161718

Popular

Most Viewed | Most Commented

Recent News

Recent Galleries

Recent Comments