The Death of Anime??

[ps99042]

This isn't a good sign for U.S. anime fans:

Bandai Titles to go out of print

Seems like anime in the US is reverting back to the days of the late 80s and early 90s where you had to actively search for anime products and spent top dollar on inferior goods.

[Tochiro]

This isn't a good sign for U.S. anime fans:

Bandai Titles to go out of print

Not necessarily. Bandai said back when they effectively closed (leaving only 2-3 people) their US subsidiary that they would keep publishing whatever titles they had until their license to do so expired. That is, apparently, this November. The more popular ones will no doubt be scooped up by Funi at some point. And while I dont expect there to be any further official US domestic Gundam releases, Bandai IS putting English subs on a lot of their Japanese BDs so that hardcore fans in the US can import (of the newer titles, Yamato 2199, Gundam Unicorn, Gundam Seed HD, Gundam Age, and Aquarian Evol so far from memory). And while Japanese prices may be steep, lets face it, the only people interested in these shows ARE the hardcore mecha fans anyway - putting a robot in a show is the kiss of death as far as the main body of younger modern western anime fans are concerned.

TL;DR - new stuff is still going to be available subbed for those who really want it. popular old stuff will be licensed rescued. old unpopular stuff - well you have until November to pick those titles up.

[renegadeleader1]

Maybe AIKa Zero will finally get released in the States now.

Edited September 3, 2012 by renegadeleader1

[Hikuro]

To me a lot of this stuff is to blame over redistribution of older products in different formats and sometimes at cheaper prices. For example, we see individual DVD release, Part 1-X box sets, Season Box sets and Series box sets. Sometimes even the series box sets end up being much cheaper than the Part1-X boxsets and of course cheaper than the DVD volume.

With that people tend to hold off on anime sales all together till a series box set or something very close is available, namely me.

But I can also see where Funimation could very easily become a monopoly even though we've got small companies like Mediablasters out there, but they don't bring out popular titles in my opinion.

And with Bandai now going to the way side in the states, that means we'll see a lot less popular bandai titles like Gundam or something Bandai owns in the US. I don't recall them ever really being ballsy and allowing other groups to have their work seeing how it could be distributed in house.

[azrael]

And while Japanese prices may be steep, lets face it, the only people interested in these shows ARE the hardcore mecha fans anyway - putting a robot in a show is the kiss of death as far as the main body of younger modern western anime fans are concerned.

Let's look at the bigger picture. Only hardcore fans are the ones buying anime on disc, period. Younger audiences aren't really buying much. It's all streaming and digital downloads for the youngin's these days.

And with Bandai now going to the way side in the states, that means we'll see a lot less popular bandai titles like Gundam or something Bandai owns in the US. I don't recall them ever really being ballsy and allowing other groups to have their work seeing how it could be distributed in house.

Bandai basically decided to cut out the middle man by putting English subs on their releases. Gundam is their baby. I doubt they'll let anyone touch it, let alone look at it.

[lechuck]

So in light of the current events, do you guys think it is wise to go ahead and get the Gundam DVDs out there while still available?

I am still missing some, but I have been holding back thinking that there might be Blu-Ray releases coming along.

[taksraven]

So in light of the current events, do you guys think it is wise to go ahead and get the Gundam DVDs out there while still available?

I am still missing some, but I have been holding back thinking that there might be Blu-Ray releases coming along.

My old philosophy, if you want it, and it's available, get it. You might be kicking yourself later for missing the chance.

[charger69]

Call me an idiot but I have a different point of view about today's anime scene.

I believe 80's and early 90's anime had a special purpose: making young people (kids and adolescents) more accustomed to technology via mecha animes, even making them to love engineering (in my case). In my opinion, mecha anime helped a generation making life-long decisions such as becoming an engineer, or simply choosing a faculty at university or at high school level involving with technology. During 80's and early 90's Japan was the leading country of consumer electronics and perceived more generally famous with high technology products (For ref: Back to the Future III, "Made in Japan" circuit scene).

However after the second half of the 90's things had changed and South Korea and China enter the consumer electronics market fleecing Japan's global market share. I somehow see a (weak) correlation between these two facts; a generation (Japanese) raised with mecha anime later become engineers (etc.) and supported Japan's global consumer electronics power but then animes influencing young people minds had changed and brain power behind Japan's technology shifted to somewhere else.

Now mechas are used as a decoration in most of the shows; and some curves are leading the industry leaving the brain behind and going physical.

Edited September 3, 2012 by charger69

[Funkenstein]

I agree with 80's mecha anime getting people into robotics. I got into engineering because of stuff like Transformers and Votoms. Today's anime has very little mecha content and most people aren't interested in slice of life or harem comedies, as the sales of anime in USA shows. Only Gainax and Sunrise make mecha anime these days.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Funkenstein