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Old 2008-01-27, 09:48   Link #30
Tofusensei
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
I've come to think that softsubs might help me support the industry by making it possible to buy R2 DVD releases and use the softsub from a fansubbed version. Some of my favorite shows will never see an R1 release, so supporting the producers of shows like these requires either buying OSTs or buying R2 releases (or sending them a check every now and then). I haven't done this yet, but I'm thinking I might start with a couple of shows soon. Are there any obvious problems I'm missing with such a strategy? (I use mplayer or xine which make it easy to overlay a sub file.)

So if we think there's some merit to the notion that fansubbing increases visibility which leads to greater support for anime producers, softsubs seem to fit that model better than hardsubs.
I know exactly what you mean, but I do think you're underestimating what the level of purchasing power as exercised by fansub viewers really is. We have multiple shows in the United States that were very popular on fansubs that sold less than 1000 units/DVD when they were released on r1 DVD. Fansub viewers aren't buying any DVDs these days, they certainly won't start importing r2 DVDs in any amount that isn't already in their usual +/- range. There is a serious problem in the anime world right now and it needs to right itself. This is what led to the demise of companies like Geneon, CPM, and now ADV.

Off-topic, but this is a screenshot from a notice I was putting in my fansubs back in early 2002. I wish people would have listened to me



-Tofu
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