2008-12-23, 14:23 | Link #301 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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At the bottom it reads: Will cut price in half for Americans if willing to assist with Illegal Yakuza gold smuggling from fort Knox. |
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2008-12-28, 19:33 | Link #303 | ||
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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For the curious, here's how they justify the price: The series was already released on 6 DVDs, priced at 4,935 Yen each (5,775 Yen for the Limited Editions). This is about the average price for a one-cour late-night anime on Japanese DVD. So, assuming people actually paid the full MSRP on every volume, those who bought the DVDs will have spent between 29,610 and 34,650 Yen to buy the show on DVD. Now consider the price of the Limited Edition Blu-Ray offering: 33,600 Yen. It's comparable to the full DVD series in price, and you get the whole thing in 1080p quality. So, actually, the price is right in line with market expectations for this kind of product, believe it or not. But the part that stings about the whole thing is that, even though we knew the show was produced in HD, they didn't announce the Blu-Ray collection until right after all the DVDs were released. So people, like myself, who collected all the DVDs, but would have bought the Blu-Ray discs had they been available are now faced with the costly option of buying the whole thing again to get the best quality version. The only "consolation" (if you can call it that) is that the Limited Edition DVDs came with some extras that were unique to that release, so at least you have something other than the DVD itself to show for the money spent. But this, in essence, is the Japanese otaku-anime media market. It's an extremely-niche boutique-style economy. The value of the goods have very little/nothing to do with the anime, and almost everything to do with the rarity of the item and of the included limited edition items. When there are normal editions of products, they're priced in order to establish the value of the Limited Editions; pretty much no one actually buys them (because that means they fail as a collector). So anyway, the moral of the story is: they do understand their target audience. You guys just aren't a part of it. If that sounds like the epitome of elitism, that's because that's entirely what it's all about. It's like going to five-star restaurants -- if you have to ask about the price, you can't afford it. And because otaku anime is actually chronically unpopular (contrary to what you may think!), it's only these boutique buyers that make the whole thing worthwhile for the publishers. It's a strange, strange reality. And finally... This. Plus, it's actually 5% less because sales tax is included, so the actual price will be in the 24k range for international shoppers (never mind the taxes you might have to pay when importing, though...). |
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2008-12-28, 23:04 | Link #304 |
Horo♥
Join Date: Sep 2008
Age: 39
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That situation reminds me of Lord of the Rings. I purchased the first movie on DVD, and inside the DVD case it had an ad for the extended edition that would be released later.
I was angry, and never bought another LOTR DVD yet. I'm waiting for the Hobbit (ie: forever), and then when they come out with an extended edition of all 4 in a box set, then I'll buy. |
2008-12-28, 23:51 | Link #305 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Anyway, I agree that it is sort of like your LotR example, but I think the whole format transition amplifies it a bit right now. |
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2008-12-29, 00:42 | Link #306 |
Maniacal laughter ensues.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: My own delusions of grandeur.
Age: 35
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Thanks for the info, Flame, it puts things into perspective. I wouldn't know, but is the collector otaku market really strong enough to warrant Blu Ray discs? Seems like a pretty steep investment for minimal returns. And I bought all the LOTRs, then all three extended editions. But that had more to do with supporting awesome movies than it did common sense...
(Reading Flame's explanation made me think of Konata. Which, in and of itself, is kinda ironic.)
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2008-12-29, 12:30 | Link #307 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Author
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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The big mystery is where all the otaku get their money .... yes, many of them are actually salarymen who have a large discretionary budget. But the ones who "live in the basement" and leech off their parents, makes you wonder a bit.
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2008-12-29, 15:51 | Link #308 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Well, yeah... I would have to imagine that a lot of the real spenders are the young salarymen types. If you have no family to support, no car, a modest living space, and don't waste money on other vices, it's not so hard to support "the habit". Basically, I guess it's about priorities; what would people have to cut out of their lives to be able to afford to spend, say, $500/month or $1000/month on anime and related merchandise, assuming they were making a decent (average to average+) salary to begin with. (Personally, I think not having a car is one of the biggest enablers, but not many, in North America at least, would choose collecting anime stuff over the freedom to drive wherever they want whenever they want, for example.) |
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2008-12-29, 22:52 | Link #310 |
an idler
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Suzuka
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I totaled the price of the novel/magazine, CD/DVD, and the game which were ordered in 2008.
OMG, a total is $2815. It is $235 per month. It was more expensive than expectation. The items are as follows. Novel/Magazine: $1036 DVD/Blu-ray: $933 CD: $425 Game: $157 Imported R1-DVD: $265 To be sure, I do not have a car. However, when I had a car before, I bought them with the same pace. After all, I will continue buying them, unless it is stopped by someone. |
2008-12-29, 23:18 | Link #311 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Anyway, if we want to discuss this further, I think we should start a new thread, though I'm not sure about the topic. |
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2008-12-30, 04:57 | Link #313 |
Amateur Semi-Polymath
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Hungary
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Well the problem is for me that here the average salaries are...
If you have $1000 monthly income from your job, that's a very good one, but as a starter, you will problably have around $500-700 (this depends on the USD/HUF rate too[which is currently high, ~190HUF=1USD], so do not take them honest) And of course you still have to pay bills, eat etc. I'm still a student, so there's no way i can get any anime-related merchandise, which makes me sad I "only" have to wait 5-6 years(1 moar year in grammar school +university) and then i will be probably working as an engineer with a good net income. Or win the lottery :P |
2009-01-02, 13:36 | Link #315 |
King's Justice
Join Date: Apr 2004
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No matter how you look at the prices, even put into context they're still a ripoff. Otherwise, the licensors wouldn't be so careful in being sure no international edition can surpass the original version in terms of content, packaging and such... I'm interested in buying the second season in blu-ray but if the prices are like some other titles (8000+ yen, 46 min) they'll never get my money.
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2009-01-02, 16:47 | Link #316 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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It's a rip-off in the sense that you'll definitely be able to get it for cheaper elsewhere eventually, but I don't think it's particularly unfair that they try to ensure the "expensive version" is the best quality. People who invest in the anime production by purchasing the collector merchandise deserve to get something for their money... |
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2009-01-03, 00:05 | Link #317 | |
Asuka, Asuna, and Horo
Join Date: Feb 2008
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2009-01-03, 08:41 | Link #318 | ||
King's Justice
Join Date: Apr 2004
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2009-01-06, 01:11 | Link #319 | ||
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Besides, what do you want them to offer? It's the entire show, on Blu-Ray, at a cost similar to the DVDs. The only thing that stings is that they could have told people first that a Blu-Ray was coming soon (and it could be that they did indicate this, I just didn't get the memo -- which isn't surprising). So, who knows. Some will buy it, others won't. Whether it's worth it or not is up to them. (And what do you mean about no extras anyway? It's got extras... just not what you want?) |
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2009-01-06, 09:38 | Link #320 |
King's Justice
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Let me say I have bought the DVDs for the first season. The so-called limited editions too (too bad what they offered hardly qualifies them as "limited" in my book). The Blu-Ray boxset isn't different than all the DVDs put together with some minimal addition save the the HD. I didn't like the minimalistic approach on DVDs done in the past by the Japanese companies (they're not VHS), and I'm not going to change opinion if they keep on producing stuff like this. I'm most interested in what kind of prices they'll offer for the second season.
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