Do Fansub Groups Ever Die?

[Dnous]

It all depends on the staff and if they can get along with each other. My group for instance, has been without a translator for like 6 months, but still we didn't disband. Mainly because the staff channel was so much fun to hang out in anyway. And FalseDawn, get your ass back in there XD.

[Access]

Originally Posted by Potatochobit

through with your work. If you need longer than others in the group, thats fine, as long as you do what you're supposed to do by the time you said you would do it.
when u keep pushing it back, pushing it back, pushing it back, and others are waiting on you, it causes more problems than if you never even worked on it in the first place.

Exactly, this type of accurate, honest communication is essential today.

The other side of this is that, if you are holding up the group repeatedly, and your position is easily replaceable, let them replace you as necessary and possible. Territorial issues aside, no one person (other than irreplaceable) owns a project or has the right/entitlement to work on it and be part of the team. Look for other ways you can help out, or just defer to someone else if you don't have the time. Many people try to lie repeatedly or try hold onto a position that is asking too much of them, which in the long term can kill the whole project team or make the end fallout for that individual worse.

[Ichihara Asako]

I've been in a few groups that have died out completely. One after it completed its only project, another before it even released a single episode (though we had two eps ready to go) and a third that just crumbled half way through doing two series. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

I think a large part of group death, or major stalling, comes from projects being picked that not everybody wants to work on. With little motivation it can create pretty major problems. I think that falls back to the whole leadership, though. Projects should be agreed on by everybody who is going to work on them, not just by the leader(s) who then demand other staff work on it.

Of course life can get in the way, people can get busy with work/school/family etc. Such happened to me in the main group I was working with, and after I was ready to work again they had stalled on all of their projects in other areas, so while they haven't disbanded, it's been a few months since they've released anything. No idea what they're going to do. With the only projects I cared about indefinitely on hold, I kind of stopped paying attention.

The experiences I've had over the past couple years with fansubbing has made me shy away from it. While I'm not adverse to helping on series I enjoy, I don't think I want to commit to a group again due to what's happened in the past. However anon subbing sucks, so I wouldn't do that, either.

As long as I can watch all the good series each season, it's fine with me. There are enough groups out there doing everything, very few things get neglected, and those that do I can just watch raw and still enjoy to a satisfactory extent, even if my Japanese skills aren't perfect.

So yeah. Groups can and do die, probably far more than those who actually live on. For every big group that manages to 'make it' there are dozens that don't.

[Maceart]

My group is relatively new, but for it to actually die would be up to me or the cofounder.

It's more up to the leader whether or not he/she wants to kill of a group, less a successor is found.

This is another reason why it is crucial every group needs to fine a dedicated translator, either as the leader or as a really good friend of the leader. Without a translator, a group is nothing.

[False Dawn]

Okay, leading on from this: how much is the group a communal force (a legion, if you will ) and how much of it do you think depends on the individuals within it (such as a loquacious leader)? For example, considering what a personality Koda is, has gg been affected by her alleged retirement from fansubbing? Is it still the same group or noticeably different?

Disclaimer: I can't answer my own question here as I have to admit to not watching a lot of anime recently, and hence, gg's more recent releases have passed me by. And I'm not talking solely about quality but whether there's a different mood about the group or a difference in reputation now that it has outsurvived its leader, in a sense.

[jpwong]

Depends how much the group depends on specific individuals. It could have a huge impact, or it could have a minor one.

Even big name groups have suffered internal fallout and breakup. Even though the name is the same, after the sort of fallout some groups have had, the whole dynamic of their output has changed. Especially if the fallout divides the group strait down the middle.

[getfresh]

Groups die when staff lose interest in the group and stop hanging out with each other. Groups have their own social activities that members do besides subbing, like gaming, chatting, meeting up for cons, whatever. When a group lacks the elements to keep members interested, it will slowly die. Pretty much if you see chatting daily in your staff channel your group is healthy. If it's silent for a month, the group is prob screwed more or less.

[Esente]

Or in small groups, which few members, they can die just because one of the members decide not to continue. It is fun to work in a small group, and once one member leave, it would not be fun any more. Take us for example, our group only has three, and yes, I believe, if one of us quits, then the group will disappear.

However, small groups also have a dedication not to quit. We're small, so we don't take big project. We only do movies, and put quality over speed. We might be slow, but with nobody to rush us, we do not feel any stress and will keep going.

Well, maybe it's just us. Doing slow means less people pay attention to you, since they won't wait for you to release.

So, doing fast and doing slow can both kill a group.

[Access]

Also today it seems like some groups are being formed with just one project in mind. When the project has run its course, the group is naturally finished. If the members are good friends and another show they want to sub comes up, they'll form another 'new' group (with a new name), and repeat.

[Jilkon]

Originally Posted by getfresh

Pretty much if you see chatting daily in your staff channel your group is healthy.

Although some people would claim that discussions ranging from transsexuality to gundams (in the span of five minutes) don't help with work getting done.

[Kidd]

Hey, Jilkon, at least be happy we're a highly social group. ^_~x

[asunder]

Originally Posted by CelesAurivern

Yes, they do. They all just die in different ways.
.........
ANBU
Cause of death
- Collapse of alliance with AonE.
- Licencing of flagship project.
- Retirement of key translator.

I have to correct this month old post.....

Retirement of crustol / licensing of naruto/ end of aone joints ~ early 2005 (~feb?)

Since then we've released episodes for banner of the stars III, jinki extend, starship operators, ichigo 100% and Mushi-shi

last ANBU release: October , 2006

Cause of death: life

We're still around on IRC and most of us still watch anime. The process of subbing still fun for most of us (aka we're not jaded/bitter). We also get along with each other. Along with free time, the above is needed to revive a dead group. So maybe at some point ANBU will be revived. ( i hope! )

[CelesAurivern]

Originally Posted by asunder

So maybe at some point ANBU will be revived. ( i hope! :D )

Crustol comes out of retirement (again) for banner of the stars IV :D

[ドラマの殿下]

Originally Posted by asunder

I have to correct this month old post.....

Since then we've released episodes for banner of the stars III, jinki extend, starship operators, ichigo 100% and Mushi-shi

By the gods, I do hope you lot decide to release the DVD version of Banner of the Stars III, w/ all the extended crap.

[Spyre]

Ignoring the groups that are around to do 1 series, I'd say its RL that kills most groups.

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by Jilkon

Although some people would claim that discussions ranging from transsexuality to gundams (in the span of five minutes) don't help with work getting done.

Getting work done isn't what keeps groups going imo. It's more if the groups members are communicating and maintaining a firm interest in group. Not to say I really care for most of the fansubber convos. But I still think that silence is more detrimental than the standard depraved discussions that carry on in staff channels.

[Aoie_Emesai]

Fansubbers come and go cause of life problems and issues. I've always kept getting my animes from my favorite groups too like AQS and Lunar. I always hope for the best for all fansubbers, using their time for leechers like us >.<