Forum - View topicNEWS: Bandai Cracks Down on Bootleggers at Anime Expo
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Haiseikoh 1973
Posts: 1590 Location: Waiting for the Japanese 1000 Gunieas. |
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Unfortunately, the downside of the DMCA is that by a possible technically, the legit Anime DVD you "bought" is not your property. You only bought the rights to view it; the DVD is still [Anime] companies property. The DMCA is a horribly worded document to begin with anyway. |
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Sword of Whedon
Posts: 683 |
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So he was selling bootlegs. He deserved whatever he got. It doesn't matter that he pulled his titles as they were licensed, he was still selling illegal copies. |
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Amused Observer
Posts: 164 |
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I think Bandai America has to get the blessing of the parent co. in Japan before engaging in such a high profile crackdown (and this is a high profile crackdown considering the lawsuits were filed against 4 retailers who had a presence at the expensive AX dealer room, and this crackdown was publicized in a PR at major online anime sites). I don't know what was offered at AX, since I wasn't there, but I wouldn't be surprised if Gundam was involved. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10425 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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How large, or small, is your TV? I project my anime (and everything I watch) on a 110 inch screen on my wall, and I can certanly see the loss in quality on some DVDs that have too many episodes. |
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Sword of Whedon
Posts: 683 |
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To be fair-
NTSC video is not designed to be viewed at such sizes, and anyone who does project it to such ginormous proportion should be ready for the consequences. 5 episodes is really the comfortable level balancing the needs of all the elements. While a DVD can hold 4 hours at acceptible quality, you only see GREAT when you keep it under 3 |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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And yet, the people that care about that level of quality are a niche of a niche, seriously if that many people cared about the quality level, we wouldn't be having this discussion. People SHOULD buy the best quality products of the things they like, but honestly speaking, people don't. I wouldn't consider quality a factor for more than the most hardcore, for whom a "deluxe top quality set" would be a priority. For people saying a vendor didn't deserve to get smacked for having "unlicensed" Gundam, Bandai US is part of Bandai Japan. Bandai started it's US distrobution pretty much specifically FOR Gundam stuff (altho they started with some other stuff too). Bandai OWNS Bandai products, WORLDWIDE unless they sell the license to someone else. Any company that has a link to a Japanese company (Bandai, Geneon, etc), ie. they're basically the US branch of the company that MADE the thing, already has a license on the product unless otherwise noted. "Unlicensed" means the original owner hasn't handed off rights to anyone else. As for the rest, I have other opinions I'll keep to myself for now. But compared to LDs "back in the day", DVDs of today aren't THAT bad. |
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Kazuki-san
Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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Sorry HeeroTX, I didn't see your post till I had already posted mine!
You may not be aware that Bandai is a Japanese company, and that Bandai America is a subsidiary of them. Bandai has been involved in the production and distribution of many anime in Japan. Gundam would be one of them. So it's entirely possible that these people were following orders from Bandai HQ to stop people from selling their material. It would be a different if say, someone from ADV showed up and threatened them for selling a boot of show that they don't have licensed. |
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aisasami
Posts: 46 Location: Waldorf, Maryland |
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Why does it seem that the Gundam series (more likely Gundam Seed) is getting more attend on (for bootleg round ups) and/or having more bootlegs? And, why don't other companies do the same thing what is Bandai doing? For example, Sunrise and maybe Viz take down bootlegs of Inuyasha (which I ran into to a store that had bootlegs of anime. But it seem when that spefic DVD was released, they didn't pull the series off but just that bootleg DVD and replace with the legal one). |
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Kazuki-san
Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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Gundam isn't really getting more attention per se, but it is a big seller. Bandai's collection spans far beyond Gundam. Here is a list of releases Bandai (Japan) was involved in list If I'm not mistaken, Sunrise is part of Bandai (the Bandai Group). Part of the reason more isn't done is that most companies (North American) don't have enough money to really mount a fight against stores that sell boots. They also realize that the fight really needs to be taken to the source, and they really aren't in a position to do that. Likewise with the Japanese companies, they have to fight boots all over the place, not just the US, and they also know that fighting each store won't help much. Bandai, Geneon, etc. are in a pretty unique situation, in that they can also fight against boots of unlicensed anime. Companies like ADV and FUNi can't do anything about unlicensed shows, except tell the Japanese owner that someone is selling boots. |
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beelzebozo
Posts: 308 Location: Aurora, Colorado |
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I've been watchin the thread for a bit and, as an anime shop owner, wanted to drop some tidbits.
Shop Owners: No, you really have no excuses now to carry bootleg goods (even though I will admit I have been tempted). And if you are have troubles with profit margins, consider RENTALS. Our shop can't compete with Best Buy, but we can compete with Blockbuster on selection. Our Evangelion DVDs have paid for themselves several times over and in these lean times, it is what is keeping my store even close to afloat. Kids & college students may not be able to afford to buy, but they can drop $1-$3 on a rental. You can fufill your obligations to the fans by letting them watch a series before they go out to buy it. Nothing pisses a poor anime fan off than dropping money on a series that they find out they don't like. Fans: If the price bugs you that much, then get a computer, load up Kazaa, BitTorrent or a Usenet reader and download to your heart's content. Don't give your money to these scumbags who are making hand over fist by selling you sub-standard copies. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A PIRATE, GET YOUR OWN DAMN SHIP! There is also plenty of anime available on TV these days, just tape the episodes. Otherwise, would it kill you to work a little extra overtime, or help around the house extra, or even *gasp* be willing to wait until you can buy it used or in a box set? If you really are as big of a fan as you say, be willing to sacrifice a little rather than ripping off the people who make the anime & the people who buy the rights and make it available in America. /rant OK, now that my venom is out (it's been a BAAAAD 2 weeks, starting with the break-in), here's something interesting I didn't realize until my friendly neighborhood lawyer pointed them out. This isn't a scare tactice as I've heard some suggest on other boards. Bandai is taking on some big guns, which means they are pulling out the big lawyers. If they weren't serious, they'd go after some mom-n-pop shops and the whole thing would be blown over in a few weeks. But if Bandai is a serious as the initial lawsuits suggest (and I'm trying to find the actual complaint), this could easily be a federal case, involving RICO ( http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/rico/rico.htm ) amoung others. And once this enters the system, the government will most likely take the ball and run with it even if Bandai drops out. That means that there will be some fines and penalties to pay even if the bootlegging shops promise to clean up their act and destroy the bootlegs. And if the other anime companies grab onto it (and they should) as well as legit shops & anime fans, this has the potential of becoming a class-action lawsuit. This could be huge! (unless someone drops the ball...) Naturally, I've reported our local bootlegger, as have several other people. I encourage you all to do the same. |
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Kazuki-san
Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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beelzebozo:
Thanks for the input from a shop owner! |
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beelzebozo
Posts: 308 Location: Aurora, Colorado |
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Curses, can't find the filing. Even my wife can't find it via JusticeLink. I wonder if Colorado is actually ahead of California in requiring e-filing of legal documents. I don't suppose this will be big enough for the Smoking Gun to grab, do you?
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somedude67
Posts: 9 |
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I concur with your opinion on bootleg copies of Anime titles that they do make it impossible for legitimate licensed sellers to compete. There is only one catch. Most people are not going to shell out 30 bucks for a show they have never seen. Now if you were in Japan you could watch a show on tv but for the companies that are licensing these animes that have never been shown on the Cartoon network or some other media outlet then the llikelihood of the anime fan to plop down 30 bucks for Azumanga daioh just on the chance that it might be fun to watch is kind of unlikely. There is the rub. Anime fans have to see anime in some fashion that is affordable. One solution that comes to mind since the chance of Ranma 1/2 or Puni Puni Poemi be broadcast on network or cable tv is unlikely is to have a location to rent the DVDs. Now in most cases I did not go this route but for some I did. Most of my first viewings of animes that I did purchase eventually in DVD format was because I saw the series through the great efforts of fansubs. I am concerned that in the industries attempt to curb infringement upon their licensed titles they will reduce the amount of fan subbers thereby eliminating that needed previewing of a series before buying it. One example for me is Family Guy, not an anime, but since I got such a big kick out of the show when I saw it in reruns on Cartoon Network I bought the whole 3 seasons worth. I have already noticed on some of the fansub sites anime titles have been taken down due to the fact they have been licensed in North America. Since this has happened for those titles the likelihood of me purchasing them is highly unlikely. Most Movies I buy on DVD I at least saw them at the theater or rented. How about the rest of you? Have you ever purchase an anime DVD without first seeing either through a rental or a fansub? |
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Abel
Posts: 143 Location: AnimeTen.com |
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The most common excuse I have heard from vendors is "But it's what the fans want." These are the type of fans whom also embrace the phrase "If it's not free it's overpriced.". I applaude your post beelzebozo. I do have to state that Kawaii, HOA, and Manga House were not only shops but distributors of bootleg goods. It was perfect timing to serve them all at once in the same location. Shutting them down will cut off other anime shops that were selling bootleg. As an online shop owner... I could not be happier. |
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Kazuki-san
Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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And what of the plethora of OVA that are released in Japan. They don't get to see those on TV before they buy them. Maybe a trailer or something, which is what you will usually get to see here if you are buying legal releases, since one of the extras is usually trailers.
The industry has not gone after fansubs of unlicensed series, so fansubbers have nothing to worry about so long as they follow the "fansubbers code" of taking down the series once they have been licensed. The industry has been cracking down on sites that continue to allow licensed shows to be shared, in some cases even DVD rips of the R1 releases. Since the amount of time a series runs before it is licensed is generally dropping (take Samurai Champloo for an example), I agree that you may not always be able to see all of a series before it is licensed. It is not necassary to see the whole thing to make up your mind to buy it or not. Most people these days buy dvds of whatever, movies, anime, etc. but only really watch them once or twice. (I watch mine all the time though) So if you are one of those kind of people, and you can watch the whole series on fansub, why would you then want to go out and buy the dvds whether you liked the series or not? (an example not aimed at you)
Yup, plenty. In fact quite a few of the best series I have I bought with no prior knowlege of the show at all. There are plenty of ways to find info on a series without having to watch it, or watch some of it, but not the whole thing. |
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