Bandai and Mangle Hate Fansubs: Would you still watch anime without them?

[ChaoofNee]

Bandai Entertainment USA sent out a press release today warning fansubbers that they may be prosecuted for fansubbing Bandai titles, specifically Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society.

Several fansub sites have publicly announced plans to create and distribute illegal fansubs of Solid State Society following its release in Japan. However, Bandai Entertainment Inc. and Manga Entertainment have secured the exclusive right to distribute this title in the US. The creation of translated versions of Solid State Society is considered an unauthorized derivative and constitutes infringement of the intellectual property rights in the work as well as unfair competition. Furthermore, uploading and downloading of the programs without an official license or explicit consent by the content owner(s) constitutes infringement of copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights, and is an illegal act. Bandai must take steps to protect its investment in the property and will take all measures available to stop the illegal distribution of its titles, including instituting court proceedings. If it is forced to do so, Bandai is prepared to seek statutory damages and/or damages to cover its loss of sales.

“Fansubs, even those not sold for profit, are harmful to our properties and industry overall and we will be watching closely to make sure our rights regarding SSS are not infringed,” said Ken Iyadomi, President of Bandai Entertainment Inc. “We are prepared to take legal action against fansubbers and illegal download and other distribution sites if this notice is ignored,” he added.

While these companies are not nearly wrong for swinging this way, this kind of posed a question in my mind. Without fansubs, would anime still be as popular? I honestly don't think it would, in the traditional sense.
The big reason is this: cost. This shit is expensive. VERY expensive. Back in high school when I didn't have to pay for much by myself, I bought a LOT of anime at full price. As time went on, $30 a DVD became a silly concept in my mind, especially when Best Buy had them around half price. Now, with BB's price gap shortening, I'm left only with sales and ADV clearences to buy DVDs.

Needless to say, fansubs are quite a bit more attractive in my eyes. Free entertainment with no stupid localization choices. Nice. Of course, I'm not one to galavant around downloading shows that've made it over here already (the atrociously localized shonen fight shows excluded) because it's really only fair.

Besides fansubs, what more is there? I can get far more enjoyment out of a $40 video game than a 90 minute, $30 DVD. NetFlix and RentAnime are good choices, but as they get more popular, won't that hurt the entire industry?

Complicated issue, yes.

[rezo]

Without fansubs, would anime still be as popular?

Sure.

[George]

Thirty dollars for a poorly packaged 90 minute DVD would drive anyone to just look up a torrent file and download away. The big attraction is that many fansubbers take the task of translating the anime very seriously, and oftentimes produce a superior product than their corporate competitors.

That's not to say I don't support the industry. I own far more legit DVD's than I do fansubs, but fansubs are still what makes a thirsty anime community thrive, especially for shows that get sit on far too long, like Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece.

[Revoltor]

What is so complicated about complying with copyright law? You either legally buy a dvd or illegally download it. There's nothing complicated about that and stop trying to Robin Hood the fucking thing.

My only concern is why they waited so long to put their foot down. Of course the fansubbing made these companies what they are today so it is a little fucked up in that regard.

At the end of the day it's just anime and I'm sure the companies are gonna cite poor sales (which I'm pretty cure correlates to the shit quality of most anime and not illegal downloading (omg, sounds familiar?))

[ChaoofNee]

Did you even read my post? I said they had every right to! I'm not "Robin Hood"ing anything. Fuck, it doesn't even have anything to do with the discussion I set up.

Here, I'll TNL-ize my first post.
"Bandai's putting the legal foot down on fansubbers on the new GitS movie.
If this becomes more of a trend with anime being as absurdly expensive as it is, will you still watch as much?"

which I'm pretty cure correlates to the shit quality of most anime

This, by the way, is the reason why I don't watch nearly as much as I used to.

[voltz]

When fan-subbing works better then the company's effort, you give them praise and hire the fuckers... not threaten them.

I hate RIAA enough, we don't need these monkies joining them.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that japan has always had a horrible history of trying to translate voice-overs to english. Either they get someone who knows what they're doing without sounding retarded, or quit trying and just give us the original version uncut and done with.

[Brand]

I would be watching a hell of a lot less anime if it weren't for fan subs, half the shit I watch are older series which are unlikely to come out here, (Though there are surprises like when Kodacha was licensed). Though if a series I like gets licensed I generally buy it but I wait for box sets and such.

[avatar]

Sure.

That's debatable. A lot of the earliest exposure for an anime series comes from it's fansubs.

I don't think Anime would have such worldwide popularity if it wasn't for fansubs. Fansubs go around the world and reach million a week. Bleach and trinity Blood are already guranteed success just becuase the fansubs have so many people interested. The same went for Naruto.

I think theirs a happy meduim for fansubs and companies. Put out the first 6 or so episodes on the net, then cut it cold after a while and start to release the product immediately after you shut down the fansubs. They should ride the wave of momentum the show would get. Not never let the momentum happen.

That said this is Ghost in the Shell so I'm expecting it on AS anyway. No big loss.

[Finch]

The message only seemed to be targetting people who wanted to sub the particular series, unlike ADV's "ILLEGAL BOOTLEGGERS!!!!111" cry when they released Grrl Power! before the j release. It'd be nice, you know, if they were just releasing it early because they were cool that way. It does say as much in the Bandai message, but they didn't say they'd be chasing anyone who subbed whatever.

Anyway, half the stuff i watch is fansubs, but even the stuff i bother with in fansubs is stuff i'd buy in a heartbeat if it was released in the US. Yawara, i will pick up DAY ONE, and Black Jack TV, i'd pre-order.

[Brand]

Anyway, half the stuff i watch is fansubs, but even the stuff i bother with in fansubs is stuff i'd buy in a heartbeat if it was released in the US. Yawara, i will pick up DAY ONE, and Black Jack TV, i'd pre-order.

I'd be all over both Black Jack tv series. Also what happened to all our stickies?