DK's Anime List

[dwchang]

LOL. Believe it or not I still keep getting fanmail about the "Vegeta" AMV everyday.

Anyways you can get legit anime here, but see if you can follow my reasoning:

Let's say I want to start off an anime collection from 0. I want to get 100 different series to start, and each series is about 26 episodes long.
Ok, now if I wanted to get those series (legit dubs/subs) in DVD it would cost me about $30 USD (taxed) per volume at the local Sam's Goody. Each volume is 4 episodes. For a single 26 episode series I would have to buy 6 volumes totalling $180 USD. For getting 100 26 episdoes series I would have to buy 650 volumes. 650 volumes at $30 USD each would sum up to $19,500 USD.
In Puerto Rico, an average working proffesional earns around $25,000 or less per year. Part-time or non-specialty jobs earn less than $10,000-15,000. USD

DO THE MATH

For people in the USA that earn $60,000 USD or more a year this shouldn't be a problem obviously. However for me it's a whole new ball game. Anyways, even if I had that kind of money I would probably spend it on something else. =_=;

Call me cynical for undervalueing anime if you want, but at this point I wouldn't pay more than $20-30 for a complete series in DVD or $1-12 for single movies.

I see your point, but well...that's how the ecomony works. Supply and Demand. We want to watch the show, companies by the rights or hire animators, we buy it, they make money to pay their people, theymake a new show.

Justify/Rationalize any way you want, but you're just sugar-coating stealing IMO. If you really enjoy the community (obviously you do since you make AMVs), I think you should be willing to support it. The companies that are selling it have families too and have to pay the bills too you know. I hate to be so harsh, but I hate this double standard every has that lets them rationalize that it's ok for THEM to steal...b/c it won't make a difference or b/c they can't afford it.

I can't afford a Ferrari, so does that justify me stealing one b/c...I couldn't afford it and I wouldn't buy it anyway...obviously this logic is VERY faulty since I wanted enough to steal it...and well use it. If you are downloading anime, you obviously want to see it and that itself should justify the purchase of it. Now I know your argument would be "I wouldn't have bought it anyway" and to that I retort...than don't watch it. The privelage of purchasing is watching. That's the point of buying it. This isn't a TV station and even in that case TV isn't free. You have to PAY to watch certain channels. Get my drift?

Sorry for the rant, but I REALLY dislike this hypocritical argument from people who claim to like anime, but aren't willing to support it. It's a double-standard.

[dwchang]

BTW you don't have to buy all your anime dvds ALL at once. I also very much doubt that you just HAVE to have 100 anime series. At most maybe 30 - 40? I bought anime DVDs while I was a college student with little to no income. What income I had was what I saved from summer internships and co-op tours. I saved and spent my money wisely and bought a few dvds at a time. I currently have most of the things I want and yes it took awhile, but I have them and more importnatly legitmately own them.

I suggest just starting small and over a few years you'll be pleasantly surprised. I don't have that much of a problem with watching a show and then deleting it (although if it's domestic I have a little problem), but what you're justifying is just keeping some 100 series for the rest of your life while some companies are being screwed out of that what...$20,000. That's half of someone's job.

Either way, I hate to keep ranting, but I dislike this mentality that a lot of supposed anime "supporters" have since all they are doing is killing their "beloved" hobby. It's hypocritical.

[Dark Kamui]

1. Anime is made by japanesse companies.
2. US companies merely license and distribute anime in whatever medium they want for personal profit. If US license companies go bankrupt Japan will still continue to produce anime and new companies will always show up seeking profit.
3. Data is immaterial. If I had my factory, and built my own ferrari using only data who would I be stealing it from, granted that I don't sell it to anyone?
4. I don't steal DVDs from japanesse or US companies. I don't make monetary profit from the data I use from them neither.
5. Cable and satellite TV used to be free at a time because TV companies made money off advertising. Technilically, you not only have to pay for watching TV now, but you also pay for watching commercials, which only make more money for the TV station and waste your time.
6. I don't justify stealing, just post my personal oppinions about how I feel about the whole ordeal.
7. I don't feel high or mighty nor get off on watching "free" anime. I don't care if others harbor a feeling of national pride for having to pay for it neither.
8. It's not my intention to start a flame war so this will be my last post on this particular thread.

[dwchang]

BTW I don't mean to start a flamewar either, but rather stating my opinion. In the scheme of things...you're free to do whatever you want so long as it doesn't hurt someone else...I guess.

1. Anime is made by japanesse companies.
2. US companies merely license and distribute anime in whatever medium they want for personal profit. If US license companies go bankrupt Japan will still continue to produce anime and new companies will always show up seeking profit.

Yes it is made in Japan, but as you said a US company distros it. They pay a LARGE sum of money to get those distro rights and since they are a company, they have people that work for them. People they have to pay with the profits they make.

Also, if US companies go bankrupt, it WILL effect things here and there. For us, we have less options and the possibility of shows not coming out here (shows we could potentially love).

For them, Japanese companies make a substantial amount of money from the US markets (the licenses). IIRC it's no longer a trivial amount of money they get out of us. It's big enough that it makes a difference (> 20% of revenue...can't recall number). Hell, there are even shows they make specifically for us (The Big O Season 2 comes to mind).

This isn't a victimless crime like you're making it seem.

3. Data is immaterial. If I had my factory, and built my own ferrari using only data who would I be stealing it from, granted that I don't sell it to anyone?
4. I don't steal DVDs from japanesse or US companies. I don't make monetary profit from the data I use from them neither.

Data is NOT immaterial. There are patents and whatnot for the information used in the creation of say a Ferrari. A company paid quite a bit of money to engineers to design things within the car. Because they paid for this design and research, they get to sell the fruits of it's knowledge. It is also illegal to use such knowledge since they OWN the knowledge. Say what you want about information being free, but in the real-world, it's not. I'd like to see you use patented information in the creation of something another company researched and is selling and see what happens.

I work at AMD and we do research on Computer things. Since we pay the engineers to do this and figure things out (and file patents) we have the right to use it and in turn, hopefully, make money. That's how the economy works.

5. Cable and satellite TV used to be free at a time because TV companies made money off advertising. Technilically, you not only have to pay for watching TV now, but you also pay for watching commercials, which only make more money for the TV station and waste your time.

Don't really see the relevance of the above line since I was referring to how we pay for entertainment like paying for cable or in this case DVDs.

6. I don't justify stealing, just post my personal oppinions about how I feel about the whole ordeal.

Yes and in turn, I (as well as others) are stating ours.

7. I don't feel high or mighty nor get off on watching "free" anime. I don't care if others harbor a feeling of national pride for having to pay for it neither.

It's not a "national pride" thing. It's about consumerism and "how things work." People seem to have this rationalization that they are "special" and deserve to be "above" this consumerism thing or that it doesn't work and they don't effect things. That's just about as absurd as saying that if I go on the street and kill a homeless man it's not *really* murder since no one cares and it doesn't make a difference. Now of course this is an extreme argument, but the merits of logic still work.

My main point is to (hopefully) convince you that you're only hurting an industry that you "love." This isn't ONLY use perse (hence not the flaming), but quite a few people on this forum that feel they are "above" this and don't see the consequences of their actions. I in no way mean to flame you or whatnot. If I did, you'd see quite a few more curse words and a less logical argument (or at least I'd like to think I'm arguing this logically in a standard debate/retort methodology).

[dwchang]

4. I don't steal DVDs from japanesse or US companies. I don't make monetary profit from the data I use from them neither.

Forgot to mention, although you may not be selling it (which would be REALLY bad IMO), you are still screwing them out of the money that is theirs. They are selling a product that you watch and by watching it without paying, you are stealing from them and they are losing money on something they deserve. Having the product and watching it without paying is stealing...sugar coat it all you want, but this is a fairly black-and-white issue.

[KLin]

You still should not have posted your link on the forum, as you've seen it's too controversial even if it's for reference, there are several sites devoted to amassing information and reviews of new anime titles and are much simpler to navigate than your list as well, you could direct people to those sites instead and no one would have a problem at all. My second biggest problem with the list is the fact that you're posting hentai material on the forum, which is also against forum rules. There's no warning in either your post or on your page. Not every member is of age and that is a whole other legal problem.

In any case, the link to Dark Kamui's list of anime should be removed at least. If a newbie needs to be informed of brand new anime, they can browse for it at www.animenfo.com. Or for domestic releases www.animeondvd.com

[dwchang]

Somewhat related, but looking at your site, I notice you have the second Kenshin OVA as the "REAL ending" (as you quoted). This is far from the truth. The manga (the true thing since the creator draws and writes it) ending is QUITE different and much better than this sappy crap.

I also notice you haven't seen the Vision of Escaflowne. I recommend watching it...hopefully with legit sources.

[AtomicWeezleman]

tell me dwchang, do you have a mat in front of a shrine to escaflowne?? Get up everyday and pray?

oh yeah i agree watch it, still prefer the film...
did you know that the word escaflowne can tie into virtualy any song? will go with the music so well, tried it with Ghostbusters tune...Who ye gona call....ESCAFLOWNE

[dwchang]

tell me dwchang, do you have a mat in front of a shrine to escaflowne?? Get up everyday and pray?

oh yeah i agree watch it, still prefer the film...
did you know that the word escaflowne can tie into virtualy any song? will go with the music so well, tried it with Ghostbusters tune...Who ye gona call....ESCAFLOWNE

It's not THAT bad for me, but it is my favorite show and with a passion (as you have seen on the board). I don't know why, but I just love the show. It's also sort of nostalgic since it was the first "serious" anime I saw. The first that showed me that not all anime was chicks with huge chests, tons of gore and violence and no stories. It showed me you can have an epic story, great characters and even a meaning. I guess it's the thing that made anime more of a hobby since it opened my eyes to so many other wonderful titles (that are not the stereotypical types). Also showed me that "intelligent" things could come from it and even and adult like myself could enjoy it since it wasn't just stupid things (ie kiddy or retarded like the above mentioned characteristics).

To go further, I also think the series is very consistent. I've debated this (internally...weird isn't it) since Evangelion "hits" on so many higher "notes," but Escaflowne is more consistent. I'd say every episode in Escaflowne is great and about the same level of quality and development. Eva is not the case. I'd say *at least* 1/4 of the episodes are meh to me. However, like I said, there are those episodes that are like WOW!!! OMG!!!! For me though, I enjoy Escaflowne so much more since every episode is good...does that make sense? It does to some, to others not since Eva has better moments although less consistency...just a weird taste thing I have....I'm so strange since I debate this with myself

As for the movie, as much as I like it (mostly for the animation), I will have to disagree. I think the TV series is much better since it gives more depth to the story and characters. The movie COULD have been great, but hard to do in less than two hours. Characters had very little motivations and many "main" characters were in it for less than 10 minutes (Allen, Millerna and (even) Folken come to mind).

I do agree on the music. Hell listen to the TV soundtracks. Half the songs have "ES-CA-FLOW-NE" in it either as a chant or yelling.

[AtomicWeezleman]

admitably i only saw the first DVD of the series, but i havent seen another dvd since. And its no use asking at the counter, in england were very stereotypical, everyone thinks all japanese animation is porn, so asking at the counter for them to order stuff is like having 'IM A PERVERT' sign on your back, so generaly i wait and wait and wait until it is released on the shelves, maybe ill wait a long time....