Frustrations of an Anime Fan - Lack of Local Activities

I want to do a regular column on a blog I infrequently update.  I know, lots of sense being made here, right?  The column is called "Frustrations of an Anime Fan" and will tackle topics as I see fit, from fandom to elitists from close mindedness from the general public to close mindedness in the industry, and much more.  I'm hoping you will read these and start some feedback.

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I am a introvert by nature.  My happenings don't revolve on a ton of people being around me or going to popular places.  Bars are out of the question since I don't drink and can't carry on a proper conversation with the crowds of people yelling at each other.  The same problem can be with clubs, parties, and raves.  Coffee shops just don't have much of a fun atmosphere as it does a hipster one with libraries being its unattractive mother.  Arcades have essentially all but died except for the museum-type ones.  It just sucks for a virile young man in modern America trying to even make a few friends.

Last year, being tired of the same old, I went to a convention that some of my friends told me about at college.  Being the introvert I am, I had heard of it from before and just never went, but I decided that I am a full fledged geek and that I would fit in just fine.  That weekend was one of the best ones I've had.  I met so many different people, new friends, and found out my hobbies of games and anime weren't as obscure as I thought.  The convention I am talking about is your generic sci-fi, geek gathering spot.  Not a lot of one thing (table-top gaming, art show, media rooms, anime room, video game room), but enough to thoroughly entertain one's self for the length of the convention.  Sure, I'm not (yet, who knows) LARPing or and of the table-top gaming things, but I do enjoy cartoons, anime, cosplay, among other things.

I befriended the anime chair at the convention and we talk from time to time.  For a con in the middle of southwest Missouri, he does a great job finding things to watch and do.  He even managed to get Stephanie Young to speak and do an autograph signing this year.  That's pretty big for a smaller operation than Comic-Con.  However, one thing that has hindered any real activity or growth is the fact that the convention is not an anime convention.  Imagine a full-fledged anime convention.  Voice actor speeches, cosplay dating, art show purely with anime themes, anime video games, and many other things.  It just doesn't belong to a generic convention.  So for the venue, it works.

Just for a little background for those who don't know me, I live in southwest Missouri also known as the Ozarks, probably the belt buckle of the Bible belt.  The small town I live in only has a Wal*Mart Supercenter to really hang out.  A bigger metro city is where the generic convention takes place.  It has most major chain stores, a thriving urban/downtown area, and lots of people.  It is actually the city where I work five days a week, and when I get off, I can go shop somewhere that is not a former employer of mine.

One thing I really want to see in the next few years is a primary anime convention take place in the Ozarks.  I have an itch to meet local people and rave about our favorite series, have intellectual conversations behind deeper meanings of some series, and just discover some new things to check out and make new local friends who I can hit up from time to time and have an anime viewing night or something.  Sure, I know this is all idealistic, but I think it still could be attainable.

Last year we had two anime conventions try to start up in the area.  For whatever reason, both of these eventually folded and neither happened.  You can imagine my disappointment when I found out that neither would be happening.  So close, yet so far.  It seems like nothing is going to happen here for a while.  Right now, the closest anime convention is 100+ miles away and it looks like I will be forced to go to one of those to get my con fix.

One of the conventions still remains as a social group on a popular social networking website.  However, unless there is another convention going on or someone talks about a major motion picture or series coming out, the group seems stagnant.  The other convention has a message board that still works and there were so few posts on it.  I also look at the convention that is in operation now and see the same thing, not much activity on there.  You would think geeks would want more social interactions online than that.

I also did some research for groups, clubs, anything anime related in a 50 mile radius that I could join or meet with once in a while.  Nothing.  There was a group a couple years ago, and another a couple years before that, but now?  Nothing.  No groups, no meet ups, no clubs outside of high school and college-exclusive clubs.  Nothing.  Is anime that unpopular down here?  I really can't believe it, but either that is the truth, or people aren't stepping up to the plate.  The only way I found out about these conventions is because of either Internet specific research or word of mouth which is hard to come by nowadays.  Is there a group I don't know about that is hiding under a rock?  Am I the only one that experiences this?

One solution would be "Allengator, if you are so passionate about local social anime functions, then why don't you make one yourself?"  Good question.  I am not a leader.  I am not a planner.  I am horrible with money.  I don't like making calls or talking to people I don't know.  I am just not that person.  I am a follower.  I am a (lack of a better term) cheerleader.  I am that stupid mascot that dresses up as a cow in front of an electronics store that you don't like.  I tell all my friends about events and conventions going on.  That's all I feel comfortable doing.  Have me on your side, and I will fight for you, just don't make me in charge of the whole shebang.

So yes, I'm frustrated that nothing is going on here.  Another convention is trying to make a mark down here, however it is a furry convention, and while I have my own opinion on the subject of that area of fandom, it makes me wonder.  Can a furry convention really succeed where multiple anime conventions failed?  I thought that furries were a more niche market than anime fans, so what gives?  I wish the convention good luck on becoming a reality, truly wish it the best, and I'm sorry for this logic, but if a local furry convention makes it before a local anime convention does, I will be saddened.

So speak.  What can someone do to get a local anime group to become a reality?  How about an anime convention?  Anyone from the Ozarks want to see something happen?  Hit me up and we can talk about it.

And For More Sad News

The American anime industry seems to be getting itself in more trouble.  Since the last post, things just seem to snowball more and more.

New Strategy or on its way out?

First, Media Blasters is laying off 60% of their staff, and according to the latest ANNCast that 100% of their production team has been let go, meaning either that they aren't planning on staying around for too much longer, or that they are planning to outsource the production to another team which, unless there is some kind of digital strategy involved, or any strategy actually, will end up like Bandai.  I'm sorry for being such a downer, but this is reality, and you don't come to this blog to sugarcoat news.

This is five minutes of PAINT.NET.  Totally worth it.

Second, just when things couldn't get worse, two of the bigger North American distributors are coming after each other.  Funimation is suing Sentai/Section23/other random companies that used to be ADV.  According to Funimation, Neo-ADV as I like to call them, owe them around 8 million dollars back before the discombobulation of ADV.  It's a complicated legal matter, but I feel I should chime in my two cents. 

In my opinion, Neo-ADV dodged the law by exploiting a loophole, basically dodging creditors by breaking up into smaller companies.  Seriously, they are fooling no one (Section 23 is the actual law they exploited to get out of their mess).  While this has allowed them to stay in the American market and license some nice anime series, I think that some kind of justice deserves to be brought to them.  Now, I am not siding with Funimation nor am I against Neo-ADV, but I think that the companies that got the short end of the deal, Japanese anime companies, distributors, and the like, should get some sense of justice from this oversight. 

However, it doesn't matter whose side you are on.  In the end, this is not good for anyone, especially the fans.  Imagine if Funimation wins this (I give them better odds between the two).  This could be the final nail in the coffin that is Neo-ADV, or plain old ADV.  Then that will leave restructured Media Blasters, Funimation, and Viz, as well as higher end distributors NIS, Aniplex, and assorted others.  If it comes down to Viz vs Funimation, then again this means less titles to be released, more chances to the anime industry in America becoming a monopoly, and in the end, us getting fewer titles legally and Japan passing on opportunities of giving their titles a chance over here.

Perhaps Neo-ADV can split up again as another company...

In the end, this news isn't good for anyone.  Not for the people losing jobs, not for their families, not for the fans.  2012 has been one bad year thus far.  Let's hope for a better rest of the year.

FATALITY: Bandai Entertainment Gets Knocked Out

This really is sad news, but according to Anime News Network Bandai Entertainment plans on stopping distribution of DVDs, Blu-Rays, and Manga, plus it does not plan to grab any more licenses.  I feel mixed on this news.

More like, Ban-died.  Get it?

First, the jerk reaction.  THIS IS COSMIC JUSTICE FOR THE SCREW UP OF HAYATE THE COMBAT BUTLER!  I'm sorry, but the fact is that Bandai just never got the hang of doing non-single disc volume releases and right now is not a good time for a company to do that.  I am a budget anime collector and it just seems impractical for me to purchase a single disc for the same amount I could get a partial or whole series.  Then again, this could be applied to any R1 anime company that isn't Funimation or Section 23.  So the question is what is the difference between Bandai and say....Viz...or Media Blasters?

I really don't have an answer for that.  I am looking at the price of Bleach DVDs and they seem to be $50 for 10 episodes.  Squid Girl is 6 episodes for $25.  Madoka Magica is $40 for 4 episodes. *grumble* Hayate the Combat Butler is $40 for 7 episodes.  So pricing, while it is a gripe, probably isn't the problem.

Releases weren't too bad.  Par for the course, really.  Roughly released volumes every other month, just like everyone else.  True, sometimes titles may have been delayed, but we've all been there.  Media Blasters actually has a worse track record than Bandai, in my opinion.

The only real difference I can see is dubbing, but heaven forbid that I should even insinuate that this attributed to Bandai's problems. (hint hint: I think it didn't help things)

And yes, still so, so bitter about this.

So, what else could it be?  Perhaps the series they licensed just weren't popular enough.  Let's see: Haruhi, Lucky Star, tons of Gundam, K-ON, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Code Geass...I could go on and on.  So the hits are there.  Sure, there are some flops, but overall not a bad lineup.  People screamed for K-On, people praised Haruhi, people lusted for Gundam....actually, that sounds really really wrong. 

Honestly, you can't really pinpoint one exact problem that caused this to happen.  However, here is a short list, perhaps I can elaborate on it later, on what I think caused this:

1) Started subbing more series
2) Delayed series box sets way longer than they should
3) Pricing model was pretty bad
4) Virtually no digital presence (iTunes, Amazon, hulu, proprietary video site)
5) Slacking off on advertising
6) Japanese parent company can make Bandai seem redundant.
7) Few television deals
8) And I can't stress this enough.  PIRACY.

So one big problem was presence.  The more presence you have with an audience, the more they remember you.  Look at Funimation.  How many times have you seen banners for their series on any given website compared to Bandai?  A lot more.  More advertisements, more presence, give customers more reasons to not illegally watch series.  Funimation several times puts out an episode or two of a series online, for free, to show people a series.  This has caused me to buy series like Eden of the East and Baccano.  If you don't offer some form of streaming in this day and age, you are really shooting yourself in the foot.

Also, anyone who even casually pays attention to the American anime industry should have seen this coming long ago.  When Bandai started to push more subbed-only releases out the door, when Bang-Zoom employees started to work more with Funimation, when the Bandai online store closed its doors, when they screwed up Hayate, when fewer series was being licensed, when the Lucky Star OVA was subbed, when they decided to license Boo Boo Kaga Boo manga series...this wad inevitable.  Bandai was showing distress signs for years and now it has come to a head.

Now putting the analyst away in me, I will offer this.  This sucks.  There are no two ways about it.  Even though Bandai was my favorite punching bag, I have to admit that I am saddened by one less licensor out there.  Now it will be up to the other companies if we ever want to see more Gundam, or K-ON, (or Hayate to get a box set, HINT HINT).  Also, this is going to affect a lot of people and jobs.  I'm not just talking the people that work at Bandai Entertainment, but also for the companies that helped with distribution.  Bang Zoom was a major Bandai supporter so losing that anime chunk will mean less work for voice actors and producers.  Also, Bandai was involved with some manga series which...well, I personally won't miss, but I know others will.  Now we won't get the gag series of Lucky Star's Kagami turning into a chibi pig which...is sort of a relief (seriously, aside from die-hard fans, who would buy that? I'm a pretty big Lucky Star fan and even I think that premise is too ridiculous to check out.)  Also Gosick which I looked at a few days ago and really wanted to see.  Now my only hope is someone rescuing it.

In the end, I will miss Bandai, and this sucks for people in the American anime industry and fans alike.  I also have to switch from picking on Bandai to picking on Media Blasters because...well, they aren't much better and if I were to put money on another American distributor biting the dust, it would be them, not that I wish that at all.

While you are just fading away and not outright leaving the industry, I still feel like I can end this post with a cliche trope:

R.I.P. Bandai

Somewhat of a New Blogging System

Yes, another entry about this blog.  I normally wouldn't divulge in posts of this nature since this is a more hobbyist blog, but this is more of a heads up.

Things are still a little hectic in my personal life, changing jobs, trying to be social, being an adult, and so on.  While they are settling down more, it is becoming harder to blog on here.  No, I'm not giving up or even going on a hiatus, but a couple of small changes are going to happen.  First off, I will be suspending "Poll of the Week" and "This Week's Watch" for the foreseeable future.  As much as I love telling you how my week went as far as anime watching is concerned, it has been tough keeping up with a consistent schedule.  I would love to bring these back in the future, and I may still do them from time to time, but I'm not going to force myself to do them every week.  I have off weeks like anyone who is into anime has, and I hate to just type "Didn't watch squat this week.  Kthnxbai.", so this will be easier.  I will try to do better with my Twitter habits when I watch something.  The past week has pretty much just been Sgt. Frog again, if you wanted to know.

Polls I am going to try to keep up, but they just may not get changed on a weekly basis.  It may be a day or two before I switch them.  Again, just follow me on Twitter to know when a new one is up.

Part of the reason I am doing this is because of my new job, which I do enjoy.  It is typing and staring at a screen all day, and when you get home, the last thing you want to do is to type and stare at a screen.  Some days I feel like doing it more, but some days I just want to drain my brain on a show or anime.  It comes and goes.  So updates will be sporadic for now, there is no question for that, but I will try to get at least one update on here a week.  Either favorite this page, follow me on Twitter, RSS this page, or whatever you prefer, because the fun will keep coming.

Again, another plea to the viewers out there.  If you would like to contribute articles, opinions, suggest things, or even participate in a possible podcast, please let me know.  Also, don't be shy about commenting on here.  I would love to see some more activity on here.

So there you have it.  That is what is going on.  If you have thoughts, share them below.  Until then, I know the next entry will be about a certain company releasing a certain highly anticipated magical girl show.

No Usual Posts This Week

Sorry guys, but I'm going to have to skip the poll and "this week's watch" this week.  I've been busier than normal with job swapping, car hunting, car fixing, and other things.  I've been watching Sgt. Frog in my spare time, so that could have been the show for "This Week's Watch", but I just don't have time to dedicate even one of those entries.  Expect more in the coming week or two when all this goes back to normal.  Sorry about all this!

This Week's Watch: 9/25 - 10/1

This past week I decided to check out some new shows since my list of upcoming releases that I want is quite short.  I wanted to see if any new shows were worth checking out.  I checked out Heaven's Lost Property, but that show was a bit to ecchi for my taste.  I also got the first part to Squid Girl and enjoyed it.  However, I checked out another series that I now have a new interest in.

At first, I thought Natsu (Pink hair, on left) was a girl. My bad.

Fairy Tail is a genre I don't care for, which is magical adventure.  The series sounds like the basic plot to every MMORPG ever.  There are wizards and they all belong to various guilds.  These guilds are where wizards share info and get jobs that will give them money.  So yeah.  It's like every MMORPG ever.  While the plot isn't the most engaging (at least as far as I have gone), the episodes are actually quite fun.  You have Natsu, the fire-breathing dragon human thingy who gets motion sickness, Lucy, the new girl who uses keys to unlock guardians that help her, and happy, the flying cat who says "Aye" a lot.  The episodes have a nice blend between action, humor, and intrigue that makes me want to see what's around the corner.  I have seen the first five episodes and ordered the first two parts on DVD, so if that isn't a sign that I have hopes for this series, then nothing does.

So what good stuff did you check out this week?  Comment below and let us know!

Poll of the Week: Realistic or Not?

This week's poll is all about realism in anime.  I am not talking plot-wise, but animation-wise.  Some people prefer their anime to be super realistic, the Japanese look more Japanese and everything is perfectly to scale. 
Others like the chibi, hypersexualized, moe, or just cartoonish styles more.  So the question is, which way do you like it?  Do you prefer the more detailed, realistic looking anime, or the stylized, unrealistic anime.  Click on the poll and comment on your choice!