CNN Cares About Our Pain

[Amerowolf]

If you watch any sort of nightly news show, I'm heard you've heard the word "recession" about a billion times now, however, us anime fans might not often think that it would hurt our hobby/lifestyle. But it has. Oh, it's been hurting in Japan like it has everywhere else. It's not just the recession that's hurting them either, it's that thing that we all do but feel horrible about. No, not make awkward thrusting motions at our body pillows with a Haruhi pillow case on it. Downloading.

The anime market, as CNN reports, hit it's peak of sales in 2006 and has since dropped off. As the internet gets faster, and the anime is easier to obtain, the more we get it for free. This may seem awesome when you need both to pay your rent and to get your anime fix, but it's only hurting us. The lack of new titles being released is our fault, as studios don't have the funds to create new titles like they used to.

If you've ever had a dream of hopping a plane to Japan to be an animator, you lazy English speakers should rethink this. CNN reports that conditions for animators of smaller studios are cramped, hot, and often very stressful. An animator often works on average 6 to 7 days a week for 10-12 hours a day. If you are unlucky enough to live in Tokyo, you may end up in a one room apartment with no bathroom of your own like most animators do.

You should all reconsider before you download something to watch, I know you won't, but still. We're killing ourselves.

Source: CNN

[Lionel Hutz]

Easier said then done. Over here, its a case of not being able to find anything remotely watchable at the store. But when they screened Ponyo at the film festival, I forked up for it. If they put more quality anime on at the movies, I'll pay to watch it.

Its especially hard on the anime industry, because its so labour intensive, that it couldn't possibly survive on donations or something similar, and cannot be created by a single person(unlike say, the music industry).

[Raven]

A true fan will fork up the cash when they have it for series they like (obviously people won't pay for something they don't like and obviously they can choose to watch on television and not buy). Everyone knows about this, but the recession is killing everything. Animators are horribly paid in Japan and some live with their parents (conditions were always rough). The system in Japan for animators has to change as well, don't get fooled into thinking that forking over money will be enough for them. It's not like it goes into their pocket but this is the age of the information high way.

Until people are able to afford living without worrying about losing their place, anime sales will continue to get downsized. It's nice to see the post anyway, but I don't think it will turn around until after the recession.

[Nikushimi]

I don't illegally download animes. The only one I really watch anymore is Naruto (stopped watching Bleach months ago, just because I can't find a relaible source and Youtube has cracked down on removing anime episodes), which I get off of naruto.com, and you'd better believe they rake in the dough from all the advertisements they've stuffed onto their pages and in their videos (especially since said advertisements often mention sponsors and support).

And I live in a bad part of Ohio, where 99% of the population is into sports (therefore making it almost detrimental to sell anime here). If I could even FIND a store around my area that sold TTGL DVDs, I would buy them up in a heartbeat.

[Amerowolf]

Try boarders. And I live close to Ohio. In Fort Wayne.

[Charles]

I'm probably the only anime fan who has paid for anime full price. I did buy Ergo Proxy for £30 on Amazon like 3 days ago though.

[Inu]

I have bought anime dvd's before, but how the hell is someone supposed to afford 7 seasons worth of dvd's... in a recession.

[Jaden Yuki]

I bet some youtube uploaders are to blame for this they mension sometimes they download there anime but i buy my own anime from ebay.

[Lionel Hutz]

I bought five series, and all of them sucked.

Thats the other reason why I stopped buying this stuff.

[Raven]

I'm often hear anime fans are poor anyway, but perhaps that's wrong. :S

[JerrodDRagon]

24 bucks for 4 episodes...yeah I dont care. TV shows are 20-30 episodes for 40 dollars. Were being ripped off FOR DUBS.

[deckzone3000]

Originally Posted by JerrodDRagon

24 bucks for 4 episodes...

And they wonder why people try to get them for free online.

Don't forget the multiple releases of the same anime.
These companies must be bad money managers.

[InjuredPelican]

I only watch One Piece online, but I never download. Otherwise I rent Gundam series from netflix. I'd really like to buy some of Gundam, but its just too expensive, and, as much as I like it, I'm not going to watch a series over and over like I would a movie.

[Death Note Chillax Chainty]

I pay. On my B-day I paid over 170 bucks for DBZ seasons 3-8. Worth it! To get it uncut. I don't download. But then agian it takes like for ever to download anything on my compter. If somethings 8 mintents long, i eill take about 4 hours to D.L. Now. If it is 26 to 28 menets. That should be about ALL DAY to download. To long.