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Profitmon Catches The Dollars
An anonymous reader writes "The mainstream press has finally discovered the cash in anime. Fortune's Daniel Roth profiles ADV, the largest anime distributor in the U.S.. He uses it as a way to talk about how the anime and manga business has, in what's become a rarity in showbiz, managed to find a way to do 'more than not alienate its customers: It has found ways to keep them buying and buying.' The article also details the madness of the anime superfans--the Otaku--and the likely Neon Genesis Evangelion live-action flick that Weta's Richard Taylor is pushing for." Good Content + Bittorrent = Profit?
I think the money is from the fact that they can import on demand pretty much, they don't have to overproduce in case there's a large demand for it. The Anime sub-culture of the US is interesting in that it seems to often times follow certain trends and when something is popular you can just import it and sell it for a lot more than you usually would a normal DVD.
There's also the fact that a lot of anime sales are online which can be on demand as well, it's just a safer business I think than producing large numbers of an item and hoping they all sell.
$fortune
Tomorrow has been canceled due to lack of interest.
It fails to mention ADV's recent financial troubles, highlighted by the fact that in the past year they've had to give up funding the creation of several new shows and didn't announce any licenses during this year's con season (which is very unusual.)
It also fails to account for the fact that despite how small all of the anime companies are compared to say the music and movie giants in the states, the size of the warez base is MUCH LARGER relatively. There's a prevalent attitude among anime "fans" that paying for it is somehow supporting "the man" despite the fact that international licensors provide the japanese with a non-trivial amount of funding.
I agree - I've been introducing people to it on a regular basis. I think its because of the raw quality of the work and the lack of good engaging material from this side of the planet.
I primarily download my anime via bittorrent. I check out what I like, and eventually buy the boxed set. Just this morning I recieved my box set of Azumanga Diaoh (funniest anime EVAR). If you have an easy method of previewing your content, it makes the purchase easier.
And I feel like I'm actually supporting something with anime, as most anime shops (in japan) are small and have very thin profit margins.
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To be perfectly honest, the reason ADV is raking in the dough, is that as one of the biggest anime distributers in America, they can charge an arm, a leg, and three kidneys for their product, and it will sell. You'll notice there are not a lot of anime distributers out there, so there are only a few mediums where you can get it from. While it is still cheaper to obtain it from online sources (AnimeNation and the like), it is still costly. I could buy all of Buffy, Angel, or even Hercules right now, and it would be cheaper than getting a box set of a particular anime series.
They won't come down in price, cause pretty much there is no reason for them too. While I download the occassional anime series, I still buy some of my stuff from Brick N' Mortar, or other various online sources. Hell, I am going to buy Grenadier, even though I have the fansubs to it on my computer.
Seriously, if they want to really rank in the dough, start dropping the prices to under the $20 level. At least then, it might make is justifiable to only the DVD for its extras. Keeping it at $29.99 might net you big profits in the short term, but as the years progress, there is only so much people are willing to take before they forever go the way of fansubs.
The Galatic Freedom Force marches on! Defend!
The more mainstream anime becomes, the worst it will get. I like anime because it often has much different story lines then traditional North American movies & cartoons.
Well as long as Americans don't make them, we'll be fine.
But seriously, I have seen a few bad Animes, but I think the ones we see over here are mostly the really good ones worth exporting. The more they export, though, then the more we get the lower quality animes.
However, even the almost "mainstream" like Ghost in the Shell Series, Inyuasha, Full Metal Alchemist and others you might see on adult swim on Saturday night are worth staying up for.
Better than most crap they play on cable tv...
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
I pegged anime for a fad in the late 90's. There was some incredible stuff coming out, but there was a TON material dating back to the 1970's that still had not been shown to outside [of Japan] audiences. Most people outside of Japan didn't watch Akira or Vampire Hunter D until they were 5 - 10 years old. I figured the well of good old material would dry up and there wouldn't be enough new material to keep interest going. Looks like I was wrong.
I think this could work:
Bitcom FAQ's:
What is a bitcom?
It is a sitcom distributed by BitTorrent.
Who can view a bitcom?
Anyone with a computer, high speed internet, and custom BitTorrent software.
How much does it cost to view a bitcom?
Nothing.
How do I view a bitcom?
You download custom BitTorrent software, create an account, and log into the website. Once logged in you search for a bitcom you want to view and click on it.
How much to set up an account?
Free. You do need to provide a name, email address, zip, age, and whether you're male or female. We also would like you to answer one survey question per week to build a profile of you.
How can it be free?
Advertisers pay all costs. You will have to view a 30 second commercial before you can watch the bitcom. It is a part of the BitTorrent file and is targeted to your profile.
I don't want advertisers knowing this info about me?
They won't. They will only know your profile. Your name will never be provided. The closest they can come is your zip code.
I'm still nervous...
Then make up a name. Please try and be honest about your profile though, it is for your benefit.
Is it limited to sitcoms?
Nope. I just haven't come up with any witty names besides bitcom. Anything that has not been copywritten and can be uploaded to the website can be viewed. In fact, the concept is completely scalable. Local programs such as weather or sports can be created that would include advertising targeted either by national or local business.
Who owns the file?
As soon as the file is uploaded it is considered copywritten by the creator. The creator and the website are the only ones that can get revenue from the file.
Who can make a bitcom?
Anyone with a video camera, computer, high speed internet, and custom BitTorrent software. They will also need a creator account.
Who gets the revenue from the advertiser?
Fifty percent goes to the creator of the bitcom. Fifty percent goes to the website.
How much do ads cost?
Advertisers will bid against each other based on the number of advertisements they want to send out and the demographic they wish to target.
Why do advertisers have to bid against each other?
Because I have no idea how much per person an ad is worth. But I bet advertisers do.
What does the website do with its fifty percent of the ad revenue?
Technology and development, employee salaries, headquarters. Possibly advertising the website using other mediums.
Why can't I start a company producing bitcoms?
You can. In fact, it would probably be a good idea.
If I produce a bitcom how do I get paid?
All transactions will be made electronically through Paypal and/or Automated Clearing House (ACH). Ideally I would like to have as little latency as possible. Advertisers would pay nightly and creators would be paid as soon as that batch is run. It would all be automated.
Why would advertisers agree to pay daily?
Because this is a more effective way to advertise. It will also be easier for them to evaluate the effectiveness of an ad by being able to target specific areas and take note of any changes in sales.
Are you one of those guys that hates network television commercials?
No. I just don't think it is a very effective way to market anything. You really don't know who, if anyone is watching.
How do you know people will agree to watch one commercial?
Because the business model will be done in the spirit of open source software and available for anyone to look at. They will see that half of the revenue is going to the creator.
How do you know they wouldn't agree to watch more than one commercial?
I don't. Maybe users can have preferences and if they are willing to watch more than one in order to support the artists that create the programming, they can choose to do so.
Why does the website get half?
Seems like the logical place to start. Maybe i
Ooo man the floppy drive is broken. No wait. The computer is just upside down.