Random Thoughts On A November 11th
- Will you kill someone you love, because of love? Will you fall into a despair darker than black? I have no clue. But maybe I’ll go watch this other British man-of-mystery on film later this week.
- Much like retail America, I am already switching gears for the holidays. That said I have no clue what I’m going to put up for show on the blog. It’s just another thing my brain is crushing on already.
- You know I’m not one who reads manga when I’ve never purchased anything from any of the titles listed here, but I purchased one here (guess which). While it doesn’t mean much, the thoughts came to mind were that:
- Wow, manga sells much “better” than anime in terms of diversity and quality of content. And,
- it is so niche. The mainstream pandering of anime businesses in America is like yoga. I don’t envy it.
- You know who else does yoga? Kemeko.
- The parallel is shocking as far as I’ve seen the same disparity in video gaming. You’d have very solid and mainstream flagship titles on consoles, but things like Deer Hunter and Bejeweled would be making the top charts on the PC side (way back when). And it’s not just in terms that PC games sell for less volume overall, but there’s just so much more diversity and crappy games can make a stand. Not sure how meaningful that is.
- It’s been 6 months or so since I signed up to be a CD Japan affiliate. I guess it’s time for a review. But instead of glorifying it with its own post I’ll just hijack this one:
I have no experience with other affiliate programs (I suppose Play Asia might count since I may have signed up for that at some point), but from my limited understanding, they pay out relatively okay. You get 5% (for all practical purposes) commission on items that are purchased and shipped when the buyer does his business through a web session referred from your link. The technical details are unclear to me because I didn’t really care to look into it, but they have it written down somewhere. At the end of the month you get a tally which determines the volume of sales you’ve made (which determines the 5%…it goes up to 7% if you sell like, tens of thousands of dollars’ worth items a month). Commission is then doled out in either Paypal form or as CD Japan store credit. The former can be payed out once you hit 5000 yen and the latter is doled out in 100 point (1 point = 1 yen) increments with minimum of 100 points. There are some usual restrictions such as you can only post it on sites they’ve pre-approved, no hotlinking it on forums or whatever, etc. It’s fairly loose. However it also requires you to have some kind of website and not a forum, so it’s a little more formal.
There are a few interesting factors that make this affiliate relationship more fun for me. For one, I’m still stuck on CD Japan for a lot of my own purchases. I long realized they are not the cheapest retailer for this stuff but once you factor in all their incentives, they can still put up a competitive price. Especially in the past year or two. The flexibility in shipping methods helps, and they are still one of the few online retailers that can almost-guarantee you first print runs. That’s worth something. It’s almost-guarantee because they can’t guarantee it, but at least they make that distinction and safeguards your purchase choices. That said, nowadays I only buy some CDs from them, and the occasional first-print run item.
I want to also just briefly highlight that for a while I thought about Play Asia, because they offer a wider variety of goods. But now CD Japan sells a lot of junk too and they’re much closer tailored to my interests than a less-personal-seeming game shop. Still, if anyone who has had some experience with their affiliate program please chime in or point me to where to read or whatever.
My loyalties aside, another thing is that CD Japan authentically operates out of Japan. What does this mean? It means if the dollar is weak against the yen, I actually make more money if I cash out! So lols. It doesn’t do much to stem the bleeding when I import however, but it’s a nice thought. I am helping to balance the trade deficit I created!
That said, I’ve not taken the opportunity to cash out, because I buy from them enough that I usually just go for the points. I can’t comment on how that process is via Paypal. I realize this may be a vital part of the process for some people.
The web tool CD Japan made available for its affiliates is sort of primitive, but it has the basics for anyone to get started. It’s not great, however sufficient. Safe to say, the privacy of the patrons of my affiliate links are protected and I get enough info to tailor my links for better advertising, if I wanted to. Compared to the other web advertising sites I’ve seen, though, it is lacking.
For the bottom line, is this profitable (to me)? Not exactly. For starter, the only way I push CD Japan’s goods are in posts like this, or when I’m buying something that I want to tell the world about. And looking at the statistics, I make a crappy advertiser. At the same time, because I can use my own affiliate links, it is okay if no one else clicks on them.
Like other “less spammy” affiliate programs, CDJ’s affiliate program is definitely more profitable than straight-up CPM/Impression based advertising for websites like this one, and it’s a more personal approach that I think works well with this whole anime thing. After all we are all neck deep in this form of consumerism and we all have to buy something somehow somewhere down the line. It’s not a bother to help a sister or brother out like that. For what it is worth the money I’ve saved exceeds my hosting costs already (albeit barely; .com’s are expensive). So it’s all good, regardless if you’d like to give me a bump on my purchasing or not.
- I am growing to like Myanimelist more and more, but I still can’t be bothered to update it. Maybe if I’m stuck on a desert island, and the internet is filtered except MAL, then I’d update it. After all every 25 minutes spent looking up all the anime that starts with the letter “O” (isn’t it odd how we index anime by the alphabet…) is one episode of anime I did not watch and should have.
- This season has a lot of good anime, above average stuff. But as a result maybe the limbo bar for “average” or “drop-worthy” have been slightly lowered compared to seasons prior. I’m still smitten with the new ef anime and rewatching it in the same week despite the larger-than-usual plate of shows on my table right now.
- But I guess I do that for Xam’d too.
- Speaking of the new ef anime, I suspect I would have been more in love with it if it wasn’t so much of a parallel with the first season, at 6 episodes in. I hope the guys at minori packed some secret for us near the end.
- That Index show makes me want to read … light novels. AFAIK it’s just a manga adaptation right? What a waste.
- Kannagi has a good feel to it. Episode 6 basically seals the deal in terms of breaking the show out of the stereotypical shell. (Including the random virginity-related 2ch mumbling.) I guess that’s just like Toradora, too, but that one is turning into just a band of misfits doing whatever. It’s a good, winning formula but not easy to pull off. Toradora’s misdirection may be more harmful than helpful.
- Still listening to Macross Frontier. I don’t mind this cash cow being milked if they can continue to deliver stuff like this.
- And comparatively speaking, Maaya Sakamoto sounded better on the c/w track to Ame ga Furu than anything that Caoli Kano written for her. Nothing against Kano, but eh.
- The show Ame ga Furu came from isn’t as bad as people pan it to be. I think Gonzo will live if they keep this up, but of course people will be happier to see more Strike Witches instead. I don’t really care.
- Gundam 00 features a
notherpensive Chiwa role. I like how they are slowly revealing the meaning of the double-perspective stills in the ending animation. Although, I think I’m watching the show just so I can read DarkMirage’s posts. I’m on a Sakutai streak lately. - Speaking of which, there are more and more video games that take the form and format of the passive narrative anime fans are familiar with. I mean, yeah, Valkyria Chrnoicles is just up my alley.
- I think I made a promise to myself to watch at least 3 episodes of Macademi WAsshoi. Almost there?
- It’s weird when you’re listening to soundtrack music (Kurenai soundtrack for example) for how it’s arranged in a string quartet or a piano quintet. But sometimes I can’t help myself. Equally helpless I would think how the same song would play out by Eminence.
- Speaking of quartet–I kind of want to watch Yozakura Quartet but it kept on getting bumped. I just need a reason to push through with this.
- I think I’m going to stick with Mouryou no Haku. I think it’s a good campanion piece to Chaos;Head in the study of good old fashion paranoia versus kyouki bi.
- The best thing in Tytania is not just a flirt that’s in trouble. It’s in the OP when someone takes that sword and smacks down three battleships. That is just…such a satisfying gesture. In fact the word “gesture” doesn’t at all come close to describe the magnitude of pwn. It’s something only Chuck Norris could do. That said the ending is awesomely matching. Psychic Lover, yeah?
- There need to be more psychotic lovers in Michiko & Hacchin. And mariachis.
- There also needs be more mariachis in Nodame… and less Shana. I kid. Sort of.
- As you know, cultural contexts can be very important. It’s suppose to mean something when the Noh stuff starts at the beginning of every episode of Kurozaka, but I don’t get it. Post-apocalyptic Tokyo is Post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Who cares? Or better put, vampires are vampires? It is sad when the Noh part is the most horrific part of every episode. Some weakass vampires, Japan has.
- Speaking of the undead, please watch UNLIMITED UNDEADGIRLS WORKS on Hulu or Joost or Youtube or whatever. Just don’t compare it with Gurren Lagann. It’s unbecoming.
- If I see a cat talking like Yui Horie, I’d be freaked out. It wouldn’t have to walk through walls to do that. Heck, if anyone IRL starts to talk like Hocchan I’d be scared at least a little. I think that may be why I’m still watching this above average action series.
- Old voice actresses, that said, are often charming. I hope Hocchan matures into such a thing. I still kind of regret not being able to go to Animazement last year and see Satsuki Yukino in person, and her little 2-episode gig in After Story reminded me why I want to buy Fumoffu on BRD this Christmas.
- For a similar reason, I’m still watching Hyakko. Irony would have it that a role like Ayumi fits Hinano somehow appropriately when sandwiched between two older and more established voice talents. And Ochiai makes a good third wheel.
“It’s in the OP when someone takes that sword and smacks down three battleships. That is just…such a satisfying gesture. In fact the word “gesture” doesn’t at all come close to describe the magnitude of pwn. It’s something only Chuck Norris could do.”
Jeez. My thoughts exactly. It gave me a “WE OWN YOU” and a “RESPECT MAH AUTHORITY” vibe at the same time.
“That said the ending is awesomely matching. Psychic Lover, yeah?”
Like I said before, it feels so 80s to me, but it feels so good. :P
And more people do need to check out Linebarrels instead of writing it off so quickly. :3
I think this season there are more people who are knee jerk about shows more than ever. Part of it is because for those of us who watch shows for what they are and not just for entertainment, we see how there are a lot of above-average shows. So it’s more hurtful to see them being put down for some silly reason. But for people who are just watching whatever, they’re not going to watch everything.
Linebarrels is one of those shows. I think it also has to be watched in higher definition than what you see on Youtube or CR.
- “..because I can use my own affiliate links, it is okay if no one else clicks on them.”
Exactly. Lol.
- I couldn’t get Hyakko’s jokes, stopped watching at episode 3 or so.. maybe it’s the fear of hearing the ED. Oririn’s Torako is not as charming as Miu too..
- “If I see a cat talking like Yui Horie..”
..I’d buy that cat.
- ..and indeed Valkyria Chronicles is a very interesting game, they even loaded a group of familiar seiyuu to begin with.. also fantastic graphic and I just love the gameplay.
All of Hyakko is somewhat forced. The voice acting is much more exaggerated. Not just Oririn, but everyone else too… Probably on purpose.
Valkyria Chronicles reminds me of my time with Sakura Taisen. Marrying voice actress fans with game fans with anime fans is a polygamy for the win.