Thinking of Buying You
I’m thinking about the new Nozomi Entertainment licenses–Aria, Marimite, Emma.
How many people will buy these titles from them? They are priced attractively, albeit available only through Rightstuf’s own site, some select specialty stores and online stores. If you are reading this blog, odds are the retail availability hurdle is not a major problem (save, of course, international readers). In fact given Rightstuf’s track record we might be seeing some big sales on their titles as they have done with The THIRD and Piano. It’s not expensive. Waiting is not a bad option.
But is it a good option? The attractive bundles are 12, 13 episodes a pop, and you can get them below $40 USD as a pre-order already. It doesn’t beat out the prices of some really, really cheap, low profile ADV bundles, but considering that these are new licenses, it definitely means Rightstuf is skipping straight to just one kind of buyer–those of you who are looking for a reasonably priced DVD set (much like how a lot of American TV shows are bundled), and can live without a translated dub.
The lack of a dub is done as a business decision, it seems–dubbing costs a truck load of money and when you aim so precisely as Nozomi’s licenses are, you just can’t afford to hike up your production costs. Likewise, dubbing also take a truck load of time, and I think while some people are willing to wait for a nice release, just the way they want, no one would rather want something later if they can have the same thing now. Especially if you are investing into this product (aka. Nozomi themselves). A long production cycle means you could lose out on the hype and promotion that fansubs generate. It can mean the delay will eat into the shelf life of your release. More importantly however, you just won’t see any return on your investment until later. And that really bites.
To elaborate a bit on what I mean by aiming precisely, it seems that they are pushing for a very simple paradigm, that a relatively low-priced, reasonably speedy release of the entire series aimed at a select group of people who are already fans of the show. Hey, I dig that.
Having the right price is rather important. A millionaire can be a casual manga reader just like a struggling salaryman. In the same way, as anime aim mostly at people in their late teens and 20-something, you have some people who are already making steady money and also a lot of people who are living on low-end retail income while struggling in college. And everyone in between. The low price casts a wide web, and obviously that affects Nozomi’s bottom line in a very direct way as we all know.
Wait, I did say precise, right–so who the hell would buy Aria or Marimite if they don’t already know what it is? Recall Mamiko Noto’s visit to America last summer. The three Marimite cosplayers are fans of the show. And I think it’s exactly these people Nozomi is aiming for. Is it worthy to note that on that Otakon, I made a few rounds in the dealers room, only finding very few Marimite merchandise, period?
These anecdotes are there to let you know how I feel about this issue. Aria, Emma and Marimite are very much definitive niche titles. Especially Marimite. There is not a terribly lot of fanfare surrounding these titles (although Aria has a lot of fans overseas, I suppose), and especially in the US. It shows, with Nozomi’s fairly cheap but targeted approach in marketing.
Because “niche” is really another term for “it’s not going to sell many units.”
I would imagine as much as having a translated dub of Marimite would be lulz, or a properly-acted dub of Emma would be epic, but Rightstuf is selling these DVDs to people that largely have seen some of the fansubs. And if you can tolerate fansubs, you probably can live without dubs.
It might be worth noting that both Emma and Aria have a presence in the US as manga. In fact you can pick these up at your local big-box bookstores. I wonder how that change things… considering that buying 7 (or 9, I guess) volumes of Emma manga would cost nearly as much as buying the 2 DVD box sets…
WTB Marimite novels!
Or I guess, what I’m trying to say is, please buy Marimite when it comes out. It actually needs your support. Rightstuf could have charged a higher price on these babies as the market can support it, and then lower the price over time as per custom, but somehow they aren’t. Coupled with their “lol get your name in the credits” nonsense, maybe they’re trying to do something. I’m just slightly worried that they won’t get the numbers they are looking for.
Beauty
Moe is a meaningless term in light of the eternal pursuit of men and women after beauty.
In fact, a fairer look at this whole thing is a response. Praise is merely the reaction of people before the delights of their hearts. Moe is the chain that connects a quiet affixation to a thing, an idea.
But sometimes it’s good to just step outside and gaze at the end of summer. Take yourself out of your present context and dive into what you are watching. It’s like actually being in Venice and floating down a narrow canal, looking up at the sweaty rays of sunshine and the shadow it plays with the aging cityscape. They say it’s romantic, right?
Adoration arises not merely with the tangible. It’s not so much like admiring Akari’s sun-basked presence, but admire what Akari admires (which is …you get it?). Or, more notable, to adore a feeling. To cherish a presence (as we see in Marimite season 3 OAV episode 5). To feel another emotion. It’s moving.
It’s a beautiful thing. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
And sometimes an anime is worthy merely because it achieves this great sense of beauty. That is why Aria is such a lovely show about nothing. That is why cries of “you don’t get it” rings like blapping sheep when fans clash with each deadly round of Saimoe. Resignation to the gaps between individual understanding leaves little to talk about but all the more beautiful when a person manages to cross such straits in appreciation of another’s adoration.
Or at least, that’s the spirit of Saimoe.
Haibane Renmei Alternative
One thing that bugged me about Haibane Renmei is that in the second half of the story, we’re lead to believe that Reki lived a colorful existence during her earlier days. The eventual parting of her friends, mentors, and mentees must have added color to it all. Colors that we don’t see in this grey tale of overcoming depression.
What if? Wouldn’t it be cool if a spin-off based on this charming little idea existed?
Without the squids.
The thought of a story between little punk loner Reki, her better-to-do friend Nemu, and a potential romantic interest who runs a gang? That’s like 3 wholesome American teenage drama archetypes rolled up into one. Add the painter-teacher, and apply liberal gang violence and ghetto culture shock and we have …
Perhaps all the more this exercise taught me that sometimes it’s just better to keep it simple. Subtlety is not an American trait.
Today I read about another alternative: this one involving people rowing boats, and it just happens that Rakka rowed boats in the anime. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.
Sort of a real-life update: been hauling around computing hardware these past few days, so lacking updates due to that. Will probably continue to haul hardware in the next few days…
Of a Dying 2006 Pancake Jamboree
This is the season to bake a cake
With our Queen of all pancakes
Her batter is first-rate
But one thing we all hate:
Skip her jam; your life, it’ll take.
Of the flame of wintry passions
Few hotter is an odd fusion
Of sickeningly cute “moe”
Mixed with a rarer, “moe”
An odd 萌え 燃え confusion?
Makoto, right before the snow
covers her, as if winter knows
that next year,
like every year,
again, memories anew will grow.
But what of tears under half a moon?
Of wishes undying, lovers swoon
to an eternal pledge
and they jump off the edge.
No, I’m not laughing at Black Lagoon.
But of kisses, war and boobs;
Fewer confuses more n00bs
than the trap gallery
on board the flying gallery
of Arctus Prima, the shoujo test tube.
Still there is no understatement
To fandom’s greatest testament
When the morning comes
And your alarm hums
Nayuki’s trademarked statement.
Still, it’s better to sing a song
Even if you get it all wrong
Like a undine
With a karaoke machine
to where the tone-deaf have gone.
If all of that is a pain
Then watch some Soukou no Strain
It’s serious as pie
And full of oppai
It belongs in its own domain.
But of wrecks this year
Perhaps none can possibly compare
To a sequel
With no equal
Because, she sang, life is a canvas.
And with a strong kiss, she landed.
Smitten, like heavy irony, candid
Of Paprika
As Hayashibara
Daughters of moe have commanded!
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
When Renton did his flying round
For love
Kind of?
Death rained down all around.
If “pancake” was a code word
In this theater of the absurd
It’ll spoil the story
Of Jesus’ destiny
Savior of many, head of his herd.
Because we go to war over it
And idol singer acts for it
Awesome cameras
For positive otaku karma
Will FLAG as a banner, fit?
This deadly note must stop
But only because to slumber I drop
You can lament
In my comments
It’s a grand criticism swap.
A Bit of Summer to Cure Winter Blues
Somehow Asatte no Houkou keeps me going–it comes to my mind first when I write, even if I am watching plenty of other crap right now.
But here in North America it’s getting cold. Winter has always been a moody season for me and personally I find myself psychologically falling into a cycle. Spring is when I fall in love with new things, and Winter when I celebrate (or lament) on the fleeting days of the year gone by and the memories it carried. Not sure what Summer and Autumn are, yet.
Anyways, it really started with Haibane Renmei. I think when I first caught it as it was airing, it was such a lovely watch that I had to watch it as it was airing. In fact, the first 5 episodes were so good partly because of its timing. It really helps me to savor those episodes because it matched that winterly feeling, transiting from lazy Autumn afternoons into biting, Canadian-like mornings.
What’s odd about Asahou is that right now I can’t imagine watching it during Summer, and have it come off feeling the same way. It’s almost like Haibane Renmei in a way, once I got past the uncertainty of the first 3 episodes. To contrast, Someday’s Dreamers was a similar, slice-of-life show that was very fitting for a Summer viewing. Both, as you may remember, took place during summertime. The seasonal contrast is even a part of Someday’s Dreamers, as it was casually alluded to with Masami Oyamada’s magic powers and past circumstance.
There are other anime with a strong seasonal motif, too, but I think with slice-of-life type shows, it is ever front and center as the most powerful, intangible element to a show. Aria, for example, doesn’t distinguish what season it is even if it’s a visible element to the show–or rather, Summer in Venice is not like Summer in Neo Venezia–because it feels the same no matter what season it is. On the other hand, Kanon does winter right–it has to. There’s an element of play as well an element of sorrow, and I think Kanon captures that dynamic well.
Maybe the real trick is to create your own personal reality in a fantastical setting? I think Azumanga Daioh, which is much more personal to the average Japanese person in Japan than Aria, does a better job at doing seasons and feelings because it is something animation creators can relate to on a first-person basis. Which is to say, Haibane Renmei was all the more amazing as it’s spun only from its creator’s brain? Maybe. Asatte no Houkou could very well be the same, even if the setting is familiar.
