Why Buy Hk?

[timon]

First of all, I hope this doesn't offend the owners of this site or anybody else. In addition, please do not say price
I was just wondering why people buy HK. Like I was going through a site which made me to think about it.They were saying that Shit about it and that we should support R1 explaining y they are so expensive(hiring Voice actors for dubs, equipment, software, limited budget<no Disney type of budget> and etc) and it is true hk doesn't really need all of that to an extent.
Like those R1 rip, I can say for a fact that it isn't fair to the company who make the effort to dub them (not saying I wouldn't buy them if short on money).
The main reason I am saying this is that I felt can of guilty after reading that site and I felt like someone could help save me. Oh i could buy those that wouldn't be realse but those that has, well until the tread start then i would know.

[SurferX]

You ask why we buy them and then tell us we can't say because of the price. Well, price is why most of us buy them.

I do own the R1's that I can afford and what I want to see in full quality (mostly movies and OVA's). But for a TV series, I wouldn't buy an official R1 that didn't at least come in a very affordable set with a minimal number of discs (actually using the space DVD's have available). But if a U.S. company wants to milk a 26 episode series to 8 discs @ $29.98 MSRP each then it is not affordable to me and I will not spend my money for it anyway. In that case my choice is to either not see the series at all or buy the $21 HK set if available.

Either way the U.S. company isn't getting my money for it but one way I see the series and the other way I don't. Do I have a right to see a series I can't afford to buy? No, but if there is an alternative to just not seeing the series at all then I'll take it. Nobody is losing any money.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Timon, you are right. SurferX you are among the masses of people who are plain out wrong. Believe what you want to believe, but don't make a stupid comment that companies aren't losing money.

I tend to hate R1 rips. Besides being completely unethical, they hurt the fan community who is loyal to US releases. It's ridiculous when people can't honestly spend $60 on 3 Hand Maid May discs. It's almost a joke. Anime is a priviledge, it owes you nothing.

I won't bother arguing now because it changes nothing. I'll be clear though people like me get sick of buying R1 rips for people like you.

[Malick]

$60 Hand Maid May vs $14 For the Same thing thats a $46 difference. The reason I buy HK is not the price its the disgust that companys like Pioneer and Funimation release the series so slowly. I dont have 2 years to wait to see Chobits or anyother series. And on the cost side how come Bastard and Shamanic Princess can come out with 6 episodes for $20 while I pay $30 for 3 RahXephon or $45 for a friggin box and a low quality T Shirt. I bought Trigun DVDs on Release day every time and spent $280 on it save went for VHS eva. I like quality of them over VHS Fansubbs but now that Anime has become a Fad we get so much Crap comming out over here simply because it is Anime. Most people cannont afford $150+ a month to follow a few series and $20-$30 just to see if we like it. And as far as I am concerned D/Ling it is just as bad as buying HK. Why buy HK? Because I want to. Too many good series out in Japan not too.

[timon]

Hey Malick i know the time issue can be a problem, but that is the price we fans got to pay for dub(if u like sub instead OK). Concerning the price, if there were no like R1 Hand Maid May for $60 do u still expect the price for HK to be $14( i suppose not) so u can at least thank R1 for that.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Pretty much it's the price, is what you are saying. I hate downloaders too (though I think digi subs are fine).

Anime is not a fad, some series especially those from Sunrise will have high price tags on them due to license costs.

Don't bring that week arguement in my house.

The problem is look at what people are requesting. Do we see Cat's Eyes or Happy World? No it's "Perfect Collections". It's basically because people are getting a little too cheap.

As far as being too slow. Companies aren't just releasing one series at once. They have a lot of projects. Not only that, a lot goes into productions for DVDs.

[Schultz]

I personally get HK because of items that are not Released in R1 yet so i can see them.. Same as i download them like Ninja Scroll TV Series.. The other factor about it.. I get HK when the R1's and the Company don't even deserve 1 cent of my damn money.. *cough* Tokyopop *cough* i will keep my HK sets for Initial D.. If i like a series enough and a company does do a great job on them i will replace my HK set with R1's.. Like i have picked up Kimigure Orange Road R1 set which was like $250 for the whole thing. But what an awesome boxset it is.. I can't wait for the OAV's to come out.. I have also replace alot with R1's.. i have over twice as much R1's as i do HK..

But in the End Who cares what other people think.. If you don't mind getting HK and not getting R1 then what does it matter.. Are you striving to get the Respect from People because you don't buy HK..? I just think people get a little too caried away against something they don't care for.. (i know this because i hate M$ with a passion and refuse to even touch an X-Box unless modded and running Linux or XBox Media Player)

But in the end its all up to if YOU.

And another thing.. No matter what you do you will never please everyone.. My perfect example is that Animego only put one opening and ending on each DVD for KOR.. So many people bitched about this.. I don't understand why because 99% of the time they would just Skip the Opening/ending to get onto the next episode.. But because this was a change from the norm.. (and humans don't like change) soo many people bitched that Animego offered Remastered discs with Opening/Ending's on each episode and people could return and get the new set for free.. That just annoys me..

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

I disagree once again. In terms of R1s it's not a matter of respect. This is not a bling bling contest to see who has more. I'll get a link to my R1s shortly. I find it hard to believe when newbies complain over series pricing. A series like Excel Saga (26 episodes) goes for $100 online and Martian Successor Nadesico (26 episodes) goes for $50 online. Is this really that bad when compared to $390 for 13 volumes of EVA subtitled on VHS (26 episodes) or spending $35 for 52 minutes of a KOR OAV (or even worse $30 for 30 minutes of older Soft Cel Pictures titles). I'm amazed because I was fine paying $25 for 2 episodes of Maison Ikkoku, now you get 12 hybrid for $50 ($35 online).

I agree that HK companies are good for unlicensed stuff. Kodomo No Omocha, Touch, Fist of the North Star (Manga stopped at episode 36), H2, You're Under Arrest Second Series, Mazinger Z, Devil Man, and Juuni Kokki. I loved getting all of Maison Ikkoku because I was one of those unlucky ones who got hit with the series stopping twice. Once at episode 36 and once at episode 60. However with the advent of the DVD release, I'm happy with VIZ and will support this with all of my money.

With online deals, Right Stuf gets series down to $10 a disc with specials and online stores can get singles as low as $18 it's hard to understand what the fuss is about. If any HK buyer had a Anime Business I'm sure they wouldn't want their series to be ripped.

Anime Businesses lose money over this. All joking aside. Companies that listen and are run by fans for fans.

PS: With cases like the treatment of Maison Ikkoku VHS and Intial D edits I feel those are ok. What really gets to me are sets ripped by the Hong Kong companies and then praised by fans as being "brillant". I got another adjective for them "illegal" or maybe "unethical".

[DARK OSAMU]

Since I can't stand dubs why should I "support" something I hate??? HK is ok since it's not illegal to rip stuff in China, all I'm doin is importing something Chineese...all is well for me I guess.
If they released a Sub only DVD I might buy them again...but that will never happen seeing as like always theyed charge 10$ a disc and still only put 3 eps on them and sell the series seperately and not in one big box for 20 bux...so there is some more reasons for me not to buy R1 !!!

[matthewmalay]

They're cheap and so am I, it's a match made in heaven.

[SurferX]

I don't believe I can be lumped into some mass group who is "wrong". Right and wrong is a subjective opinion and can not be backed up with any objectivity.

I am by far not part of this mass group of "wrong people" seeing as how in R1 I own 5 TV series, 7 OVA's, and 8 movies while barely having any HK's. I know that's small compared to some people's collections but it's what I can afford. I have a large TV and home theater system so quality is important to me and the R1's will be my first choice every time. The Pioneer release of the Ah My Goddess movie is my favorite DVD to watch simply because of the crystal clear picture and amazingly perfect 5.1 mix that blows out the neighborhood anime style.

So I guess I was wrong for having the couple HK's in my collection, slap on the hand for me. I was not planning to buy them in R1 in the first place, I just wanted to see the series if I could and if I couldn't then I wouldn't have bothered. I can understand there being a group of people who by all HK instead of R1 and in that case there is a loss. However no one can measure what real losses are incurred because it all depends on if those specific people would have otherwise been willing to buy the R1 or not.

I agree on the series you mentioned that are priced competitively in the TV series market. I was thrilled to get the R1 Outlaw Star for $40, Nadesico for $60, and even Eva for $90 was good. I totally dig that pricing and definitely will go R1 all the way since I can afford that. But there are still many series that are locked into unaffordability for myself at least. All businesses know economics and they know a higher price point will give lower transaction sell-through volume. So they know they won't be getting my business as well as many others but feel the higher price will yield a higher profitability for the business they do get. That's fine, that's their choice and how they wanted to sell that specific series. I will look elsewhere to get the series if I can, and if it's not out there in a lower quality and less expensive format, then I'll just forget about it.

[Schultz]

Originally posted by Steve_the_Talking_Pie
I disagree once again. In terms of R1s it's not a matter of respect.

I guess i didn't get my point accross.. but i am was just asking if that was what he was wanting for questioning getting R1's etc..
We all know you don't strive for Respect steve.. ;o) hehe But no matter if its right or wrong do what you feel.. Its the same as with Downloading songs or Copying CD from other friends if you don't care about Moral obligation then don't worry about it. Do what you wish and don't care about opinions on if it right or wrong from other people. just care about your own opinion.. ;o)

P.S. And yea Steve you got really screwed on MI.. I just picked up the first dvd set from Viz.. i gotta watch it though.. ;o) So much anime to watch so little time..

[Elcoholic]

I think a large part of the R1 market is over here in Europe. There is hardly any anime getting released over here and when it does it's badly translated subs and often no dub. There is an Australian company called madman which is releasing R2 anime with subs/dub but then the price tag plays a role again.

And the discussion if R1 rips are bad, I think your all right. Alot of anime is expensive (not all, but the newer, slowly released ones) which justivies R1 rips for alot of people, but it also hurts the community to buy R1 rips which shouldn't be the intention of an anime fan.

For me personaly I try to get official european R2 releases for movies and OVA's, but the TV series are just to expensive over here (nadesico/bebop/trigun etc. still going well over $200 over here, and NO box sets.) It all comes down to morals. But moraal (sp?) is not humanity's strongest point these last years with all the software coping and music downloading.

[morgorath]

I stayed away from this topic to begin with but now it has grown and I feel the urge....

Look I am a very weird buyer. Where in I like to save money I also like to have the best. It's like this I love Slayers and while I could buy all three seasons for under 100 bucks instead I bought (or just finished) the the 3 box sets at 100 bucks each. Why because it was cheaper then when I was buying them in VHS (8 tapes costed me almost 200) rember those days Steve :mad: This is where Inital D comes in Tokyopop is going to take the series and butcher it worst than funmation is doing to DBZ on that point the only way you will get the entire DBZ GT series is to buy it on HK DVD...

So Look I am all about spending my money on good R1 series at good prices (Bezerk, Cowboy Beebop, Trigun) But not were they take my show do something perverse to it such as Salior Moon (Unedit uncut tell me an R1 with that and I'll be all over it) Look buying HK for price maybe a good selling point but in this world I bring power conversation into Steve's house....Bouah...

[JunkieJoe]

Steve, I find your arguments very hypocritical

you have HK anime dvds while u been around for a while...

You need to stop looking for a conspiracy here....

most people buy HK dvds not because they hate R1 company, not because they hate the DUB, not because of whatever else that u can think off...

its all about price "HK DVDs are cheap and so am I" thats it thats all...

its all about being able to afford it... why dont u share your MP3 collection size with us Steve? When you go shopping, do you look for cheaper price? do you see Levis jeans selling for 30 while some other jeans selling for 15? you buy the jeans for 15, do you know that u are taking away from Levis? Do you think of the Levis company, of their loss of the 15 dollars, of the 15 dollars that will result in someone having been cut because of trying to cut costs, someone that now has problems feeding their family because you bought some other jeans and not Levis... do you think of that when u shop for jeans? No. you think of why should i spend 30 when I can 15...

HK anime is like that... why should i spend more than I have to, its all about saving a buck... if everyone followed your logic Steve then no one would have been able to live with themselfs... goign to sleep crying thinking that they had a Double Big Mac today while 10,000 children died in this world.