Chances of finding Manga on the shelf here is VERY slim. I don't count a store having 5 tired been on sale for 5 years items much help.
Anime on sale on the shelf here in town, not much better than the manga.
I'll never forget asking the manager at the local Blockbuster for a special request film purchase. I was told it was going to take 4 to 8 weeks, maybe, possibly longer.
I walked out of the store wondering if I had just been told covertly to screw off.
4-8 weeks in 2008 is identical to being told to screw off.
But in reply, I don't know many people locally that watch anime at all. I know very few that buy anime on dvd impulse or otherwise.
Generally I never buy ANYthing I have no actual previous knowledge of.
Games I require SOME sort of input first.
Video, I have to have seen it before I want it.
Music, I tend to hear it before buying it. But with music I'm old enough that most new era music doesn't interest me at all. I find myself listening to more anime sourced music than english language mainstream music these days.
Anime is a unique thing though, it's not English language originally. I don't expect to encounter it locally in it's original form at all.
I've been wargaming since it existed commercially. I can look at most wargames and know most of what it's about in mere minutes just from experience.
Anime doesn't enjoy that advantage. It's clearly a unique product challenge.
I have no real interest in playing Japanese DS or PC games for obvious reasons.
That's why I believe a lot of the trouble marketing anime, is it just doesn't realistically exist well inside the usual product environment.
Well my more rural non major urban retail environment I suppose.
I guess awareness is the challenge.
With that said, what are some of the better known, proper commercial, online enabled anime information sources that compare with an online magazine?
I'd be interested in here of people's top 5 sources for prompt current information on what's hot and what's not in anime.
