What are your thoughts of Bandai Visual USA?

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:41 pm

If you haven't been following the anime market, this Japanese company is known for releasing their own Bandai Visual products in the U.S. in the following matter:

- Sub-only (unless it's an HD/Blu-ray release with an existing English dub)

- 1-3 episodes per DVD at retail cost of $29.99-$49.99 respectively!

That's pretty much an equivalent to the Japanese prices. And yes, these are ridiculously steep compared to normal R1 anime DVD prices where they have 3-5 (or even 6) episodes with a bilingual track at retail of $19.99-$29.99. With Bandai Visual's DVDs, the video and audio quality is impeccable which is an AMV editor's total wetdream, and you might get a few nice DVD extras along with it.

Before, I can almost not care about the titles they've released since they don't interest me, but recently, they got rights to release two anime series that are still going on the airwaves at this moment: Shigofumi and True Tears.There's been a good amount of buzz around these two series and the fact they'll release them a lot closer to their release date in Japan (which I heard it's around May), it's a good thing. Unfortunately, they're going to implement the same price like they do in their other release. So pretty much, they killed my interest on these series which is a shame since I refuse to conform to their prices. Now I'm more worried on whatthey'll release next here in the U.S., and I really hope it's not sola!

One of the main arguments made throughout is on the value and how "collectible" it is for the enticing buyer? My question is this really worth the $50 for like 2-3 sub-only episodes. You do get really clean footage out it, great for AMV editors, but......that's it. This pricing structure pretty much eliminates curious buyers or ones who already watched fansubs and wants to own the official DVD at a reasonable price (like me for instance).

Kalium · Post by **Kalium** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:57 pm

I think they're taking an understanding of what the American market wants, and systematically offering the opposite.

Kariudo · Post by **Kariudo** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:00 pm

*side note to other people*
Don't get Bandai Visual confused with Bandai Entertainment

I'd rather not spend $30 per episode, even if it is collectible.
Quality is nice, but a cheap(er) R1 + avisynth is pretty much all I need.

High-quality audio isn't something that I'm really interested in...but if you happen to have a nice home theater system or 5.1+ THX-certified computer speakers (with sound card to match) then the high quality video/audio would be desired. (That and after you've spent a few hundred to a few thousand on the setup, the $50 tag probably doesn't look like much of an obstacle)

Since the vast majority of people don't have that I think that Bandai Visual has lost a large chunk of the market.

OmniStrata · Post by **OmniStrata** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:32 am

Unless they release a Godly anime on my 'must have to fuck' list, you're right, any 'random grab' anime they put out is gonna just sit there on the shelf chunking dust...

Oh yeah, Funimation is rocking on the 'value' anime list releasing stuff like $14 for subtitle only anime (5 eps! on dvd) and like for $22, you can get 9 eps on a dvd (Ragnarok Online anime 0_0)

Anime Works may be releasing some of Geneon's 'dead' series. Girl's High I grabbed and once I saw the Geneon logo in the opening sequence, I was like....

KYAAAHHH!!! 0_0

[note subbed only]

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:06 am

And one of my worst fears came true; sola got licensed by these guys! DAMMIT!

Anyways, I had a chat with my roommate about this (guys remember rose4emily?), and he mentioned that the way Bandai Visual USA is doing things is consider "inventing something new" (I think that was the term he said). Basically the company does noticed how pretty bad the anime market is, and they do noticed the standards the regular R1 companies put. So to become "different" from the others, they put out these types of releases (over-priced, sub-only DVDs with superior audio/video quality). He mentioned one of the reasons they do that is either egotism and/or job security.

It's a pretty valid way thinking things, but now the real question is this going to even last in the long run?

)v(ajin Koji · Post by **)v(ajin Koji** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:56 am

angelx03 wrote:remember rose4emily?

Damn, that's a name I haven't read in a long time...

...It's a pretty valid way thinking things, but now the real question is this going to even last in the long run?

It sounds like a pretty good theory and as long as people buy the higher quality, higher priced DVDs then it'll keep going on.

As someone living in the U.K. I've never heard of these sub only, higher quality DVDs. But after a quick look at what they've licensed I've only bought Macross Plus...Do they do these DVDs over here (so I can see the price)?

Sukunai · Post by **Sukunai** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:21 pm

I measure media by three ratings.

Looks like a vhs copy (yuck)

Looks like a boochsack copy (yuck)

Looks like a digital copy (preferred of course).

Now as for super spiffy nifty prettied up cutesy audio forms, nah. Not totally interested.

I still consider dvd as plenty fine. I don't consider Hi Def to be so bloody friggin massive super duper must have incredible either. I expect to convert my tv because I have to (not being given a choice). But I don't plan on spending cash on needless mega versions of ANYthing.

If they want to release a high priced sub only copy with spiffy audio, fine, let them go ahead. But it wouldn't entertain me in any fashion.
I'll stick with decently fan subbed anime of the ordinary sort. It sounds and plays just fine.

Heero_Yuy84 · Post by **Heero_Yuy84** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:12 am

Kalium wrote:I think they're taking an understanding of what the American market wants, and systematically offering the opposite.

Rather ironic, considering the American anime market has proven time and again that Japanese marketing tactics don't apply over here.

Fact: Several of the most successful animes over here were either only mildly successful, or out and out failures in Japan (Berserk, Trigun, Voltron [King of 100 Beasts Go-Lion and Dairugger XIV both tanked], Big O (Hell, it was thanks to America this actually got finished.))

Fact: Shows that are classic staples in Japan have had shaky success, if not failed, over here, due to the different culture (lacking the extra nostalgia, Lupin III and the original Mobile Suit Gundam were both eaten alive in ratings, with Lupin only coming back thanks to a small devoted fan contingent.)

Fact: Of the titles BV is bringing over right now, only a select few have had any sort of relevance to American buyers (Gunbuster/Diebuster, the Patlabor movies, and The Wings of Honneamise...which they marketed so badly even many who loved the film are loathe to buy it.)

Otherwise, one of the main reasons BandaiVisual's held out has been the fact that people have been able to tell themselves 'Well, it's only for a disc or two' in regards to titles like MS IgLoo or The Wings of Rean.
Their dabbling into longer series, however, hasn't fared even close to as well (their Galaxy Angel releases have all but dropped off the radar, and things don't look too promising for Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars. The Original Generation franchise fandom was already a small niche in the US prior to this point, and the series was met with an decidedly lukewarm response by said fandom. With many of its defenders even feeling hard-pressed to shell out $300+ for the full series.

Hell, if they want an even more straightforward example, why don't they ask Toei about their attempt to set up as US branch of their own.

They went under, and odds are BandaiVisual's US branch will join them in time.

ZephyrStar · Post by **ZephyrStar** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:51 am

Yeah, I don't think this model is going to work. Even among us that have disposable income and are hardcore enough to pay 45$ a disc, we're rarely going to do that. I bought Diebuster, and it hurt me so much to do so for the price. I would much rather spend that same amount on a special edition box such as TMoHS...now THAT was worthy 45$ all the way.