After watching Volume Four of Glass Fleet, I asked myself, “Why did this anime get made, let alone licensed?” I mean really, with the huge amount of intriguing anime not getting licensed in the US, how did this squeak through? The studio could have licensed almost anything, and I guarantee it would have been better than this.
There’s so much anime in existence, though, it’s impossible for it all to get licensed and brought to the US. Impossible. Maybe if studios like Warner Brothers, Sony and Fox get more involved in the anime distribution game, we could potentially see more anime titles getting to America. Yet, you’d at least think the anime distribution companies would do a little quality control with the titles they pick.
I’m not saying I could do a better job, but let’s say I was given the reins for one day to license whatever I wanted, regardless of cost effectiveness or popularity. I think I’d have a tough time choosing which gets picked, to be perfectly honest. Just because an anime is popular in Japan doesn’t mean it’s any good. Choosing the most popular doesn’t equate with good anime so I’d be “forced” to watch every single series before deciding which to pick, and if I only have one day…. I do know what I wouldn’t choose, though; anything with too many lolitas, blushing moe girls, and fifteen year olds driving mechs. I’ve had enough of that, next!
What if you were given the opportunity to pick which anime gets licensed. How would you choose which anime comes to America? What would your criteria be for making the choice in licensing? Would it be a personal choice, something which you personally like? Would you choose new themes or same themes different series? Would you listen to what average American fans want and then give it to them? Or would you license titles which are obscenely popular in Japan, banking on if it’s popular there, it’ll be popular here? How would you choose which anime gets licensed?
How would I choose? Probably I’d watch the fansubs, and then pick the ones I liked. Forget all those cheesy cost-benefit analysis, I’d be making DVD’s that I want to buy. Ah well, I guess that’s why I’m a software developer rather than a corporate property buyer….
Which series I could market to a wider audience.
Given the right spin, I could make even the “moé s*it” from Japan appealing to a wider audience.
It has been proven all too often that listening to the crowd makes for poor sales. And not listening to your gut makes you a complete idiot.
Essentially, I’d put out the stuff that’s in the top 50 on ANN’s list (the unlicensed stuff, obviously).
That stuff is usually great.
Then I’d get marketable stuff.
@Kidan, that’d pretty much be my way of doing things too. I think I’d create a distribution company and market anime to “cerebral” anime fans.
@DrmChsr0, I’d be interested to know how you’d spin moe, no seriously. I believe anything can be sold to almost anyone with right marketing.
@bob, Hypothetically speaking, what if you had to watch all the anime you choose to get licensed- how would you pick from the enormous amount of anime what you’ll watch, let alone license?