Milestone in the Anime Industry

[[Cross]]

I may be overreacting, but this has really stricken me.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-17/tv-tokyo-to-also-stream-naruto-through-crunchyroll

So basically, Naruto, Gintama and three other series will be streamed world-wide through Crunchyroll by TV Tokyo themselves english-subbed one hour after it airs in Japan. Though this is only given for people that have a monthly paid subscription in Crunchroll, the same episodes can be viewed by anyone for free one week after the time that paid-monthly subscribers can begin to view it. Now of course this is the best possible thing to a simultaneous release of the anime. Crunchyroll of course has become a tool of the "man" and will no longer allow users to post videos after this move is implemented. Crunchyroll will only host episodes posted up by the anime studios. (As some know, Toei is already airing Slam Dunk and Digimon Adventure Zero 2)

So what does this mean? Well it's clearly a means to bring down fansubbing. It really does render fansubbing potent, as they will have high quality streams with subtitles much quicker (if you choose to pay) than those of fansubbers. I see this more of a snowball effect, as it is starting with Naruto, and will most likely spread to more anime series. As for Naruto, I predict that as they begin to put this plan into action, Viz will tell Dattebayo to step down, and they will as they've mentioned they would. Therefore there would be no main source for Naruto and people will have the choice between waiting a week for the episode to become free or sign-up for the monthly subscription so they can watch at a really fast rate. For those die-hard Naruto fans, this would mean that they would be able to see a fully subbed version before the raw of the episode even hits our bittorrent clients. A genius move by TV Tokyo if I do say so myself, as for the other anime I think this will begin the trend of the slow deterioration of the fansubbing industry.

However, I don't see this as negative. The fact that they were backed into this corner and thus have to make this move is a victory for everyone, because it benefits everyone. This is a victory for anime fans that had to go to fansubs, and a victory for fansubbers who did it for those who want to see what Japan kept to themselves. Years ago, many would scoff at having near simultaneous releases of anime, and now it's soon to become a reality. It's great news for everyone, of course it might not all happen instantly but with time then anime might have a greater standing.

[Meromorphe]

:confetti
I think that's great news for the anime industry. And I like innovative business solutions, even when they used to be kind of illegal :D

[eni]

This is slighty off-topic but an even older news is that the new CLAMP manga (xxxholic, TRC, X1999,...) which will start next year will be simultaneously released in a magazine in Japan, Korea and the USA. So, the chapters will be out in Japan and the US at the same time.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6463893.html

So yeah, time changes...

[[Cross]]

They are trying to do a similar thing with the Naruto manga by releasing the tanks in really quick succession. They will only be caught up to the japanses tanks through that method, but yeah times are changing.

[hatsuharupeace]

Wow. This'll change the fansubbing world drastically, whether good or bad, I'm still not sure. But it'll be interesting to watch what happens; I'm really interested in how the fansubbers will react to this.

[rykarreolacr]

Well Dattebayo has already announced that they won't be subbing Naruto anymore as of January 15th.

http://dattebayo.com/pr/100

[vintagemistakes]

I don't really see this having that big of an impact on the fansubbing world in at least the immediate future. The argument is just going to go from the industry taking forever to provide subs to its viewers to the fact that they are being streamed and not shown in their native HD airing quality. So until the quality can be matched, there is always going to be groups out there that will sub their favorite shows. Although, I do foresee the quality of fansubs falling and not the Industry rising due to the fact that less and less people are going to willingly fansub a show already subbed or go against those DMCA's...

On a personal level, there is a negative I foresee in the eventual dwindling of fansub groups and that has to do with my exposure and willingness to pick up a new series. I'm pretty loyal to some of the groups out there and seem to have the same interest/likes in shows that they do... so when they pick up a new series that I'm not aware of, I'm more than likely to give it a try. And more times than not, I end up watching those shows regularly. So without those groups, I'm not too sure that this is still going to be the case since I have no personal connection to a studio or distributing company and might lose out on seeing a lesser known show...