Paul Blay wrote:

> "Eric Takabayashi" wrote ...
> > Paul Blay wrote:
> >
> >> I presume that Japanese anime companies think that [smallernum] videos sold at
> >> [bigticket] net them more than [biggernum] videos sold at [reasonableprice].
> >
> > I have heard this argument. And they, like Japanese book publishers or sellers of
> > new books who refuse to discount, are mistaken, which is why used book and game
> > sellers in Japan have become such a huge success.
>
> That's typical doe snot. (nod to afu).
>
> There is a logical connection between expensive original release and success of
> second hand market.  That doesn't imply anything significant about how much more
> / less would be made by selling new goods at lower prices.

Why not, considering that is the precisely the decision that must be made when
authorizing a foreign release, probably for MUCH less than the Japanese release,
perhaps a fraction of the price, despite the time and effort that must be put into it
such as with "Kikaida" and many other videos available abroad in the original
language?

Why not, considering that is precisely the decision that must be made when authorizing
a new edition, such as a paperback version of _Gotai Fumanzoku_ after the hardcover
version, and a tankobon after the previous paperback versions, all considerably
cheaper than the ones before? If that paperback or tankobon price is what is necessary
to move _Gotai Fumanzoku_ despite its amazing appeal, then they'd better consider
discounting the previous versions instead of stubbornly sitting on their stock of
hardcovers at over twice the price (1,680 yen) when even Amazon Japan will say on the
same page that used copies are available for 19 yen.