Rodney Webster wrote:

> In article <4142D082.FD722C3E@yahoo.co.jp>,
>  Eric Takabayashi <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
>
> > Rodney Webster wrote:
> >
> > > And I've read comments from Japanese artists who said they gave up
> > > releasing their anime to the US market because fan-sub were already
> > > available.
> >
> > While that is too bad for the Japanese, maybe they should come out with a
> > quality, reasonably priced release fairly quickly, otherwise people who
> > want something in their own country in their own language will turn to
> > pirates who will establish themselves first.
>
> And maybe the government should give out money to people so there aren't
> any muggings or bank robberies.

In effect, yes the government should. Employers should also treat workers
better with better wages, benefits and security. This is why Canadians,
Australians, and Europeans lecture the US about the benefits of their own
social systems as a remedy to reduce the US crime rate. Japanese may not do
the speaking themselves, but the Japanese social structure with relatively
little difference between rich and poor, and a very low rate of people
considered poor, is also promoted over the US system, to reduce social
friction and crime.

But back to the point: Why should a Japanese artist or company NOT provide
their own quality product at a reasonable price, and make their move quickly,
if they do not want to lose money or the market to unauthorized releases or
pirating, and to maximize their own profits? What are fans supposed to do
while waiting perhaps decades as in the case of manga from the 80s, 70s
henshin hero live action TV shows or 80s Nickelodeon cartoons, with NOTHING
from the Japanese studios, while fans with a minimum of Japanese skills online
or at conventions, or actual pirates knowingly breaking the law, are willing
to give them what they want at a price they are willing to pay?

Has any of your reading about "Japanese artists" answered my questions about
why Japanese video releases may cost a few times more than authorized foreign
releases (when they exist), even bilingual or subtitled ones, thus giving the
foreign customer something in their own language, PLUS the original, for much
less than the price of the original alone? Look at what a little Hawaii
production company has done, what a major Japanese company has not been able
to do in 32 years, and even IMPROVED on the original product:

http://www.jnproductions.com/dvd/

RECENT PROJECTS

* Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound
* Fully Subtitled in English (w/ Expletives Deleted Option)
* Selectable English and Japanese Menus
* Cast and Crew Profiles
* DARK Destructoid Monster Profiles (with sound!)
* TV Promotional Spot
* Behind-the-Scenes Interview w/ Ban Daisuke (Vol. 4-7)
* Behind-the-Scenes Factoids (Vol. 2, 5 & 7)
* Kikaida Trivia Game (Vol. 2 & 3)
* Kikaida / Hakaiada Karaoke (Vol. 3 & 8)
* Fun Interactive Activity Pages (Vol. 6)
* Running Time: Approx 2 hours 5 minutes

KIKAIDA DVD, Volumes 1-9
In 2001 Toei Co., Ltd. licensed JN Productions, Inc. to produce a DVD of the
original 1972 Kikaida series. JN Productions handled everything in-house from
language translation and subtitling, authoring and programming, encoding,
premastering to DLT, graphic design, and packaging design of the Kikaida DVDs,
a complete nine volume Kikaida DVD set. You may purchase a copy from many
well-known retail outlets in Hawaii, as well as from the online store at
www.generationkikaida.com

http://www.generationkikaida.com/

Not even in Japan can the Japanese promote their own product this well, and
sure as hell cannot provide it at a price ordinary people are willing to pay.
You can't even get such as "Kidaida" on DVD in their own damn country, and
videos or laserdisc would be the equivalent of about $400, about three times
more than the US price.

Or I should say, that's what the LDs used to cost, last time I saw them about
eight years ago. Actually, a short online search suggests there is NO "Jinzou
Ningen Kidaidaa" currently available in any video format in Japan. If even
Japanese fans in JAPAN would like to see some "Kidaida", they'd have to buy
the US release at Shirokiya in Honolulu or online with "New Lower
International Shipping Rates!", which is not currently authorized in Japan,
indeed, has NEVER existed in the remastered and improved form. They will also
see a selection of clothes and other authorized products which are not, were
not, and will never be available in their own damn country.