Kevin Wayne Williams wrote:

> Eric Takabayashi wrote:
>
> > 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?
>
> Because the piracy should be dealt with harshly by the domestic legal
> authorities, not treated as a minor civil infraction. A few fansubbers
> serving long jail sentences would solve the problem fairly rapidly.

It would solve the problem of unauthorized releases and piracy, not the problem of
pricing itself, as can be seen in the price differences between Japanese and US
video releases of such as animation.

> Why should someone have his business strategy dictated by trying to avoid
> having others steal his works?

I was responding to the specific claim Japanese artists do not release their work
in the US due to the existence of fansubs, not dictating that authorized releases
be made simply to prevent people from cutting into potential profits. Of course it
is people's morals and the law which should prevent the problem of losses due to
unauthorized editions of products.

Authorized foreign releases should be made so the companies can make their money
(perhaps even more than in the domestic market) abroad, and the (potentially much
greater) foreign audience can also enjoy their work, which is what I would assume
the entertainment business to be about. What are the producers of "Mysterious
Cities of Gold" or "Kamen Rider V3" waiting for, the original foreign audience to
grow up and get jobs so they can spend more money on a 20 or 30 old product that
reminds them of their childhood and hook their children as well?