Ghost in the Shell 2 Innocence comes to Blu-ray

[Cplhicks]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

The difference in price is $10

So I think we've established it has nothing to do with the lower runs, and everything to do with cost of living and an exchange rate that has over halved in the last 20 years

I don't really want to argue you with you Wicky. You are right, but I believe I am as well. Those sets you are mentioning also have limited print runs and do not sell to anyone but extreme collectors. All of the "collectors market" stuff is very expensive. People here don't buy TV series and such. They only buy the occasional blockbuster titles. And there are plenty of cheap titles here. You can buy a number of major studio stuff for $5-10 on DVD once it's been out for a while. There's a whole line of DVDs from Studios that have those prices right on the case. The box sets, the anime classics, etc, are always higher because they appeal to collectors, and therefore have a smaller market. I live in Japan right now, and not only buy discs here myself, but know many others who do as well.

To dispel one major myth-- the cost of living is higher on certain things here, and obviously if you want to buy a house or something that is skyhigh. However, in other areas, it can actually be CHEAPER than the US. Food is an example where I find I often spend less than I would at an equivalent US place. Transportation can also be cheaper, since bikes and trains are more useful than cars to most people.

BTW, I am not disagreeing with your comments on exchange rate, etc., I am simply saying there are other factors at work as well. And the Bandai anime blu-rays having such a high cost is due to their limited sales/vs cost of mastering in comparison to big blockbusters.

[statikcat]

Originally Posted by Cplhicks

Actually, it is also due to anime's smaller sales, Wicky. Regular movies are not charged nearly the same amount as anime discs are, especially Blu ray. The companies are smaller and sell less copies than big movies, so they charge more to make up the difference.

I don't think anyone buys anime anymore because it so over priced. Even collectors are excepting downloads. I would buy a lot more if it wasn't the same prices from 2000 on DVD. I am not paying 157$ for a boxset when similar USA shows are 60-80$ for the same amount of content and discs!

[Shinma]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

The difference in price is $10

Typical studio Blu-ray in Japan-+/- 5000yen. ($50). This is the same discs that are $24.95-$29.99 here

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SDB-Y22043

Dirty Haryy collection- $129.99 US, $225 Japan

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SD-Y18467

Blade Runner 5-disc (DVD version, Blu-ray will just be the Final cut and documentary DVD) US-$39.99 Japan- $135 (if you wanted the suitcase, that was another hundred)

Here's prison break, the same exact thign we got here for $99.99

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=FXXA-33980

$225

So as you can see, it is not just the small print runs of anime that's doing it

The same titles Bandai is selling for 7800yen were 7800yen on DVD as well

Here's Gundam IGLOO, 5800 yen, just like the dvd

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=BCXA-27

And here's a Japanese theatrical feature for 3800

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=ESXW-1

So I think we've established it has nothing to do with the lower runs, and everything to do with cost of living and an exchange rate that has over halved in the last 20 years

Listing a couple of specific titles doesn't really do very much to support the argument, because prices are all over the place in Japan. Individual titles are priced by perceived value in Japan, and don't necessarily correlate to prices in the US. However, having said that, I think Wicky's basic argument is correct. Anime prices aren't out of line compared to other movies. Just try going into your average DVD shop over there and picking up a title to kill some time. Even if you are shopping for used DVDs, you are going to really have to be bored and desperate to pay the prices for most titles, unless you have a region free player back home to continue watching them..... or unless you don't have a budget to worry about.

I'm not sure I agree with the exchange rate argument though. CDs have about the same amount of markup, and music has been there since the exchange rate was more like 3.5X. I also see little correlation in printed media. I think it really comes down to size of market and perceived value, but mostly perceived value. And, for certain forms of entertainment, the Japanese are willing to pay much more.

[WickyWoo]

I don't really want to argue you with you Wicky. You are right, but I believe I am as well. Those sets you are mentioning also have limited print runs and do not sell to anyone but extreme collectors.

They're not limited. The same titles I've mentioned have gone through severalprint runs and still held their price on DVD. The only difference was that they launched with LD size packaging, and the disc in a jewel case in the middle for the first run instead of a standard keepcase.

And there are plenty of cheap titles here. You can buy a number of major studio stuff for $5-10 on DVD once it's been out for a while.

It's correct they will often do a temporary reprice on a movie. Do a "bargain" run at 2800yen or so. As far as the $5-10 discs,i've only ever found those prices in the used shops and in the semi-annual dump bins around tax time that they set up all over.

I figured you did live in Japan Greedle, I'm wondering how long you've been buying movies from there though. I've been doing it since the early 90s, and am involved with collectors who have been doing it since the dawn of home video

I don't think anyone buys anime anymore because it so over priced. Even collectors are excepting downloads. I would buy a lot more if it wasn't the same prices from 2000 on DVD. I am not paying 157$ for a boxset when similar USA shows are 60-80$ for the same amount of content and discs!

Apples and oranges. You're talking about programming that has large audience appeal that is already well in the black from its network run 95% of the time compared to a niche audience title that must be licensed at up to $50,000 an episode, dubbed (for some reason), and then sold in an industry where 30,000 copies is a huge success, on top of covering your overhead and royalties.(BTW, that's 10,262 copies just to cover that $50k per ep licensing fee at wholesale before any other costs). It's the standard ploy of being "too expensive" because you can't compete with the free that 90%+ of the new fans since 2000 or so have been getting most of their product from

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by inu-liger

Also, actually a thing about the Blu-ray anime boxsets coming out there, like for AIR and others, are actually cheaper to get than all the original DVD's combined!

you do realize Air was upscaled on Blu in Japan?

[xberserker]

Great news. I hope a lot more anime's come to Blu-ray in the future.

I want the Studio Ghibli Collection on Blu-ray NOW!

[Vendetta-akk]

I will have to give this another chance now. I am a big fan of the original film, but I just watched this one once and didn't care for it.

I am happy for this release, but they should really be putting the far more popular original film on Blu at the same time.

[krumlin]

I just bought Ghost in the Shell innocence on DVD the day before I heard this news. I would have waited, but I have read that the picture quality on the Blu-ray is only slightly better than the DVD version. I know that DVDs can display 2D animation very well, but I was surprised to read that about ghost in the shell because it had so much CGI

[AnimeOnBlu]

GitS 2: Innocence [Absolute Edition]
1080p AVC - MPEG 4
TrueHD and DTS HD - MA 6.1 (not 7.1 like the original release)
No english dub, but english subs included.

Around 65.00 shipped from amazon japan.

I'm guessing the US version will be similar.

[Bladestunner316]

Sweet!!!!

[Brandon B]

When Innocence came out in Japan, it was only about 5000 yen. Price went up later for some reason. I got it for ¥4950 off Amazon jp over there.

[crazy25000]

Originally Posted by Brandon B

When Innocence came out in Japan, it was only about 5000 yen. Price went up later for some reason. I got it for ¥4950 off Amazon jp over there.

Is this worth getting? Ive never seen it before. Also, how is the PQ and AQ? Im assuming it will be great

[WickyWoo]

When Innocence came out in Japan, it was only about 5000 yen. Price went up later for some reason. I got it for ¥4950 off Amazon jp over there.

Pre-order discount

[Mobe1969]

Sigh. I wonder if it will be region locked like the original Innocence release?

[WickyWoo]

That would depend on whether Madman, or whoever owns it in Australia (Bandai does have European operations) wishes to cash in on the disc production

[HumanMedia]

Originally Posted by Brandon B

When Innocence came out in Japan, it was only about 5000 yen. Price went up later for some reason. I got it for ¥4950 off Amazon jp over there.

What was the original Blu-ray release of Innocence like?
Subs? Region coding?

And what happened to it, is it now OOP?

Anyone know?

[HumanMedia]

Originally Posted by crazy25000

Is this worth getting? Ive never seen it before. Also, how is the PQ and AQ? Im assuming it will be great

Im going to get flak here from Innocence fans, but IMO the original film is brilliant, but this sequel (Innocence) only has a few scenes of brilliance (eg the parade) and is let down by long scenes of exposition (dialog) which should have been told cinematically.

But those few scenes are definitely demo worthy...

[WickyWoo]

What was the original Blu-ray release of Innocence like?
Subs? Region coding?

And what happened to it, is it now OOP?

It's the same disc, you're just seeing the discontinuation of the sale price

[AnimeOnBlu]

Originally Posted by HumanMedia

What was the original Blu-ray release of Innocence like?
Subs? Region coding?

And what happened to it, is it now OOP?

Anyone know?

The 1st release was an BD50 with MPEG-2 Encode and a 7.1 PCM Track. It was coded to Region A.

You can still get it from amazon.jp and hmv.co.jp. The new one (and most likely forthcoming release from Bandai) have a different encode (MPEG-4) and different soundtrack (TrueHD 6.1 and DTS-HDMA 6.1)

[Brandon B]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Pre-order discount

Nope. It had been out for weeks when I got it. I saw it in several stores for about ¥6000, but it was cheaper online and had free shipping.

BB