Don't all of you agree that Aniplex of America releases are ridiculous?

[Aizen13]

Aniplex of America by far charges the most prices for anime. With FUNimation one Blu-ray set with 13 episodes generally costs $30 dollars retail, and eventually gets a price drop as well. Viz Media pretty much does the same thing. The only other one who doesn't charge $30 but still makes reasonable prices is Sentai Filmworks with $40 dollars a set. Some people find $30 dollars expensive, but when you compare it to like a Game of Thrones season on release date that also costs $40, it's really not. Now with Aniplex they still treat anime as a premium and doesn't think it's all that popular in the U.S., which is completely untrue because look at shows like Attack on Titan or Sword Art Online (a show they own), that are EXTREMELY popular here. Here are the prices for their Blu-rays.
Sword Art Online 7 episodes
$90
Kill la Kill 4 episodes
$60
Blue Exorcist 12 episodes
$140
All 15 episodes of Bakemonogatari
$150
with I think 25 episodes of Gurren Lagann
$700
I have never seen a company not grasp different economies like this. Yes, anime is expensive in Japan, but you can't charge these prices. Luckily, the only show they have that I really like is Blue Exorcist, but I refuse to pay that much. Anyway what do you think of this?

[Naiera]

Repeating skewed data as facts do not make them any less skewed. We don't need another thread of this stuff. We've had plenty.

If your only mission here is to talk about Aniplex of America pricing, I don't think you'll find much to do.

[KillaCam]

The solution to your predicament is just to not buy their products and let those of us who want them to support them.

[Naiera]

What is going on there, KillaCam?

[KillaCam]

That's just me beating my head against the counter as I'm tired of all the complaints over aniplex pricing. We know they are expensive but sometimes in life you have to decide how much you want something. I knew this was coming since its been a little while since someone has made a rant against them.

[Marcus Carr]

I usually just get the UK or Australian release if available. My region-free BD player was a good investment.

[ThatOneGuy]

No, not everyone on here. I do agree though, their pricing is beyond ridiculous. But if people want to sell an arm and a leg to buy something that should be cheaper, I'm not going to stop them.

[Aizen13]

Originally Posted by KillaCam

The solution to your predicament is just to not buy their products and let those of us who want them to support them.

I know that I don't have to buy their products, that's why I said I won't buy Blue Exorcist or any show by them.

[Aizen13]

And the whole reason I brought this up is because FMA is reverting back to them from FUNimation.

[MOONPHASE]

Japan pays similar prices everyday for Anime. Americans and Europeans get spoiled by companies like Funimation, Sentai Filmworks and Viz Media(only listed the American ones since those are the ones I am most familiar with) who only charge about $50-$60 for a whole series boxset(though if released in parts it can be like $100-$120 to own both parts of the series).

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

Japan pays similar prices everyday for Anime. Americans and Europeans get spoiled by companies like Funimation, Sentai Filmworks and Viz Media(only listed the American ones since those are the ones I am most familiar with) who only charge about $50-$60 for a whole series boxset(though if released in parts it can be like $100-$120 to own both parts of the series).

Yes but I've heard that a good portion of the anime collectors in Japan actually important their anime because it is a hell lot cheaper to do so than to buy them in their own country. I wouldn't really say we are spoiled, we just don't get taken advantage of by the market as much.

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by John Klein

Yes but I've heard that a good portion of the anime collectors in Japan actually important their anime because it is a hell lot cheaper to do so than to buy them in their own country. I wouldn't really say we are spoiled, we just don't get taken advantage of by the market as much.

Aniplex Of America titles can't be shipped to Japan. But honestly even though there are Japanese fans who would import from America or even get someone in America to get it and then them giving it to that person, but I don't think those people are as common as Japan thinks. I think it's a lot more common for Americans to import from Japan than it is the other way around.

[Sleee]

I have never seen a company not grasp different economies like this.

The whole "different economies" is a bunch of rubbish, especially when you're comparing two wealthy countries. It's not like we're comparing America to some village in the middle of nowhere.

Yes, anime is expensive in Japan, but you can't charge these prices.

Oh yes, they can. Saying "but you can't" is very intrusive unless you got the research to convince anyone otherwise. Moving on, they're not going to change their business model unless it becomes necessary. I'm pretty sure Aniplex has seen a positive growth in the US and it will continue - they have learned from Bandai and that's how business works: do what they envisioned but 10x better. As a matter of fact: Don't be surprised when other companies start to take note of Aniplex's business model (If they aren't already). The obvious example is Pony Canyon. What could this mean? More Japanese companies will dip their shoes in the American market and charge a much higher premium; licensing will become easier and faster for them; companies like Sentai and Funimation will slowly die unless they change their business model and appeal to licensors (Basically, they will pick up the leftovers - but this is only if what I said came to fruition). Viz is an obvious exception because of manga - they don't need anime to thrive. Aniplex USA is still much cheaper than their Japanese domestic counterparts - I think like 1/2 the price.

You or anyone has no say in a company's business model. If it works for them, they will continue. There are plenty of companies that appeal to certain demographic. Clothes, food, cars, TV's, phones - you name it. Anime isn't exempt in the slightest.

As for "Don't all of you agree...":
I understand what Aniplex is doing. Is it expensive? For the average consumer of anime: Yes. Is it too expensive for me? No. And that is their business model. Me personally: I like nicer-looking sets and I love how Aniplex's disc authoring is the same as Japan's. I probably couldn't afford Japanese prices - as in buying multiple series (I can manage some of my favorites) - until I graduate and get a nicer paying job.

Just on a side note, not related to Aniplex but to Ponycanyon. Attack on Titan Season 2: If I'm correct and they're part of the production committee for season 2, then PonyCanyonUSA will get first dips. Look forward to paying $70 for 4-5 episodes of Attack on Titan and that will mark the titanic growth of Pony canyon in the US . I'm not an expert but this is just me speaking/theorizing.

[Naiera]

We get posts complaining about Aniplex of America prices all the time; why nothing about Pony Canyon? They charge much more per episode and their encodes aren't even done in Japan for the most part!

[ThatOneGuy]

I had to look up who Pony Canyon are... not a surprise that I don't know them, I've never even heard of the anime they have North American home releases for.

[Sleee]

Originally Posted by Naiera

We get posts complaining about Aniplex of America prices all the time; why nothing about Pony Canyon? They charge much more per episode and their encodes aren't even done in Japan for the most part!

Give it time. I think they entered the market this year? Anyways, as I mentioned earlier: If they get Attack on Titan season 2, then their name will be heard loud and clear. I can't wait to see the pricing threads for that lol.

Also, look at this: http://www.rightstufanime.com/Garako...ion-Blu-ray-CD

I hope Aniplex starts doing this more. Competition is good, especially when both companies are targeting collectors'. We need another company to challenge Aniplex at their level.

[neoz]

Originally Posted by Naiera

We get posts complaining about Aniplex of America prices all the time; why nothing about Pony Canyon? They charge much more per episode and their encodes aren't even done in Japan for the most part!

I hate them. They are just as bad and as you mentioned and have worse PQ.

Side note for those that haven't heard of them. They have been around in the US for awhile now since 2014.

[MOONPHASE]

I do have to wonder when Pony Canyon USA is going to release Steel Angel Kurumi.

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by Sleee

Give it time. I think they entered the market this year?

It has actually been almost a year and a half, as Yuki Yuna 1 came out on 4/10/2015.

Much to my delight, Sound! Euphonium is coming out in the UK I draw the line at their prices, especially with their beyond stupid packaging and not-so-Japanese video quality.

[llj]

Pony Canyon gets no hate because very few people give a crap about what they've released thus far (waiting for those 2 Denki Gai fans out there to chime in...)

The Japanese pricing structure is fascinating, and it even makes some sense given the way they make profits, but it's pretty screwed up how they exist almost in a completely different kind of pricing market compared to everywhere else around the world. I'm trying to find an equivalent comparison, but I can't.