Anime.
:Friday, November 14, 2008:
Why must companies like Odex come into the picture? So far, this is the anime scene as far as i know. Some people in japan write storylines in manga format. These manga (comic) formats are usually adapted by a company to make an anime. Usually, most manga are followed closely by their respective anime. These anime are usually broadcasted on Tokyo TV, and usually in the japanese language.
Now what happens from here on is, subber groups or fansub groups LEGALLY (With permission of the original producers) take the anime, and put subtitles to it before redistributing it free for download. The original producers don't mind that because they are still making money for it, from the merchandise. it actually benefits them that the rest of the world gets to see the anime.
Here's where the ugly part comes in. Companies like Odex come into the picture and buy the sole rights to distribute the anime in singapore. I'm not sure if they bought the rights from the original producers themselves, or from the law in singapore(media development authority?)
Anyway, i'm fine paying for my anime, but NOT WHEN they do a HORRENDOUS JOB in subtitling it, sometimes double-translating them from the chinese-subtitled versions. The Subtitled translations could be so horrendous that sometimes the entire sentance just doesn't make sense!
here's an example. I happened to watch one of odex's products... Gundam seed. The dubbing that was shown on kids central was bad enough. Anyway, I watched the VCDs my friend loaned me (I still have them with me).
yes. In Gundam seed, there's this independant country called the united emirates of ORB. They're usually referred to as 'ORB' in gundam seed. The Jappo-nised pronounciation would sound something like OR-Buu.
To my disgust, Odex conveniently translated them in the subtitles to 'AUBE'. Half the time I had NO idea what AUBE was, until somewhere later, a picture of ORB's crest was shown and the subtitle appeared on the screen.
The quality of the videos were horrible too. And just for that 50-odd episodes, the regular buyer is charged a horrible sum of $115 (back some years ago) just to buy the whole bunch of CD/DVDs... all in horrible quality.
Now the question is this. First things first. Why should such companies be allowed to come in and buy rights to solely distribute the product in singapore, when first of all, the original producers already allowed it to be free?
Second of all. Why should that said company be allowed to come in and buy rights, and yet produce the anime in stores LATE by months (we don't get to watch it till months later, after it hits the stores) AND why should they be allowed to sell it in such horrendous quality when FREE FANSUB GROUPS DO IT SO MUCH BETTER THAN THEM?!
if they'd charge me for dattebayo-subbed anime i'd be fine with that, but not with the horribly singapore-subbed versions.
But we still look back to the first point. If the original producers allow fansubbers to sub and upload (for us to download) for free, why should companies like odex be allowed to come in as the middleman? Odex is losing money, yes. But that's money that didn't belong to them in the first place! Even so, every other country in the world receives it for free from the internet. It's not like it's wrong. The original creators of the anime don't lose money. They in fact, earn even more money through all the anime merchandise and cosplay items that are sold worldwide. win-win situation. Odex, sadly in this case, would simply be a thief.
Now, if companies like Odex were to simply buy the anime and then sub it nicely and properly and sell them in stores, I'm sure although people have downloaded and watched it, they'd still buy the CDs. If the company were to put the anime out at first possible opportunity, i'm sure half of the anime watchers would be willing to hit the stores to buy it rather than downloading. In the status quo, i'm quite sure just about everyone else would be willing to take their chances downloading anyway.
Well, i guess i'm one of the few smart ones around. I stream. No issue there. But I still hate companies like Odex with a passion. The law really does have a few loopholes. I write this blog entry in the hope that in due time, the law covers its loopholes, to serve justice as it should.
The reversehaven spoke at 7:08 PM
Same Same... But different.
:Tuesday, November 11, 2008:
Everyone is trying so hard to be different. Everyone just wants to be original, recognised.. but eventually you find them intuitively doing the same things. Sometimes, it's so painfully cliche.
I think at the end of the day, the best thing to be is yourself. I'd rather make friends with someone who is himself/herself rather than someone who's a fake. Fake expressions, fake emotions, fake image, trying to be all complicated.. i get so sick of that.
The reversehaven spoke at 8:05 PM
