I’m not too keen on the idea of paying for downloads. Never have been. Ultimately, if I’m shelling out money for media, be it music or video, I care more about quality than convenience. Why would I pay $10 for a compressed, DRM’d version of a music album via the iTunes Music Store when I can purchase the same album in high fidelity on CD for just a couple dollars more? I don’t have anything against compressed music - I download my fair share of anime OP/ED singles, after all - but I’m enough of an audiophile to recognize the difference between MP3s and CDs, and I just can’t bring myself to shell out actual money for compressed music, especially when the uncompressed alternative is reasonably affordable.

What about anime? Would I pay to download anime? Only if I got DVD quality video and a new hard drive as part of the deal. Chances of that happening? Zilch.

Let’s get real for a moment: if Hollywood can’t figure out how to make online digital distribution work, what makes people think the domestic anime industry can pull it off? There seems to be a consensus that ADV should be the torchbearer for this new distribution method, but, last I checked, ADV’s track record when it comes to new business ventures is pretty poor. They fail at pretty much everything they do. And it’s not like the rest of the industry is in a position to make it work. They’re having a hard enough time selling DVDs.

And, of course, how does the industry compete with fansubs? I don’t see how online digital distribution and fansubs can coexist. Furthermore, fansubs have a natural advantage in the market, given that they’re free and fast. All the anime industry can offer is slightly better quality and perhaps better translations. Then again, could a domestic distributor obtain a license for a show, procure high quality masters, and put together a competent translation in the time it takes the average fansub group to release a show in its entirety? Doubtful. And if you’re a dub fan… well, might as well ask for a pony while you’re at it.

Honestly, if the domestic industry decides to give online digital distribution a try, fansubbers are in deep shit. There’s no way the industry will continue to tolerate fansubs with the entire online distribution market at stake. One reason I don’t buy into the “fansubs are killing DVDs” argument is that, if it were truly the case, the industry would be doing a hell of a lot more to actually rectify the situation. Fansubs will kill online distribution, however. I wouldn’t expect the anime industry to sit around and let that happen.

Then, when the whole thing comes crashing down… well, you get the picture.

So, what’s the ailing North American anime industry to do? I don’t know. Really, I don’t. If you ask me, the industry’s current troubles are mostly the result of overexpansion and poor business decisions across the board. Central Park Media’s teetering on the edge of bankruptcy doesn’t surprise me. The company’s presence in the marketplace has been lacking these past few years. But what of, say, ADV? A couple of years ago, ADV ruled the marketplace. What happened? Well, they licensed a bunch of crap shows, for one. Then, they wasted a bucketload of money on a number of failed ventures: ADV manga, ADV toys, and the Anime Network. No wonder they’re hurting.

A year or so ago, I was interviewing for a public relations position with the Right Stuf, and the question of why I was such a particular fan of the company came up. My feeling was that the company’s close relationship with the fan community was key. The fact that the Right Stuf was essentially managed by fans made a big impression on me. And, for all basic purposes, the Right Stuf has milked this close relationship for all its worth, surviving on inexpensive niche shows that appeal most to dedicated anime fans.

But, I fear the Right Stuf is the exception to the rule. Because, if you look at the state of the domestic anime industry today, the companies that appear to be weathering the storm best are those with good business sense and serious financial backing. Perhaps “fan-oriented” ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Is it time for the domestic anime industry to grow up?

I have a post on the topic du jour drawn up, but I can’t decide if I should post it or not.

Is it too antagonistic? Maybe. Actually, probably not. But, there it sits, marked as a “draft”, taunting me. I don’t have an image to go with it, though. Yet. That might guarantee that it never gets posted. It’s happened before. Ugh. Is it even a topic worth discussing? Does it really matter? Beats me. I think I’ll go back to watching Natsumi and Miyuki mow down pedestrians.

Heh.

Of course, with the jet stream making its annual Canadian Tour two months early this year, I’m probably better off chasing idols. Or climbing mountains. Or rewatching the first season of You’re Under Arrest.

Over the past year or so, I’ve gotten into the habit of letting a week’s worth of new anime episodes pile up, only to work my way through them in a single sitting once a free evening presents itself. The days of eagerly anticipating new fansub releases, grabbing them on IRC the minute they become available, and rushing to the TV within seconds of the download finishing… those days seem like a distant memory. Anime has become a routine.

That’s not a complaint, mind you. I still get around to watching new episodes within a week or two of airing, with plenty of time in between to rewatch old favorites, catch up with forgotten shows, or (most of the time) do something entirely different altogether. I have to be especially careful about avoiding spoilers, but, for the most part, I’ve found the “my pace” approach to be pretty satisfying.

It’s funny, though, the shows I look forward to and the shows I don’t. This season, in particular, is a lot of trouble in that, with so many good shows worthy of “favorite” status, it’s been difficult to prioritize. Furthermore, those shows that achieve “favorite” status aren’t always the shows I look forward to most from week to week. A perfect example from the current season would be Ouran High School Host Club, perhaps my absolute favorite show currently airing… but not a show I eagerly await new episodes of on a weekly basis. Why? It’s the lack of a narrative hook, I think. As enjoyable as the show may be, there’s little to link one episode to the next. There’s no continuing storyline, for the most part, nor is there much promise of a continuing storyline to come. That’s not to say it won’t happen, of course. Plenty of episodic shows develop stories in their second acts as a matter of necessity.

And, of course, there’s everyone’s favorite, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. This is actually an odd specimen in that, while there may be some sort of underlying story to speak of, Kyoto Animation’s insistence on shuffling the episode order only serves to minimize it. Haruhi may be a show with a purpose, but, best I can tell, we won’t know for sure until it’s over and done with. Unfortunately, that makes the show a bit tedious to keep up with from episode to episode. Sure, I’ve enjoyed the hell out of each and every episode thus far, but once the end credits have rolled, it’s out of sight, out of mind until the next episode airs. It’s the anime equivalent of a hit and run.

So, what shows do I look forward to on a daily basis? The obvious winner, I think, would be Nana. In a lot of ways, Nana has what it takes to displace Ouran as my absolute favorite of the current season: it’s old fashioned shoujo, after all. But, what’s most important, I think, is that, since it’s based on a popular, long running, well developed manga series, it has a lot of story to work with from the very first episode. There’s been no dilly-dallying around thus far - in fact, if anything, the anime series has been more in-depth with regard to story than I ever expected. Four episodes of backstory to kick things off? Wow! Even the pseudo-recap episode was enjoyable. I watched the first episode a million times as is, so seeing those scenes again one last time didn’t bother me in the slightest - especially with the addition of a few new scenes along the way.

And I’d be remiss not to mention Strawberry Panic. Here you have a show that’ll never be a favorite, yet, I somehow grow more and more excited about it with each episode. Once again, I think it’s the presence of a continuous narrative that holds my attention between episodes. Nagisa and Shizuma may be the dullest leads around (seriously, do they even have a purpose in the story yet?), but the soap opera raging around them is awfully intriguing. Even “bad” shows can be compelling if they manage to push the right buttons.

Story is important. Plot is important. For all the shows I have especially fond memories of years after the fact, the presence of a deeply satisfying and obvious storyline is the one common factor. Maison Ikkoku. Cardcaptor Sakura. Full Moon wo Sagashite. Kaleido Star. Marmalade Boy. Planetes. The list goes on and on…

“Hit and run” anime has value, of course. But its value is “in the moment” - and a moment only lasts for so long.

Let anyone think I have some sort of aversion to moe based on my previous post, I’m currently using this for desktop wallpaper. I can never get enough of Mitsumi Misato’s work.

Scanning through my folder of anime imagery, I notice this “girls relaxing, as viewed from above” motif popping up again and again. Either it’s really popular, or I have some sort of fetish.

Probably both.

Chances are, you’ve seen this by now. If not, give it a read.

It would be beneficial to then read Shingo’s comments, as he does an excellent job detailing the shortcomings of Mimei Sakamoto’s take on otaku culture. As for my thoughts, well… there’s a reason I’ve started and aborted this post several times thus far. While I agree Sakamoto’s screed is a troll at heart, I think her general criticism of “moe” and its negative impact on otaku culture in Japan is on target.

Obviously, I can’t agree with her intentionally inflammatory argument that, given the increasing popularity of “moe” characters and titles in anime, otaku are naturally perverts and pedophiles. On the other hand, to suggest that pedophilia isn’t common among otaku would be delusional. A walk through the bowels of Akihabara is all the evidence one needs. But whether “moe” breeds pedophilia, satisfies pedophilic urges, or has anything to do with pedophilia whatsoever is as open to debate as the definition of “moe” itself.

Reality and perception, however, are very different things, and as long as the perception that otaku are little more than closet child molesters continues to gain traction, it matters less and less what the reality of the situation is.

Unfortunately, otaku aren’t particularly well-versed in the art of public relations. Mustering any sort of response doesn’t fit at all with the “tune in, tune out” otaku mindset. Worse yet, the typical otaku response to outside criticism is either, 1) reflexive defensiveness, 2) intellectually dishonest acquiescence, or 3) passive indifference. Obviously, these are all pretty piss-poor, ineffective responses to pointed criticism, and do little more than cast otaku as bigger wimps than they already are. Is this what otaku desire, however? Perpetual persecution?

I think so.

Mind you, I don’t think otaku desire persecution in the sense that, say, some religious groups desire persecution - that is, in hopes of attracting followers and building morale. Rather, I feel otaku desire persecution because it so often validates their pessimistic view of the world and their place within it.

But, what holds true for Japanese otaku does not necessarily hold true for American otaku… not yet, at least. And that’s where my real concern lies. Regrettably, the underworld of American fandom seems awfully eager to import all of these issues wholesale - embrace them, even - regardless of the fact American society is far less forgiving of such social aberrance than Japanese society. I have some sympathy for young men in Japan who find refuge in anime, manga, and games in response to the incredible pressures of the society in which they live. American otaku, on the other hand? I’m not so sure.

Now, I don’t share these thoughts because I hope to get a rise out of my fellow anime fan. I find it strange (or telling?), however, that most anime blog discussion of Mimei Sakamoto’s comments thus far have focused on everything but the difficult social questions within. Do we “tune out” at our own peril?

I had a tiny computer issue to deal with over the weekend (and by “tiny”, I mean “completely hosed”), so last night was spent catching up with a week’s worth of new episodes. In what’s becoming a regular feature here at Hop Step Jump!, let’s take a look how the season is progressing…

The second season of School Rumble continues to feel less consistent than the first. Then again, I recall the first season actually had issues of its own, with many episodes that fell flat on their face. However, I appreciate the introduction of new characters, and I’m happy to see the story moving along. Playing up the various potential pairings makes for a lot of fun - although, I’ll admit that only a Harima x Tenma pairing makes sense in the long run. Still, I’m rooting for Eri x Harima in the interim. Could be I’m just a hopeless Eri fanboy. Any plot thread that results in increased Eri screentime gets an automatic thumbs up.

Utawaremewhatever remains the biggest surprise of the season. There’s a certain degree of silliness to the drama that bugs me (Girl throws rock = WAR!!!), but it’s at least compelling in its own special way. Also, I watch the OP and see all of these characters yet to be introduced (and potential hints of what’s to come) and I can’t help but get excited. How will the story develop? Who’ll be pushing up daisys next? Who is Hakuoro? Will he ever bone Eruru? Inquiring minds want to know!

The backstory episodes in Nana were interesting and all, but felt awfully clunky. I’m glad the show is returning to the “present”. Six episodes to get started? I suppose the alternative (Who are these people? Why are they doing the things they do?) would have been much, much worse.

Yume Tsukai is really quite generic, but nonetheless charming with its unique animation style and Danny Elfmanesque score. It’s not a show I think about all that often, but I enjoy it immensely when I sit down to watch.

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi… you know, I really enjoyed Episode 6, but the fact it won’t be concluded until hell knows when sincerely pisses me off. At the moment, I see no value in this episode shuffling whatsoever, and I worry it’ll only get more bizarre as the show progresses. The show’s more than good enough as is, KyoAni… why get cute with things?

Strawberry Panic remains silly as all get out, but that’s a big part of what makes it fun. When you think about it, Maria-sama ga Miteru had the same sort of silliness in spades, but buried under a layer of ZOMG SERIOUS DRAMA. Strawberry Panic doesn’t really have that (yet), so it’s much easier to laugh at. Or laugh with, rather, since I can’t stop watching and all. Best guilty pleasure of the season.

I’m still digging Ouran High School Host Club. And Girl’s High gets a +5 charisma bonus with the Shimizu Ai / naughty little girl combo. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni continues to be the most intriguing show of the season. Aria is still… Aria. That’s a good thing, mind you.