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NEWS: Paper: YouTube Views Appear to Raise TV Anime DVD Sales

While it's true that legal streams do help people buy stuff, there are plenty of people who will illegally download anime and make the excuse that it's too expensive.

I haven't posted on here in ages, but I saw this article mentioned on SankakuComplex and again mentioned here. To me, the results of this study are as blatantly obvious as a study proving water is wet.

During one of the last times I was on here (about 2 years ago), I coined a expression called "saturation market economics," wherein market saturation through fansubbing, pirating, various streaming forms, etc. creates awareness and therefore sales of anime and related merchandise. Of course, I was flamed liberally by the self-righteous, anti-fansubbing zealots. Needless to say, I find this current study at least a modest validation of my premise.

The obvious nature of this study can be related personally by some simple questions:
1) If I didn't know an anime existed, how could I even consider purchasing it?
2) Given my particular anime interests, why would I buy something "sight unseen" and based solely on another opinion?

The answers for me are "I can't," and "I won't."

Even though I've been watching anime since 1979 and still have many old VHS episodes, I didn't begin seriously engaging my hobby until 2005. Since then I have downloaded terabytes of fansubbed anime and love to brag that I've watched anime every day for 5 straight years and counting (much to the chagrin of my wife!).

I do not even remotely consider this a moral issue and chuckle at the "high-and-mighty" attitudes proclaiming some ethical and moral superiority, usually prefixed by "Downloading fansubs hurts the industry!"

Let's look as some personal economics and an individual anime instance (note: no assumption is made of the entire anime hobbyist collective).

From 1979-2005, I estimate I spent approximately $2000 in anime VHS, manga, and assorted materials, which is a paltry $77 a year. Since I have been downloading anime, I have spent approximately $1000 a year on anime and merchandise for an estimated total of $5000. This does not include attendance to anime conventions where I'm usually active in participating (martial arts demos) and buying ad space. Since 2006, counting hotel rooms, purchases, ads, donations, attendance fees, etc., I've spent an additional $4000.

The most salient point regarding spending around $9000 since 2005: I would have spent close to ZERO if not for fansubbing (broadcasts and DVDs). I could not spent money on anime I didn't know about and wouldn't unless I could view it at my leisure and make my own judgments. Also, if not for the various "pirated" sources, I wouldn't have the obsessive interest I have nor would I spend sizable amounts on this interest.

Of course, with current streaming technology, the anti-fansub zealot will proclaim I can view it through legal channels and then make a decision to purchase. Unfortunately, this model doesn't work well for me. I have to make a comparison to buying a physical book to an ebook--I want something I can "hold onto" and digest when the whim hits me. Often I've watched an anime I downloaded and despised it at first. I later came back months (or years) later, re-watched it and realized I liked. Sometimes, it takes two or more viewings. If I like it (and like it a lot), the credit card gets a workout.

As a final consideration, let me relate a personal anime instance: Claymore. This anime has cost me a lot of money (happily though!). I originally downloaded the broadcast episodes and was awestruck. When the DVD's were uploaded, I downloaded them. I've even downloaded the blu-rays. I'm so obsessed with this anime, I HAD to buy EVERYTHING! I like being able to watch the downloaded versions (I have a $2000 computer connected to 46" plasma TV), but I had to have the physical copies also--I want to touch them and feel Clare. I had the 2007 calender sent from Japan, and then paid another $70 to have it scanned at 24x36 just to gawk at. I've bought hundreds of dollars in merchandise! I wear my Claymore beanie constantly.

I have to thank the fansubbers for this. If not for their efforts, I would have never seen this anime; I would have never become enthralled by it; and finally, I would have NEVER spent a single penny to support it.

I'm assuming the flames will be Armageddon in nature, but I just thought I'd share this. Flame away! I'm comfortable with my $9000 and growing spending spree and comfortable with my downloading.
Pardon any typos.

I'd be less skeptical of these results if it turned out he normalized for the show's popularity. ...

While it's true that legal streams do help people buy stuff, there are plenty of people who will illegally download anime and make the excuse that it's too expensive, Even if you sold anime for a penny, people would still come up with the excuse that it's too expensive.

I'd be less skeptical of these results if it turned out he normalized for the show's popularity. The article summary makes no mention of that, and even if the researcher had done that, showing that anime tend to have both more youtube views and more dvd purchases at the same time by no means prove that one causes the other, especially in Japan where you can sample the show on TV as it's airing, so why do they need a free stream for this purpose? Not that I even disagree with the idea that being able to have free samples first encourages purchases later since it certainly works on me, but I think this paper is hardly conclusive.

mglittlerobin wrote:

While it's true that legal streams do help people buy stuff, there are plenty of people who will illegally download anime and make the excuse that it's too expensive, Even if you sold anime for a penny, people would still come up with the excuse that it's too expensive.

Yes, sir. These are the people that piss me off so much. "anime fans" my ass.

Of course, I was flamed liberally by the self-righteous, anti-fansubbing zealots. Needless to say, I find this current study at least a modest validation of my premise.

A 1% increase in Winny downloads correlated with a statistically inconclusive 0.06% increase in DVD sales. However, an 1% increase in Winny downloads correlated with a 1.11% decrease in DVD rentals. According to Tanaka, these results indicate that Winny downloads are used as a substitute for DVD rentals, but not for DVD sales.

However, Tanaka emphasized that the paper expresses his own views and does not represent the views of RIETI.

1) If I didn't know an anime existed, how could I even consider purchasing it?

2) Given my particular anime interests, why would I buy something "sight unseen" and based solely on another opinion?

The answers for me are "I can't," and "I won't."

Even though I've been watching anime since 1979 and still have many old VHS episodes, I didn't begin seriously engaging my hobby until 2005.

Since then I have downloaded terabytes of fansubbed anime and love to brag that I've watched anime every day for 5 straight years and counting (much to the chagrin of my wife!).

From 1979-2005, I estimate I spent approximately $2000 in anime VHS, manga, and assorted materials, which is a paltry $77 a year. Since I have been downloading anime, I have spent approximately $1000 a year on anime and merchandise for an estimated total of $5000. This does not include attendance to anime conventions where I'm usually active in participating (martial arts demos) and buying ad space. Since 2006, counting hotel rooms, purchases, ads, donations, attendance fees, etc., I've spent an additional $4000.

The most salient point regarding spending around $9000 since 2005: I would have spent close to ZERO if not for fansubbing (broadcasts and DVDs). I could not spent money on anime I didn't know about and wouldn't unless I could view it at my leisure and make my own judgments. Also, if not for the various "pirated" sources, I wouldn't have the obsessive interest I have nor would I spend sizable amounts on this interest.

I want to touch them and feel Clare.

I had the 2007 calender sent from Japan,

I wear my Claymore beanie constantly.

I really don't want to think about how much I have spent on anime, but you sit there moaning & groaning over your fricken $10,000 spent since 2005...

The point of that post was to explain that without the possibility of previewing the shows there would have not been a single dollar spent. There was no moaning and groaning. And there was no pissing contest - you turned it into one though with your reply.