Monday, January 16, 2012

On the Anime Industry:

After reading all of the news circulating about Funimation suing the remains of ADV related companies and sub companies, it makes me sad. A little part of me reflects about some of the comments and mud slinging I've heard from many people in the convention circles. Actors, con chairs, company and production owners... It just brings back all of the real life things I had to witness that made me disown my love of Japanese Animation in America.

It's like when you find out there is no Easter Bunny. In my mind, I picture every industry, convention, and shop owner boarding up their windows just like libraries lost to the internet. How sad I was to see so many Borders closing shop and Barnes and Noble still doing it's best to keep it's chin up, while the very unsuspecting Half Price Books is still booming just as ever with the re-selling(re-release, in the metaphorical sense) of just about any material, while still offering classic vintage and collector books that neither of the main book selling industries offer.

It's not even that I dislike either side. The animation industry holds a very special place full of very fond memories full of awesome and talented people. To me, their executives don't really reflect on the actors and conventions but it makes getting the media you want particularly difficult.

Somehow in the end, the fans really are the ones that get slighted.

With all that said, I really hope the companies find resolve. I hope Funimation gains what it is owed in some form or another and the companies involved don't develop a bad rep and/or continue to go bankrupt over things like sporadic lawsuits so they continue producing the things we love. It would also be stellar to not have to see any hate or shame at Anime Conventions that would make things in the industry even more tense.