Only three episodes on a DVD?!?

[Ein]

Can someone please explain to me why anime companies decide to only put three episodes on a dvd that can fit way more than that on it?
Inuyasha for example has only 3 eps. per dvd... ok do the math, it would cost you like $1000 to own the entire series since each dvd cost $20 or more.
You can go on ebay and get the english subtitle box sets that have about 25 eps. over 3 dvds for like $21... why doesnt the US get to see any of this action? (Those are not bootlegs by the way.)
Quite simply wouldn't you buy more if you got more? At only 3 eps per dvd I doubt I will EVER buy the entire series, although I really want to. If the dvds had 5 or 6 eps. per dvd then I would buy the series without a second thought.

Anyway, thats My Three Cents.... What are your guys thoughts on the matter?

[EightOh]

Because they know we'll pay for it... :(

;)

[Amano Ginji]

Can someone please explain to me why anime companies decide to only put three episodes on a dvd that can fit way more than that on it?
Inuyasha for example has only 3 eps. per dvd... ok do the math, it would cost you like $1000 to own the entire series since each dvd cost $20 or more.
You can go on ebay and get the english subtitle box sets that have about 25 eps. over 3 dvds for like $21... why doesnt the US get to see any of this action? (Those are not bootlegs by the way.)
Quite simply wouldn't you buy more if you got more? At only 3 eps per dvd I doubt I will EVER buy the entire series, although I really want to. If the dvds had 5 or 6 eps. per dvd then I would buy the series without a second thought.

Anyway, thats My Three Cents.... What are your guys thoughts on the matter?

Errm....if you can find a 3 DVD set with 25 episodes for $21 then it's most certainly a bootleg.

AND, there aren't any official subtitled IY DVD's.
Fact is, in Japan, DVD's are even more expensive.
They get one ep for ~$12 US.

If you find any sub only IY DVD's for that cheap, then they're bootlegs.
That doesn't go for just IY, no anime DVD's are that cheap.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, Viz is ripping us off.
I'm still a sucker for the show, and I buy them.

I assume sometime in the future, Viz will release a boxset of the first 20-30 episodes for pretty cheap.

[Nin-Nin69]

There is only one solution. Buy them used. ;)

I've been getting the Inuyasha DVD's used (they were new, but the people who bought them didn't want them anymore after opening them) for $8 each. Score. :cool:

[tlsmith1963]

FLCL is even worse. There are only 2 eps. per DVD. I haven't bought any of them.

Tammy

[Arxane]

You can go on ebay and get the english subtitle box sets that have about 25 eps. over 3 dvds for like $21... why doesnt the US get to see any of this action? (Those are not bootlegs by the way.)

Not bootlegs? I'm pretty damn sure those ARE bootlegs, because first of all, the Japanese DVDs don't have English subtitles, and second of all, the Japanese DVDs have three episodes per disc as well.

You could see this as Viz staying as close to the original source as possible, since there won't be any controversy over which covers they'll use for the American release. Sure, the covers are altered, but they still resemble the originals.

Or you could see this as American fans being spoiled with anime releases for years and when a release actually equals the Japanese release they get pissed. The Japanese "Inuyasha" release has the same episodes-per-disc release as the American, yet they're twice as expensive. "FLCL" is released two episodes per disc in the States, but they were released one per disc in Japan. Releases that usually span six or eight DVDs in the States take about 12-16 in Japan, if not more, at far higher prices.

Or you could see it as Viz taking advantage of a hot property and milking it for all its worth.

Believe what you want, but we're still getting a better deal than the Japanese, and that's reason enough for me to buy them (besides me actually liking the show). But that's my opinion.

[Sheamon]

You can go on ebay and get the english subtitle box sets that have about 25 eps. over 3 dvds for like $21... why doesnt the US get to see any of this action? (Those are not bootlegs by the way.)

Do you know anything at all about identifying bootlegs? Its blatantly clear, right in front of your face, and you say they're not bootlegs? C'mon, thats absurd. I checked ebay and found one of these so called 'legitimate', fair deals:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3322962942&category=2290

EASY signs if something's an Inu Yasha bootleg:

Region Free
No dub track
more than 3 episodes a disc. The Viz ones are the ONLY real ones
asking price of less than 6/7 dollars per episode

Which this item ALL has. Heck, at the current high bid its less than 50 cents per episode. Thats INSANELY OBVIOUS that its a bootleg.

I've done enough complaining about Viz's episode count. I'm boycotting the entire release, as simple as that. Regardless, the show has a very good dub and airs every night on Adult Swim. There's no excuse for getting a bootleg, even if the DVDs are so ridiculous.

[Orimono_Shujin]

FLCL is even worse. There are only 2 eps. per DVD. I haven't bought any of them.

Tammy

Well FLCL is a 6-episode OVA series so the best they could have done was to have 2 DVD with 3 episodes each. I don't think 2 dvds look good in a boxset (which is being released with FLCL volume 3). :p

[Arxane]

Well FLCL is a 6-episode OVA series so the best they could have done was to have 2 DVD with 3 episodes each. I don't think 2 dvds look good in a boxset (which is being released with FLCL volume 3). :p

Actually, the best they could've done was six episodes in one DVD, like what was done with "Shamanic Princess". However, since the company is a smaller distributor that is trying to make a profit, they went with this method instead.

[FredNash]

No question, I don't buy more anime because it's $27 for a dvd with 3 or 4 episodes. Why are they so much? "because we'll pay for it?" I don't think so, I mean, does anime really sell that well? It seems like they could make more by pricing alittle cheaper and selling more copies to casual fans like me... I mean, $27!?! c'mon! what dvd costs $27 anymore? Even most Criterions are less than that, and they're extremely limited print runs!

[Andrew T. Hingson]

Anime DVD's have always cost too much, but only three episodes per on the Inu Yasha DVD's is rather sad. I didn't expect it to get DBZ treatment. Well crud man... who'd buy that? I'd rather just watch it/tape it off Adult Swim.

[Naraku]

Actually, the best they could've done was six episodes in one DVD, like what was done with "Shamanic Princess". However, since the company is a smaller distributor that is trying to make a profit, they went with this method instead.

You're a fool who knows nothing about how the industry works, so stop "trying" to pretend that you do. FLCL cost FAAAAR more than Shamanic Princess to make, and it is by gainax, who are notorious for overcharging for their anime. I wouldn't be surprised if SynchPoint is only barely making back what they paid with even this 2/ eps per disc release.

[jeffrey 228]

About this Inu Yasha thing that everyone here seems to complain about 3 Episodes both Volumes, seems to be a bit hard and all, also I would like to point out that Viz is probbly going to delay it even more to probbly finish other animes that have to be completted, I know I don't make much sense, but 4 Episodes on 1 DVD is more like it and we don't have to wait longer and all.

[Ein]

Well, I suppose that I did not make my sarcasm clear enough...


You can go on ebay and get the english subtitle box sets that have about 25 eps. over 3 dvds for like $21... why doesnt the US get to see any of this action? (Those are not bootlegs by the way.)

I know that those sets are bootlegs, I just meant that they had the right Idea.

I guess I could live with four eps. on a dvd, thats about two hours worth and that is the length of a normal movie, I wouldnt be thrilled about it but it would be far better than the three.
_________________________________________________
My Three Cents.

[Junkman23]

as for flcl in japan they only got one dvd per episode, and they each cost 25 bucks american. As for inu-yasha i really wish they had at least 4 episodes then it would be on par with other anime translated in america

[ddojo]

im not posotive, but i know this is true for the first volume of inu yasha, viz might be trying to make each volume of the dvds to match each volume of the graphic novels. Well, thats my guess

[Sheamon]

Well, I suppose that I did not make my sarcasm clear enough...

I know that those sets are bootlegs, I just meant that they had the right Idea.

I guess I could live with four eps. on a dvd, thats about two hours worth and that is the length of a normal movie, I wouldnt be thrilled about it but it would be far better than the three.

Well, if you're looking for a good show with an amazing episode per disc deal, can't help but recommend Key the Metal Idol. 7 episodes on disc 1. 6 episodes on disc 2. Only 2 episodes on disc 3, but they're 100 minutes each. The strangest thing of all is that its also from Viz, the same people who go nutz with 3 episode per disc Inu Yasha -_- The longer Gundam series usually have good deals too, 5 eps per disc for Wing, 5/4 for MS Gundam. Robotech's got 6 episodes per DVD too if you're looking for more.

[EscaflownePilot]

I wouldn't normally be ticked about Viz's treatment of Inuyasha... it's just that, Bandai, FUNimation, and ADV, among others, have all proven by switching to the 5 - 6 episode p/disc format for most every release that you can release things this way and make a bigger profit.

Yet both Viz and Pioneer have continued to go with the old 3 (occasionally 4) eps per disc format. I could see this being done for less mainstream titles... but they're not! In fact, Viz knew damn well from day one that Inuyasha would be on TV - they said so as soon as they licensed it for U.S.! And they knew that, due to TV exposure, it would sell well enough to make the 5 ep p/disc format more than profitable enough... yet they still didn't.

There isn't an excuse for trying to milk something like this, and that's why I'm not supporting Viz's releases. At least not until they start collecting the volumes in boxsets...

If you still want Inuyasha, Best Buy will occasionaly have the DVDs on sale as low as $15, or as high as $24 or so... that'd be your best bet...

[Amano Ginji]

I bought the fifth IY DVD at Best Buy for $17.99! ($19.34 w/ tax)

:cool:

[Mr. Obsession]

Has anyone considered that maybe Viz is contractually obligated to release IY at 3 eps per disk? It's not entirely unheard of. Anyone remember Blue Sub #6?

[EscaflownePilot]

Has anyone considered that maybe Viz is contractually obligated to release IY at 3 eps per disk? It's not entirely unheard of. Anyone remember Blue Sub #6?Great point. That is quite possible... anybody know if this is the case?

[Proteus3]

Great point. That is quite possible... anybody know if this is the case?

I doubt it. If it was the case, Viz probably would have said so, to at least prevent some flak from the 3 episode a DVD deal. Bandai gave out their reason for the one-episode for Blue Submarine deal. Also, I can't recall any case where the licensors (Sunrise, Nihon, etc) forced any other company to licensing agreements like that(with the exception of MSG, a special case). Also, Viz has a history of doing the 3 episodes a DVD, with Ranma. Chances are, it is just a case of Viz milking a product.

Edit: Took out the negative on the "wouldn't" to make it logically correct.

[lostrune]

I doubt it. If it was the case, Viz probably wouldn't have said so, to at least prevent some flak from the 3 episode a DVD deal. Bandai gave out their reason for the one-episode for Blue Submarine deal. Also, I can't recall any case where the licensors (Sunrise, Nihon, etc) forced any other company to licensing agreements like that(with the exception of MSG, a special case). Also, Viz has a history of doing the 3 episodes a DVD, with Ranma. Chances are, it is just a case of Viz milking a product.

Yep. Guys, think about it, with Ranma ending, Viz needs a constant cash cow that'd feed their anime division (that doesn't release much anime to begin with) over the years like Ranma did - and look how long it took them to finish Ranma (2 eps/VHS, later 3 eps/DVD). I wouldn't be surprised if Viz stretches Inu-Yasha for 5+ years, till their next cash cow.

[Skynet2029]

this is why the only anime i have on dvd are movies like Akira and Ghost in the Shell.

[SirLemming]

That is quite ridiculous, especially for such a long series. Cowboy Bebop has 4, sometimes even a whopping 5, episodes on each disc, and that's only got 26 episodes. They could've easily spread it out a little more. Unfortunately, they're mega-expensive, as most other anime DVDs are...

I must say, though, the Yu Yu Hakusho DVDs are quite a bargain -- especially the boxed set. While some of the DVDs only have 3 episodes, the boxed set of the first 7 DVDs (everything up to the Dark Tournament, including Rescue Yukina) is only $80 (at Best Buy, anyway). It's around $11 for each DVD. That's insane, even if it weren't anime. Many animes (Bebop) are $30 each DVD!