Ask John: Could the Demise of Fansubbing Doom Anime in America?

Question:
From many people that I’ve been talking to about Anime Expo 2004, a lot of people were mad about Bandai making bootlegs illegal and ADV trying to license stuff since they don’t like fansubbers. The bootlegs I don’t mind. The fansubs I do mind. I know that if an anime is licensed, fansubbers should stop because, if for any reason these things are continuing, anime will slowly die. In my opinion, fansubs are like checking out an anime to see if it’s worth watching and buying after it’s licensed. But from your opinion, will anime slowly die from losing fansubs completely, if it ever happens?

Answer:
This is a particularly difficult question for me to address for multiple reasons. Any question that requires an answer that predicts the future is naturally uncertain. Furthermore, as both a professional in the field and a private fan, I’m simultaneously conflicted between my responsibility and my personal sentiments, and conflicted between my professional responsibility and my professional perspective.

To be responsible first, Bandai absolutely has a right, and some would say a responsibility to prosecute the distribution of counterfeit anime merchandise, as they have done. Bandai has also politely appealed to the ethics of anime fans to cease fansub production and distribution of titles licensed by Bandai. AD Vision seems to have a standing policy of licensing literally any and every anime series it can, including titles still in pre-production. This policy is doubtlessly implemented partly as a countermeasure to prevent fansubbing. The other most significant probable reason for AD Vision’s policy of stockpiling anime series is to shrink the pool of titles available to other, competing licensors. But that’s a different discussion. AD Vision has also been known to issue threatening letters to private fans that distribute fansubs and even untranslated copies of anime series licensed by AD Vision; anonymously monitor IRC channel discussions to find fans distributing AD Vision owned properties; and attempt to prevent the private, domestic sale of legally imported official Japanese DVD versions of anime series they’ve licensed for American release. AD Vision’s aggressive means of attempting to protect their revenue sources and squash unlicensed anime distribution may be arguably overzealous, but, again, is well within their rights.

Speaking as an avid observer of the American anime scene, I certainly don’t wish to deny professional domestic distributors the right or opportunity to protect their livelihood or the rights of the artists they represent. But at the same time I do think that the English speaking fan community and unlicensed fansubs play a more important and influential role than certain distribution companies may realize or admit. Distributors such as FUNimation and Geneon state that their licensing decisions are influenced by what’s successful and popular in Japan. However, I don’t think that a strict analysis of what’s popular in Japan adequately reflects what will sell well in America. For example, presently “moe” and bishoujo series dominate the output of the Japanese industry, but such shows aren’t what’s most popular in America. Likewise, some of America’s most successful anime releases, such as the Ghost in the Shell and Jubei Ninpucho movies, were not major hits in Japan. Whether or not they admit it, most of the domestic anime distribution companies are aware of what’s popular among American fans and respond to that demand. But that very American fan interest is generated almost exclusively by fansub distribution.

Anime titles that have successful debuts in America do so primarily because the shows are already well known in the fan community. In my personal opinion, informed by my professional experience, titles like Excel Saga, Hellsing, Wolf’s Rain, Chobits, and Love Hina have premiered as smash hits because these series were heavily exchanged in the fan community for months before their official American release. Anime titles that have little name recognition and little exposure within the fan community before their American release typically do not sell remotely as well as titles that are well known by domestic fans. Although I’d like to think otherwise, quality is not the determining factor in the success of an American DVD release these days. Typical consumers are more interested in buying trendy anime DVDs that everyone is talking about rather than obscure but equally good, or even better parallel releases. Many domestic anime distribution companies rely heavily upon this consumer trend, although they may not admit it. I personally find it very difficult to believe that many of the hot new titles coming to America would be as highly anticipated and as eagerly purchased as they are if none of them had been previously exposed to the American fan community through fansubs and underground exchange.

Although there are no studies or statistics to estimate exactly how much illegal anime distribution detriments the sales of official, legal DVD releases, undoubtedly fansubs do corrode sales of legitimate DVDs. Equally uncertain is the impact of the awareness and advertising that fansubs generate. Officially many domestic distributors adhere to an absolute condemnation of fansubs, yet unofficially I think that these same companies realize that a tremendous amount of their success is directly attributable to the influence of fansubs. Personally, as a professional anime fan, I choose to evaluate fansubs with a rational margin of flexibility. While I realize that fansubs are illegal, I think their morality varies with circumstances. Fansubs that directly compete with official DVD releases are usually not fansubs; they’re bootlegs. Even non-profit fansubs that directly compete with equivalent official releases are absolutely unethical and unjustified. Fansubs that contribute to eventual increased sales of official releases, though, can be an excusable evil. Given the present state of the American market for anime, which does not offer any way for domestic fans to sample the majority of anime before its commercial home video release, unlike Japan’s television broadcast and theatrical releases, fansubs offer an opportunity for a first hand look at series before their home video release, and generate excitement and anticipation for DVD releases. When comparing the sales of domestic DVD titles such as Risky Safety, Miami Guns, Tenshi ni Narumon, Mahou Yuugi, and Detatoko Princess – excellent shows that don’t have a lot of word of mouth recognition- to the sales of anime titles including Gungrave, Tenchi Muyo GXP, Kiddy Grade, and R.O.D. the TV, which arguably aren’t as good but are higher profile because of their word of mouth name recognition- it’s clear that the prior exposure that fansubs generate has a tremendous impact on sales potential.

There should be no question that fansubs should never directly compete with legitimate releases. And I think the market for anime in America is now entrenched enough to survive without the awareness and advertising created by fansubs. But I also, personally, think that fansubs still contribute more benefit than harm to the American fan community, domestic anime industry, and the Japanese industry, by extension. My opinion, though, is based on nothing more concrete than my own subjective observations.