Ask John: Why Are NuTech DVDs So Short?

Question:
Why is NuTech Digital hentai anime so short? There is only 30 minutes in each. If they could fit more episodes it would save money and shipping money.

Answer:
NuTech Digital has quickly become one of America’s foremost distributors of adult anime with released titles including Welcome to Pia Carrot, Syusaku, Angels in the Court and Desert Island Story. However, unlike Media Blasters, Central Park Media and Right Stuf International, who also release adult anime on domestic DVD, all of NuTech’s releases come with a single 30 minute OAV on each DVD. I can’t speak on behalf of NuTech, but I can make a few educated guesses that possibly explain and rationalize this release strategy.

First and foremost, there can be little doubt that NuTech maintains its strategy of releasing hentai anime OAVs on individual DVD discs because this sort of episode distribution is profitable. The individual retail price of NuTech hentai DVDs is less than industry standard for adult anime DVDs, but price per minute of footage on NuTech DVDs is significantly higher than industry average. From a corporate perspective, why release 3-4 episodes on a single DVD disc when you can release the same animation on 3 or 4 discs and sell 3 to 4 times as many units at full retail price? It would seem that this obviously profit-minded approach is working because NuTech continues to distribute more and more anime this way.

However, there may be more to this distribution policy than merely maximizing profits. NuTech seems to now be the sole North American licensor and distributor of virtually all hentai anime titles produced by Green Bunny, Pink Pineapple and Five Ways. It’s very possible that NuTech had to make certain concessions with these Japanese distributors in order to secure such a lucrative and exclusive distribution license. A little known bit of trivia seems to support this theory. All domestic version releases owned by Pink Pineapple are encoded for compatibility in DVD Region 1 only but releases from Green Bunny and Five Ways are not region encoded. This suggests contractual stipulations in NuTech licensing agreement. With this in mind, it’s not difficult to image that the episode distribution in America may possibly be out of NuTech’s control. With rare exceptions of especially re-releases of older titles, all hentai anime in Japan is released one episode per VHS tape or DVD. It’s not a far stretch to imagine that the original Japanese licensors insist that the American versions be released in the same format.

While the distribution of one episode per DVD may seem expensive, it does have its advantages, as well. In Japan, hentai anime releases retail anywhere from 2,800 yen (roughly $23 American) for bargain priced amateur and semi-professional quality animation to 8,800 yen (roughly $71 American) for each 30 minute episode. Average price for a normal 30 minute long hentai anime episode in Japan hovers in the 5,800 to 7,800 yen range, or the American equivalent of $47 to roughly $63. Compared to $60, $24.95 for an American version is quite reasonable! And in fact, the American releases are actually better than the original Japanese releases because all of NuTech’s anime DVDs are bilingual and, more importantly, remove the digital censoring present in the Japanese versions. In fact, there are Japanese adult video retailers that sell American NuTech hentai anime DVDs in Japan for as much as $100 American per disc because the American version is an imported uncensored version of the $70 original Japanese version.

Setting aside jibes about the quality of pornography, the old adage “you get what you pay for” also comes into play here. The fact that NuTech’s anime releases contain only one episode per DVD allows for minimal MPG compression. Anime on DVD.com’s DVD reviews have consistently mentioned that NuTech anime DVD releases feature unusually high image quality that may be compromised if more content is included on each DVD. Furthermore, while it can be argued that minimal editing is a sign of cost cutting and minimal effort, minimal editing also offers anime fans the most authentic, unadulterated anime experience possible. Unlike most anime releases by more traditional anime distribution companies like AD Vision, Bandai and Pioneer, which often employ digital editing to add English language credits and titles, NuTech anime releases do not use any digital editing of any kind. Unlike anime from more traditional American distributors that is Westernized for the American market, NuTech releases are identical to the original Japanese version, complete with original Japanese series names, episode title screens and Japanese language credits. There’s no need for “original Japanese opening and endings” to be added as a bonus feature, as often happens with American anime DVDs, because NuTech does not edit the original openings or endings in the first place- a policy that should please hardcore (no pun intended) American anime fans.

Finally, in a variation of the “get what you pay for” analogy, although most American anime fans do not realize it, the price we pay for NuTech hentai anime DVDs frequently buys unusual exclusive viewing rights. While some NuTech releases such as Karakuri Ninja Girl and Syusaku have been around for years, titles like Inmu 2 have been released virtually simultaneously in America and Japan, and titles including Haitoku no Shoujo and Karen have been released in America as long as 2 months before they go on sale in Japan.

Relative to releases from other domestic anime companies, NuTech DVDs are expensive, but when compared to getting the same animation any other way, NuTech’s DVD releases are actually superior, relatively inexpensive releases that make Japanese consumers envious. Like all anime, the cost of NuTech anime DVDs is completely relative. My advice is to not compare NuTech anime DVDs to releases from other companies, but to consider them in and of themselves. This advice applies to all anime: regardless of how expensive it is, it’s worth it if it brings you that much enjoyment.