Bang Zoom Draws a Line in the Sand

Eric Sherman, the CEO of Bang Zoom studios (who I've have many excellent dealings with personally) has issued a subtle ultimatum to the fan community regarding the state of the Anime market and what will happen if folks continue to illegally download rather than buying shows on DVD:

From ANN:

"Eric P. Sherman, President and CEO of the anime dubbing company Bang Zoom! Entertainment, has posted an editorial on the AnimeTV blog on Saturday, urging fans to buy anime instead of watching it via fan-subbed videos. In the "Anime - R.I.P." editorial, Sherman wrote that if fans do not support anime by buying it legally, "I can guarantee you that this time next year, Bang Zoom won't be bringing you anymore English language versions of it."

Sherman added in his editorial, "If people don't resist the urge to get their fix illegally, the entire industry is about to fizzle out." Sherman cited the demises of Geneon Entertainment USA, Central Park Media, and ADV Films, as well as the January 2009 layoffs at Bandai Entertainment, as past examples. In a boldfaced statement in the editorial, Sherman wrote that "anime is going to die."

Sherman also wrote about the rise of streaming content online, but added that "so far, there are no successful ways to monetize online entertainment. Not so that creators can afford to produce and distribute quality content."

Eric is absolutely right. The whole theory that Anime could eventually be monetized online in any meaningful way has been dead on arrival from day one. It's just not possible. We've all been able to scrape by until now living alongside the downloaders, the fansubbers, the free streams, the bootleggers, etc. - but the market has deteriorated so far so fast over the past 18 months that the issue is finally coming to a head this year. The R1 industry is at the breaking point and the fan base, as a whole, by their actions, is very soon going to decide it's fate forever.

PS: Of course, anyone in the industry who speaks up even a peep against fansubs and torrents is going to immediately draw the ire of the ignorant. I've been reading over some of the rather humorous thread comments posted after Eric's article. People are saying things like:

"Heh, let the US anime industry die."

"Anime = Not gonna die. R1 Anime = gonna die. get it right"

"It's not the piracy, it’s the overpriced crap."

"Too bad you’re losing your job. But it’s better for the fans who will find other means to satisfy their needs..."

"ITT the bourgiousie trying to wrest back control of the means of production from the workers. One capitalist oppressor down!" (if only he could spell 'Bourgeoisie')

"Just like they say the fans "feel entitled to their entertainment" it seems that the middlemen feel entitled to their businesses"

"No, Mr. Sherman, Anime is dieing because people like YOU won’t change. Guess what existed before your company? Fansubbers. Guess what will exist after your company? Fansubbers."

Man, as a rule I stay out of those threads, but what a bunch of hypocritical nihilistic jackasses. That one guy clearly thinks he entitled to something, but I never have. And I don't even want to know what the other guy is doing late at night to 'satisfy his needs'. Uggg. Those folks are not even fit for the soylent vats... I'm just sayin...