Imports no longer protected by first sale doctrine? | Comic AG 94 now printing

Realistically, most of the market isn’t going to import so I’m not sure why it would be a problem for the industry. Plus, most people will pay more to overcome the language barrier, either of the product or of the retailer. If anything, I’d think the US anime industry might make more off of grey market exports than they lose to grey market imports. At least, I know if more people outside North America that import say R1 DVDs than import R2s.

For that reason, I never understood why FUNimation enforced their “rights” on an over-priced OST. If they wanted to sell OSTs for that show, all they needed to do was under-price it–like Geneon did. Assuming they did have the rights to it.

Export bans, such as Amazon’s policy on “software”–including music by Key Sounds and I’ve Sound–do piss me off though. If they expanded it, it would really upset me. I’ll be the first to admit I import far more than I buy domestically–either directly or through an importer. Mainly because Japanese products, in general, are of better quality and more in line with my tastes than American-produced Japanese products (except for many manga, which seem to often have a higher production value over here). Imports may be more expensive, but in many cases, I’m willing to pay the extra cost to get what I want. For the record, blocking the importation of Megami will not get me to buy Otaku USA. Nor will preventing me from blowing $120 on the LE of D.C. II P.C. get me to buy whatever US-produced game is on the market. I won’t buy more R1 anime just because I can’t import Kannagi or Clannad After Story. And it’s not like I don’t buy domestic goods or even re-buy them. I guess I don’t see how exporting anime goods from Japan through the grey market harms the Japanese industry.

As far as college textbooks go, I may have a few international editions myself.^^U But a large part of the problem is the industry prices textbooks well above cost since they have a monopoly over a captive if creative audience. I do hope it gets over-turned.

Personally, I think the judge really overstepped himself on this ruling and I really hope that it is overturned.

Simon:

I do not understand who I am harming by importing say Clannad Full Voice. There isn’t a licensor for it in the US, and, as far as I know, no one is interested in it or any game like it. Even if there was a US release, I send far more money back to the Japanese industry than I would through a middleman. I’m having difficulty understanding how the Japanese industry is harmed by me importing goods not for sale in the US. It’s fundamentally no different than if I bought a plane ticket to Japan and then bought them. And certainly, it’s better than the other option: downloading it. In many cases, I end up buying the same product multiple times. Surely, that can’t be a bad thing.

I admit I don’t know how the Japanese industry feels about this. I know Good Smile seems to understand many of its figures go overseas and has adjust its marketing because of it. Still, companies like Neowing are willing to export CDs and DVDs. Kinokuniya and Book-Off have overseas stores.

I guess what I don’t understand is, given importing is usually expensive and has many barriers such as language, would enough people even do it to make it have significant effect either way? Assuming there isn’t a large price discrepancy like there was in the textbook case or a time gap.

I don’t know. I’m not a businessperson, so I don’t really understand why you wouldn’t want to sell your product to as many people as possible if you could. Although I guess I can understand how say having a thriving anime music market in North American would be worth more to Lantis or Geneon than a minority of fans who import their music since a North American industry would expand the customer base to those who won’t import. And I guess if that minority was large enough, it could make the industry unprofitable.

I suppose I’m really just looking out for my own interests though. But until they tell me to stop…

I think I get your point. That there can be negative externalities to knowledge of what another area gets. Although with the internet, even if no manga of “Jerry Blotter and the Necromancer’s Jewel” were exported from Japan, people would still know about it, and likely download it. So is the “problem” really that consumers are more educated these days about what a franchise is doing around the world? So we can hold an industry to a higher standard when it is impossible for the industry to meet that standard due to various reasons (say edits to censor content to meet sales or reduce legal risk–if there were no imports or the internet, no one would know there were edits). Also, I guess maybe the Japanese industry would rather the world not know that it makes and sells items like Moetan or adult dakimakura covers. Given how cultural sensibilities vary around the world, knowledge of certain products might damage the reputations of shows that aren’t related (like Anime becomes known for underage fanservice and thereby damages Miyazaki’s reputation). I mean, I’m OK with otaku culture because I love it. But I guess there is more to lose than gain by letting the world know about it.

I guess it makes sense. I just don’t like it though. Something feels, I guess, wrong about telling me I can’t buy something because of my nationality and/or geographical location. I sound like a child, but it doesn’t seem fair.^^U And in the end, if it exists, we’re going to find out about it.