The state of the ever-changing anime industry here in America has really seen its ups and downs.  I'd like to think that the whole thing was better back during the boom when companies such as Geneon and Broccoli could afford to release even the craziest niche shows here in America and not have to worry too much about profit.  But today, with the economic slump and a new generation of fans, the industry state-side seems to be in a bit of trouble.  

Just recently the CEO of the dubbing studio Bang Zoom released a statement that attacked fansubs as the direct cause of the downfall of the industry here – I feel this is somewhat true.  While the fansubs were, for a while, almost an aid to companies here by showing what fans were interested in, they have become a fallback for the fans that are unwilling to buy the releases when they arrive here.  The young people are unwilling to wait for the traditional methods of release and are either unable or unwilling to pay any sum of money whatsoever in order to watch anime.  I don't blame those that have no means of purchasing the product but I would like to point a rather stern finger at those that utter the statement, "why buy it when you can download it for free."  If you think $25 for 4 episodes is a bad price for single DVDs then I think you need to take a look at Japan where it's (approximately) $40 for 2 or, if your lucky, 3 episodes per disc. From there it goes to $60 for the special editions, and $60 to $80 for a single Blu-ray.  The difference – the anime fans over there in Japan are completely willing to pay those prices.  Recently we have seen the fall of many of the larger licensing and distribution companies in America and thus have seen a drastic fall in the prices and quality of the subs and dubs.  Shows that once were released in the 25 for 4 method before are now being packed onto box sets (if you can even call them that) of two discs with upwards of 8 episodes per disc.  This means: little or no extras included, horrid compression ratios for both video and audio, and rampant mistakes in the encoding and subtitling.  This is an unacceptable turn in the industry and it can all be traced back to a lack of profit.  

Then there is the dub vs. sub war which has been causing a stir for ages.  I, for one, am not affiliated with either the dub or sub party – I can watch either and enjoy it – nor do I believe that, as someone said to me earlier, dubs are what are jacking up the prices of anime here.  The fans who are buying right now are 50/50 from what I have seen.  So, if your argument is that 50% of the fans are outright wrong in their tastes when it comes to watching something then you would do well to enroll in a few therapy sessions.  

So what has my long rant stated here?  The anime industry is suffering, just like everyone else right now, but more so because of the stagnation which has occurred in the fan-base.  America seems to be infested with a bunch of impatient ("I want my episodes RIGHT NOW!"), stingy ("I want it for pennies!"), and irresponsible ("Why should I buy it when I can download it for free?") people.  Dog help us all.

Edit: For more information on the statement by Bang Zoom's CEO see the ANN article here.  For a whole butt-load of discussion (read: trolling) see the forum response to that post here.

There is never a lack of interesting stuff out there on sites such as YouTube or Fail Blog.  It's hard to just pick one so I've selected a few for this edition.  So, here you are:

This is a sweet new commercial for gum in Japan featuring characters from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

It's amazing how horribly things can go wrong on TV, and it's especially bad when it's a live broadcast.

And the next two will simply be links since I don't want to create any bandwidth issues with Fail Blog.

All I have to say about this one is, this takes skill! (sarcasm)
http://failblog.org/2010/04/03/epic-fail-photos-parking-fail-14/

I can only wonder why you would need a sign to remind you... hmm, oh well.
http://failblog.org/2010/04/02/epic-fail-photos-drowning-sign-fail/

  When you talk about a place in Silicon Valley there is obviously no other place that comes close to Fry’s.  The electronics superstore has everything I could possibly want as one who loves everything to do with technology.  Each of the stores located around the Bay Area have their own style and often a theme which is carried throughout the store.  For example, the store in San Jose is made out to look like some sort of South American temple – from the (fake) stone pillars at the entrance to the paintings on the walls which resemble Paleolithic cave paintings, the entire store offers its own variety of adventure, without the traveler having to leave the country. However, my personal favorite store would be the one in Sunnyvale.

  The great thing about this location is that it does not bombard its visitors with strange sights.  Yes, I know I just finished saying that a great thing about the other stores is the theme in each location; but sometimes when you just want to pick up a new VGA cable and you find yourself staring a tiki in the face, you may forget what you came for in the first place.  On the other hand, the Sunnyvale location’s most outstanding feature is the huge lighted sign on the front of the building, resembling something you’d expect to see in Vegas.  It is made up of a large, green wave plot strung through a dozen vertical lines and at night, when it’s lit in all its glory, a pulse of light travels down the wave from one end to the other in an inviting fashion that draws me to the store like one of those deep sea fish that uses a light to lure in prey – except there are no sharp teeth involved in this case (though, I’m sure you could argue that case with some of the rabid salesmen/women you find in Fry’s).  Once you enter the front doors you are more likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place than by any oddity staring at you from a wall or a pedestal.  The store is set up in such a way that, from my experience, the further into the store you venture the more expensive things get – from the bargain bins at the entrance to the multi-thousand-dollar television sets at the back.  At the very center of the store are the café and the grand piano, which are the gathering places of many socializing individuals.

  This brings me to my next reason for enjoying this location more than the others.  Sunnyvale’s location on the edge of sprawling San Jose makes it almost a gateway to the rest of the peninsula; it is a location which provides a good mixture of people.  Half of the experience of any large store is the persons which you run into in the process of shopping around.  While I like to look at myself as a knowledgeable guy in terms of technology, as a wise man once said, there is always somebody above you.  Some of the people I’ve run into inside the store have put me to shame in terms of their intellect and resourcefulness – so any time I have a baffling tech question I just swing by Fry’s Sunnyvale and hang out in the café for a bit.  It’s never the same trip twice.

  While I’m sure that most people wouldn’t consider a place like Fry’s to be a great location, to me it’s like loosing a child in a candy store whenever I arrive.  Surrounded by devices, some of which I am familiar with and others which are alien to me, and by people of like mind, I feel as though I am in a second home where the people understand me and there is never a lack of things to do.  This feeling is only strengthened when you consider my roots in a completely backwoods area that had almost an allergy to technology.  I’m sure you can see why I was supremely impressed by something that, to a person who grew up in Silicon Valley, may not seem that exemplary.  That is why I say with pride that Fry’s is my favorite Silicon Valley place.