My thoughts on the fansubbing discussions going on at ANN...
I've never spoken up before on this subject - and I can't say that I have any real experience in business or marking... but I just wanted to agree (with enurtsol and Zin5ki) that there is another world outside of North America where (depending on location), legal streaming sites are not viable options either because they are not accessible (or streaming is next to impossible). I speak as an otaku who moved to China for work. When fansubs stop subbing various shows (niche or otherwise), chances of one getting properly subtitled (and legal) stuff in English is next to impossible - forget quality. Buying a dvd is a bit of a gamble, to be honest. And as for the post... it's expensive and not always reliable.
Like ANN (and other people), I hope there is a day when anime will be as accessible and affordable as it is purportedly in Japan. [Although, what with this global financial crisis - things can change any day for the better or for worse.] And if Crunchyroll streams the shows - I will watch them - low quality or no, because it's my only option. People who are desperate will follow suit, I think. Still, for those people overseas, in the country (or with just bad connections), fansubbing will continue to be a lure. I have bought merchandise (and dvds and manga) - only because I consciously wanted to support the artist/show - and I think streaming and blogs could adequately replace fansubbing in terms of promotion.
At the same time, it's good for companies to know that there is always a threat of competition - it promotes quality, better pricing and quicker delivery. Monopolies often offer low quality services, I find. And as mentioned before, there are shows that will lose out if dubbed or carelessly subtitled... *thinks of Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei*
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