Today in Stupid....

[laceblade]

I wasn't going to post anything about this whole 'piracy of copyrighted material' debate, but let's just say: We in anime fandom are not new to the discussion!


If you think buying an e-book is bad, check this out.

The production company for Fractale, an anime series currently airing in Japan, was having the series simulcasted in the U.S. by distribution company Funimation.

After airing one single episode, Fractale's production company pulled Fractale away from Funimation, stating that silmucasts would not return until Funimation ended illegal copies of the show on the Internet. ALL ILLEGAL FANSUBS MADE FROM THE SHOW. EVER. EVEN THOSE MADE BY JAPANESE PEOPLE.


It is very.....WTF.

Comments

[ekmisao]

I guess they're in their rights, but also, the producers are being too paranoid. It will prevent non-Japanese from watching Fractale AT ALL, which ultimately will damage its chances for being known anyway. Crunchyroll doesn't care (too much), and those who can watch through Crunchy do, so it's not a complete loss.

[laceblade]

Really?? I don't understand how this is within their rights at all.

It's not like Funimation leaked the episode (a la Anime News Network's leak a few months ago) - the company is holding them responsible for the actions of people who have absolutely nothing to do with Funimation.
It's like, because people exist in the world who have created fansubs of this show, completely unrelated to Funimation's simulcasts, the company is holding Funimation responsible. It is wholly nonsensical to me. Funimation was providing the only legal alternative for fans in the U.S., and for reasons known only to the Japanese company, Funimation was held responsible for occurrences that had nothing to do with them.

It's like the animation companies WANT there to be fansubs - sometimes they make it impossible for there to be a legal alternative.

[ekmisao]

I totally agree with that idea.

Eventually someone will explain to the Japan execs (some foreigner, besides those connected with FUNi) that this move will not be beneficial in the end.