Problems with DVD

[drainer@mpinet.net]

     From my experience (of knowing otaku, that is), most of what is
considered "good" anime is not for sale in the U.S., or illegal to have due
to copyright issues, or it belongs in the "non-commercial" category (as does
film, that's why we resort to VCDs).
    They're in the same conflicting position, the only difference here is
that they provide a solution for this problem that the academic spectrum
cannot be involved with. They subtitle and "release" imported videos within
their own groups, since most of what they watch is obscure or Japanese
release, it makes sense. Of course, this approach is a little unethical due
to legalities, but in fan cultures there are small worries about the risks
involved -- just look at conventions, the number one source for over priced
bootlegs.



daniel freire
(n)



----- Original Message -----
From: "Ito, Michiko" <mito at ukans.edu>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Cc: "Daikichi Mitake (E-mail)" <mitake at kinokuniya.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 10:28 AM
Subject: RE: Problems with DVD


> May I add something....?
>
> I am a Japanese studies librarian at the University of Kansas.  I recently
> applied a library support fund program requesting a DVD set "Mainichi Eiga
> Konk_uru _Ofuji Nobuo-sh_o jush_o tanpen anim_eshon zensh_u" (_ is a
> substitute for macron).  Though my request was approved, Eiz_o Bunka
> Seisakusha Renmei, the copyright holder, announced through Kinokuniya, the
> distributing company of the set, that the DVD set was produced for
domestic
> sale only and selling it overseas would be considered an illegal act.
> Kinokuniya promised to negotiate with Renmei for consideration of overseas
> sale, so my request is pending.  It may be canceled if Kinokuniya fails to
> negotiate.  I also learned that some other American university libraries
> also failed to acquire the set, because of this restriction.
>
> As most of you know, Japanese "anime" works have become extremely popular
> among young people in America(--more broadly, all over the world?)  Public
> and cable channels air "anime" programs every day; large rental video
shops
> have "anime" sections; "anime" conventions are held in major American
cities
> every year.  Researchers also show strong interest in analyzing "anime"
from
> the viewpoints of art, film, and culture.
>
> But "anime" available in the US are all commercial oriented, and little is
> known about such non-commercial "anime" included in this collection.  The
> works included in this set show not only the variety of materials, such as
> clay, paper, and dolls, unlike regular commercial "anime" but also the
> development of animation in post-war Japan.  (The oldest work included in
> this set was made in 1952.)  Moreover, some works received awards at
> international animation festivals.  (Kawamoto Kihachir_o's "Kataku" and
> "D_oj_oji.")  The DVD set would be a valuable collection to fill the gap
> between extremely popular commercial "anime" and largely unknown
non-profit
> "anime."  Nonetheless, KU as well as other universities which also want to
> make the set available for their research community, could not obtain the
> set, because of the restriction posed by Renmei.
>
> According to the flyer of this set provided by Kinokuniya, the set is
> available for individuals as well as libraries---as long as they are in
> Japan.  Only because KU is an overseas institute, our purchase request was
> declined.  Renmei may have a good reason not to sell the DVD set to
overseas
> customers, but I cannot but help lamenting that we failed to provide the
> American anime fans and film researchers with the DVD set, which would be
> very useful and important source for education and research.
>
>
> Michiko Ito
> Japanese Studies Librarian
> East Asian Library
> University of Kansas Libraries
> Watson Library
> 1425 Jayhawk Blvd.
> Lawrence KS 60045-7544
> TEL: (785) 864-4669
> FAX: (785) 864-5311
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Cremin [mailto:asianfilmlibrary at mac.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 8:50 PM
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Subject: Re: Problems with DVD
>
>
> Perhaps film companies smell a profit to be made selling to universities
> and are holding out for five figure sums.  Which US university was it
> who paid a fortune to Shochiku to license silent films for their
> students which were actually already legally out of copyright?
>
> Stephen
>
>
> On Thursday, March 28, 2002, at 02:27 AM, Aaron Gerow wrote:
>
> > I am writing to see if anyone else has experienced some problems in
> > purchasing DVDs for university use in Japan.  I teach film, among other
> > things, at Yokohama National University in Japan. Every year, I use
> > university money to purchase VHS and DVD versions of Japanese films for
> > class use. Since I teach courses that include international students, I
> > have been especially pleased that some recent DVDs of Japanese films
> > manufactured in Japan have included English subtitles and have made a
> > point of purchasing those.
> >
> > However this year, when I tried to purchase about 31 of those DVD, I was
> > told by the accounting department which placed the orders that 29 of
> > them
> > could not be sold to universities because that would violate copyright
> > law.  If it was a VHS copy, it would be OK, I was told, but DVD--the
> > only
> > format that has the English subtitles--was no good. This, I thought, was
> > not only absurd, but I had faced no such problems with DVDs before, so I
> > asked them to try another purchasing route. That however also did not
> > work.
> >
> > I am both furious and confused. First, from my knowledge of Japanese
> > copyright law, there is not only no distinction made between DVD and VHS
> > soft (after all, I had no problem purchasing 2 of the DVDs), but fair
> > use
> > by educational institutions is protected (I can use films in class if
> > those who are seeing them are registered students--that is, that the
> > screening is not for an indeterminate audience). Second, this clearly
> > obstructs film education in Japan, if not research as well. Third, this
> > also seems to be a short-sighted measure, where companies, afraid that
> > university use will hurt sales to individuals, block the sales to
> > universities, but forget that in a culture where young Japanese do not
> > watch Japanese films, introducing Japanese cinema to students is one of
> > the roles universities can play in supporting the future of Japanese
> > film. Fourth, this also obstructs efforts to introduce Japanese culture
> > to non-Japanese.
> >
> > I was wondering if anyone else in Japan had the same experience. If
> > these
> > seems to be a general policy, I plan to launch an protest to the
> > companies selling the DVDs. Since I personally know some of the
> > directors
> > of the films involved, I hope to enlist their help as well.
> >
> > Aaron Gerow
> > Associate Professor
> > International Student Center
> > Yokohama National University
> > 79-1 Tokiwadai
> > Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501
> > JAPAN
> > E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
> > Phone: 81-45-339-3170
> > Fax: 81-45-339-3171
> >