Eveything You Always Wanted to Know About Becoming an Anime Retailer but Were Afraid to Ask
Posted by erin at October 1, 2004 11:08 AMOne of my coworkers knows a guy at a comic book store in New York that's thinking about starting an anime section. The guy wanted a list of popular anime to help him get started. I offered to make such a list and it turned into a gigantic diatribe. I'm reposting it here. So read on, if you're interested.
Eveything You Always Wanted to Know About Becoming an Anime Retailer but Were Afraid to Ask
Basically, if you're starting an anime section in your store you need to consider a couple of things, such as, are you catering to hardcore fans, or armchair anime fans who only watch anime on Cartoon Network? Second, what can your store offer that isn't already widely available in the city and/or on the internet at a cheaper price?
I'd say you'd make a bit of money pandering to fans of anime on television, the ones who don't really know enough about it to look elsewhere.
In order to compete with other anime retailers in the city (here is the a definitive guide: http://nyc-anime.memnon.net/#stuff) you could do a lot of business by doing two things:
1. Selling anime merchandise and apparel, and
2. Selling used anime.
The "used" suggestion is because when I go to buy anime on DVD, I don't go to a store, I always check three sites: www.rightstuf.com , http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/genre.cfm?genre=AN , and the used stuff on amazon.com in the DVD section. If you can undercut these prices, you would surely be a god among men.
The following is a list of popular anime, in order by catergory, with some editorial notes. Below that is a list of merchandise you should consider carrying. Some of them might not be spelled correctly.
Anime Popularized by American Television
----------------------------------
Inu Yasha
Cowboy Bebop
Trigun
(notice that this is the trifecta of popular anime in America: Cowboy Bebop, Inu Yasha, Trigun)
FLCL
.hack//sign
Witch Hunter Robin
Wolf's Rain
Banner of the Stars
Boogiepop Phantom
Lain
Last Exile (very popular)
Outlaw Star
The Big O
Pokemon
YuGiOh
Shaman King
Sailor Moon (you should only get "uncut" boxed sets of this for your store)
Detective Conan (known in the U.S. as "Case Closed")
Coming Soon To American Television
-----------------
Full Metal Alchemist (extremely popular)
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex (TV series)
Read or Dream
The Super Milk Show
One Piece (extremely popular)
Tokyo Mew Mew (known in the U.S. as Mew Mew Power)
Popular in General
-----------
Chobits (irritatingly popular)
Azumanga Diaoh (well-liked by all)
Excel Saga
Naruto (only downloadable, but someday may be a big hit on TV, it is CRAZY popular)
Noir
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenoshi
Read or Die
The Animatrix
Great Teacher Onizuka
Fruits Basket (very popular)
Escaflowne (akak Visions of Escaflowne)
Rurouni Kenshin
Marmalade Boy
Fushigi Yugi
The Cat Returns (maybe not out here yet)
Stuff that's just now coming out on DVD
------------------
Mezzo
Samurai Champloo (extremely popular)
Peacemaker
Princess Tutu (shut up, Princess Tutu is awesome!)
Stelvia of the Universe
Anime "Classics"
--------------
Neon Genesis Evangelion (now in Platinum edition!)
Ranma 1/2
Ghost in the Shell (the original)
Akira
Grave of the Fireflies
Lupin the Third
Slayers
Record of the Lodoss Wars
Ninja Scroll
Dagger of Kamui
Dragon Half
Anything in the "Essential Anime" collection from ADV
Macross Plus (there are a milliun Macross series, "Plus" is the best one)
Gundam (there are a thousand Gundam series, you can read about them here: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=4189 in general, Gundam "Seed" and "Wing" are popular because of Cartoon Network, but they are not the "best" according to hardcore Gundam fans)
All things Satoshi Kon:
------------
Perfect Blue
Millennium Actress
Tokyo Godfathers
Paranoia Agent (which I highly recommend)
Anything and everything by Hayao Miyazaki, including:
--------------------
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Castle in the Sky
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away
Castle Cagliostro
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (coming soon to the U.S.)
Porco Rosso (also coming soon)
Panda Go Panda
Sherlock Hound
Merchandise
-----------------------
In order to compete with Chinatown, and to fill a kind of hole in the NYC market for anime merchandise (legitimate anime merchandise, not the knock-offs) you should stock the following merchandise:
Digi Charat plush hats
http://www.animegamersusa.com/istar.asp?a=3&dept=MB&class=CP
Fruits Basket plush hats
(which I can't find a single picture of)
http://www.fruits-basket.com/news.htm
Naruto headbands
http://www.justmanga.com/jmaprod/naruto-headband.cfm
Chobits Ears (aka Chii Ears)
http://store.d2r.org/chiiears.shtml
Plushies
----------------
Totoro plushies are always a classic, but here are some others:
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/VzaXHpAflhAIozSInZ/browse/i tem/62244/4/0/0
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/VzaXHpAflhAIozSInZ/browse/i tem/62240/4/0/0
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/2LfjNfG5-obTLG7uod/browse/i tem/63141/4/0/0
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/drJKLG9dDKr3KUPHXF/browse/i tem/59703/4/0/0
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/drJKLG9dDKr3KUPHXF/browse/i tem/63758/4/0/0
These "Pinky" dolls are the next big thing:
http://www.jlist.com/cgi-bin/disp.cgi?img=http://images.jlist.com/d2/pinkytown_ y84.jpg&#x=317&y=450
T-Shirts
----------------
A word on T-shirt: Comic book stores always carry XXXL boys shirts. Sure, the clientelle is mostly male, but there are a lot of girls out there who read manga and watch anime (and read American comics, too!) who don't want wear XXXLs. So you should consider stocking girly-tees.
These FLCL shirts were very popular at Otakon:
http://www.animecastle.com/catalog/apparel/cat_flcl-apparel.html
These wacky J-List T-shirts tended to sell out the first day of the con:
http://www.jlist.com/SHRT/
The Competition:
-------------------
http://www.animecastle.com/
http://matrixcollectibles.site.yahoo.com/
http://www.otakuden.com/catalog/index.php
ImageAnime is a good store to check out for competition. In a city of bootlegs, they have a lot of legitimate merchandise. I've never been to Anime Castle in Queens, but they appear to have a lot of wall scrolls. Good wall scrolls are hard to find, but are good anime merchandise. Otakuden doesn't have merchandise, but seeing as how they're on Broadway at 8th street, they might be your closest competition.
A Word on Kim's Video:
--------------
They are jerks, with a petrified collection of ancient anime titles. They won't buy your used anime, and they sell bootlegs and fansubs, often at significant price gouge. Don't be like them.
Here's a lengthy explanation:
That said - you need to be aware of bootlegs and fansubs. What are bootlegs?
Here's a quote from here: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/columns/answerman.php?id=101
"Bootlegs are basically someone stealing something, making an illegal copy of it, and selling it without paying the person who made it originally, they're illegal. You can tell if something is a bootleg by simply doing a little research. Look on legit websites like AMO Tokyo to see the original packaging. If there’s any variation on that packaging design, it’s a bootleg. If it came from Hong Kong or Taiwan, there's a very good chance it's a bootleg. It’s bad to buy bootlegs because the people who worked hard to make that music or anime series do not get compensation from the sale of the bootleg."
How are fansubs like bootlegs? In the eyes of the law they are the same thing. Here's an article on it: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature.php?id=144
You can tell the difference between a bootleg and a fansub in the following way:
A Hong Kong/Taiwan/Chinese release of a DVD will often have really crappy English subtitles and be really cheap, but have somewhat official looking packaging. Fansubs are often burned on CD's or copied on VHS tapes with homebrewed labels. You can always tell a fansub because during the commercial break (eyecatch) there will be a disclaimer saying something like, "This is by fans, for fans, and not for sale, rent, or Ebay. Please stop distributing this when this title becomes available in North America."
The legitimate American release of something will always have an English voice track. That's the quickest way to tell.
As a future anime retailer you're going to have to make the choice of either carrying all legitimate American DVD's, which are more expensive, or supplying low-quality bootlegs and/or fansubs, which, although of dubious legality, are a million times cheaper. I'd sell the legit stuff if I were you. There are enough places in the city to buy cheap crap. That said, if you sold legit used anime, I think there's be a real market for it.
Comments Individual Archive Index
October 1, 2004 12:09 PM, emsariel said:
This is *such* a good guide! Is it okay if I link to it from elsewhere?
October 1, 2004 12:23 PM, Erin said:
Yes you can.
But notice that this isn't my list of recommended anime. That list is at:
October 1, 2004 12:31 PM, Erin said:
That list is from 2003, and is badly in need of an update, though. The "Recommended Anime" list is also somewhat misleading in that I haven't stated how much of certain shows I've seen.
If Maison Ikkoku is 96 episodes long, and I've seen only 3 episodes, I've only seen 3% of it, and may not be making a sound judgement.
The above "Anime for Retailers" is more comprehensive in that I don't have to have seen a series to know of its popularity.
October 1, 2004 12:57 PM, dafid dunaherm said:
Satoshi Kon also scripted the Memories of Her [aka Magnetic Rose] segment of the Katsuhiro Otomo anthology, Memories. He didn't direct it but his influence on that project is pretty obvious and it is also noteworthy in that it may have had a pretty big impact on his career (just two years later he directed Poifick Blue which Otomo produced.)
October 1, 2004 01:00 PM, dave said:
Oh yeah, and incidentally, the ONLY anime that I would currently list as 'essential' viewing these days are Akira, Memories, and Giant Robo.
-dave-same-as-above
October 1, 2004 01:01 PM, dsfdfsa said:
Though I reserve judgement on the 'classic' Ninja Bugeicho (until I see more of it) and on Horus (until I see it again.)
asdf
October 1, 2004 02:28 PM, Jay said:
Full Metal Alchemist is coming to US TV? WHEN AND WHERE!! It's so good!
October 1, 2004 03:23 PM, Ali Wilgus said:
Jay --
FMA premieres on Cartoon Network on Saturday, November 6th at 11:30 PM. ROCK.
October 1, 2004 03:38 PM, Ali said:
Here's a lengthy explanation:
That said - you need to be aware of bootlegs and fansubs. What are bootlegs?
**was there supposed to be something else between those two lines?
October 1, 2004 03:56 PM, Erin said:
It's just an awkward subject header. I might actually fix it. Then delete your comment! BWAHAHAAHAH.
I've realized a couple things I've left off:
- Gravitation is "Just Now on DVD" and has a big cult following.
- Utena counts as "Popular"
- SoulTaker is now appearing on TechTV, and only five minutes ago I was in an anime store where someone was asking for it. It is "Popularized by Television".In response to some other comments:
- My "classic" anime list is very short and merely a suggestion. I could make an "Anime Canon" list that would include things like Giant Robo.
- N. suggest that there is a gap in the market for selling used anime. If the comic book store in question offered to buy used anime (no bootlegs, no fansubs), they could start a decent stock in-store without coughing up a lot of capital to do so.
October 1, 2004 04:30 PM, Eugene said:
I've sold used anime to Kim's (okay, just once...disc one of "Now and Then, Here and There," which I was only selling because I had an extra. I love that show and wouldn't part with it unless I had to!). I sometimes buy used anime there too, and GameStop usually has a stock of used anime as well.
Maison Ikkoku... man, it took me a loooong time to watch all of that. And I still haven't seen the OVAs or movie (animated, not the live-action one). I'm sure it was worth it, but it's all a blur, and I don't think I could do that again.
I don't see Kimagure Orange Road on this list of classics. Ahem. And what of Irresponsible Captain Tylor? If I walk into this store, they'd better be selling that instead of Witch Hunter Robin!
And no, The Cat Returns isn't available in the US, and possibly never will...it exists only as a *bootleg*.
And hey, Voices of a Distant Star should be up there somewhere. And Metropolis.
I know, I know...I should go make my own list and leave yours alone. Sorry.
October 1, 2004 04:49 PM, Erin said:
The last time I was at Kim's they only glanced at my DVD and said, "We're not buying anymore used anime... we've gotten so much of it lately."
This from the jerks that take a $5 Chinatown fansub and mark it up to $8 or $11 to re-sell it.
Anyhow, which is going to sell more copies *right this minute* - Witch Hunter Robin or Irresponsible Captain Tylor? We all know what people should watch, but that isn't always what people are buying.
October 3, 2004 09:16 PM, Jay said:
Well that's too late for me. By November 6th, I'll have bittorrented all of FMA. It's only 52 eps and I've downloaded the first 40 already. Though I've only watched through episode 8, I'm sure fansubs sans commercials are better. The series has some violence to it as well and I don't think certain episodes will make TV-PG without some editing. Also, it premiers right in the middle of my finals. SUCK.
October 4, 2004 11:01 PM, Maggie said:
Erin! From what you've told me about Full Metal Alchemist, I really want to watch it! You should remind me the week before it's on tv so that I could watch/tape it and not miss it! Hooray for a TV show I have not yet seen but have anticipated since March!
(And I hope it's better than Cowboy Bebop.)
October 5, 2004 11:25 AM, Jay said:
I can give you a sneak preview if you want, Maggie.
October 5, 2004 01:37 PM, Maggie said:
Heh heh, this is how anime dorks breed. "Hey, baby, wanna come over for a sneak preview?"
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