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This is perhaps our most tragic episode ever, for not only have we lost our sole sponsor Right Stuf due to Crunchyroll shutting it down, but Clarissa is reviewing The Poe Clan, one of the great shojo manga masterworks by Moto Hagio.
Introduction (0:00 – 25:45)
Well, they did the thing. It’s not like it’s a surprise. A year ago, we said it’d happen “a year from now.” But Crunchyroll has now shut down Right Stuf. After October 10th, it will instead redirect to the CR Store, and once again uncertainty abounds. Will the service be as good as Right Stuf’s? (That certainly isn’t the case right now!) Will they continue to carry all products? Discotek stated “we don’t anticipate any change in the availability or sales practices when it comes to our products” in their latest newsletter, but will that last? Best case scenario: maybe they’re just changing the sign in front of the building. We’ll wait and see what people say, and give things a shot ourselves, and if we like it–and they extend the offer–then maybe we’ll be sponsored by the CR Store moving forward instead. But until October 10th, you can use promo code “THANKYOU” to save an additional 15% off your Right Stuf orders, and if you do plan on doing so please consider using our affiliate link one last time before it’s gone.
Saturday, 09/30/2023, join us on the Anime World Order Discord at 3 PM EST for the Fall 2023 Trailer Watch Party! We’re once again watching trailers for all the stuff coming out next season…wait, it’s not really 75+ titles, is it? Viewable to all, but if you back us on our Patreon at any tier, then you’ll be able to chat and post with us as well.
Review: The Poe Clan (25:45 – 1:07:42)
It’s been quite some time since we’ve actually reviewed manga, and at the risk of invoking the ire of the greater evolved manga gods in the English-speaking world Clarissa weighs in on Moto “Actually Born In Showa 24 Unlike The Rest Of Youse Mugs” Hagio’s foundational shojo manga, The Poe Clan. This centuries-spanning tale of beautiful ageless adolescent vampires–er, “vampirnellas”–was a breakout hit in the early 1970s, and while we understand that after a decades-long hiatus it resumed a few years ago, all we currently have access to is the Fantagraphics hardcover editions of the original series. Somewhere, Gerald schemes in retaliation, either in the form of the annual trivia episode or perhaps a special guest appearance.
I’ve said it elsewhere, but I’ll say it again: I think Discotek should (and likely will) set up their own online boutique shop. They have a degree of customer loyalty and trust that practically no other anime publisher has, and both of those are qualities a publisher needs to maintain that sort of business for the long term.
It’s not like they are strangers to shipping, as in addition to their early storefront they’ve also quietly been running their own Ebay store. If anything, this would help them cut out some of the middlemen and keep a bit more profit for themselves, as well as allowing them to host more sales and focused marketing. If Discotek is truly to become the anime equivalent of an Arrow Films or Vinegar Syndrome, then they might as well go all the way with it.
I’m gonna call it. This time next year (2024) Crunchyroll will discontinue DVD/BD releases. They will cite declining sales as the reason. Sales will decline for them due to ineptitude, poor service and pricing.
The self-fulfilling prophesy of retail today.
It’s just like when Best Buy bought out Suncoast.
I imagine Shawn signed a non-compete for his not-quite-golden parachute. Probably a NDA as well. Starting a new company would be the heroic thing for him to do but on top of everything, I imagine he’s just tired of the battle.
The boutique nature of the video marketplace is somewhat like the very first days of home video in the ‘70s, where studios would lease titles to small companies, then the rental market came into being and the studios got both feet into the pool. The problem TODAY is the scalper market, people snapping up those limited releases not out of love but to resell at insane prices. And that, the frustration at being locked out of something due to greed, will eventually kill home video.
Can you think of anything more ironic that I can’t get a copy of Xabungle? Oh I could if I wanted to pony up anywhere between $250-500 USD but as much as I love Xabungle, as much as I’ve pumped it over the years, no, I don’t love it THAT much. Hell I think I could get the Japanese BD cheaper. And someday I just may. ?
As an addendum, I will note that the last time I bought from The Right Stuf was I think 2 years ago, maybe a little more, and I have gotten tons of emails from them ever since. I never opted out because I did want to know about sales and such.
Oct. 10 2023. First official day of Crunchyroll minus TRS. Not a single email welcoming me, assuring me that all will be as it was and even better, encouraging me to buy something with a day-of-changeover discount code, OR EVEN BOTHERING TO SAY HEY SHOP HERE NOW.
Sony bought CR to control anime streaming. CR bought Funimation to control content acquisition. CR bought TRS to control physical media.
You will own nothing and be happy. ?
HAHAHAHAHA! Oh my gosh.
Oct. 11 2023 I received an email asking to try out the CR store and offering a discount code. The email sent by TRSi.
Folks at TRSi, if you read my previous post and jumped up to do this thing, I give you massive props and all my respect. I just deeply regret that CR didn’t do it. Not because I have any love for them, but because it’s sad to see good people like the TRSi staff having to work to correct their new masters errors in judgement.
Steve
I see you fixed the public commentary system, guess my dedicated email was all for nothing.
There is 1 more thing I can ask: what will happen to my Right Stuf account? Will it just be wiped?
[The CR Store website states that they are going to automatically migrate over active US/CA Right Stuf accounts to CR accounts on October 25th (next Wednesday as of the time I’m writing this). You can opt out of this if you want.
Reports indicate that CR Store orders are still shipping from the former Right Stuf warehouse, with the same good packaging methods. Their preorder discount of 25% is identical to what Right Stuf’s preorder discount was, and their 10% “Mega Fan” discount for subscribers seems to be equivalent to what the old “Got Anime?” membership would get you. Main thing I’m noticing at a glance is that they don’t (currently?) have the same amount of inventory as Right Stuf did, though I did notice that they were doing preorders for upcoming live-action releases (just not John Sirabella’s). –Daryl]