Getting anime in the UK sucks.

[Totally Guy]

So I used to be really into anime. I was the only Anime fan around as far as I could tell. Anyway I went to an anime convention and it was a big let down, people were jerks and I kind of lost interest.

Fast forward 8 years and my friends are all into anime. And my youngest brother's friends are all into it too.

My youngest brother uses my old collection to score chicks who have only seen Naruto and Bleach. In related news my old Evangelion box set has gone missing. I wonder who he lent it to...

But anyway, I'm older and have money now so I figured I'd buy another set to lend to my current friends because they'd never heard of Evangelion! But I'm looking around for Region 2 copies in UK online stores. I can only find individual DVDs that won't make up a complete set. I could import from the US but it's bad form to lend or gift Region 1s. I was chasing a set (of individual discs by the same seller!) on ebay this morning. I was watching all morning and then one of the discs got priced really high (good strategy!) so I just lost interest.

I guess we could watch the rebooted movies but there's going to be a huge wait for 3 and 4.

I also remember seeing Giant Robo VHSs in the stores back when I was in school. I checked online today, there must be a box set. It turns out it was never released on DVD...

I guess it's all been an economics thing. Failure to reach that critical mass when this stuff becomes profitable.

[Terraoblivion]

The internet helps a lot. You'll have to keep a look out for accidentally getting region 1 or region 4 DVDs, since it isn't actually legal to sell you a DVD player that can play them. Even so Amazon has a pretty solid selection of region 2 DVDs. At least I believe they're region 2, I still have an old regionfree DVD player from before sale of them was banned.

Edit: A 30-second search revealed this, though it is bloody expensive.

[Mercenary Pen]

Yeah, I really know what you mean here, I have to spend much of my time working out whether I should really get the anime DVDs I want because the £20+ price-tags are ridiculously prohibitive for what you actually get.

In fact, I think to some degree those price-tags are part of the reason that anime hasn't taken off so much- it being much more satisfying to buy two or three awesome things you want to watch for £30 rather than just one.

This being the case, the only thing that could make anime more mainstream, lower priced and more profitable is for good series' to be shown by mainstream TV channels...


Until that happens, the only solutions that I can see are either watching through less than legal means or simmering in disappointment, neither of which comes anywhere close to being an adequate solution.

[Hazzardevil]

Yeah, I really know what you mean here, I have to spend much of my time working out whether I should really get the anime DVDs I want because the £20+ price-tags are ridiculously prohibitive for what you actually get.

In fact, I think to some degree those price-tags are part of the reason that anime hasn't taken off so much- it being much more satisfying to buy two or three awesome things you want to watch for £30 rather than just one.

This being the case, the only thing that could make anime more mainstream, lower priced and more profitable is for good series' to be shown by mainstream TV channels...


Until that happens, the only solutions that I can see are either watching through less than legal means or simmering in disappointment, neither of which comes anywhere close to being an adequate solution.

I agree, to my knowledge the only anime in the UK is pokemon, yugioh, naruto and possibly bleach. I know of lots of websites that show anime although I don't know if it's legal or not.

[Axolotl]

As someone who's recently become interested in anime I agree it's frustratingly hard to get some series, even ones that seem to be famous and popular. Sometimes even when you can find a DVD boxset with the whole series it's ridiculously expensive, like £45 for a 16 episode series. My advice is to be opertunistic, don't hunt after specific series just keep an eye out for what you've heard is good turning up at reasonable prices, plenty of decent anime does get released over here you just have to accept that you aren't going to always find what you want and consider yourself lucky when something good does turn up.

[Manga Shoggoth]

I agree, to my knowledge the only anime in the UK is pokemon, yugioh, naruto and possibly bleach. I know of lots of websites that show anime although I don't know if it's legal or not.

I do have to ask where you are looking. Most branches of HMV sell anime, as do other large retailers; checking in the second-hand shops (those that concentrate on DVD and Video) frequently yeilds anime. Even the charity shops occasionally come up with a couple of gems.

If there is a Forbidden Planet local to you they will stock it. Some of the comic shops stock it. If all else fails there is MVM UK (http://www.mvm-films.com/) and Anime Online (http://www.anime-on-line.com/) (although I have never used them as I have brought most of my collection over the counter).

[Mercenary Pen]

I agree, to my knowledge the only anime in the UK is pokemon, yugioh, naruto and possibly bleach. I know of lots of websites that show anime although I don't know if it's legal or not.

Have previously had runs of lesser known series over here such as Zoids and Monster Rancher, and I've seen the mainstream channels show the occasional movie-length piece by Studio Ghibli over holiday periods- beyond that, I'd have to search TV guides pretty thoroughly.

Most websites showing anime are illegal (though I understand that a few such as Crunchyroll do operate legally- though money does have to change hands as part of this).


I do have to ask where you are looking. Most branches of HMV sell anime, as do other large retailers; checking in the second-hand shops (those that concentrate on DVD and Video) frequently yeilds anime. Even the charity shops occasionally come up with a couple of gems.

If there is a Forbidden Planet local to you they will stock it. Some of the comic shops stock it. If all else fails there is MVM UK (http://www.mvm-films.com/) and Anime Online (http://www.anime-on-line.com/) (although I have never used them as I have brought most of my collection over the counter).

It's my understanding that he's referring to anime as shown by TV channels over here (and possibly only by mainstream TV channels), rather than the wider offering available from stores like HMV and Amazon, since getting it in stores pretty much demands that you know you want it in the first place (most anime being priced well outside the impulse purchase category at present).

[thubby]

I agree, to my knowledge the only anime in the UK is pokemon, yugioh, naruto and possibly bleach. I know of lots of websites that show anime although I don't know if it's legal or not.

technically? no.
in practice, though, no one really cares. after all, we're all outside the region they'd normally make a profit from. the bigger studios have even gotten in the habit of releasing their shows onto the web.

[Manga Shoggoth]

It's my understanding that he's referring to anime as shown by TV channels over here (and possibly only by mainstream TV channels), rather than the wider offering available from stores like HMV and Amazon, since getting it in stores pretty much demands that you know you want it in the first place (most anime being priced well outside the impulse purchase category at present).

Ah. That makes more sense.

Still, if you have Freeview (which will be the only way to watch TV in about a year if they still intend to switch off the analogue signal...) there is still the odd item on (a lot of the Myazaki films, for a start). You do have to keep an eye on the schedules, though.

Alas, there don't appear to be many of the series on screen.

[Akiosama]

Well, if you don't mind streaming it on your PC rather than owning it, I'd recommend http://www.animeseason.com. It's got a pretty good selection of stuff, and a lot of the groups that have stuff there are on the ball with barely a day delay between airing in Japan and posting with subtitles on the site.

One thing, though, is it's nearly all subbed anime. Some people don't like subbed anime, apparently.

Good luck.

My 2 yen,

Akiosama

[Brother Oni]

Import from Japan - they're region 2 as well.

Of course you then have to hope they have English subtitles or be able to speak the language yourself.

Amazon.co.uk has quite an extensive list of anime these days, much better than back in my day, when it was Manga Video or nothing.

[Lord Seth]

The internet helps a lot. You'll have to keep a look out for accidentally getting region 1 or region 4 DVDs, since it isn't actually legal to sell you a DVD player that can play them. Even so Amazon has a pretty solid selection of region 2 DVDs. At least I believe they're region 2, I still have an old regionfree DVD player from before sale of them was banned.Is it really banned? A quick search for "region free DVD player" on amazon.co.uk turns up several. Granted, those could be illegal, but I doubt they'd be so easy to find on that site if they were truly banned.

From what I can tell though, region-free DVD players are legal in the US.

[Terraoblivion]

I believe they are in the EU as a whole, though I suppose it might just be Denmark. Selling them is definitely illegal here since my parents were explicitly told so when they wanted to buy one earlier this year.

[littlebottom]

Anime in the UK does indeed suck price wise. most dvds have 3 or 4 episodes on them and cost a minimum of £15. i mean seriously?:smallconfused:

but that said, i have seen the FMA: Brotherhood dvds (which i think are awesome for containing 14 episodes (i think, around about that anyway) per dvd) for just £10 that made my jaw drop, it was insanely good value compared to everything else. i end up buying everything as box sets, just so its sliiiightly cheaper, but that limits you to what actually HAS a box set :smallannoyed: