Singapore clamps down on illegal anime downloads (Finally)
The last time I blogged about this illegal downloads topic, I actually got news that while it’s true, they were not really starting to execute it yet. But it seems like all that is about to change.
You can see a list of liscensed anime here.
After asking various people that I think would know better, I can’t confirm whether this is actually happening, although my instincts tell me that the government is serious this time. Don’t ask me things like whether Bittorrent / youtube / crunchroll is illegal. I have no idea, and if you’re worried, you shouldn’t try any of them but should buy the licensed VCDs instead. Besides I think it’s hard to quantify whether the actual creators of anime gain or lose out by the use of fansubs.
Don’t bother debating what effects this has on the anime community in Singapore. Whether good or bad, it has been debated to death over and over again. I guess the government believes that it’s vital to uphold Singapore’s reputation as a place that protect intellectual property.
Obviously I have no idea whether this is fact or fiction, but you’re better off stopping downloads.
Anyway, personally for this blog, I haven’t decided what to do with it. I’m considering whether to continue blogging about unlicensed anime titles, (compared to the list mentioned above), and letting my jap friends fill in some blanks as well.
Yup. No idea where I would go from here. But the most sad part to me is that this would definitely mean the death of the current local anime blogging community. (It will probably still exist, just in a modified form)
*update* Odex is updating their website to include translator’s blog, paid anime downloads. That should be interesting.
*another update* Actually, I’m pretty upset with the comments I see in the singapore blogsphere in general with regards to anime downloads. It shows how much we’ve come to think of anime as “free stuff”. I’m quite excited with what Odex and companies are planning to do, why won’t people just give them a chance. Time to do things within a legal framework. Half the time, the reasonings I see behind arguments are just plain excuses.
>Sakurazaki, relax man… Don’t let them get to you. It is not worth get agitated over this. Forums are meant to be that way. I am suppose to be unknown.
Just some extra thoughts after what you said.
Personally I don’t approve of bootlegs, that is outright profiting on something that do not belong to you. Even if you tell me that is cheaper. As for fansubs, I am grateful to them for providing something that is not done commercially but I am aware that is not right. Fansubs actually bring forth exposure to a very different area that is not yet explored in our society. But reason for fansubs and bootlegs, I would not really say that is because of jobs undone, but rather is a demand and supply issue. And with the “customer is always right” thing, that is not always true, there is also a saying, that you can reject if “customer is being unreasonable”.
With this AFA08, I hope people are made more aware of Anime and the related issues involved. Because even now, I am still getting people asking if “this” or “that” is okay to download. And hopefully this even turns out really well and tell them that there is a market for anime in SG and in order to harvest, please don’t kill us off so fast with their harsh methods.
As for the companies, I would really appreciate if they could send a letter of warning first, at least to let the person know that they are being watched, rather than frightened them off. And also make known their presence, that should help. And I do not know how many years of watching did I take to know the number of japanese companies involved in the anime industry. These things take time. And companies should not want their name to be remembered for the wrong reasons.
Think I better stop here. Else this will become a story soon. – K
Haha… Ya I tink I’m too agitated… juz wanna see this thing blow over soon… and i hope it does… all of us are under Hidden idnetities here… so i shld not ask too ahaha…
Jzu hope this blows over soon n hope that the Market of Anime in Singapore will somehow expand… Till now we shld try our best in waht we an do to help to solve but if no avail i have nothing to say… XD
Sakurazaki
The only thing i really don’t like is that most of the time, fansubs tend to turn out better than the actual subs the publishing company puts on it. And frankly speaking (and im not being racist) most of the Anime on that list are not available in english subs but Chinese subs which makes it hard for non-Chinese speaking Anime fans to purchase Animes of their choice. Being Indian (and i get that we are a minority), unless they have any intention of publishing more English-subbed Anime, i’d rather just stop watching anime on a whole than purchase anime I don’t understand.
These are my own opinions and I don’t mean to cause trouble for anyone.