Hey, Answerman! SOPA Cabana
, I've got some! So here we go:Hey Answerman,
After reading this article from the LA Times about binge, or marathoning TV shows on websites like Netflix and their upcoming original series like "Lilyhammer" and "House of Cards" that will have all the episodes available at once, I wondered, how would this model affect the viewing habits and the structure of anime? I've marathoned my fair share of programing on Netflix. Is this a good or bad development for anime? It seems, given that most anime run between 13 and 26 episodes with a continuous storylines, they would be tailored made for this model. However, content streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu, as far as I know, has not really caught on in Japan as it has here. If it did, would we see new anime series transition to the web in the vain of "House of Cards"?
Expanding on that question: eventually Hulu and Netflix want to expanding into countries like Japan, so when they start streaming partnerships there, what does that do to sites like Crunchyroll, and to a larger extent Funimation as these companies take over global markets? Will they cut out the middlemen and stream anime for both Japanese and American viewers? Looking at it in a positive light, would such a development allow better simulcasts? Would the ideal be for anime series to stream online in multiply countries and languages at once proceeding consecutive home video releases in the same territories later on?