I’m sure most of you have heard the recent news about Borders, and the less recent news about Blockbuster, and how both companies have had to close down many of their stores within the past year. This got me, and no doubt many others, thinking about what the future holds as far as digital distribution taking over all forms of media, anime included…
Like with the decline of video rental and music CD stores, bookstores like Borders are suffering because books are also becoming more easily available online, prompting people to want to purchase them via the Internet rather than make a trip to the store or take up more space on their shelves. Personally, I wouldn’t like it if books started only being released digitally rather than physically. Sure, books take up space, but to me they’re more easily portable. You can just slip a book into your bag and not have to worry about your computer’s battery life running out while you’re reading it. You can also flip to a page without having to turn anything on or off, or worry about how the speed and capabilities of your computer will affect your reading experience. And there’s just something more “comfortable” with holding a book open and turning pages as opposed to staring at a (sometimes tiny) screen. Of course, unlike other media forms like videos and music, reading a book doesn’t require electricity at all (except for lighting if it’s dark but there’s always candles and flashlights XD) So if there’s suddenly a power outage, or a digital library you frequent for your online reading is suddenly down, it won’t matter if you have physical copies of your books.
When it comes to videos however, I think the problem with Blockbuster has to do with a couple of things. Firstly is their inability to compete with online rental sites like Netflix, services like Video On Demand, and streaming sites like Hulu. When given the choice of being able to watch something without having to make a trip to a store to get it, most people, especially in this fast-paced day and age, would rather get their videos delivered to them with little effort. The second problem is just that, after all the years Blockbuster has been around, there’s been a near endless number of movies released onto DVD for them to rent out. A single Blockbuster store just doesn’t have the shelf space to hold all the DVDs that have been released, nor to display them in a way that makes it easy for people to browse through the shelves. Thus they’re missing a lot of movies you would expect them to have and can no longer provide videos of the more niche DVDs. I’m not familiar with Netflix, but I assume an online distributor would be able to offer a wider selection and make it easy for people to find what they want through an online search function (perhaps Blockbuster should get something like that?)
Like books, to me there’s still that indescribable something of holding a DVD in your hands, with its back and front covers, insert sleeves, etc., that makes having only the video file on your computer just seem kind of “naked.” But unlike books, videos are already digital forms of media and have always needed electricity and a machine to play them, so it wouldn’t be too weird if we reached a point where we purchased video files directly online without any packaging. I feel the same about music but I actually prefer online mp3 purchases because I can pick out the songs I want and don’t have to buy a whole CD with only a few songs I like (just to make it clear, I’m one of the few people left who doesn’t have an ipod and doesn’t use itunes).
With all this going on, it’s interesting that the anime market is still so intent on selling DVDs and CDs. DVDs especially are thought to be the main source of profit for the industry, so in order to get fans to buy them, the Japanese DVDs include many additional extras not only on the DVDs themselves, but physical extras like art booklets, pencil boards, etc,. Anime CD singles are still released too, again with attractive packaging and physical goodies to make fans buy them over online distribution. As for manga, which is perhaps Japan’s largest media industry, that too has started to go digital. But only time will tell whether digital distribution will take over this industry so closely defined by the pages of a book.
So…what does it all come down to? As I’ve mentioned in a post from over a year ago, it’s very possible that the technology we have now for all our writings, videos, music, etc., may become inaccessible with technology centuries from now, just as it’s getting harder and harder to track down VHS and record players. If that’s the case, how will we be remembered unless we leave behind physical evidence of our existence? If books become digital and something goes wrong with the database they’re stored on, how will people centuries from now be able to read them? I’m always saving copies of my blog posts in database form as well as individual Word documents, but there’s always that thought in the back of my mind that years from now these digital files will be too archaic to access with technology in the future, making all my years of writing disappear in a flash because they’re digitized and not on paper.
The misfortune of Borders, Blockbuster, Tower Records, Suncoast, and U.S. anime companies is more a result of the times than people’s pure laziness and pirating. We want to use our advanced technology to make things more convenient, but the bottom line is that there’s just so much more media available to us now – god knows how many movies, TV shows, books, and songs have come out in the past decade, so there’s just no way a single store could physically hold it all. Making things digital is the only way we’ll have room for even some of it and the time to pick amongst all the choices. Wordsworth’s famous line, “The world is too much with us,” is certainly applicable. Yes, the digital age is both exciting and scary at the same.
I didn’t know about the recent problems with Borders, and to be honest that’s a bit depressing. One of my favorite things in the world is the smell of a newly bought book, or just being surrounded by books. There are things like Kindle or whatever it’s called that allow you to download digital books to them, but I believe that holding a physical book is just nicer in general.
I now wonder when anime becomes yet another online form of media, but now I begin to wonder about families who aren’t willing to use their credit or debit cards online out of fear of someone obtaining their numbers and important info. How are they going to handle everything as all forms of media slowly become based on the internet?
I agree that having an actual book is nicer. Being able to view everything in one place on a screen is convenient, but for people who like to collect and display things, or who just like having the physical presence of something, having the actual object is more fulfilling.
As for people who refuse to do online transactions, it seems like one day they’ll just have to do it – just like how you now have to register for school or classes online and you have to pump your own gas, online transactions are fast becoming part of most people’s daily lives.
Not Borders! D: That place is my home.
The day I read from a digital book is the day when I stop watching anime.
A couple of friends and I had a discussion about this in my English class one time. “Reading books is classy.” I’ve always loved the smell of old books. I’ve always been an avid reader. Most of my friends are the same.
There’s so much technology out there, and it advances so quickly that I can barely keep up with it. I wish things moved a little slower. Society needs to learn how to stop and smell the roses.
I can’t help thinking that some of the events in Pixar’s WALL-E will end up true someday. And that won’t be a good thing.
The main reason I don’t enjoy reading books or manga online is because reading print on a screen for long periods of time hurts my eyes (subtitles on anime episodes are different). Also, like I explained in the post, books are easier to grab on the go and open up to a page at any moment. I also prefer to read while lying in bed and it’s more comfortable to do that with a book than a computer on your lap.
I see the story of Wall-E not nearly as far-fetched as most people think =/
Oh yeah, the screen thing is true, too.
But with manga, the words aren’t as close together, and there aren’t as many, so it does make it a little easier.
(PS there are two new posts @ aimless. I’d love to know your opinions on both subjects.)
I’m a bit shocked about the news as well, but it’s not really unexpected. People will always chose the easier/cheaper/more comfortable way to do things, and getting it online cannot get any easier.
I’m with you that the feeling of holding a book has it’s own charm. I own many books myself, and the older they get, the better they smell :) my computer LCD screen does not smell as nice :(
However, it is still expected. Times change, media changes. Physical stores will eventually become obsolete, but not the physical book media, or DVDs, or CDs. You will simply be able to get it from a place like Amazon. Where you get both advantages, an easy search system (no need to go to 3-4 bookstores before you find the book you need), and you still get a paper back you can read at the beach, in a nice couch, or even in the bathroom! (somewhere I would NOT take an IPAD, or Kindle). So the media itself still has value, but the way to get it is the problem.
Your observation about the added value in anime DVDs is a very good one. If they did something similar in video rental stores, or bookstores, where you get something extra when buying a book or renting a video, then things would look much better. They have to compete with the internet, so they have to offer things that the internet simply cannot offer. If you can’t match them in price/delivery then offer something your competitor cannot match :) Adapt or perish I guess :(
That’s a good point that perhaps physical forms of media like books and DVDs won’t lose popularity, just the means of getting them will become digitized. It’s been said that soon we won’t need to leave our homes to do anything, especially if we work from home or take online classes. We can order all we want online and pay bills online too. It’s a shame that the nightmare that so many sci-fi stories of the past conveyed – machines taking over the jobs of humans – is coming true. But like you say, people will ultimately want what is easier for them in their busy lives =/
I’ve always been resistant to change in media consumption (for music and video). It was more because of stubbornness though, than anything else. “But… cassette tapes are awesome. Why would I want to give up a tape for a giant, weird-looking disc?”
But I’m better at it now… largely because I’m an avid reader, which necessitates a constant ingestion of information, almost irregardless of where the content comes from or in what form it arrives. Writing for the web sometimes means that one will have to pull facts or info from sources that are also online-only, sources that are a print/web mix, e-newsletters, and so on. There are so many variations in online publishing, it frequently just blurs together. That said, I still have my physical, “reading list” to defer to.
It’s sad to see bookstores taking such a strong hit. I’ve read articles about how the typical wave of panic is now setting in, and consumers are ravaging the racks of Border stores in search of sales (sometimes, ignorant of whether or not they’re in a store that will stay open or close). Sales at some Borders installations are doubling that of Black Friday.
I wonder too, about specialty bookstores. Those mom-and-pop, used book shops.
Wow…I haven’t been to my local Borders in a while. I wonder if they have any sales going on or if they’re still planning to stay in business. They’re located in a very busy mall so perhaps they’re doing okay.
I actually haven’t seen any mom-and-pop bookstores in my area but I’ve seen a few video rental stores like that. Those were the good old days when I would rent VHS tapes all the time XD It’s the same old story of the big corporations taking over the business of the small private stores =( Many people would like to support the small store, but when you have a limited income, you want to get the best deals you can. It’s a sad cycle.
Digital Age is like the Bronze Age, the Silver Age or the Golden Age. Humanity must adapt to the era and changes. I just hope there is some technology that does not require electricity to play a DVD, reading an ebook, etc. Time will tell what will be the next age.
I remember an old Twilight Zone episodes that conveyed the message that all you had to do was take away our electricity, and human beings would go mad. Here we are all these years later, and it’s more true than ever. Sure, it’s convenient having all our desires met in one place – the Internet – but if anything were to happen to that one place, what would we do?
Ah, the irony – I’m writing this comment right after looking through a Borders store that’s closing down (20%-40%) and not really finding anything I want to buy.
There is a distinction to be made between the casual reader/listener/watcher and the more serious fan, or the scholar of these kinds of cultural products. The market is now leaning much more towards digital media because casual consumers don’t really want to be bothered with a lot of the details and/or extra trappings that come with the physical item, *AND* the experience of buying online also encourages people to buy and spend more. Think about it — when you’re in a store actually putting DVDs or books into your shopping bag, you start to become physically aware of how much you’re buying, but an online “shopping cart” is an intangible a bunch of words and pictures. I’ve ended up buying a bit more than I intended on Amazon.com this way (but luckily they were all used books going for a few dollars each, heh heh).
For serious fans who want the extras that come with a new DVD, or listen to the director’s commentary or watch the special features, digital streaming can’t do that — yet. I use Netflix, and it’s fine just for watching last year’s blockbuster movie on my computer, but for rare films or to get the special features I would need to put in a request for a physical DVD. I hear Blu-Ray Discs now come with a physical disk with all the special features and a bare-bones digital copy you can put on your iPod, thus getting the best of both worlds.
As for books, as a casual reader I’m fine with digital copies (I know a few people who have Kindles or read ebooks on their iPads, and they love it) for reading on the airplane, etc., but as a scholar and teacher I need to use hard copies for making notes, and because page numbers disappear in digital copies. They want to give you a “seamless” reading experience, so page numbers are removed and you get one long flow of words. Not very useful when you’re assigning readings for class or citing passages in an article!
Excellent point about how online shopping carts make it easier for you to spend more. I’m actually pretty careful with that, but I’m sure most people aren’t XD
Casual viewers not caring about extra content is another good point. Like I said towards the end of the post, there’s just so much media at our disposal now than ever before, and at the same time our lives are busier but we still want to keep up with everything. Thus, things become more disposable and fewer people have the time and luxury to treat books, movies, and TV shows as anything but enjoyable distractions. Hardcore fans and collectors have always been the minority, but it seems like now their options are slimming.
And that’s another good reason why we still need physical books. Didn’t think about it in terms of a job like yours =)
I had no idea bookstores were having this problem too. I can understand that sometimes having books on computerised forms would be handy but to me physical ones are always better. I like to be able to feel them and smell them and just looking at my shelves filled with books makes me happy. And like you said, without the physical versions of them how will they be preserved? Doesn’t really work for me to read something more than a fanfiction or a short story on the computer, for real stories I must be able to touch them.
As for DVD’s etc. I can understand them becoming computer based. I usually go online for things I want to see unless I actually go to the cinema to see it. I only ever buy an actual DVD now if I really want to watch that movie again and again and again or if I spot something cheap at the only movie market we have here (which is only once a year and finding something I want there doesn’t happen too often)
I also found it kind of funny that you mention Wordsworth since I was learning about him at school today XP
Wow, you’re like, the fourth person who’s said they like the smell of books =) Books could smell good, but I prefer the smell of a freshly opened pack of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards myself XD
But yeah, things definitely seem more real when you can touch and hold them. Like I said in the post, it’s not too unnatural for videos and music to be totally digitized, since they’ve always required a screen or some electronic to play, but books have existed since the beginning of human society without requiring any electricity. Just seems a shame to take that away.
Yeah, the Whitcoulls (another book/stationery chain) where I live is having to close down too. It’s really sad how people don’t want to buy physical books anymore… I mean yes, new books are expensive due to printing costs and labor costs but still, it just doesn’t feel good reading books on a computer screen. You can’t really call it a ‘book’ anymore if it’s just a file on a computer.
Maybe within a few hundred years, ‘books’ will be something of the past – and libraries will just be museums. Now that’s a depressing thought.
That is a sad thought. Sure, it’s more convenient to be able to read, watch videos, listen to music, mail things, etc., all from your computer without having to leave your home, but really, how does that give us experience in this wide world we live in? Of course I’m attached to my computer what with blogging and watching anime, but I wouldn’t want that to be my only option =/
This generation is promoting ease and comfort, e.g. teenagers didn’t “exist” until recently, and it could be considered as an “excuse” to not immediately transition to adulthood.
That said, what would be more comfortable? Staying at home or going out to line up for a DVD? Reading a free ebook or going to the bookstore wherein 1) you must spend and 2) the book you’re even looking for is unavailable?
Everyone fears exploitation, and Internet 2.0 is very good with that. Why would companies risk such exploitation when they have other means of marketing?
Like I said in the previous comment, convenience is good and all, but too much makes us lazy and inexperienced. Businesses are only out to make a profit and don’t look at the big picture of what their trade does to society as a whole. I really can’t predict what the digital age will lead too…I can only wait and see.
While I love my iPad, I would never trade ebooks for the real McCoy. While ebooks are green, the problem with it is that you need to buy a 300+ device to read ebooks or read them at the computer, which can be a inconvenience. On top of that, they are DRM laden… meaning you are locked to a single device or application just to read the book… While they are cheaper, it doesn’t mean better considering that the restrictions are draconian. This same thing applies to streaming as well… I would rather own the digital file or buy a DVD opposed to getting a subscription of Crunchyroll that won’t allow me to watch offline or on any other device like a Playstation 3. It seems this way with tech with one step forward and two steps backwards…
Good points on the more electronically advanced side of things =) Having the option to utilize all the latest technology or to just stick with what’s always worked (i.e., reading real books) would be great, but usually the less progressive option is eventually done away with. Hopefully it won’t be in our lifetime =/
You’ve brought up a good point about DRM and the ebook suppliers’ power to suddenly remove titles from your device. That happened with a few titles on Amazon’s Kindle a while back, and although the company apologized about it, it shows you how easy it is to wipe things off an e-reader, whereas you would need a court order to enter someone’s home and take physical copies of a book away. Given things like the new law in Tokyo that restricts “unhealthy” manga and anime, relying too much on digital readers and copies could result in draconian removal measures that can’t be easily undone.
Well, if you think about piracy and such problems that can bring down a prestigious creative studio/publisher, digital books and movies can be a bold move that says:
“Hey, we have an answer for everyone regarding media consumption. On one hand, publishers and studios can embrace digital marketing by giving out free chapters and sneak peeks.
On the other hand, consumers who are willing to pay will be at the front-lines, knowing and talking about new things; while others who don’t have the ability to pay (or have but they don’t want to) will have to wait longer, spend more of their precious time finding things and miss-out chances to stay inside daily conversations about media contents.”
There are also some good articles about the disappearance of Borders, stating that we can still enjoy books in the way we like, either finding old books in mom-n-pops book store (If you have watched the movie “You got mail”, you can understand those kind of small bookstores that everyone once loved were driven out by companies like Borders. Only thing now is that Borders had the same destiny in the digital age.)
http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/23/books-without-borders-a-victory-for-amazon-but-also-for-independent-book-stores/
Personally, I have no problem reading things on a screen. As a matter of fact, I even wish that manga can be presented in digital format (pdf) that I can search for certain lines within 1 volume or even the whole series. With jpg or paper version, it’s not possible. And my wild guess is that, just like free laptop and mobile phone programs, we can have free devices with pay-per-month basis for almost everything we need, from programs to ebook and emovie subscription in 1 package.
And if I need to savor the old smell of books, as a book geek I am, I can still relive my childhood of riding a bicycle across my HoChiMinh city to find books in second-hand shops, as those won’t be affected by the digital age (at least in my lifetime). My children won’t mind, though. Cuz they are going to learn almost everything digitally, just like in IS.
Being able to preview books online is definitely a good way for publishers to branch out into the digital age. But the main concern is, like with anime, if one person buys it legitimately, they could figure out a way to share it illegally with others via the Internet. It seems like there’s no stopping online piracy, but as time goes by perhaps better methods will arise.
I’ve seen the Kindle and I’m very impressed with it. I may buy one, or a device like it, some day in the future. That said, I don’t want to reach the point where I ever have to for any reason. I don’t want to live in a world without books. I don’t want to read manga on my computer. I know that lots of younger people don’t feel the same way, and that there isn’t much we can do to change their minds about the issue. I just hope that the economy holds out in the coming years long enough for publishers to find a model for selling real books that works in the age of the e-reader.
I don’t want to see my collection of anime DVDs fall into obsolescence, but I’m more willing to embrace the technological advances that are changing how we view our anime, and pretty much all of our video in general. Hopefully on-demand video can prove profitable enough for companies to continue making more of their shows available to it, even niche programs like anime (titles brand new and old). It’s so difficult when there are so many different companies involved in making titles available (a Japanese owner of the title, an American distributor, an American cable company, etc.). Everyone wants a disproportionately big piece of the pie.
I also spend a lot of time wondering which model is more “green,” and whether or not that can also be the most economically sustainable as well. Books eat up a lot of trees and fuel in their production and shipping, but let’s not pretend that our computers, hi-def TVs, or e-readers aren’t sucking down lots of power or requiring circuitry shipping from all across the world, either. Change like the kind that we’re experiencing is pretty exciting, but there are times that I wish it would slow down long enough for everyone to agree on some responsible practices that would benefit us all in the long run.
I didn’t know what the Kindle was until I did a Google search and it looks kinda…small. I guess people with bad eyesight, or those who don’t have good precision with their hands, wouldn’t be able to use it ~_^
But yeah, I also would be more willing to see video discs like DVDs become obsolete rather than books since, like I said in the post, they’re already a form of digital media to begin with.
Your statement about which is more “green,” books or all our electronics, is indeed a very good topic to discuss. It seems like no matter what we do, everything is a double-edged sword =/
I agree with you 110%. And also i too don’t have an ipod- i have an MP3 player and CD player.
It’s inevitable that at some point everything will become digitized. It’s a scary thought, but we can already see glimpes of it today. It’s hard to believe that future generations won’t know what a book or video store is.
you know it’s strange… but in Startrek TNG Captain Picard chose to reed books instead of using a padd… this actually predates the Ipad and Kindle so Gene Roddenberry already predicted this would happen :P however… even in the 24th century people still like reading books ^_^