Kevin Barth wrote:
> 
> ObAdmission: I own a couple SM CDs.  I knew what they were when I bought
> them, but the titles in question were out of print.  I would buy them again
> if the titles weren't available otherwise.   And I just placed an order with
> UCI for about 80 bucks worth of REAL CDs and CD singles.  Just to give you
> an idea where I am coming from...

 ...Don't you have NICE (anime fan) FRIENDS that will let you BORROW the
CDs...? (I guess not...)

> Let me play the devil's advocate here for a minute.  A lot of the argument
> over why original Japanese CDs are better seems to be coming from a value
> added perspective - you get much better booklets, package inserts, and so
> forth.  All of which is undeniable.
> 
> My question for all of you is, how much does this REALLY matter to you? 

 Matters A LOT for me, and for other (not all) ADVANCED fans as well...
I wouldn't sometimes buy CDs, if it doesn't come with these extra
things...

> I buy a CD because I want to listen to the music.  Value added for me is that
> the lyrics are clearly printed on the inside of the folder, so I can follow
> along.  The rest of the junk - pretty pictures, interviews, and the like -
> generally goes unread or is looked at once and forgotten about.  That's NOT
> why I buy the CDs.

 If that's the case...then you're just a casual anime
watcher/listener... DEFINATELY NOT AN OTAKU, or a devoted anime fan... I
don't want to waste my precious time, or energy talking, to such people
on an ML with other much more devoted fans, nor am I willing to discuss
anything with such a person. The so called "casual" fans can talk with
them selves, while the other, "not so casual" people can talk with them
selves... aviods the waste of time and energy... 
 (besides, the level, and quality of info. exchanged between "serious"
(?) fans are much more "intensive", then the casual fans... some times
even scary ^_^;;;)

> Value added ceases to be value added if it is never utilized.  This is the
> selling point of generic foods, bargain-packaged CD-ROM games...and Son May Cds.


 ...Yes. that seems to be the argument for some people....
 ...so what happens to the idea about "supporting your favorite
artists"...?
 
> I would therefore argue that if you don't buy SM from a moral perspective,
> that's great.  I agree with you for the most point.  And for the amoral
> types out there, maybe the legal argument holds more weight.  But unless I
> am completely off my mark most people just do not get enough usage or
> pleasure out of those extras to make up the $20 difference in price tag
> between SM and original release.  Am I wrong?

 I think you're right... but I'm probably not one of the "most
people"... so I tend to keep my distance with the "normal people" in
that sense... they have different "chains of thoughts", so I try not to
deal with them as much... (wasting my time and energy...)
 ...maybe similar goes for other "devoted" (crazy?) fans...? they'd
maybe spend more time listening to their CDs, and looking at the posters
(that came with the CD) instead of arguing on this matter..... humm...I
should be doing that instead of debating here, shouldn't I? ^_^
 (Or maybe I should go and stand in line at Yodobashi.... There's
already a line forming (1 AM right now in TKO...) to buy the sakura
Taisen game.... Wow... it's cold outside too ^_^; (I'll probably go
around 5-6AM....) ^_^;...again, this is for the "extra gift" that will
be given out to the first coupple of people in line... (special
goodies...) NORMAL people don't care... they just buy the game
somewhere...

					Kenji Shimizu