On Anime DVD Collecting
I noticed that on May 1st a perfect condition R1 set of Welcome to the NHK DVDs, including the rare individual volume 6, sold on Ebay for $91 despite the fact that FUNimation’s re-release of the same series can be aquired used for about ten bucks. I had no relation to this Ebay auction besides getting outbid at $40 because I’m satisfied to own the FUNimation release. But I’m pleased to see this sale because it serves as a confirmation that there are still at least a few die-hard R1 anime DVD collectors out there.
About three years ago, as streaming began taking off and Blu-ray looked poised to put DVD out to pasture, I started seriously trying to fill in gaps in my R1 anime DVD collection. I decided that my pie-in-the-sky ideal goal would be to collect every Japanese language anime released on domestic commercial DVD, excluding adult anime and multiple iterations/re-releases. I’m not opposed to hentai anime. In fact, I own over a hundred domestic H-anime DVDs. But the majority of H-anime are crap that I just don’t care to purchase or own.
Along the way, I’ve begun hoarding domestic anime DVDs, both rarities and commons. Sure, I have multiple sets of anime series I helped localize: Risky Safety, Miami Guns, Haré+Guu. And I also own four sets of FUNimation’s Kurogane no Linebarrels TV series release (God help me), four sets of Oh! Edo Rocket, four sets of Tsukihime with collector’s box, three sets of Arc the Lad, three sets of Infinite Ryvius, two sets of Trouble Chocolate, two sets of Betterman, and so on. Here’s another example of my compulsive domestic DVD hoarding. No, this isn’t AnimeNation inventory. This is just one box of my personal duplicate DVDs:
I like to think that I’m actually respectably close to completing my collection of American anime DVDs. Some of the remaining holes in my collection are common and cheap, like Legend of the Dragon Kings and Ys II. Some of them are rare and expensive, like Super Robot Wars, Maison Ikkoku, and Dunbune volumes 11 & 12. And some of them are very recent releases that I just haven’t had time or good opportunity to purchase yet.
If you’ll indulge me a moment more, here’s the list of remaining domestic anime DVDs that I consider missing from my collection. If anyone has any of these – particularly the rarities – in neeed of a new, good home, and you’re willing to relocate your discs at affordable prices, feel free to let me know.
And Yet the Town Moves
Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: The Izu Dancer
Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: The Sound of Waves
Aria the Natural
Aura Battler Dunbine vols. 4-12
Bakuman
Black Butler
Black Butler II
Bleach Uncut box sets 7-12
Blood+ Part One & Part Two
Book of Bantorra
Broken Blade
Case Closed seasons 4 & 5
Cat Planet Cuties
Crimson Wolf
D.Gray-Man season 2
Demon King Daimo
Dream Eater Merry
Eyeshield 21 vols. 2-4
Fairy Tail vols. 1-4
Fortune Quest vol. 1
Gatchaman collector sets 5-9
Golgo 13 TV vol. 3
Gurren Lagann movies 1 & 2
Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time vols. 1-9
Heaven’s Lost Property Forte
Hetalia: World Series vols. 1-2
Hikaru no Go vols. 1-11
Himawari too
Infinite Stratos
Junjo Romantica seasons 1 & 2
Kama Sutra
Kobato vols. 1-2
Legend of the Dragon Kings vols. 1-5
Legend of the Legendary Heroes part 2
Maid Sama vol. 2
Maison Ikkoku sets 5-8
Mardock Scramble: The First Compression Director’s Cut
Mobile Suit Gundam UC Unicorn vols. 1-2
Motto to Loveru
Naruto Shippuden box sets 2-10
Psychic Squad
Ranma 1/2 season 4
Ronin Warriors vols. 4-9
Rosario + Vampire Capu 2
Sgt. Frog season three
SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next
Super Robot Wars: OG – Divine Wars vols. 1-9
Super Robot Wars: The Original Generation
Tytania vol. 2
World God Only Knows
Ys II: Castle in the Heavens
Zegapain vols. 3-4 & 6
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On more than one occasion ANN’s Shelf Life column has contained images of fans’ DVD collections that are quite impressive. I’ve yet to do that myself because I’m too lazy to take a few rows of non-anime DVDs off the shelves, and return the titles I’ve boxed up to increase the amount of room for new acquisitions.
(That, and 500-something titles on 2 racks isn’t all that impressive when compared to the walls of combined anime/manga/figures that show up now and then..)
Here’s the million-DVD question. How many of them have you watched, or have preserved unopened/shrink wrapped? I think I’m somewhere north of 80% (viewed), which is legions ahead of where I was five years ago.
But with that all said, there are still some titles I desperately want to get to, but never have — like GTO, AI YORI AOSHI, and tons of DETECTIVE CONAN. I just finished the first season of DARKER THAN BLACK on Monday… (And tons of individual DVDs of titles I know I’ll never get around to watching, like the BAKI TV series, HAJIME NO IPPO, and INITIAL D seasons eleventy billion through thirty quadrillion.)
Three or four years ago the percentage of my DVD collection that was unopened was probably up around 85%. Over the past few years, since I’ve been filling in gaps with used discs, the average is now probably down to around 65% still unopened. The amount of it I’ve watched depends on how the calculation is done. Watched to completion, the percentage is probably well under 50%. Watched at least one episode of, the percentage is probably much closer to 90%. There are very few anime titles released on American DVD that I’ve never watched any of whatsoever.
Let me recommend that you do give Baki TV and Initial D a shot. Although neither show is very stylish looking, both shows are immensely addicting. I recall marathoning all of the Grappler Baki TV series in a weekend because once I started watching it, I couldn’t stop.
You can still find used and new copies of Tokyo SOS Explorers on Amazon. Unless you’re looking for a cheaper edition of the Blu-Ray? Also, Golgo 13 3 just came out on DVD.
And Gundam UC’s also still on Amazon. Unless, once again, you’re looking for cheap Blu-Rays?
John: “Three or four years ago the percentage of my DVD collection that was unopened was probably up around 85%. ”
I do remember you telling us that a large % of your collection was still in shrinkwrap- good to see that number’s gone down. I eventually unwrapped all of mine, but still have a good-sized backlog of titles I have yet to crack open and actually watch.