Author Topic: Anime through Netflix (Read 37739 times)

@random · « **on:** May 31, 2011, 08:52:27 am »

First: For anyone who isn't familiar with Netflix's stock of anime, you might want to look into it. They've got a LOT of titles, from the old ones to the obscure ones to even some of the really sketchy ones (but thankfully, no hentai). Despite the rant below, they do still have a ton of stuff worth watching. And renting anime is an inexpensive way to both support the creators whose discs Netflix buys, and make it more likely that anime will still be available five years from now.

But with that said, for those already familiar with Netflix: Is it just me, or are there getting to be a disturbing number of anime discs that say "Save" (to queue) instead of "Add"*, making it hard to see some series without watching some of the episodes on the Internet (assuming you can even find them)?

I could understand back when I just saw series like Urusei Yatsura and Super GALS that had a missing disc, because they're old and kinda obscure. But lately I'm seeing it happen with titles like Kanon, School Rumble, Shana, Azumanga Daioh, and Fruits Basket. It's even happening with new stuff like Code Geass R2, Hetalia, and the latest Naruto Shippuuden and Bleach episodes.

There's no way these aren't popular enough to replace - you can't walk around a con thirty seconds without tripping over a Hetalia, Naruto, or Bleach cosplayer. One likely explanation is that someone in their Marketing department has decided anime isn't worth maintaining, based on bad assumptions.

If you use Netflix, please consider calling their Customer Service** to register a polite complaint about the issue? I've called them, but I'm only one person. If enough customers complain, they will listen... but if we don't say anything, we risk losing the best rental source for legal anime out there.

(While you're at it, please also consider asking when they're going to offer subtitles as an option for streaming videos instead of dub-only? It's understandable if they want to push the streaming option, but they really need to address this first.)

_{* - "Save" (versus "Add") usually means "We don't have it anymore and we'll probably never get it again". Or at least that's my experience, given that some of the items in my "Saved" queue have been there for almost five years, and none of the now 40-odd discs I've put in "Saved" have ever reappeared.}

_{** - Scroll to the bottom of the Netflix page while you're logged in, click Contact Us, and then click Call Customer Service. It gives you both their phone number and a code that identifies you as a customer.}

Washougal_Otaku · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2011, 12:33:11 pm »

I've thought about signing up for Netflix just because of the anime titles. Right now, though, money is something that I can't afford to use for something like this; perhaps after I get a second part-time job...

jaybug · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:11:08 pm »

I think I have somewhere around 87 discs "Saved".

Urasei Yatsura has only been around for maybe 4 years. It may have been on TV when I was in Japan back in '86, but they didn't do the 100 discs until the 2000s. Yes, I got to watch all 100 discs. And all the movies. It was worth watching. If I get rich, I'll but the set.

You mean there is something besides this huge "saved" list to complain?

They are not going to change anything, as that would add costs. And right now they are about to get beaten badly by some of the newer choices available.

My mail carrier broke a few discs. She was folding the mailer so she could grab all the mail.

AllyKat · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:13:09 pm »

I just want to note that while the library isn't HUMONGOUS, they are getting a lot more on Demand or Streaming Anime on the site too! Which eliminates the whole needing a disc thing...

@random · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2011, 09:39:07 pm »

Quote from: Washougal_Otaku on May 31, 2011, 12:33:11 pm

I've thought about signing up for Netflix just because of the anime titles. Right now, though, money is something that I can't afford to use for something like this; perhaps after I get a second part-time job...

You're better with money than I am; I've gotten careless about any expense in the $20-or-less range even though it really does add up. Still, I hope you do get the chance. Especially since the dub-only problem wouldn't hurt you too much, so the streaming could work out really well ($8 for streaming only, $10 for 1-disc-at-a-time + streaming).

Quote from: jaybug on May 31, 2011, 06:11:08 pm

Urasei Yatsura has only been around for maybe 4 years. It may have been on TV when I was in Japan back in '86, but they didn't do the 100 discs until the 2000s. Yes, I got to watch all 100 discs. And all the movies. It was worth watching. If I get rich, I'll but the set.

Me too, though it was 50 discs when I did it. Please don't get me wrong, I liked Urusei Yatsura and loved Super GALS - I just thought they were good examples of stuff that's older (in style and content, at least) and not as well-known.

Quote from: jaybug on May 31, 2011, 06:11:08 pm

You mean there is something besides this huge "saved" list to complain?

Quote from: AllyKat on May 31, 2011, 08:13:09 pm

I just want to note that while the library isn't HUMONGOUS, they are getting a lot more on Demand or Streaming Anime on the site too! Which eliminates the whole needing a disc thing...

They definitely are emphasizing streaming, and it makes a whole lot of sense. Believe it or not, IIRC their biggest cost when it was just discs wasn't the discs - it was the postal charges. And it's quite possible that they're not discriminating against anime, they're just not buying any discs anymore for this reason.

But I don't know if they realize how many people in the anime community prefer subtitles, because every streaming title I've seen is dub-only. It's possible that licensing agreements would make offering both prohibitively expensive, in which case I'd hate having only dubs... but I'd understand. But it's also very possible they're simply not aware of how many "subbies" there are, because we didn't made a fuss while discs obviated this issue.

Quote from: jaybug on May 31, 2011, 06:11:08 pm

They are not going to change anything, as that would add costs. And right now they are about to get beaten badly by some of the newer choices available.

There's a good chance that this is true - but to me, the competition actually makes them a lot more likely to listen (at least for now). Their near-monopoly is very profitable, and they won't want to give it up.

Also, in a recent interview talking about their growth and recent high profits, the CEO named word-of-mouth advertising from happy customers as one of the prime reasons. Ignoring complaints = unhappy customers = word-of-mouth turns negative.

And at least in my experience, their customer service reps are really nice people. "Complaint" might not be as accurate as "suggestion", because it's not a confrontational process. Whether their upper management genuinely listens or not, they at least put a lot of effort into maintaining that impression. I think it's worth at least giving it a try.

JeffT · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2011, 10:07:22 pm »

Another option is Rent Anime, run by AnimeNation, one of the long-time major online anime retailers. I haven't been following news about it nor do I use it, so I can't vouch for its service or quality, but it's definitely an anime rental service to consider.

@random · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:50:50 am »

I looked into it, because I'd love to support an anime-specific service in addition to Netflix... but they're in Florida. (>.<)

I tried GreenCine for a while as a supplement to Netflix - they're located in California, and it would take 2-3 days for movies to arrive. They have a Quick Return policy that lets you get another DVD as soon as you put it in the mail (though they won't let you Quick Return another until that one arrives), which made it a lot more bearable... but it was still kindofa pain in the butt to not have the one-day turn Netflix offers by having local distro centers. (Epilogue: I finally stopped using them after they noticeably stopped acquiring any new titles. They still had more stuff I could've watched, but it was kinda the last straw.)

And Rent Anime doesn't have any Quick Return policy at all. $:-\$ I just wouldn't have the patience to wait a week for a disc to arrive, watch it, then wait a week for it to get back to them before they send the next.

reppy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 01, 2011, 07:51:58 am »

I swear I remember talking to someone and they mentioned watching a subtitled anime on Netflix. I really wish I could remember they said it was.

This has always been one of my grievances against watching anime on Netflix, since I'm generally a subs guy. ^_^

Higuma · « **Reply #8 on:** June 01, 2011, 08:33:27 am »

The streaming anime on netflix which are not Funimation are mostly in subs now.

@random · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2011, 09:17:16 am »

It's good news that there are any at all - which ones have you found so far?

I went through and checked the first ten streaming anime I could find browsing Netflix that weren't from Funimation... it took a while, because a big majority of their streaming anime is from Funi. Sadly, only 3 of the 10 were subbed (Bleach, Naruto, Hikaru no Go - all from Viz). That could be a good sign, at least for the shounen genre fans. But when I tried cross-referencing Viz titles from their website against Netflix, most of Viz's titles are disc-only (no streaming). $:-\$

reppy · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2011, 10:31:35 am »

I wonder how much money companies make from having their titles available on Netflix. Anyone know?

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2011, 11:27:48 am »

Quote from: reppy on June 01, 2011, 07:51:58 am

I swear I remember talking to someone and they mentioned watching a subtitled anime on Netflix. I really wish I could remember they said it was.

This has always been one of my grievances against watching anime on Netflix, since I'm generally a subs guy. ^_^

Well, this is slightly unrelated, but I've found if you use your PS3 to stream Netflix, you may as well just go watch stuff on Crunchyroll using the PS3's browser. Make it fullscreen and it is just as good as streaming off of Netflix.

Pie Row Maniac · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2011, 04:46:48 pm »

Quote from: randompvg on May 31, 2011, 08:52:27 am

(While you're at it, please also consider asking when they're going to offer subtitles as an option for streaming videos instead of dub-only? It's understandable if they want to push the streaming option, but they really need to address this first.)

This will only happen when they can make it available for all films with interchangeable English/non-English audio. If a streaming City of the Lost Children can't have this option yet, for example, it's likely ANY streaming anime won't have it yet either. I'm confident it will happen eventually though, just like they eventually added subtitles. Be patient.

jaybug · « **Reply #13 on:** June 01, 2011, 05:01:07 pm »

@random, I thought you meant the discs were made way back when, not the shows were older. Not that there would have been discs from back then. well, CDs of the sounds track. Or maybe they still had Laserdisc in Japan, after they shut it down here. See Bamboo Blade ep. um---16? and one somewhere earlier for what a Laserdisc is. lol

Does Anime Takeout still exist? Or is that how Netflilx boosted their inventory? They're in LA. Or were.

Washougal_Otaku · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2011, 11:39:46 am »

They do, but it looks like it's now manga only. Wait, never mind; I found it! OOH! They have "Karin" available!

Higuma · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2011, 04:03:11 pm »

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-06-02/netflix-streams-mar-anime-to-subscribers
More on the way.

veraca · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2011, 09:51:13 pm »

I'm one of the people that'd rather stream to my Wii than get the disc. But this is depressing because there doesn't seem to be a huge amount. I was looking for "Outlaw Star" and "Cowboy Bebop" and couldn't find them. They did have the "Cowboy Bebop: the Movie" for a bit earlier in the year for streaming, but when I went to re-watch it yesterday it'd be moved to my "SAVED" section from my Instant Queue. *grumbles*

The only anime I see that aren't completely random in titles to me, are kind of a few... I can understand Bleach, Inuyasha, and The Slayers being up there. Ouran and Soul Eater's there too. But there aren't a whole lot more that I'd like to watch. It seems unless I watch it on Netflix or some illegal way just to see it before purchasing it, there's no other way to get an anime you want to watch besides purchasing it.

I'd rather spend my money on anime I really want to watch, not just a passing fancy "what's this anime about?"

I AM happy to see that some anime I've been curious of are there. Like Gad Guard, Baccano, a part of Ah! My Goddess, and Eden of the East and Phantom.

:/ Not saying I want them to have every anime available that's out there, but it's surely not something they should turn down expanding their anime stock for streaming. It seems to be more reliable than the discs.

Higuma · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2011, 09:20:52 pm »

Tried crunchyroll.com yet?

@random · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2011, 09:34:41 pm »

Quote from: veraca on July 18, 2011, 09:51:13 pm

The only anime I see that aren't completely random in titles to me, are kind of a few... I can understand Bleach, Inuyasha, and The Slayers being up there. Ouran and Soul Eater's there too. But there aren't a whole lot more that I'd like to watch. It seems unless I watch it on Netflix or some illegal way just to see it before purchasing it, there's no other way to get an anime you want to watch besides purchasing it.

This. Sometimes it seems like American music and movie companies want to force back the clock to when we had to hope the whole album really is worth buying just because one song sounds good, or when we had to either watch a movie in the theatres for almost the same cost as the tape or dvd to know if it was worthwhile, with no chance to preview it. Those days are long gone, and I'm glad for sites like Netflix and crunchyroll that prove the anime industry is trying to not make the same mistake.

HalcyonFour · « **Reply #19 on:** August 16, 2011, 01:11:06 pm »

For what it's worth, InuYasha is available on Netflix for subbing. But then again, Hulu has it there for free.

I used to hate dubs, but after watching Ouran and Wallflower, they've grown on me a bit.

itachi689 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 19, 2011, 08:24:49 pm »

i have to admit i was kinda skeptical about getting netflix but then i went right on and got it i have to say that ive only had it for only 2 weeks but it hasnt disappointed me yet i mean there selection isnt that big but what am i complaining about plus i got to watch some animes i havent even heard of and i have grown to love them

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #21 on:** August 19, 2011, 09:39:03 pm »

I think Netflix's anime selection has been getting really nice and well-supplied in recent weeks. There are new anime going up every week. I've been able to see a lot of anime I had never heard of and am really enjoying. I can't complain.

Sui Fong · « **Reply #22 on:** August 20, 2011, 06:15:37 pm »

so i have netflix and am going to put in a bit of a shameless plug for them. they have a lot that you can't rent on dvd, but that you can stream instantly, things like corpse princess (which i've been wanting to see for a while, but don't have the money to buy). for those that can't stream due to ur internet not being fast enuf, or w/e, it might not be the most awesome choice, but i love them.

shikyo · « **Reply #23 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:22:07 pm »

I was curious to hear what they did with Kuroshitsuji's voices and boy do I wish I didn't hear it... The dubs are scary..... Too bad they don't stream the subs, so much better.
Besides that I'm having fun watching Hetalia.

But I seem to watch more documentarys then anything else, lol.

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #24 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:44:29 pm »

I haven't seen the subbed Black Butler, but I thought the dubbed voice acting was really well done.

I have nothing to compare it to, though, so maybe this comment is moot, lol.

Zensuke · « **Reply #25 on:** August 24, 2011, 12:26:09 pm »

Netflix has helped me watch anime I wouldn't have other wise seen. I just finished watching "This ugly yet beautiful world" which was interesting. A while ago I watched "Gilgamesh" which was good except for a ****** last episode.

_{(Removed inappropriate content per forum code of conduct. ~randompvg)}

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #26 on:** August 24, 2011, 12:33:08 pm »

Agreed. I just finished Eden of the East a couple days ago, and am now watching Baldr Force EXE. I loved Eden, and Baldr is pretty interesting. Just all these anime I'd never see were they not essentially set right in front of me.

shikyo · « **Reply #27 on:** August 24, 2011, 07:19:42 pm »

Quote from: EveofAbyss on August 23, 2011, 08:44:29 pm

I haven't seen the subbed Black Butler, but I thought the dubbed voice acting was really well done.

I have nothing to compare it to, though, so maybe this comment is moot, lol.

Probably because I heard season 1 and 2 with the japanese voices it's hard to listen to the english voices..lol

gw82 · « **Reply #28 on:** August 29, 2011, 12:56:44 am »

not a bad way to watch, most of it now is funji stuff but i have seen alot of stuff i have not got to watch otherwise. Its a is good way to pre watch
stuff you want to buy too

Blue Leader · « **Reply #29 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:05:53 pm »

I don't know, I've found quite a bit of anime to watch on Netflix (streaming service), even series I wouldn't normally watch because I would have had to have bought them but didn't look interesting enough to do so, I've found on Netflix and was able to watch for free. Well, not technically "free", but you know what I mean.

Sure, they don't have a huge amount, but I can't complain, they've got enough to keep me occupied for quite some time. I've got about 65+ different ones stuck in my instant queue that I haven't seen yet, and I'm currently watching around ten. Finished around ten so far, too. And they seem to add more every week.
Admittedly, they don't have a few series I was looking for, but they also have a fair amount of series I did/do want to watch, and plenty more I wouldn't have watched prior but because they're on Netflix I'll do it.

My biggest problem is that I'll often find a series that I was thinking of buying but want to make sure I like it, so I'll watch an episode of it on Netflix. All too often I'll watch that episode and like it, and then go "well, one more episode wouldn't hurt", and before I know it I've watched the entire series. And because I've watched the entire series on Netlfix I no longer feel so encouraged to pay full price for something I've already seen.

Baka and Test, RideBack, Xam'd, School Rumble and Demon King Daimao are a few examples of that.

I just wish there was an up-to-date list somewhere of what anime is available for streaming on Netflix, because I can never think of anything to search for. ><;;

NekoChan234 · « **Reply #30 on:** September 24, 2011, 04:17:01 am »

I am assuming this is legal but I am not a hundred percent sure so you might wanna look into it first... but I watch anime on www.animefreak.tv they have pretty much every anime you can think of and its free, its been around for as long as I can remember and they haven't been shut down so I am assuming they have the rights to be streaming these animes though I could be wrong.

UPDATE: it is legal, I looked it up. Because you are not Uploading or Downloading the content it is not Illegal, it is still legal to stream movies/shows/anime

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Author Topic: Anime through Netflix (Read 37739 times)