From what I know, I'd agree with the statement "being a
cel(or any hobby like this) dealer is NOT easy."
I actually think that things will get worse for dealers,
since anime sponsors are have started to realize the values
of cels.
At TBS's booth at Comiket, people were gobbling up Di Gi
Charat cels like mad. Even the trashier of the bunch sold
like hot cakes. TBS found a new source of revenue.
After seeing this, I bet TBS will claim all the cels for the
shows that they sponsor and sell them at events like this.
Even if a dealer managed to get 20,000 cels from Sailor
Moon, say 5 episodes or so, it would cost them quite a bit.
Not all of those 20,000 cels are "sellable" either.
You'd get a few A level shots in there that could bring in
some nice money, but then there are the thousands of hand
shots, blinking eyes, random objects, bits of hair,
townspeople walking about, and so forth.
In order to get collecters a few precious, sweet shots,
a dealer may have to eat it buying massive amounts of
garbage cels.
As for the issue of popularity, some series are popular here
in the USA, but not in Japan. Vice versa. There are series
that are popular everywhere, like Sailor Moon.
El Hazard cels are still rather hot here but that series
is practically forgotten over in Japan. To Heart has a next
to nil fanbase in the USA(I saw episode 1 of the OVA, and
boy, the producers really wanted to kill time!)
Folks, try to refrain from emotional, irrational comments.
That appears to be what is really pissing this person off.
He/She is busting his/her butt off and getting absolutely
no appriciation for all the effort he/she has put into
keeping the cel collecting hobby alive in the USA. If
anything, this person is getting flack.
Think about it.
Have you ever put in loads of hard work and everyone around
you came down, dissing your every move?
It's quite frustrating.
No, I am not a dealer. I wouldn't consider myself a newbie
collector, but I don't pretend I'm some sort of expert
either.
Peace and such |
