Editorial by Chris

October 04, 2000

If there's one constant about the Internet, it's that someone is always at war with somebody else. This time, the battle is being fought over websites that offer encoded episodes. To those who are unfamiliar with encoding, basically it is the process where VHS fansubs are translated into files that can be viewed on software such as Windows Media Player or Real Player. It's quite similar to the process used to make MP3's actually. Since MP3's are such a hot issue, it was inevitable that someone would begin to attack encoded episodes. To make things perfectly clear, let me say now that encoded episodes are indeed illegal. Now, one of the latest groups to attack encoded episodes is the Anti-Ep Alliance, which is hosted by Planet Namek. Their crusade involves collecting the names of full episodes sites and creating a blacklist, which they have already sent to FUNimation in the hope they will take legal action against them. There's just a few problems with their mission: it's self-serving and hypocritical. Planet Namek began this debate with a poll that asked what fans think of websites that offer full episodes for download. Surprisingly, there was overwhelming support for full episode sites.

The head webmaster of Planet Namek took it upon himself to make statements about full episode sites that have no basis in fact. He claims that all episode sites are sleazy and are only trying to make money. He also states that they take away from fansubber's work because they just post them instead of subbing them. Well, each one of these statements is false. First of all, I doubt that anyone has done research on whether or not encoded episodes hurt sales. Second, the claim that all episode sites are sleazy is a sweeping generalization that has no basis. Third, the statement that encoders don't fansub things is also untrue. To answer both of those last questions, I would make mention of Anime Heaven. This is a website that subtitles, encodes, and reviews anime. You won't find a single banner on their site. And to further invalidate the point about money and advertising, it's an accusation that means nothing. Almost everyone has one sort of ad or another on their website. While this was occurring on Planet Namek, one of its hosted sites started a new website called Anti-Ep. Planet Namek joined the alliance and set out on their holy crusade. However, Anti-Ep's mission statements are riddled with contradictions. Some of the first targets of Anti-Ep's crusade were Black Goku and Kaioken.net which offer (or will in the latter case) Dragon Ball Z episodes. Anti-Ep's mission statement states that they plan to attack only sleazy sites that wish to make a profit. They also attack people who burn the episodes onto CD and sell them for profit on Ebay. However, this is no different than a comic or anime store selling fansubs for profit. They also claim that they want to protect the reputation of Dragon Ball on the Internet because they feel that these sites tarnish the good name of the franchise.

One only has to look at their site to see that they are the ones causing the damage. Planet Namek offers scans of all 42 volumes of the Dragon Ball manga which are fully translated into English. They have taken down the chapters published by Viz, but that does not excuse their crime. Whether or not a chapter has been published by Viz does not change the fact that they own the rights to the entire series. Planet Namek's manga scans will hurt future comic and graphic novel sales. If one can download the manga, why would they pay $16 for a Viz graphic novel? That right there is a direct tie where pirated material hurts sales, because in both cases it's the exact same thing. The staff of Planet Namek does not realize that encoded fansubs are not the same thing as a commercial product. Many (if not most) encodes are of terrible quality, and they are subtitled. If someone's looking for the high quality visuals of a DVD, bonus features, or an English dub, they won't find them in some encoded episode. Planet Namek is trying to separate encodes and fansubs into two separate things, when they are one and the same. Fansubs and encodes are a way to see a series that is unavailable here, but they are not a replacement for a series should it come to the U.S. And they are both illegal, which is something they seem to forget. It's okay for them to have fansubs, but it's not okay to have encodes. Can anyone see the contradiction here? It's as if suddenly it was okay to have CD's but not vinyl albums. They're saying in essence that it is perfectly fine to have an illegal item in one format, but not in another.

In support of encodes, I don't see them as a separate thing from fansubs, but rather as the next generation of fansubs. They allow a series to reach audiences that it never could before. As popular as Dragon Ball Z is around the world, it's not available everywhere. What if a fan in some country wants to watch it, but it's not broadcast or sold there? Should they be denied what people in other parts of the world enjoy? Also, encodes allow for more series to be subtitled. Someone can encode an episode in the original Japanese language. Then, without the use of costly subtitling equipment, fans on the net can use software to digitally subtitle the episodes. Some recent examples of this new trend include Trigun and Turn A Gundam. Encodes are in fact the realization of a fansubber's dream: anime exposed to the masses for free. In response to the massive support for encodes, Anti-Ep has changed their goals. They claim now that they are not against encodes themselves, just the encode sites. The leaders of Anti-Ep admit that they were too harsh early on. However, this does not repair the damage they have already done. They already sent one blacklist away to FUNimation. Their new quest is just a last ditch effort to keep their failed cause alive. They probably don't realize it, but they've created the opposite of what they intended to. Now, many people are vocal about their support for encodes, and that isn't likely to change. Hopefully both Planet Namek and Anti-Ep will learn a valuable lesson from this fiasco. If one has a public forum that they intend to use for their agenda, they should do so with caution. Making unsupported, combative, and contradictory statements is the sure way to fail in making a point. To Planet Namek I would remind them of two famous sayings: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" as well as "Don't throw rocks if you live in a glass house." It would be wise to keep such wisdom in mind before starting another crusade.