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[ggx2ac]

More at the link: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Bandai-Namco-to-bow-out-of-overseas-anime-streaming

Bandai Namco plans to shut down the streaming website Daisuki in October.

Bandai Namco Holdings will soon shut down an online anime distribution service aimed at foreign audiences after struggling to secure content in the face of competition from more-established American peers.

The Japanese toy and entertainment company plans to close the Daisuki streaming website and mobile application operated by subsidiary Anime Consortium Japan in October. Fans in 191 countries and regions watch such popular shows as "Dragon Ball Super" and "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans" subtitled or dubbed in English.

The streaming service failed to attract paid subscribers partly due to a lack in quality of content. Companies with strong anime lineups would prefer to choose Hulu or Netflix Funimation or Crunchyroll for a larger userbase.

Note: Revised for accuracy.

Anime Consortium was established in 2014 as a joint venture by Bandai, marketing company Asatsu-DK and Aniplex. The roster eventually grew to 15 shareholders, including the public-private Cool Japan Fund and publisher Kodansha.

But the service struggled to attract paid subscribers, a Bandai public relations representative said. Bandai bought out the other investors this past March, spending about 2 billion yen ($18.2 million) to turn Anime Consortium into a wholly owned subsidiary.
Asked why the venture foundered, industry insiders agreed that the problem lay with partners' reluctance to offer quality content.

Companies with strong lineups preferred to work with U.S.-based services with far more users, such as Hulu and Netflix. Daisuki was likely caught in a Catch-22: too few subscribers to attract good content, and too scanty a content library to draw subscribers.

Japanese companies have failed to become as competitive as US companies with regards to online distribution services.

Distribution of anime, music, movies and other creative content is shifting from such physical media as CDs and DVDs to online distribution. Japanese companies have failed to offer platforms with content and convenience to match the likes of Netflix, Hulu and fellow American player Amazon.com.

Anime accounts for 70% of Japan's content exports.

That said, some types of Japanese media are faring better than others. Though Japan's content exports as a whole swelled from 6.6 billion yen in fiscal 2010 to 28.8 billion yen in fiscal 2015, anime accounts for 70% of the total.

 

[Bob Coffee]

Late like daisucky to the streaming game.

 

[Strimei]

No surprise. Daisuki always felt awkwardly placed. Crunchyroll just beat it senseless.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

who even watches anime in 2017

 

[TheGamingBox]

article reads like it was written by some one who doesnt know that funimation or crunchyroll exists

 

[HStallion]

who even watches anime in 2017

Only the most wonderful and socially well adjusted people out there.

 

[Ryuukan]

who even watches anime in 2017

Agree

Japanese dramas are the true path

 

[Strimei]

article reads like it was written by some one who doesnt know that funimation or crunchyroll exists

Yeah that too. I believe a fair amount of anime has actually been pulled from Hulu in the past few years, and Netflix has only recently really gotten into the...well, I wouldn't call it simulcast, but semi-simulcast area. Though it did have a decent catalog.

Crunchyroll and FUNi were Daisuki's chief competitors for most of its life.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

who even watches anime in 2017

Nazis.

 

[ggx2ac]

Yeah that too. I believe a fair amount of anime has actually been pulled from Hulu in the past few years, and Netflix has only recently really gotten into the...well, I wouldn't call it simulcast, but semi-simulcast area. Though it did have a decent catalog.

Crunchyroll and FUNi were Daisuki's chief competitors for most of its life.

Thanks, revised my post but not the article for accuracy.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Daisuki was a bit weird, I was able to watch One Punch Man in HD for free, didn't even know it was supposed to feature a subscription service.

It was just badly conceived. Bandai Namco should've looked at Wakanim and the Anime Digital Network (French anime service owned by Aniplex and Shueisha respectively). Incitives to go to the site even if you don't intend on paying while offering a much better package if you subscribe.

 

[MHWilliams]

Good. Don't need more pretenders to the throne.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Shame that we're losing competition in the space, but Daisuki's player was so horrendous that I never even considered paying for a subscription.

 

[massoluk]

Well, Daisuki app and the site were fucking horrible. I don't know what the hell they did, it was sheer incompetency on the design, technicality, and functionality levels.

 

[pancakesandsex]

Nazis.

Yo, don't do this.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Good. Don't need more pretenders to the throne.

Agreed. Everything should be on Netflix.

 

[BlackLagoon]

Good. Don't need more pretenders to the throne.

I don't know, I miss the days when there were multiple big players in the anime localization industry. All there is now is Funimation, which doesn't want anything to do with mainland Europe, and Cruncyroll which built its userbase on piracy while the rest of the industry was struggling to make the Japanese agree to legal alternatives.

 

[jbug617]

Crunchyroll and FUNi were Daisuki's chief competitors for most of its life.

Now CR and Funi are battling Amazon (Anime Strike) and Netflix. Amazon really took a lot of the shows this past season.

 

[flaxknuckles]

I never even heard of this site

 

[Primus]

article reads like it was written by some one who doesnt know that funimation or crunchyroll exists

They exist for now. Amazon's Anime Strike came in like a freight train to the Summer anime season, and I expect them to throw even more money around to grab the big Fall shows. Crunchyroll/Funimation can't deal with Amazon/Netflix cash.

 

[WickedLaharl]

I remember when people didn't think they would attempt a sub service and were just going to stick with merchandising.

 

[Strimei]

Now CR and Funi are battling Amazon (Anime Strike) and Netflix. Amazon really took a lot of the shows this past season.

Yeah, and honestly I hope both Amazon and Netflix take a bit of a pummeling and step up their game.

Amazon has their simulcasts behind essentially two subscriptions (Prime required and then another subscription for the anime one itself) and Netflix doesn't even simulcast, but instead waits months later (to be fair they are dubbing the shows into multiple languages in that time but seriously, would it kill them to just put out the subtitled versions for those that want it?).

Its really annoying. I groan every time I see that they have their hands on another show.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

I didn't even know they existed... I suppose that's all that needs to be said.

 

[Xe4]

Yeah, and honestly I hope both Amazon and Netflix take a bit of a pummeling and step up their game.

Amazon has their simulcasts behind essentially two subscriptions (Prime required and then another subscription for the anime one itself) and Netflix doesn't even simulcast, but instead waits months later (to be fair they are dubbing the shows into multiple languages in that time but seriously, would it kill them to just put out the subtitled versions for those that want it?).

Its really annoying. I groan every time I see that they have their hands on another show.

Netflix or Amazon don't give a fuck about Crunchyroll. They are vastly larger than it or Funimation, and aren't particularly worried about competition on that front.

They get shows at all because it helps diversify their userbase, and if you don't particularly like them not simulcasting (which Crunchyroll does as an extra way to get users), you can always boycott Netflix. I'm sure they won't mind.