Question: The History of Sailor Moon Fansubs? (also, a rant)

[nathangsm]

If this topic has already been covered somewhere that I missed (I did a few searches), or if you know of another Sailor Moon website more focused on this subject, I'd appreciate a redirect, but otherwise, I wanted to tap the forum for some, if not comprehensive information, at least some basic information on the history of Sailor Moon fansubs.

So, I've begun watching Sailor Moon (I've seen the first 36 episodes of the first season), in its subtitled format, obtained through a single torrent that encompasses all 200 episodes. However, due to the various treatments of consistent portions of the show (such as Usagi's opening statements) in different episodes, it's obvious that they have come from different sources, and I think some of them may actually have been ripped from ADV's uncut sub release. Also, the quality is very low, as most of the files appear to be converted from the original fansub VHS tapes.

So I'm curious, is there any comprehensive history of the fansubbing of Sailor Moon, such as what the original source material was (laserdisc, or broadcast recordings), and who the subbers were back in the day, and if there are any newer subs available, and if so, from whom?

End of question...

[The following is in regard to my attitudes towards fansubs, and are not directly related to the subject.]

First of all, I am somewhat familiar with the ethical and copyright issues surrounding the creation and distribution of fansubs, and frankly, it amuses me that people will use a show's lack of domestic licensing as a psudo-legal justification for a technically illicit use of intellectual property. Even if a particular copyrighted material in Japan is NEVER licensed for distribution in the US, fansubs of that property are no more legal then if it IS available.

But here's the thing: the world has changed, and global economic models must change as well, or they will fail. Frankly, when content is created for the purpose of consumption, the consumer rules the market, regardless of legal convention. So, if the rightful copyright holder is unable to serve that market, the consumer will consume from the source that IS capable of serving them.

Frankly, if a fansub group is capable of preparing and delivering a newly aired episode within 24 hours of its original broadcast in Japan, then the originator of that material should be equally capable of doing the same thing. If they can't do it, then I'll go to the source that can, without any remorse.

But I do like a consistent, quality product, like Dattebayo's presentation of Naruto. I particularly appreciate their handling of things like language or context specific humor, like puns and homonyms, and the notations explaining certain expressions, gestures, and customs, rather then merely providing a literal translation, or attempting to insert something foreign in its place (like the false-translation of Naruto's nonsense statement ender "dattebayo" as "Believe it!", in the licensed dub). Also, when I watch anime, I want to see the original suffixes being used to address various characters, as it is often a crucial piece in understanding the relationships between characters (-sensei, -senpai, -san, -sama, -chan, -kun, -niichan, -neechan, -oniisama, -oneesama, whatever). Particularly shows that take place in a Japanese or psudo-Japanese setting, those elements are crucial, and I don't want to see them translated.

Okay, sorry, almost done with my rant...

Anyway, I'm really happy that most or all of those original Sailor Moon fansubs have persisted, not so that I can watch it for free, but because even when uncut commercial subs are available, and generally dislike how they are done. I want my Japanese anime to BE Japanese. I want French films to BE French. If I watch the movie Nightwatch, I want to hear the Russian people speaking RUSSIAN. To me, it's an integral part of the experience.

-Figura/Nathan

[Sailorasteroid]

I don't know that I could give an exhaustive list, but I know that I got:

Epsiodes 1-46 from Arctic Animation. (Terrible quality, had to sit inches from the TV to read the subtitles)
Epsodes 1-72 by Studio Chikashitsu (means basement). This was somewhat controversial at the time, as it was considered a grievous transgression to subtitle a released program.
Episodes 73-200 from VKLL, through various distributors.
A few S episodes from various one-shot subtitlers who I can't remember. But I know I got about 5 different spellings of "Eudial" in my collection.

As to the rant:

Legality is a weird thing that has to be considered in context. It's like, if you kill someone, but are found innocent because they didn't read you your Miranda rights, have you committed a legal act? In a practical sense, yes: you suffer no punishment. So, by a practical view, since it's difficult to convict for copyright violation in the case of fansubs, can we call it technically legal?

Economics is another issue that needs to be looked at in context. With anime we have two types of fan: that who favors accuracy and that who favors ease. "Subbie" and "dubbie" to be stereotypical. If a production favors the subbie too much, the dubbie goes and finds something else to watch. If it favors the dubbie too much, the subbie goes and gets fansubs. No matter how bad or illegal you tell people they are, you're never going to get the subbie to say, "Well, if that's how they want to distribute it, I'll buy it." So it has to be looked upon as a choice of compromises, and not as a transgression by the subbies that ruins economic perfection. Which choice is a question to consider: while the market of dubbies is larger, they are, I think, less sensitive to this issue. More dubbies will accept or ignore "datteba yo!" than subbies would, "Believe it!"

I think the digital distribution issue is a certain degree of economic "revenge" for an industry that for years has existed without variable costs. What I mean is, if it costs so many thousands of dollars to make a show or a movie or a song, it doesn't cost any more to distribute it to more homes or theater-goers or radio-listeners. So the best way to make money was to cater to the lowest common denominator. Compare with the book industry, which has to print and bind an additional book for each one it wants to sell. And which is far more diverse and prolific in its content. So the way for broadcast media to advance economically is to emulate the book industry: produce diverse products for small, intense audiences.