So, tonight’s the last night I can buy DTO anime at Crunchyroll. I’m looking at what’s to grab before it all goes away. Well, actually you can buy now, and download at any time before May 31, so I don’t have to limit myself to what my pokey DSL can get before tonight’s over.
Soooo…. Last night, I snagged Time of Eve. Damn good show, I recommend it, and it’s not likely to be marketed here anytime soon. It’s an indy production, six 15 minute episodes (I have yet to view the last 3), which explore the limits and limitations of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics in a near-future setting. (And after you see the first few episodes, you’ll know why “limits and limitations” is not redundant.)
So, I started going through the list this evening…
Last Exile. cheap, it’s only 1.99 an episode or the whole bundle for $36. Let’s compare: Yes, Robert’s still got some in stock, and for only $1 more (and maybe shipping) I get physical discs and a lot better video quality. Advantage Robert. Oh, whoops, I missed the note on CR that LE wouldn’t be available as of 3/1/2010. Total advantage to Robert!
Neo Angelique Abyss: Not available for download.
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Not available for download, not sure I’m interested.
Happiness: not available for download. Sounds familiar, but it’s slice of life. Not interested.
Shangri-La: Not available for download, and I didn’t like it that much when it was being broadcast.
Linebarrels of Iron: Available at $2 per episode, no discount for bulk purchase. Robert’s got the boxed set of the first half for $37, so $74 for the full set of discs and much better graphics vs. $48 for the individual episodes on CR. Advantage goes to Robert here, I think. I quit after the first episode.
Blassreiter Available for download, not available at Robert’s. Not that wild about it.. oh GONZO. Warning: Lark’s Vomit!
You know, I’m seeing a pattern here…. “Not interested — Not available for download.” This may explain why I haven’t been going to Crunchy much, of late…. Oh well, I’ll sign up for their iPad drawing, and maybe I’ll get lucky. Yeah, right. Normally I don’t bother with drawings and contests designed to elicit my information, but hey, in this case, they’ve already got my email and street address…
My experience with CrunchyRoll began and ended with Strike Witches. The version I paid them for was poorer quality than the DVDs, and they sold me the censored version.
Honestly, I expected no different. I looked at it as a way to support the industry instead of mooching. I didn’t care for the poor OP/ED quality though. And although I was highly annoyed at the one episode where the advertisement blocked the titles, that was on the streamed version, so no biggie.