Fansubs and Legality

**Afrobean** · 02-16-2005, 01:32 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

How would a raw Japanese episode be any more legal than a subtitled episode? In my opinion, both are illegal.

That doesn't mean I'm 100% against, though. I've been known to break many laws.

**Squeek** · 02-16-2005, 01:34 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

How is a RAW illegal? How is a fansub MORE illegal?

Explain your reasoning, please.

~Squeek

**Afrobean** · 02-16-2005, 01:39 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Isn't it illegal to download episodes of shows that they air on television? Sure we can get it for free from TV, but it's illegal to download them on the computer for some reason.

Also, I didn't mean that subtitled is more illegal. I meant that they are both illegal to the same degree.

**Kilgamayan** · 02-16-2005, 02:41 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

I think it's illegal no matter what, I just don't feel (as) bad when the show is unique to Japan because I know I would have had no chance of seeing it otherwise. Hell, this stuff got me into Galaxy Angel and I've since bought all 5 English GA DVDs.

ADV is really the only company that's goes after internet subbing groups once they've licensed a show anyway.

**Squeek** · 02-16-2005, 03:39 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

I still don't see how a raw version of the episode is illegal. Please explain your logic to me.

It's just a computer-formatted representation of something that aired overseas. I can't see it in America, England, Canada, China, etc. I have to fly to Japan just to see it. Instead of paying thousands for the airfare and such, I'll just pay for the cable Internet that is allowing me to obtain this episode, much like the cable that the Japanese are paying for to see it.

I don't understand where I'm going wrong with this. I think it's a pretty solid argument.

~Squeek

PS - Oh, by the way, torrents are legal. Don't let anybody else fool you into thinking otherwise.

**jewpinthethird** · 02-16-2005, 04:48 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

I honestly dont think it is "illegal." If it were, wouldnt the Japanese government be up in arms about it? No, it is only when an anime is liscensed to an American distributer does a problem arise.

Really, Fansubs really the only way people interested in anime can see shows without having to wait two-five years for a show to get an American distributer. Also, fansub distribution via p2p (bittorrent) is usually discontinued once a show is liscensed.

**Kilgamayan** · 02-16-2005, 05:41 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Don't look at me, I don't know the exact laws concerning this kind of thing. I would assume they're the same kind of laws in place for MP3s - you're obtaining the songs without paying, so it's stealing.

If you want, you can go and get sued by ADV for all of us so they can tell us what laws are in place for this kind of thing.

**Afrobean** · 02-16-2005, 05:54 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Squeek, think of it this way. Say a song is played on the radio in another country. You want to hear this song, so you download an MP3. Is this illegal? Yes, because the person who owns the copyright did not give permission for you to obtain a compressed sound file of this song. It's the same thing for anime.

And about your paying for the cable thing: that's so wrong it's not even funny. You're still stealing from the creators of the anime. It doesn't matter if you're paying for it. That would be like arguing that bootlegg DVDs aren't illegal, because you're still paying for the product.

**Squeek** · 02-16-2005, 06:05 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Afro, what if someone recorded the song off the radio, converted it to MP3 format, then got it.

That is not illegal.

CD / DVD rips are illegal. I don't see how anything broadcast on a public wavelength could EVER be considered illegal material.

~Squeek

**Omeganitros** · 02-16-2005, 06:08 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Yes it could. There are many stations that don't allow their radio shows to be broadcast on the internet for such reasons.

**iopq** · 02-16-2005, 07:59 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

it's illegal, but as long as there are no consequences, I do it because it's not immoral

**Chromer** · 02-16-2005, 08:16 PM

RE: Fansubs and Legality

Only reason I DLed the fansubs of Love Hina was to finish the rest of the series so I didn't havent to buy the DVDs at Suncoast. =) Other than that, I see no problem in it.

**Kefit** · 02-16-2005, 08:32 PM

Fansubs and raws are illegal, regardless of the state of the license in America.

Period.

This is a fact.

It doesn't matter whether you disagree with this or don't see the logic in it - as long as America abides by international copyright laws, the fact is that these types of things are illegal. A series being licensed doesn't actually make a difference as far as legallity goes, it just means that an American company (ie an organization with powerful law tools) might actually do something about it.

What you actually seem to be asking is if it is moral to download raws and/or fansubs. As far as I am concerned, doing so is no worse than downloading mp3s of copyrighted music.

**Squeek** · 02-17-2005, 05:10 AM

There's a huge difference in my mind and if lawmakers can't see it, then it really irks me that they just slap an "illegal" sticker on anything they don't want us to see.

How else can I see Naruto like this? Say I want to see it in its original format. Sure, you could tell me to wait 2 years for the US to catch up with the series and release the DVD. But say I want all the TV text on it too. I want those warnings about a subway under maintenance or an area that kids should avoid or something. I don't get that in the DVD. Boo. How else can I obtain this?

I might just have to personally write a letter to someone that cares asking for a list of reasons that a raw is illegal.

Because I already know for a fact that BT is perfectly legal as is the site that hosts the BT links.

~Squeek

Fansubs and Legality

Fansubs and Legality

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