What bothers you about this hobby?

[cutiebunny]

It's been ages since we've had a venting topic on the boards, and many members have come and gone since that time. So, what bothers you about collecting art? Prices? Selection? People? A certain person who likes to drag others down the rabbit hole...? Who could I possibly be talking about? Heh heh.

[AndyAsteroids]

The constant lurking fear or my cels eventually turning to sawdust and vinegar

[nowherekid85]

Worrying about cels degrading over time, or the idea of some huge catastrophe happening, like a fire.

[Ginta]

Thousands of overpriced junk cels in endless one week auctions are mixed in with new ones. I wish I could ban items, titles, and sellers from searches that I'm not interested in.

[cutiebunny]

Wow, more responses than I was expecting.

I think it's completely normal to worry about fire and other natural disasters wiping out your home (and your collection). I know I make sure to check and recheck that everything is turned off at home before I leave. Sorta like how I check to make sure I locked the car, even though I hit the alarm button already.

My biggest complaint about collecting artwork is the animosity I've experienced at conventions by the hands of the people that run them and the companies that help sponsor those events. Several companies don't like those who collect artwork largely because we choose to spend our money on the original artwork instead of buying the mass produced garbage that they sell. They want to clamp down on artwork being released because they feel that it will encourage you to instead spend on what they sell because that's the only way you can get anything from that series. Conventions, on the other hand, like those collectors who are willing to spend because it allows them to brag about how much money their auction raised, but they don't want to give you anything for just the price of admission to the event. It doesn't help when those senior staff members come up to you and mutter "Not you again" at multiple conventions. Maybe I should tell them that attitude makes me only want to attend their little event even more?

[Animechaos]

Would have to say my biggest gripe is not being able to find any art from modern series. I'm dying for some sketches from Watamote, my favorite comedy anime. Have yet to come across a single one.

But then again....maybe it's a good thing. Saving up is always wise. lol Not that the 200+ sketches I still have to upload to Animechaos.com says anything about saving up....

[zerospace]

- Resellers like urbantreasurehunterjapan who buy cels only to price gouge by over 100% the very small group of buyers. And urbantreasurehunterjapan refusing to consider reasonable offers, so the cels just sit unsold.

This. 100%. I absolutely cannot stand this particular seller. In the past, he/she has actually outbid me only to list something on eBay at 1000% markup (and even now, years later, most of those cels are still on eBay...).

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

For me, it's what Nick said.... I can't find anything from new series and, the rare times I do, it's a couple minor sheets. Nothing super-amazing and no selection. You take or leave the 1-2 sheets you see that are FAR too expensive for the images on them. I would love to find a decent selection from Magi, Noragami, Inu X Boku, Kuroshitsuji, or basically anything at all that I would call relatively new.

I've seen the scattered Magi sketches on Mandarake and as much as I want them, there's only so much I want to pay for roughs. (Plus I know who will buy them and post them up where I can see them. ^_~ ) I was lucky to snag some very rough Kuroshitsuji roughs which showed up on YJ years ago, but no more than that. But where's the rest of everything?

Sadly, there are only two options that come to mind: (A) It's being destroyed, since paper is relatively easy to destroy. (B) It's being sold really quietly to closed groups of people who aren't posting anything online. I have no idea what the point of (A) is, since it seems making the license holders sort out a way to agree on selling the sketches would be a great additional income for a studio. In the case of (B), I wish someone would tell me how to get into said closed groups, since I obviously don't know the right people or am just too quiet. (*shrug*)

[Gonzai]

Anymore, pretty much everything.

[zerospace]

For me, it's what Nick said.... I can't find anything from new series and, the rare times I do, it's a couple minor sheets. Nothing super-amazing and no selection. You take or leave the 1-2 sheets you see that are FAR too expensive for the images on them. I would love to find a decent selection from Magi, Noragami, Inu X Boku, Kuroshitsuji, or basically anything at all that I would call relatively new.

I've seen the scattered Magi sketches on Mandarake and as much as I want them, there's only so much I want to pay for roughs. (Plus I know who will buy them and post them up where I can see them. ^_~ ) I was lucky to snag some very rough Kuroshitsuji roughs which showed up on YJ years ago, but no more than that. But where's the rest of everything?

Sadly, there are only two options that come to mind: (A) It's being destroyed, since paper is relatively easy to destroy. (B) It's being sold really quietly to closed groups of people who aren't posting anything online. I have no idea what the point of (A) is, since it seems making the license holders sort out a way to agree on selling the sketches would be a great additional income for a studio. In the case of (B), I wish someone would tell me how to get into said closed groups, since I obviously don't know the right people or am just too quiet. (*shrug*)

What about the possibility that the volume of artwork produced for newer shows is just... almost nothing? It could be that it is almost all being done on computers now.

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

What about the possibility that the volume of artwork produced for newer shows is just... almost nothing? It could be that it is almost all being done on computers now.

Yes, this is a possibility too.... It could be almost nothing. Not sure how I would find out how much was drawn on the computer and how much was drawn on paper.

[grEenLeaFx]

There are lots of things that bother me about this hobby, but the current state of the hobby or lack thereof is what bothers me the most. It seems to me that it has become a fad dying out. There used to be a ton of collectors and sellers when I started back in 2000 and the majority have pretty much vanished. More quit every year.

I also can relate to cutiebunny on conventions. I love to get sketches at conventions, but all the rules, regulations, and disdain against it now is disheartening.

[Animechaos]

Haven't been to a convention in ages, something I really need to do, but what kind of rules they putting up against production art?

[cutiebunny]

Aniplex has threatened collectors at conventions who are trying to get sketches signed by the seiyuu/artist with legal action. If you attend a convention where Aniplex is sponsoring a guest, do not approach that guest with production artwork for them to sign. Aniplex will accuse you of theft and demand that you provide them documentation regarding that purchase. If the guest is not being sponsored by Aniplex, it's fine and no one will say anything.

I've also received some hostility from Viz Media as well, but more over owning original artwork. At larger conventions, they like to show off the latest installment of their glory wall, full of really nice sketches from the artists whose work they distribute in the US. They don't sell the artwork, nor donate it, use it as a giveaway, etc. It's just an excuse to show off and make money off of it. If you want to tick Viz off, when they tweet out a couple samples off the wall, if you own something by the same artist, tweet them back with a shot of what you own. It really riles them up to no end, and they'll tell you how you're not supporting the artist and that you should instead buy Viz's manga. Yeah, Viz...not my fault I discovered Blue Exorcist before you got off your rump and licensed it...

Conventions realize how much money they can get from selling art and access to artists, so the days of getting 15 minute sketches from well known artists by waiting in line are largely over. You might get a quick 5 minute sketch if you're lucky and occasionally Aniplex might raffle off something at a panel, but the really nice stuff that is being drawn at conventions is going to the convention and/or its sponsors. Or Kickstarter.

[Animechaos]

Bah, figures. All the old US companies, Viz, Funimation, etc., all used to be so fan friendly. Can honestly say I haven't spent one dime on US video products for maybe 6 years now. I just subscribe to Crunchyroll and Hulu....covers pretty much everything to watch. As for manga, I'm learning to translate and expand, so all my books are in raw Japanese.

Maybe I'm one of a lucky few that don't care to get items autographed or custom sketches. If it's not production artwork related to the show itself I just don't want it.