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Hey, Answerman! Funico in the Island of Magic

'S coffers, but it sounds like kind of a bum deal for the fans. Niconico is not what I think of when I think “quality professional streaming service.” Its staple attraction is streaming superimposed commentary (usually inappropriate and unrelated). I know Macdonald mentioned that Niconico will be improving their streaming services, but it does not have the atmosphere of a reliable, professional service, and not something I want to end up paying for.

I am also curious to know why they sought a partnership with Niconico and not , which is already well established as a quality, professional, reasonably priced service. I don't like the idea of having to pay for yet another subscription to enjoy the anime I love.

Finally, I have to wonder if Macdonald was the right person to address this. I found his crass comments about how Funico basically screws all the competition to be very distasteful. I don't think the fans see competing licensors as enemies, but rather, the sign of an industry which has courageously managed to hold on in this economy. We cheer for all of them. Maybe it's just the way he writes but I felt like Macdonald's comments were belittling and discouraging, and they have stained my otherwise noble opinion of .

How do you feel about this partnership? Do you feel that it is healthy for the industry as a whole? Do you think it jeopardizes the success of other licensing companies?

Yowza! There's a lot to chew on here. Okay, so, let's just start at the top.

First off, if you re-read Chris' comments on the deal a bit closer, I don't think he's saying, at all, that this is the "greatest thing" of anything. He uses words like "online streaming is exceptionally important to the future of the anime industry," and that the Funico partnership is, in fact, a "step in the right direction." Now I know, granted, through the hazy lens of the internet it's hard to take statements like that at face value, which is why he pretty much breaks it down, beat-by-beat, why this partnership is good for both companies and, more importantly, consumers. Simply put, because 's muscle pulling the levers, that alleviates that problem. More high-profile licenses means more views, more views means more revenue, more revenue means better service and so on, so forth.

And honestly I don't know where you're getting the "belittling" vibe from.