QUOTE (khael @ Nov 06 2007, 05:48 AM)And let me ask this, how does licensing actually work? For example, if Geneon acquires the license to release an anime in North America, fansubbers there would have to stop right? But what if i'm, for example, in Europe?
Fansubs are, in their very nature, illegal. It does not matter if it is licensed or not in your region, fansubbing it an illegal activity because it violates copyright laws. It is just easier to your own government to persecute you for fansubbing than a foreign one. That is why most English groups stop when a series if licensed in the US - because they are based in the US, or are using American servers to distribute the fansubs.
For those living in Europe - whose DVDs do you buy for official English releases? Are they the ones released by American companies? If the European and American government cooperated, they could probably persecute you as well (my assumption). Well, any country could go after you for fansubbing because it violates Japanese law. But International Law isn't that effective/efficient.
Fansubs are, in their very nature, illegal. It does not matter if it is licensed or not in your region, fansubbing it an illegal activity because it violates copyright laws. It is just easier to your own government to persecute you for fansubbing than a foreign one. That is why most English groups stop when a series if licensed in the US - because they are based in the US, or are using American servers to distribute the fansubs.
For those living in Europe - whose DVDs do you buy for official English releases? Are they the ones released by American companies? If the European and American government cooperated, they could probably persecute you as well (my assumption). Well, any country could go after you for fansubbing because it violates Japanese law. But International Law isn't that effective/efficient.