This letter was written as a reply to this website:

http://bbs.chemek.cc.or.us/PUBLIC/USERS/HP_U15746/MyUPDATE.htm

Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 21:28:11 -0700
To: karen.duffy
From: Majo no Kiki
Subject: Thanx for Fushigi Yuugi! [And some comments]

I just came across your letter on your site about why you quit fansubbing.
I wanted first to give you some thanx, then give you some comments.

First of all, I experienced the full series through your fansubs! Now that
they're coming out on DVD, I bought the first boxed-set, and intend to buy
the second when it comes out too. In fact, I'm rather happy with the
translation so far. I speak very little Japanese [a word here and there
picked up in anime], but the subtitles seem nicely done when I do
understand. So I don't have the grumbly feeling I had when buying the Kiki
dub from Disney. :) [I do, however, *much* prefer the way you did it,
alternating translation and romanji for the songs, and the *wonderful*
culture notes placed out of the way during the credits. Just a *fine* sub!]

Also, I read your heart-felt letter to us fans, and I have some comments.

I understand why you subbed, and I understand why you left, but somehow I
think you might miss the *real* point of quitting subbing.

When you first started out, anime was not well known. *Because* you did
these fansubs, you brought a lot of business to the companies in Japan --
through products, and through sales of Japanese LDs to those who became
fans. "Officially" maybe they couldn't allow you to fansub, but they were
grateful because it exposed their wonderful work to the West. More
importantly, they may not have been able to market their works here -- many
have tried and failed. Or worse, American companies tried to bring anime
here, but "dumb it down" for the mass market. Fansubs brought excellent
translations, which catered to a more "educated" group, proving there was a
large market out there for accurate translation, and subtitles.

In short, your work was a *great* benefit to the anime industry in Japan at
the time.

But now that anime has taken off, the situation has changed. You are no
longer opening a door to the West for anime to enter, but now you are
treading into copyright infringment... At worst, you may even be stealing
revenue from companies who rightfully own the rights to these shows.

The point is, the *situation* has changed -- whether *you* have changed in
your heart is not important.

"Choice" is a strange beast. "Right" and "wrong" most often do not apply.
People simply *make* choices. And other people make choices from your
choices. As you said, choosing between "good" and "right" is really the
issue here. You make choices, and these choices both create *and* close
off their choices. You can neither "give" nor "take away" choices, only
*change* the choices.

I like your argument about cel painters:

>Cel painters maybe paid a very low income. So in order to live, they many take
>cels and sell them.
>
>The company might know they're doing it and why and not mind. However, if
>asked if it's all right, they would be FORCED to say "no".
>
>The company would turn its head the other way and employees know better than
>to ask for permission that the company cannot officially give.
>
>
>So with this in mind, if asked if it's all right to release fanworks to
>others, it could be problematic for them to say "no" to something they might
>not mind due to the free advertising and sells generated by such activities.
>
>On the other hand...
>
>....NOT to do so, takes way their right to free choice about something that
>belongs to THEM. And just to "assume" they don't mind (because of the
>benefits) could be considered the epitome of arrogance.
>
>The problem required a middle of the road answer. One that would give them the
>open feeling that we invite them to tell us how them feel WITHOUT being right
>in their faces.

But again, this is more an issue of a changed situation: in the beginning,
it was a *benefit* to these companies. Now, it's not so clear. Now it is
up to them to decide how they will handle their art.

But YOU opened the door, and YOU gave them these new options. And arguably
they may not have had these options had it not been for the hard work of
fansubbers like you. Or at the least, it may not have happened so quickly.

By fansubbing, you actually *gave* them more choices, more opportunities
for marketing and sales. But at this point, fansubbing *limits* their
choices of marketing and sales.

It is, indeed, about choice, but I think not in the way you argue.

--
So I guess my question to you really is: do you think you were wrong to
fansub in the beginning? I would think your answer -- even today, even if
you have changed in your heart -- would be "no, it wasn't wrong then." And
if that, indeed, is the case, then I'm right: it's the *changed situation*,
not fansubbing itself, that is the issue.

And I think that would, indeed, be your answer, as you say, you continue to
support other fansubbers who have not quit fansubbing. So fansubbing
itself is not wrong. Just it's *relation* to the situation it is in.

I would argue that, in the beginning, making fansubs was *both* good and
right. Yet now, it may not be either...

--
Okay, I just wanted to get that off my chest. :)

It doesn't really matter either way, but I sensed you still may have some
misgivings resolving exactly *why* you quit, and I thought I'd share these
thoughts with you, because I think these reasons exist in your heart, but
you may not have been able to explain what they were.

You have permission to use this letter on your site, if you wish, or toss
it, or tell me I'm full of it. :) And I certainly don't expect the work of
a reply -- you've wasted enough time if you've read this far! :) [And
you've said plenty on your site. No need for more explanation for little
ol' me. :) ]

In any case, I'm *very* grateful for your work! It's an honor to write
this letter, after having seen "KD" signed at the end of each episode. :)
You have my deepest gratitude, and nothing less than the utmost respect!!
Both for your works and for your decision!

And out of respect for both you and the Japanese mother companies, I have
and will buy the whole series, even though I have your fansubs.

<deep bow> Doumo argigato gozaimashita! <said in a horribly broken American
accent> :)

Kiki