Do you like artboxes?

[theanimeguy]

If you are an anime dvd collector than you surely know what artboxes are but do you prefer them or not? Any you own that you really like?

[Raiden no Kishi]

Perhaps you could explain what an artbox is for those of us who don't? I assume it's the box used to hold a boxset of DVDs.

.rai//

[RobinSena]

An art box is a box for containing all of the individual volumes of a series.
Examples:




Personally, I love art boxes. While normally buying the individual dvds is more expensive than a box set, I buy them used, so it evens out.

[Roy Mustang]

I only like them, when its a box set of all the dvds.

I will not go and buy a volume with just the art box.


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[agasfas]

The only artbox I have is for the series Vandread.
Personally, I think artboxes are neat in themselves because it seems to put a good finish on a collection. Though recently with dvd's thinpacks being the cheapest way to buy a series, I would rather buy those instead of buying the dvd's and artboxes individually.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]No, no, no.

Art boxes tick me off sometimes! I mean, sure, I get the idea is to have an attractive place to hold the individual DVD's, but other than that, I just don't GET the point of it.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[RobinSena]

[font="Trebuchet MS"]No, no, no.

Art boxes tick me off sometimes! I mean, sure, I get the idea is to have an attractive place to hold the individual DVD's, but other than that, I just don't GET the point of it.[/font]

See, you do get the point of it.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Maybe it's just me, but a good $30 shelf from Wal-Mart does the same job as the box, if not more so.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[Osirilen]

Nope I don't. I see no reason at all to spend the extra cash on the artbox. The only anime collections I have which are sitting in boxes are the thinpacks (which...actually do make up a good bit of my collection) and a wooden box dvd collection thing I got at an anime convention a couple years ago.

My friend on the other hand....loves artboxes, because he claims it's a great way to keep his collection in order. He constantly tells me I should buy them.

[Scarecrow]

No... if the box came with a full set, sure. But i'm not gonna pay extra just to get a box. Plus I rarely buy anything that doesn't have a thin pack set.

[Roy Mustang]

One thing that I never like about art boxes is, they come with volume 1 in the set.

If you did the blind purchase, and you didn't like it. Then you are stuck with an art box.

But if you go and just buy the volume with no art box with it and you like it. They you will be wishing that you got the art box.

I know its a marketing idea with the company, but it would be nice if they put the art box out with the last volume.

I'm not a big fan of going out and buying each volume and I wait for the box set.

[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]The one chronic fear I have of Art Boxes is the ones with clothing in them. I'm not ashamed to admit it, but I'm 6'1 and 220 pounds--I doubt that a T-Shirt that's big enough to fit me is going to fit in that little box.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[RobinSena]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]The one chronic fear I have of Art Boxes is the ones with clothing in them. I'm not ashamed to admit it, but I'm 6'1 and 220 pounds--I doubt that a T-Shirt that's big enough to fit me is going to fit in that little box.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

Actually, the two I have are both XL(and I wear a small.. XD) so they'd probably fit. =)

[MoonRock Dragon]

I am addicted to artboxes with the whole series.I just cannot get enough of them since the look very official for a anime fan.

good thing's about artboxs.
1.Make's you look like a real determined anime fan.
2.Looks good and stands out.
3.Sometimes it is the only was to get the total series and makes you look like you searched high and low.
4.Will be worth gold in years to come depending on the series.

bad things.
1.People will notice them more and they could go out of stock very quickly.
2.High demand = very high price (sometimes even much more than they are really worth)
3.Very limited production.
4.Abit silly to get since you have to track them down and then the high demand and very hard to get and you are more than likely going to be overcharged ............ And all of the effort for a peice of cardboard.

[Yuuenchi]

Oh I love the artboxes, if its a series that I'll buy/collect, such as the great footlocker that Funimation came out for Negima. I acquire the artboxes purposefully 1)for all the goodies that come with it (in fact, my first artbox was for Last Exile, which was also my introduction to the wide, wonderful world of gasaphon (and after that full-size) figurine collections.) when they atually have goodies and 2)to have a single place to keep an entire series. Its the extras that really pull me in.

Funny thing though, is I don't like the slimcase, I prefer the full-size dvd, because you get more of the dvd extras and the artbox goodies as well. Although, in this day and economy, the days of neat goodies included in the boxes are probably pretty well numbered.


Speaking of which, 3 years ago at AWA 12 (I think it was), when Funimation was first releaseing Moonphase, they brought the mangaka and the character designer over for a panel and autograph session. They would sign little placards and draw a picture. Well, instead of that, I opted for a really original idea. I bought the artbox w/ vol 1. and had them sign that instead. It was a much better momento I think, than the standard pic and name (not as easy to loose, either)...they actually had to think a little more about what they put down. :thumb:

[ilikegir33]

Artboxes rule. I've got them for Excel Saga, Paniponi Dash and Negima. Oh and Roy Mustang, there are some series that have an artbox with Volume 2 of the series, such as most recent ADV titles. Also Shuffle had an artbox with Volume 6.

[Roy Mustang]

Roy Mustang, there are some series that have an artbox with Volume 2 of the series, such as most recent ADV titles. Also Shuffle had an artbox with Volume 6.

Yeah, I know that. But that still not my point. My point is they should put the artbox out with the last volume all the time then the first or 2rd volume.

If a person that goes out and buy the first volume with the artbox and they don't like the seires. Then they are stuck with it.


It should be done with every series as have the artbox for the last volume, end of story.

But at the sametime, I really don't care if they do or they don't do this. I only buy boxsets anyway, but I still then that would be the best way to go with artboxes.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[Yuuenchi]

One thing that I never like about art boxes is, they come with volume 1 in the set.

That's not necessarily always true. I know with Last Exile, the artbox came with vol 7 only, and ADV's artbox for Kanon came with vol 2 (which was a pain for me, because I could never find vol 1)

If you did the blind purchase, and you didn't like it. Then you are stuck with an art box.

But then, most artboxes are a 'limited edition' sort of thing, you could always make the blind purchase of the single volume without the artbox, could you not?

But if you go and just buy the volume with no art box with it and you like it. They you will be wishing that you got the art box.

Then its a simple matter of purchasing the artbox w/ the volume. I recognize that economically that may be an example of poor decisionmaking, but you can always trade in the unopened vol. could you not? OTOH, I remember Rightstuf.com at one time offered just empty artboxes for sale (I made use of that for at least one series, whose name escapes me at the moment)

In the end, then either way, you're face a conundrum. The question is which is the more palatable of the two situations. I'd probably err on the side of buying the artbox with vol anyway, 'cause the resale or trade in value of a dvd with the arbox is generally higher than just the dvd alone. If you bought the dvd alone and didn't like it you're stuck with an unwanted dvd, unless you trade it in, right?

I know its a marketing idea with the company, but it would be nice if they put the art box out with the last volume.

But some people don't want to wait *cough cough*, and anyway, I think artboxes are more geared to the diehard collector already familiar with the series than the casual anime buyer. And as I said, not every artbox comes preloaded with vol 1.

[Roy Mustang]

Edit: meant to edit and end up posting a new post.

[Roy Mustang]

That's not necessarily always true. I know with Last Exile, the artbox came with vol 7 only, and ADV's artbox for Kanon came with vol 2 (which was a pain for me, because I could never find vol 1) .

When I said that, I meant to say most, but forgot to add that in the post. I mean that as explanation of how some like that and I think they should come with the last volume or middle of the release volume.

I will reply what I said earlier,

Yeah, I know that. But that still not my point. My point is they should put the artbox out with the last volume all the time then the first or 2rd volume.

If a person that goes out and buy the first volume with the artbox and they don't like the seires. Then they are stuck with it.

It should be done with every series as have the artbox for the last volume, end of story.

But at the sametime, I really don't care if they do or they don't do this. I only buy boxsets anyway, but I still then that would be the best way to go with artboxes.

And those limited edition boxes are only worth it to the people that have them. I got the Escaflowne limited edition box set, but I never have and went out bought the art box with the volume.

Really, they are not worth money and if they are, is a fan really going to sell their artbox anyway?


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]