Odex
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2007) |
Company type | Private Limited |
---|---|
Industry | Animation-related distribution |
Founded | Singapore (1987) |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Peter Go, CEO/Director Stephen Sing, Enforcement Division |
Products | Video VCD / DVD |
Number of employees | 20+[1] |
Website | http://www.odex.sg/ |
Odex Pte. Ltd. is a
Odex is most well known for
History
Odez was founded in 1987 and entered the anime distribution sector in 2000.[2]
In 2003, with the support of Japanese licensors, Odex founded the Anti-Video Piracy Association of Singapore (
The following year, Odex and AVPAS, with the help of the Singapore Police Force raided a major video retail chain selling pirated anime VCDs.[4] In order to continue in its fight against video piracy, AVPAS created its official website. After a month, they started to take actions against illegal downloaders.
In 2005, Odex opened their own English dubbing studios and DVD authoring facility. Odex attracted American clients, including
In 2006, the Odex-licensed title
In 2008, Odex would work with Mediacorp to facilitate telecasts of shows the same week they aired in Japan.[5]
Working with Animax in 2009, Odex had titles released at the same day and time as in Japan in 42 Asian territories.
In 2010, Odex started its business in MobTV. The company brought its website back up, but only to provide a link to the MobTV website so that visitors can learn more about the Animetrix service that Odex is providing on MobTV. Odex brought the
Odex made a grand presence in Anime Festival Asia (AFA), being one of the two largest booths in the event hall. They brought in a wide range of anime cushions and anime apparel under their license. They also worked with AFA organisers to put up the screening of the Gundam 00 movie - Awakening of the Trailblazer and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya during AFA.
In 2011, Odex continued its participation in AFA, focusing on merchandise sales and movie screenings such as
Business model
Odex licenses and releases anime for local and regional Southeast Asian consumption. It was registered in 1998 to license, import and release overseas drama and animation into Singapore. It began distribution in 2000.
Odex VCDs packaging has two silver strips at the top and bottom, with the words Original Japanese Animation along the side with its logo. The VCDs are packaged as square boxed sets, with a CD folder containing six discs with 13 episodes each. The DVD boxed set is not packaged like the R1 and R2 sets, which come in one disc with two episodes, but as three discs with 12 episodes, using dual-layer DVDs.
Odex's VCDs contain
Other than licensing and distributing, Odex also does English dubbing, translation and/or subtitling for other companies. The shows are sold to television stations in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, such as
Incidents
Legal action towards downloaders
In reaction to falling sales and evidence of
Subtitles
Odex's
Odex stated that because of the censorship laws in Singapore, they had to tweak subtitles to conform to the Board of Film Censors' (BFC) requirements. However, a BFC spokesperson denied this, saying the board preferred that subtitles be accurate.[9]
Website
Following criticism of its anti-piracy actions, Odex set up a forum on its website, which aimed to foster and improve relationships between the company and the anime community.
Odex's website was subsequently defaced by an unknown hacker with no hacker group claiming credit for the action. The website was replaced with a note asking a boycott of Odex's products and how to download anime anonymously. The website was then taken down by Odex and a spokesman for Odex said Odex will make a police report over the hacking.[10]
Emails were sent to the media saying that Sing and Go were directors and shareholders of a defunct company, Games Mart, that shared the same corporate address as Odex and had been raided in 1999 by the police for selling
References
- ^ Chua Hian Hou (2 September 2007). "We learnt to be more humble...Yes, we've made mistakes". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012 – via The Star (Malaysia).
- ^ a b "Odex's Company Profile". Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "AVPAS members list". Archived from the original on 25 March 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Successful Defence Against Major Local Video Chain Fails To Overturn Criminal Search Warrants". Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "MediaCorp Partners Odex to Launch Anime Channel with Same Week Telecast as Japan". Anime News Network. 21 July 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- Today, 21 August 2007.
- ^ a b c d Chua Hian Hou (16 August 2007). "Anime firm boss gets online death threats". The Straits Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
- ^ "Singapore's Odex subs Haruhi with similar text to fansub". Anime News Network. 28 September 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2008.
- ^ "Subtitles must be done accurately: Censors". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- ^ "Odex website hacked". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- ^ Chua Hian Hou (29 August 2007). "SingNet: We did not 'consent' to Odex". The Straits Times.
- ^ Peter Go (30 August 2007). "No relationship between Odex and Games Mart". The Straits Times.
- ^ Andy Ho (2 September 2007). "Is it time for privacy laws?". The Sunday Times.
External links
- Official website
- Official AVPAS – Authorized Anime Titles for Singapore