value

Each Friday, I scan the Hey, Answerman! column on ANN and find that either the questions aren’t as compelling as the ones AnimeNation’s Ask John regularly answers or that the responses to the question of the week aren’t either. However, the query that Zac has tasked his Answerfans with pondering in today’s edition is an interesting one: “How much do you personally believe a single episode of an anime series is worth, and why?”

It’s somewhat vague in its plainness but that means it will force respondents to interpret it in their own ways, which should yield a fruitful variety of results. I would expect many responses to be around the standard download-to-own price of $2 (I’d be in this camp), some fansub devoted “flakes” to say they are worthless, and still others to use some cockamamie method of determination. I’d like to see if anyone gives a split value model based on circumstances like timing and format as well as qualitative criteria about the episodes themselves.

Here’s a range from a physical media perspective based on recent DVD MSRPs:
(real prices may be lower, extras are ignored)

• Black Lagoon #1 single reissue: $30 for 4 eps = $7.50 per episode
• Ouran Host Club Part 1: $60 for 13 = $4.61
• Marimite Season 1: $50 for 13 = $3.84
• Lagann sub-only Part 2: $30 for 9 = $3.33
  (Best Buy pricing at $20 yields $2.22 per ep)
• Bleach Box Set 2: $70 for 21 = $3.33
  (Amazon pricing at $40 yields $1.90 per ep)
• Shana Box Set: $70 for 24 = $2.92
  (AnimeNation/TRSI preorder at $52.49 yields $2.19 per ep)
• Dragon Ball Z Season 6 Set: $50 for 29 = $1.72
• Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1: $35 for 28 = $1.25

So what monetary value would you assign to an average, nondescript anime episode and what would your reasoning be?