Getting Started Trading

What if you don't have anything to trade yet?

So you're interested in getting doramas but you don't have anything. What should you do?

First, if you have a high speed internet connection, check out the newsgroup alt.binaries.multimedia.japanese. Many people post doramas to this newsgroup that you can download for free.

There are some people who distribute doramas, though they're much rarer than anime distributors. So try searching for a dorama distributor. A distributor is someone who is willing to make copies for you if you cover their costs. Usually, it should cost no more than about $35 US per 11 or 12 episode dorama if you live in the same country as the distributor.

There are also a few series available pirated on VCD's on Asian web sites. (If you do a search on japanese vcd, you'll find many of these companies. There are no licensed English-subtitled doramas available commercially.) Most of the doramas available on VCD and DVD only contain Chinese subtitles, but a few do have English subtitles. However, the translation is often poor, and the subtitles sometimes are in white with no border. So if you try to trade such a series, you should let the person you're trading with know about these problems ahead of time. A dorama series on VCD will cost you $10-30 US plus around $5-10 US postage to most of the world.

The Asian pirates have also started making some DVD's (available at the same places as those selling VCD's). These are generally superior to the VCD's. The picture looks better, and you can select the subtitles so that only the set you want to see is on the screen. Also, the subtitles will be easier to read. Surprisingly, the DVD's thus far have tended to have better English translations, too. However, a dorama series on DVD may cost you as much as around $50 US plus around $5-10 US postage to most of the world.

You can also buy many of these series on eBay. Just search for japanese drama eng, and you'll find most of what's for sale with English subtitles. Generally, if a series is on 4-8 VCD's or DVD, it came from Asian pirates and has substandard English subtitles. If it is on 11-12 VCD's, it probably came from American TV and has good English subtitles. Before buying, check the seller's feedback profile. Think twice about buying from someone who has little or no feedback, negative feedback, or, even worse, has hidden their feedback. Also, take note of what country the seller is located in: the postage costs can be very high if the package needs to go halfway around the world.

However, you'll be able to get many more doramas by trading. Besides the ways described above to pay for doramas you can then trade, you can try several other tacks. Are there Japanese video stores nearby or do you get the International Channel? Some people will trade for unsubbed doramas or music specials. Are there Chinese video stores with Chinese-subbed Japanese doramas nearby? Some traders are bilingual in Chinese and English and will trade Chinese-subtitled doramas for English-subtitles doramas. Do you have any anime or Hong-Kong videos that are not commercially available? Again, some people may be willing to trade for them. (Careful: if you try to trade commercially available shows, you are likely to lose many traders.) If you have any friends or relatives who live in places that broadcast English-subtitled doramas -- in North America, as detailed on the Links page, that means Hawaii, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City -- you could ask them to record a couple of shows for you to give you something to begin trading. Think along these lines about anything you have, can get, or can do that someone else may want.

If all else fails, try begging. A polite, sincere letter with an offer to cover the person's costs may get you some people willing to help you get started. However, do not send email to someone who says they are closed, and do not send email to someone who says they will only do trades if you don't have anything to trade. You won't get the shows you're seeking; all you'll do is end up on a blacklist of someone you may want to trade with later. Rebecca Jones has written a Why I Don't Sell page that bluntly explains the reasoning of someone who has many shows.

Even if you are careful about who you ask for trades, realize that most people you write to will not be interested, and probably won't write you back. Keep trying and good luck!

Finally, a hint: if you do manage to set up a trade, try to trade for a show that looks good that many people don't have rather than getting an ultra-popular show everyone has. That way you'll have an easier time using the show you get to set up more trades and get more shows. After you have a number of doramas, then start trading for the common, very popular shows.

Return to Dorama Traders Main Page.

If you wish to join, change information, or quit the dorama trading club, you can do so on the Membership Changes page. Otherwise, you can send me mail at mic-h@mic-hworld.com.
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