I doubt anyone will read this, just as I doubt my hits will ever reach 11,000. But it's only fair that I provide an explanation to those who care to have one. It's not short, but I hope that you will understand my position if you read it.

WHY I HAVE REMOVED ALL SCANS

1) The simplest reason: Any Japanese fan page that recirculates official images cannot be added to any official web rings. That is because posting an archive of photos is, to the Japanese, comparable to posting an archive of mp3 files. While it is common practice in other places to scan and repost pictures, it is strongly scorned by Japanese fans. It is considered very disrespectful. Being an American, I don't agree. But if I want to be able to exchange meishi at live events, my web page should follow Japanese conventions.

2) A more complex personal reason: When I first opened my personal scans gallery, it was to advertise my existence to other English-speaking fans, of whom there were few. It was also to show off my CD collection to new fans, and to show pre-existing fans that I am sincere in my appreciation of DA (or, at first, Kotani Kinya). That the scans might be redistributed by a visitor to my page had never crossed my mind.

When I heard that someone was planning on making their own page using, without my knowledge, the scans I had posted, I was outraged and immediately watermarked all of the photos on my site. I did not think deeply about it. I only knew that I didn't want anyone to use the photos for anything public without asking me, gaining my permission, thanking me, and then crediting me. People complained, and I felt better.

When people began, as I requested, to personally ask for the clean scans instead of bitching about it, I still reacted negatively, even though I often obliged. This is when I realized that my page had developed a hidden purpose that I hadn't intended-- I should have realized it much sooner, when some guests asked that I include "more info" on my page. It had become a reference for newer fans! It was helping people. I suppose that's good for fans because they want information, and good for me because I wanted hits and recognition.

But I am not, and have never been, one to seek popularity through kindness to strangers. I realized that I was inadvertently leading everyone on with a false front of helpfulness. While it would be fun to be well-known, I think I'm just not good-natured enough to put forth the effort.

I'm sorry if I have disappointed anyone, and I hope that you will visit once in a while anyway. My goal is to one day have a very dirty and irreverent DA fan site! Let's see how it goes!

Thank you very much for reading. If it were me, I might not have read it all...

m(_ _)m

Bekkoko