100Proof - You forget one thing - in Japan, anime is free. =P
At least on its runs on television. That's like if, say, somebody in France wanted to purchase the entire, oh, I dunno, like 'Survivor' DVDs. Maybe they'd get offered for less in France than in the States(who knows), but we get to watch it without cost as it's actually being broadcast.
The joys of a video tape recorder, or, if you're into more modern technology, Tivo/ReplayTV.
:-D