Hello, I have many anime dvd box sets and I have a few questions regarding how anime box sets as well as other box sets that are like anime should be treated.

Here in the US, anime has been released for the past several years with a somewhat unique pattern.  The way many US distributors have released anime is as follows: Let's take a ficitonal series I have made up as an example.  The televised animated show is called "Lethal Knife", from Japan, and it will be released in 5 volumes.  Volume 1 will be released as two choices.  Choice #1 is a release in a keepcase with its own unique UPC that is retailing for $29.99.  The 2nd choice is a release in a box set that is designed to hold the other 4 volumes as they are released, about 2 months apart in the future.  The box set has its own unique UPC that is retailing for $39.99 AND it includes volume 1 which is it's in own keepcase and the $29.99 UPC on the keepcase as is exactly the same as the first choice.  Now, I do understand that the box set should be considered a 'slip case' since it will hold volumes 2-5 when they are released.

Here are some questions I have.  First, the box set should be considered the parent and volume 1 the child, right?  What about volumes 2-5 when they are released?  Should they be added as child profiles as they are released to the box set?  (I have personally made the box set the parent and made the rest of the volumes childs in my personal collection but have not released it as an update since I'm unclear with this.)  If volumes 2-5 are agreed to be added as child profiles should the boxset runtime be changed to reflect the total running time of the series or just the running time of the included volume?  There are other issues too depending on the answer to the previous questions.  If only the included volume is the only child accepted on the database then what about the overview for the box set?  Assuming the box set has no description, should the overview of the included volume 1 be copied to the overview section of the box set?  I have more questions but I would like answers to these first before I proceed.

Also, once I am clarified on these issues I plan on submitted some updates on many anime box sets that I have in my collection as well as other non-anime box sets, thank you.

-Jose

If I understand correctly, your main concern is whether to include yet unreleased items for the boxset?

If you have all the information available I do not see why you could not already add the information to DVD profiler. If the unformation on the to-be-released volumes is yet to be determined: leave them out.

In any case: base total runtime etc. ONLY on the currently available child profiles. This will have to be modified repeatedly as the next volume has been released when appropriate ofc.

As for the overview: When you add child profiles, do NOT copy the overview for all individual child profiles to the parent profile. Instead, use whatever is on the slip case. If there is no overview, write your own and keep it compact (1 or 2 paragraphs).

I would agree with goblinsdoitall.  You should only include the child profiles for the disc that can be purchased with the parent.  The others (discs 2-5) are only purchased individually, not as part of the set, so they aren't child profiles.  Though, I do as you, and locally move the children into the parent and adjust run time.
That is how it should be done, I believe... but what I would personally prefer is that all the discs 1-5, were made children to the box set.  It makes more sense to me the way I use profiler.

Alright, thank you very much everyone for the replies.  I figured that is how it's been but I wanted to confirm.  There are a quite a few anime DVD box sets in my collection that don't even have the parent/child affiliation for the box sets that do come with a volume of a series.

Just to recap, for anime box set releases that come with one volume out of a total of 3 to 6 other volumes, the only child profile would be the included volume, the other volumes would be child profiles only in local profiles; the rules did not really make this clear to me.  Now, I hope I'm right in thinking that for the box sets that come with one volume, including the volume's overview, runtime, features, episodes, crew and cast, etc. into the box set is correct.  Many box sets do have the included volume's data but many can use a lot of work and when I have some free time I will do what I can, I just needed to confirm that what I am doing and will do is correct, thanks again.