Spine Cards

MovingTarget · Post by **MovingTarget** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:51 am

The card thats serrated and come with the japanese games. What exactly are they for? At least I think this is the spine card

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:58 am

Spine cards or Obi's as they are commonly called are for numerous reasons.

In Japan all products that I know of are factory sealed. With the spine enclosed inside the wrapping the bar code can be implemented on it without degrading the artwork on the main front.

If you look at most Japanese software that come in small cases, the whole front of the package is pure artwork. If you look at the American equivalent you get the bar code, age restrictions emblems and informational stuff splattered all over the artwork, you also get the HUGE binder with the name of the console the software is for on it.

With DVD's, I guess the package is big enough to cover everything. In Japan even laserdiscs (12") had spine cards

So its a cosmetic saviour for the artwork and covers informational stuff that you may or may not want to keep. Hence it is seperated from the item when you open it.

MovingTarget · Post by **MovingTarget** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:01 am

Thanks

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:31 am

I never knew LDs had them. I'd thought spine cards were purely cosmetic to cover up the oftentimes black backing of the case showing on the left but that doesn't apply to LDs at all...

incognoscente · Post by **incognoscente** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:12 am

Obi Strips / Spine Cards first appeared on vinyl (including 12") records. Translations of song and album titles appeared on them.

I hope this helps your ellipsis.

Strychnine · Post by **Strychnine** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:02 am

Also, store owners can stack CDs and DVDs in a space-saving manner, and just have the obi showing. They also invented it so people with OCD can tweak out about it.

Accutron · Post by **Accutron** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:32 am

Here's what obis on LP's look like, circa 1982:

jp · Post by jp » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:18 am

Strychnine wrote:Also, store owners can stack CDs and DVDs in a space-saving manner, and just have the obi showing. They also invented it so people with OCD can tweak out about it.

*tweaks*