Okay, here is my 2 cents (eh, maybe more like a 
quarter).

I like anime and the cels that go with them. 
However, this is a *hobby*. Meaning, that if it 
starts to become less than fun because of price 
gouging (whether perceived or real) and 
escalating prices, there are other things to do.  
Hobbies may be expensive, but they should always 
be fun.

You have to balance what you want with what it is 
truly worth to you. Can you get those exorbitant 
prices in joy out of the cel, regardless of what 
you can sell it for later or what you might have 
to pay later to get it? Sometimes I really wonder.

If you buy something because you think it’s only 
going to appreciate in value, I really recommend 
the stock market. Sometimes, I think it’s less 
volatile than cel prices  =)  I mean, imagine if 
some of these CN shows went off the air at the 
end of the current run and CN didn’t bring them 
back for a while? It happened to GW, and the 
prices really dropped for a while.

I have tried to allocate my $$ a little 
differently lately, spending a little less on 
cels and little more on getting new series. After 
all, isn't the main reason you want the cel?