At this point I don’t know how the hell I was able to keep up. Between work, finding time for yourself, and other things sure make me question if it’s all worth it.
Every season, there’s the usual impressions of not knowing whether the anime is good or bad. Then comes some of the first episodes of it. After that, it all becomes a cycle when the season is over which you’ll rinse and repeat until you want to take a break from it all. As of Fall 2020, I’m keeping up with 7 anime.
The number may be a bit daunting for newcomers of anime. If one is really bored, the person may even watch more than 15. And I’m not joking. Sometimes, this may be the reason why some watch anime only for specific series and genres. This can lead to the typical banter of: “Why isn’t series A more popular than series B? It’s so good!”, to “Why isn’t there more series like this anymore?”, and sometimes “I feel too old for this.” or even “I’m so sick of seeing the same series over and over!”
Once you notice the pattern, it can lead to a burnout. This kind of consequence will affect how you enjoy them in the long run. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. You just want to give in to the anime you’re willing to watch. But then reality checks in. Note: this is for the context of anime and not manga since they are two different mediums entirely even if majority of series came from there.
If another person watches the same anime as you, there’s a chance for connection. Though it’s not the same for everyone. Despite me knowing some who does watch them, I do not have all the time and effort to reach out. It’s also why it could be better to watch anime alone. We’re all introverts in our own ways.
I don’t know why, to find that one anime which checks all of the things you wanted ends up being the least talked about. This applies to any kind of entertainment really. It became a curse if an anime’s popularity can’t carry on to the next season, it will be off the radar until another random person speaks up about it. Another problem would be if the series tells a complete story and nothing new will come since it was planned like that from the start. Again, it’s a cycle. Plus not all anime are even intended for all audiences. The exception to this rule is if one anime is successful enough in their own way though its original selling point may no longer be seen as time goes on.
So, where does it all lead to? You have all the time in the world in enjoying anything. It’s just how you spend it. I for one wanted to watch an anime that’s not from this season as an ice breaker once again. Keeping up with the trends won’t make you happy. But once it’s there, I could always take a detour for the time being. Anime won’t go away anytime soon at least, it’s there to fill a void that’s been occupying ever since.
ThatRandomEditor's Anime Blog 
I haven’t been able to keep up with that many anime in a season for a while. A lot of the time it just feels more like work than anything.
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It’s slowly becoming like that. I’m actually worried if I won’t enjoy anime the way that I used to. Even if this season has a lot of good picks to choose from, some of them might end up as background noise to me.
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I can’t understand how people can manage to watch 20 simulcasts a week…I fell behind with just 9 a few seasons back and, with the new season starting to settle in, am still struggling to get back there to clear them off my list once and for all.
Of course, I don’t want to drop things when I could just be in the wrong mood for them or when they’re a slow burn series, but I don’t want to disappoint everyone in my audience either, so that’s why I have an entire system which acts as a series of checks and balances (although I tend to get the fast-moving series as a result, which have a risk of crashing and burning from going /too/ fast or alternatively, suddenly changing somewhere along the line).
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The way to watch that many shows may require some luck to get that privilege. Or if one is seriously willing to commit to it. But it depends on the person.
And yes. Having a format that fits to your needs is one way to get by. I do consider dropping some shows only if they’re not worth my time. So far it happened a few times. I used to have that in my older posts but later on, I modified it in a way it’s more digestible. Figuring out what the audience wants is another trick to know if one is still going along.
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Seasonal anime is like a black hole. After you’ve watched a couple and are waiting for the next week you end up just seeing what else there is and end up adding another and another. You start to measure time in 24 minute blocks. Can I fit another one in?
I took a step back last season and again this season where I’m only watching one. I’ll catch up on other shows once they’re approaching the final episode and I can binge them. I find it’s a more enjoyable way to watch. I do miss not being able to read and comment on others’ posts as the season progresses, but I already feel a little saner from not constantly chasing the next release.
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Agreed on the black hole comparison. Subconsciously I measure time by episodes sometimes. Now that I think about it, there are a number of shows that don’t seem to fit on a weekly schedule. You could feel it on the first episode alone. This can apply to fast-paced anime or anime relying so much on action.
I find it nice you were able to cut down your seasonal anime. It’s much needed to take breaks before you could dive back again. Better for your health than sacrificing it. Even though I don’t binge often, it does give a better focus on one anime than waiting for the others to air in the same season.
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It’s funny when I think about it, but I’ve Netflixed myself by waiting until they’re over before watching them… I just love immersing myself in the series.
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I find I can almost never keep up with seasonal anime, so I rarely even try. I really prefer to binge, so I’ll read the reviews a bit, watch an episode or two, and then add it to the ever expanding watchlist to catch up a season at a time. But I’m not an anime blogger or reviewer, and I believe I have a total of 20 subscribers to my blog, mainly personal friends who know it’s a minor miracle if I drag myself to the keyboard once a month. How you can keep up with seasonal and episodic reviews while having a job, school, you know, a life, I’ll never know! Respect!
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Thanks for the comment. I’m flattered. This kind of lifestyle needs a mindset to be followed most of the time. Having none does lead to not finishing any anime and I’m okay with that. You don’t have to be updated all the time. Each season has its highs and lows.
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[…] Rand from Editorani […]
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“Once you notice the pattern, it can lead to a burnout.”
That’s one of the (several) reasons I’ve taken to focusing on individual moments. I took a lot of literature in college, and I try to read stuff from all different eras. What that means is I can’t remember the last time I saw a unique story.
But a specific character in a specific plot acting a certain way? A glance, the curve of a neck, a slight smile — those are things that are still inspiration. So I focus on those things.
What about anime still attracts you? Would it make a good post?
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I haven’t actually considered that. Been so tired of keeping up to the point I’m experiencing tunnel vision. Not only that I didn’t had a chance to study other forms of literature and I’m only limited to those that interests me the most. It’s also why I’ve stopped doing episode reviews early on. But hey, small steps makes something than nothing. Nice suggestion!
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