Growing out of anime

[Decagon]

I don't think I'd ever get tired of anime. I watch almost exclusively for comedy with the odd indulgence in something with good or interesting story (or interesting art like with Tatami Galaxy). Characters' individuality and relations in the material add to the nuances of what may be recycled jokes. In my normal life, I watch lots of stand-up comedy, lots of sketch comedy, lots of sitcoms, etc, so anime is just another venue for something I frequent a lot. Heck, most of the manga I've bought are 4 koma or gag manga.

[mindovermatter]

There was a time in my life where anime really kept me going, but now with school I don't get to watch nearly as much (I consider myself lucky if I can watch one or two episodes a week) and surprisingly I don't find myself missing it too much, other than not being able to keep up with discussions on forums (like AS). Even more shocking to me is that I find myself watching more and more sitcoms on Hulu (Office, Modern Family, Raising Hope, etc). Still though, I consider anime a very important and permanent part of my life. It's sad though that I don't get as exited anymore as I used to

[serenade_beta]

In the end, anime is just a way to waste free time. Just like watching TV and Wheel of Fortune or something of that sort for the Nth time...

It can be boring or (-_-) at times with the cliche-filled anime or anything that threw a whole bunch of otaku-type stuff together, but occasionally you get a show worth being enthusiastic about.
Watching anime = wasting time, but while wasting time, you have a chance of finding something absolutely great. Therefore, there isn't anything to lose while watching anime. Even if you end up watching something boring, you completed your objective of wasting time.

Though I admit I feel like the anime industry is running out of things to animate. Then again, when I look at the titles of recent light novels, I also get the feeling that it isn't just anime...
Though in the end, it all comes to me slumping in my chair and mindlessly facing the computer screen. That's the feeling I get. (What?)

[Chaos2Frozen]

I would like to think that 60 years from now, I'll be watching whatever Fall season Animes I have on my holographic iPad10 equipped with surround sound system on my deathbed... Of course, there's a risk that I would die before finishing the series... In that case, it would really be a bitch... >.>


...Do you think Heaven or Hell has Anime and video games? You know... Just in case... >.>

[Akito Kinomoto]

Realizing what you've been engaged to after the Honeymoon Phase will always be the toughest part about keeping your passion for someone or something. Spend some time away from one another and see if you can get by without the other. But really, these days, my problem isn't that I've grown out of it so much as it is being very selective and being lost for time.

[Kyuu]

Let's see. I'm 30+. Still watching anime (and sports). Regular TV sucks so bad, I don't even bother.

[DonQuigleone]

For the past 2 or 3 years the amount of anime has majorly declined from it's peak when I started. Sometimes I've felt that I'd stop watching Anime entirely. However Anime always manages to come out with stuff that's either incredibly strange, profoundly emotional or just different from what I can get elsewhere, that I always keep coming back.

I no longer find the mainstream stuff that gets shovelled out particularly entertaining for more then the occasional laugh, but so long as stuff like Tatami galaxy, or this season's Penguindrum gets put out, I'll keep coming back.

So for me, I've kinda grown out of the mainstream anime, but I'm still here for the weird(Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei!), arty(Tatami Galaxy!) and more mature(Mushishi!) stuff.

A lot of people that "grow out of" Anime do it because they feel "anime has gotten worse", I don't really think that, it's changed (as everything does) but I think the quality levels are pretty consistent, though some years have been abnormally bad (2009/2010) and some abnormally good (2006/2007).This year seems to be a good one.

[Hooves]

I've been watching anime for about 3-4 years in total. I still watch as much anime as I originally have (last season was too hard to keep up ) and I've never grown tired of anime yet. I've gotten the hook on all the cliche moments to the point I literally know when and where they are going to happen. I've always kept an open mind to all anime genres (only 1 genre remains out of the group) so I don't grow bored watching whatever comes up. The thing that keeps me watching anime is the originality from each series, each series has its own original plot/story/character/etc that I keep a keen eye on. When it comes to the point when everything feels like its been used before (every single moment, and every single line used) that's when I'll grow out of anime.

Either way, its still better then watching the shows on T.V.

[Nu Soard Graphite]

I got into anime (hardcore) around 1989/90 when I picked up my first Anime VHS tape, DANGAIO. Shortly after that I got GUNBUSTER, Akira, started collecting Robotech on tape etc. Anime took me on a wild ride that lasted well over a decade.

However around 2000-ish I noticed that anime just wasn't as interesting anymore. Was it because anime was in a down trend (it was at the time) or was I outgrowing it? A little of both?

I stopped paying attention to anime so heavily at that time, dedicating my efforts elsewhere (mostly gaming and fantasy novels etc). Now in the past couple of years, I have found a plethora of anime tittles that have caught my interest once again. It started with the ridiculously phenomenal Macross Frontier and has continued to the present. Claymore was awesome and there have been a host of good tittles I have watched recently.

I realised that what had happened was that I had oversaturated myself in Anime. It got to the point that I had seen pretty much everything out there. I needed a break, so I took almost 10 years off of anime. Now I am re-energized and ready to devour more series. If you find yourself getting burned out, just take a break and find something else to do for a few years. You'll be surprised at how much that helps.

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by Nu Soard Graphite

I realised that what had happened was that I had oversaturated myself in Anime. It got to the point that I had seen pretty much everything out there. I needed a break, so I took almost 10 years off of anime. Now I am re-energized and ready to devour more series. If you find yourself getting burned out, just take a break and find something else to do for a few years. You'll be surprised at how much that helps.

Aye, My policy is not to watch Anime just for the sake of watching it. I just keep getting brought back when I find something new and cool. Last time it was One Outs and Kemono no Souja Erin.

[Nu Soard Graphite]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Aye, My policy is not to watch Anime just for the sake of watching it. I just keep getting brought back when I find something new and cool. Last time it was One Outs and Kemono no Souja Erin.

indeed I think that was the case. I had the same problem with 90's Wuxia films. Once I had seen all the best ones, there was nothing more to feed my hunger. Just wait a while and eventually there will be plenty for you to watch that will keep your interest.

[gsilver]

I'm getting older (recently turning 30), and I certainly can't and don't want to watch as much anime as I used to, but compared to other media (Videogames: once hardcore gamer, now under 2 hours a week, non-animated TV: almost none (in the last year: Dexter and Firefly; That's it), books: ...I was literate once) it's doing very well; I'm continuing to find several series each season that I'm genuinely excited about, which is really all that's important.

It's not really an issue of time constraints, as I still have quite a bit of "empty time", but my media consumption, with the exception of internet browsing/forum posting is on a downward trend across the board.

...I remember videogames being a lot more fun than I find internet browsing now.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by xxanimefan4_ever

i can just tell from the picture the anime is gonna be shit.

I have to wonder what you thought when you first saw a picture of Madoka Magica


I don't think I'll ever grow out of anime,to me it's just another medium of entertainment I don't expect to grow out of watching movies or reading books,so I don't see why i'd grow out of watching anime.

[NoemiChan]

I grow out of anime when at these days where in most anime shares thesame character design, attitude and somewhat similar plot.... Look at Taiga of Tora Dora, she has so many similar characters in other anime.... and you them.... "inu2x, bota inu, baka!!!!"

[Chiibi]

I don't think I'll ever outgrow anime in general but there are some series I used to love that I hate now because I've grown too cynical.

Especially soap opera-like shoujo ones like Marmalade Boy and Fushigi Yuugi.

These types are so very "teen-oriented", it's easy to outgrow them once you become an adult. Even if some housewives disagree...

[littleanimegirl]

I dont know why but I dont feel that happening to me i live and breath anime i cant imagine not being into it

[ion475]

The problem is not exactly people "outgrowing" anime or anything anyway. Main issue I found is just that there is just almost nothing that worth following sometimes.

Where it comes from? Quantity over Quality, that should sums it up...

Did I "outgrow" anime before? Yes...but it's back around 1999. But that's when I just moved to States, devoid of anime back then (People don't even know what it is...), so that may be part of the reason. Got back into it around 2003 or so (Gunslinger Girls, then the like of Air and Shana I. Of course, the various Gundam series since I grow up with them...). But I didn't really follow anime as much as I do now until 2008 or so...(And I'm 24 now...)

indeed I think that was the case. I had the same problem with 90's Wuxia films. Once I had seen all the best ones, there was nothing more to feed my hunger. Just wait a while and eventually there will be plenty for you to watch that will keep your interest.

Meh, it's just that b/c most of the new one suck with the involvement of the every great Hollywood...

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by ion475

The problem is not exactly people "outgrowing" anime or anything anyway. Main issue I found is just that there is just almost nothing that worth following sometimes.

Where it comes from? Quantity over Quality, that should sums it up...

Did I "outgrow" anime before? Yes...but it's back around 1999. But that's when I just moved to States, devoid of anime back then (People don't even know what it is...), so that may be part of the reason. Got back into it around 2003 or so (Gunslinger Girls, then the like of Air and Shana I. Of course, the various Gundam series since I grow up with them...). But I didn't really follow anime as much as I do now until 2008 or so...(And I'm 24 now...)



Meh, it's just that b/c most of the new one suck with the involvement of the every great Hollywood...

There is always an anime for you to follow, every interest methinks. You just have to find it.

[erneiz_hyde]

Having multiple hobbies really help in dealing with this. One time you're doing this to death, then do the other thing to almost near death, then coming back to see the first one and enjoy it all over again. The only thing you might miss is the hype with fellow fans but that shouldn't be too big a problem, should it?

If you want more "depth" however, I think anime is not the best media to consider. Manga is somewhat better but I find that the medium that has deeper depth to it is the light novels and visual novels. Though even in these mediums, the diamonds are still hidden amidst the craps, similar with the anime. Though obviously there's the language barrier, but my LOVE of them destroyed that barrier by actually learning to read Japanese in autodidact.

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

Having multiple hobbies really help in dealing with this. One time you're doing this to death, then do the other thing to almost near death, then coming back to see the first one and enjoy it all over again. The only thing you might miss is the hype with fellow fans but that shouldn't be too big a problem, should it?

If you want more "depth" however, I think anime is not the best media to consider. Manga is somewhat better but I find that the medium that has deeper depth to it is the light novels and visual novels. Though even in these mediums, the diamonds are still hidden amidst the craps, similar with the anime. Though obviously there's the language barrier, but my LOVE of them destroyed that barrier by actually learning to read Japanese in autodidact.

If you want depth, try actually going past Japanese
pop culture and getting into the rest.