Being Late to the Party? (Or, missing out on 'ongoing' shows.)

[ahelo]

This is what happened to me with CODE GEASS and the first season of Haruhi. I can't imagine how fun it would be if I was part of the ride when those series where airing.

Actually I can't imagine watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica without having fun reading the SPECULAH.

[Khu]

Current series give me something to look forward to every week. Older series provide on the spot entertainment. *shrug* either are fine.

[Genten]

Yep. I usually watch the first episode of a show, participate in some discussion, and then stop watching to do something else. In my defense, college takes up a huge chunk of my life (although most of the reluctance to watch another episode of an ongoing series is laziness) so I usually fall behind and, with weekly series, it turns into a never ending spiral. So, I usually just try to finish up the series when it's all done airing. The good thing? I can watch an entire anime without the hassle of one weeks waits. The bad thing? Now that the series is over no one wants to talk about it.

Since I like discussing anime with people, both on the internet and real life, I'm trying to keep up with shows this season. I watched more anime today then I have in a month *rubs sore ears*

[SeijiSensei]

There have been a few shows that I've enjoyed discussing here while they progressed. Usually these have been dramas like Seirei no Moribito or Welcome to the NHK!. Lately, for whatever reasons, I've found the level of discussion has declined. I quickly got bored with the never-ending speculation about Madoka, and the current discussion about potential romantic relationships in [C] seem to be filling space.

I especially dislike the discussions that consist of pages and pages of manga readers whining about how the anime version differs from the manga. This tendency kept me out of discussions about Claymore and Dance in the Vampire Bund. I just recently watched Dance and found it more compelling than I ever would have thought from reading the discussions here.

Lately AS discussions seem much more focused on the "otaku" features of shows than they used to be. Perhaps it's a change in the audience or perhaps it reflects changes in the types of shows that get produced these days. The last good discussion I followed was for Cross Game.

[cyth]

We have options other than online forums to discuss current series. Sometimes, AS discussions turn to shit, either with that group mentality thing taking over or posters becoming too annoying with their opinions on loop. Spoilers effectively become the least of your worries, resentment to the anime medium as a whole can settle in, thinking you're not fit for this fandom anymore. Getting too attached to fandom can have devastating consequences. Examples: bloggers quitting their hobby when their blogs die out because fandom has moved onto new titles in which you have no interest in, old fansubbers talking thrash about anime and quit because they realize their world consists of trolls and children, people getting vested into anime clubs or online communities only to drop out of the hobby once those communities die...

On the other hand, the anime experience the fandom offers is unique and simply not replicable once the series end, but there are other ways to enjoy them nonetheless. For one, people have by and large forgot how to explore anime. Rewatch a title, analyze it, track down the creators, talk to them, discover their other works, make pilgrimages to holy places, collect stuff, cosplay... There's a plethora of other post-broadcast activities to indulge in. Whatever the case, don't blame your lack of interest on external factors if you're not trying to stay excited about the hobby; it's your own damn fault.

[Owata]

Originally Posted by Eclectic

I like being late to the party and watch the show all at one go. It makes it for a more cohesive experience rather than trying to wait for a next episode to air. When you finally watch that episode, you forget what happened previously. ...

Hmm, I actually think this is more of a positive attribute for watching something that's on-going.

If you're forced to pace along on with a broadcast schedule, then the experience can be heightened by the fact that you don't have control over when you'll see the next episode.

In other words, if an episode ended in a cliffhanger, then you're going to be kept in suspense for a week, giving you time to ponder what might happen in the next episode. And if it was a memorable cliffhanger, a week will give you enough time to etch that experience into a lasting memory.

Just my opinion when it comes to watching weekly TV dramas.

[Gamer_2k4]

Originally Posted by Owata

In other words, if an episode ended in a cliffhanger, then you're going to be kept in suspense for a week, giving you time to ponder what might happen in the next episode. And if it was a memorable cliffhanger, a week will give you enough time to etch that experience into a lasting memory.

I would argue just the opposite, that it's the instant gratification that forms the lasting impact. How addictive would gambling be if you had to wait a week or even a day between pulling the lever on a slot machine? My guess would be not very. A week (or longer) delay between cliffhanger and resolution deadens the expectation, because you can't very well go a whole week at that high level of suspense and excitement. It just wouldn't be healthy.

Let's use Haruhi as an example. I enjoyed the series, but it was bad enough sitting through the filler episodes as I waited for the plot to pick up again. I can't imagine waiting four months to get to the conclusion of what's essentially a six-episode OVA; after all, one of the things I love about the show is its tight plotting for that main arc. However, I do imagine that Endless Eight would be more tolerable if I only had to go through one per week instead of eight.

In my mind, if you stretch out a show, you lessen its ultimate impact. It's the difference between adding a log to a fire once an hour for four hours, and adding four logs at once. Which is more memorable, the four hours of warmth, or the ten minutes of searing heat?

[mindovermatter]

I agree with a lot of what the previous posters in this topic have said, so I guess I'll just add my own story and feelings.

There have been some anime, like Clannad, School Rumble, etc where I really wish I had been involved in a community back then to discuss the anime.
Someone previously said that they don't like being "told" how to think about an anime, and to some extent I agree with that, but I also some times like seeing other peoples take on it. Other times of course, I think people look too much into an anime and it sort of ruins the relaxation value for me.

Some times when I'm watching last seasons anime I go back on AS or other forums and see what people said, and it's alright that way most of the time. I almost never get to keep up with all the current animes due to time constraints, but we does our best precious

[Skane]

One of the perks of having current discussion, especially if it's of the civil type, is that it allows people to share their interpretations of the show. Anime being anime, a lot of Japanese nuances may be missed out if you were not there to read about it.

The "Eureka" moment so to speak.

Unless your willpower is pitifully low, interacting with other people does not mean becoming a woolly farmyard animal. Actively avoiding discussion however, can lead to the "Frog in a well" syndrome.

Cheers.

[Sackett]

Depends on the type of show.

Something like K-On or Lucky Star isn't going to be that huge a difference. Yeah there is the social aspect that is lost out on a little, but neither had a plot for speculation about.

Something like Katanagatari is a little more of a loss because it does have a plot to analyze.


But really I think it's a rare anime that you really miss something by not watching during the initial release.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is probably one.

Madoka Magica another.

Haruhi was one- but more because of the weird broadcast order then the actual show (and I say that as a fan).

Notice that they have something in common, they are rather cerebral and philosophical shows.

Pacing is another way that this effect can happen, but usually this is only for longer shows:

I'd think the rare slice of life that might count is Maison Ikkoku, since you lose the aspect of actually aging the same number of years with the characters. It covered 4 years, and ran for 4 years.

Another would be Space Battleship Yamato. "Hurry Starblazers, there are only 271 days left to save Earth!"

Some other shows might count because the ending twist has been spoiled. Chrono Crusade might fit here.

[frubam]

It depends. I generally prefer to stay away from the ones that are generating alot of attention and watch it afterward. Biggest thing is that rabid fanboys turn me off of the shows for some reason. 2nd biggest thing though is that I tend to get drowned out at the conversation table. Recent example is Madoka. My meager posts get swallowed by the enormous walls of text in which I have no way for people to really hear what I'm saying =0\. I think I'd prefer a good show in which I can have a good conversation about it with a couple of people rather than having 30 or 40 posts with all different people talking over me.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by frubam

I think I'd prefer a good show in which I can have a good conversation about it with a couple of people rather than having 30 or 40 posts with all different people talking over me.

C'mon over and discuss Hyouge Mono with us. There's plenty of room at the table, and thirty-seven episodes to go.

[ChainLegacy]

Sometimes, I regret not being able to discuss the series in-depth when this happens. But, for the most part, it isn't a big deal to me.