What makes an anime memorable to you?

[iSuckAtWriting]

I recently did a mental check on the shows I've watched, and I've found what I've enjoyed the most isn't necessarily what I'm recalling first. Granted there are the unforgettably bad shows, but this is also bleeding into good or even great shows. Like, I enjoyed the "great" show more than the "good" show, but it's the "good" one I recall first. Or I like two "good" shows about the same, but on recall only one of them really sticks out.

I know where my like for each show stands (that can change, but that's a subject for another day), but I don't know where my memory of them is going to jump.

So yeah. What makes an anime memorable to you instead of just good or bad?

[HasuMasu]

A series' memorability to me could be leveraged by having some connection with an event in my life.

[frivolity]

The shows that I find memorable generally have well-developed characters whose characterisation contains some aspects that resonate with me. This is especially so if the characters go through a certain experience or hold a particular viewpoint that strikes me as thought-provoking.

Examples include 5 cm per second with the notion that people and relationships are fragile and fleeting, Kokoro Connect with its multitude of philosophical issues, and Yahari Ore no Seishun with the main character's ideas regarding herd mentality.

[Sheba]

To me?

Before internet, it was the fact that I could feel a connection to it years, even decades after the first time I have watched you. Back in the day, in France, our Big Three were Saint Seiya, Dragon Ball and Hokuto no Ken. In school playground, there were debates about which was the BEST of the three. Saint Seiya had a big momentum because of the Sanctuary Arc, it did help that guys were comparing which Gold Saint was the best ("Hahah Pisces Aphrodite is such a homo! Woah, Cancer Death Mask is such a dick!").

Dragon Ball eventually overshadowed the rest because of the time skip and the escalating power levels. Hokuto no Ken was a weird one. It was repelling and haunting because of the over the top violence. But the killer blow against Hokuto no Ken at that time was the gag dub, which was the official dub.

Years passed, and tastes changed. And I rediscovered Hokuto no Ken through the french publishing of the manga. I discovered what I have missed out because of the censorship and the gag dub. A tale of love, brotherhood, soul searching and the salvation of a doomed humankind. This was when broadband internet became widespread in France that I hunted down the original version of Hokuto Ken anime and I marathoned it, and loved ever moments of it. So in my heart, it went from Dragon Ball > Saint Seiya > Hokuto no Ken, then Saint Seiya >> Dragon Ball > Hokuto no Ken to Hokuto no Ken >>>>>>>>>> Saint Seiya >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dragon Ball. I found myself quoting more from Hokuto no Ken, making references to that series that I did to the others of the Big Three of that time.

Now with internet and in my recent memory. Madoka Magica. The debates, the speculations and, unfortunately, the troll baiting from the haters. Back to that day, we were all speculating like crazy over what was going to happen next and the rationale behind the actions of each characters. The fact that it was an anime original, meaning no spoilers thrown around by people who knew the source, did fuel the debates even more. Then came the great earthquake of March 2011 followed later by the airing of the ending that was delayed. The message of hope converying by the ending in the middle of one of the darkest hours for Japan resonated in a unique way that I don't think I will ever see in my lifetime. Many will say that "no, x series have done it better than Madoka, etc...", this do not take away from what happened in that period. Something was happening back then, and I was glad to have been riding the train at that time.

[Triple_R]

I've found over the years that there's two things that are particularly important in making an anime memorable to me.

1) Character resonance. The anime has to have at least one important character that just totally "clicks" with me and wins my lasting fondness and appreciation. As good as True Tear's writing quality is, it would not be as memorable to me as what it is if not for Noe Isurugi. And Madoka Magica is my all-time favorite anime show largely because it has a disproportionately large percentage of characters that "clicked" with me in this way.

2) Epic scenes. Particular scenes that I enjoy watching over and over again, and they typically put me on an emotional high and/or get the goosebumps going. Almost all of my favorite anime shows have at least one scene like this. Right now, I probably love The Pilot's Love Song more than I should, largely because of some of its best scenes.


1 and 2 often go together, of course - A character that I've come to like and care about a lot is more likely to create an epic, memorable scene for me than a character that I just mildly like and/or am "meh" about. Likewise, an epic scene may give me a new appreciation for a character and help make that character "click" with me (Higuarshi Kai's Akasaka is a good example of this).


I can come across one or both of these two things in many different anime of varying degrees of quality in a more holistic sense. So yeah, I do sometimes find a "good" anime more memorable than a "great" anime.

[xxanimefan4_ever]

BGM always makes a world of difference. You can tell when the people making the anime are putting their all into it if the bgm is also amazing. One example for me is Slayers NEXT. They made songs to be used specifically for certain scenes in the later part of the series. Now that I think about it, this goes with "epic scenes" that the poster above said... BGM was one of the reasons why slayers revolution was a hot mess because they would re-use songs from the old series and it wouldn't match the scene (whether you watched the old series or not), it would remind me of whatever epic scene in slayers next (if they used one of the special songs), the bgm just seeemed too good for the scene (I never had this thought till i watched slayers revolution to be honest). For one of the later episodes they were using all the big songs from slayers next and try i was expecting all the baddies from those seasons to show up lol... because the background music left such a strong impression on me and because the villains in slayers revolution just pale in comparison.

[Triple_R]

BGM is important, yeah.

It honestly added a lot to Love Live! in my view.

It's also the main reason I haven't forgotten Vividred Operation yet.

[Preciize]

1. The OSTs, BGM, and in general the music of a series. If a series has music that I'd go back and listen to, I'll definitely remember it. A couple examples for me would be Guilty Crown and Shingeki no Kyojin.

2. Epic scenes or a series where I'm constantly on the edge of my seat waiting for what's going to happen next. The most recent anime I can think of would be Shingeki no Kyojin. Man, that series was awesome

3. Last but not least, and probably the biggest thing to me, is if I can take something positive (generally morals or values) from a series and try to apply it to my life. Naruto overall has been influential on me, especially the whole "never give up" message. After (and still) following it for so long, I found that I've become much more understanding and tolerant of others (though I'm sure it wasn't the only factor in my change). Basically, a series with a number of emotional and heartfelt scenes stands out to me, and after finishing it I get that empty feeling for a couple days.

[EscapeReality]

Most memorable ones were the ones that kept me thinking about them for more than a day after completion. These were almost always the ones I enjoyed the most.

For me, they were Kanon, Clannad, Little Busters, and Angel Beats.

What made them memorable?

On the basic level, they all have very strong BGMs. Music plays a definitive role in recall. I can find myself re-excavating old tunes and re-discovering the anime after leaving it alone for a while.

Sometimes, I would continue watching a series because of the strong OP. Watching more of a series certainly makes it more memorable. I have a couple that I forgot to pick up again because I only watched the first few or so episodes.

It has to create a special mood, a mood that I can call unique to that anime. A certain mood, if exotic or poignant enough, can haunt me forever, calling me back if I ever grow hungry for that mood. Music, art, and dialogue all contribute. Characterization does as well: if I can care for the characters, or to befriend them, to love them, or to despise them, then how can I forget them easily. This is associated to post-anime depression as well.