Michael is Low on Hit Points
A rather different "structure" to watching anime, if I may say so
- Posted April 16th, 2009 at 11:21 PM ET
- Subjects Michiko and Hatchin, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Hyakko
- Tags short editorial
- Image sources
1- Hyakko [unknown] - Video searches
none
Alongside any currently airing anime I may be following, there are always three other shows being watched. These anime have a certain purpose, along with their own time and place. This anime viewing structure always keeps me hooked on a good anime, helps ease stress, and keeps me in physical shape. Care to know how that all works?
Anime #1: The Good Marathon
Most people who watch anime have at least one show that's finished airing in the viewing rotation. Of course, I'm no different. Even though I'm' following over a half dozen airing anime, that certainly won't fill a whole weeks worth of view time, assuming that I watch more than one episode a day.
Hint: I do!
There are series so good that I simply drop everything I'm doing to finish them. But sometimes, I desire to spread the goodness out a bit. This then becomes the perfect pick-up anime when no new subs are available for any other anime I may be following.
As of the date of this article, anime #1 is Michiko and Hatchin.
Anime #2: The Not-So-Good Marathon
Not all anime can be winners. The ones I pick up that don't exactly hook me get put onto an "on hold" list. These series fill in this slot at #2. Why not drop them completely? Because I'm a completionist. But, I do use this slot for more than the sake of being a completionist.
I watch anime #2 on a recumbent bike.
Now think about it. Exercising is boring as hell. So you want to do something while you burn off all those calories. But exercise can also be a distraction. So I nix watching anime #1 while on the recumbent. I'd like to relax on the couch for that one.
So I'll take something I'm mildly interested in finishing, and watch that while I peddle away on that stationary bike. That's right: it's a workout where I sit on my ass and watch anime! How perfect is that?
As of the date of this article, anime #2 is Nanoha A's.
Anime #3: The Light-Hearted Marathon
As I mentioned in my last post, slice of life can be the soothing end to a stressful day. It doesn't exactly have to be slice of life. Any kind of relaxing anime works here as well. But I always have something in rotation in case of anger, stress, minor depression, etc.
This anime slot is perfect for watching first thing when I get home from work if there's nothing else going on. It's also a nice way to fall asleep, nodding off just as another soothing episode comes to conclusion.
As of the date of this article, anime #3 is Hyakko.
So what are your anime watching habits? Do you have any sort of "structure" like the one mentioned here?
1 ghostlightning
I have a 'thematic' backlog related to my interests, and I have a backlog of generally well regarded shows. In the thematic side of things (mecha anime), I have Armored Trooper VOTOMS, FLAG, and Z Gundam, among others I watch on a sporadic basis.
But if I'm to use your structure:
1. FLAG, VOTOMS, Z Gundam
2. Rewatches (none right now, but the original Gundam movie trilogy was a recent one among other Gundam shows)
3. Azumanga Daioh, Cromartie High School
2 digitalboy
Your watching styles seem very similar to mine. I've got a lot of shows I marathon at random and some I've been watching for years (just finished scryed after 6 years and pani poni dash after almost 2). I too often pick 'light' shows, but not usually for marathon. I just watch random eps when I'm bored. A good example is Aria which I spent 2 years watching, or Hidamari Sketch, or Sketchbook which I'm still on episode 6 of.
3 Omisyth
I don't really have a structure. Whereas there are some fantastic shows that just need to be watched all at once, there are others which are still great but should only be watched in digestible doses, especially slice-of-life and episodic shows. I hope to find the next show that completely engrosses me enough to drop everything and watch it all at once soon.
4 Jean-Philippe Thibault
No structure here.
5 Glo the Legend
that's pretty close to how I watch shows. I'll keep up with airing shows, I'm watching most of them right now, but then I'll have a show that is already finished, that I watch on the side, and I too find some shows where I drop everything until I finish. Most recently, Welcome to the N.H.K. was this show, and so was School Days, but I finished that in a day so that doesn't really count as "Dropping Everything".
The Idea with watching #2 shows on a bike is a great one. I go to the gym everyday, and don't own a stationary bike, so I don't really need to do that, but if I had a bike, you could be sure I would give that a try.
You also have a "hold" list, I have the same thing, but i call it Injured Reserve. I normally don't drop shows, except for .hack//SIGN and Samurai 7, which were horrible in my opinion (I dropped them when they were more than halfway completed).
Wow I'm writing a book here. I'll finish up by saying that my anime watching is very structured, I record everything I watch down to the episodes I'm on (mainly because otherwise I'll forget). I think a lot of people have similar structures when they watch.
6 Michael Flux
I can't really say I have any set structure, but what I do somewhat reassembles what you have described.
At the moment what I do follow are only Bleach, Basquash and 07-Ghost. Though I really should see what all the buzz is about when it comes to K-ON, still didn't really have a chance to watch that at all.
On the back burner I currently just have a few old Gundam series which I never finished watching, so I usually watch an episode or two of those once every few weeks.
And of what I never finished, well, the only two anime that are there are Full Metal Alchemist (watched the first 10 episodes or so, never really enjoyed it so I just dropped it), and Naruto, for the same reason.
7 Seantaku
That's pretty cool. After reading that I realized that while it's not exactly the same, I do have somewhat of a structure.
I have the anime I am currently following which in this case are K-ON!, Valkyrie Chronicles (loved the game), and am finally catching up on Bleach.
In the meantime I pick something else up to "marathon" and that was Clannad. Needing a break from that I read about Toradora. Something that was meant to be just a test to see if it was good turned into me watching the whole series in 3 days. And also becoming a surprise hit in my eyes. Now I'm trying to get back to Clannad and then watch After Story.
I guess it mostly depends on my mood.
Re Michael is LoHP
@ ghostlightning
I highly recommend Azumanga Daioh. That was actually my first slice of life! I think it is among the best, and that's not nostalgia talking, I promise.
@ digitalboy
I spaced out Aria too, but for different reasons and not nearly as long a time. I watched the whole series over the course of half a year, spaced out so that I didn't finish it too quickly. I didn't want it to end! That and I saved it for watching right before sleep, but often I was too tired to watch anything. Doh!
@ Omisyth
I think everyone can agree on your last sentiment. Those shows don't come around all that often, but god damn are they so sweet when they pop up. You never really know when a series will just hook you like that, too.
Recently, I finished Fate/stay night. First time picking it up, I put it on hold after 3 episodes. Coming back with super low expectations, the rest of the series wowed me. I think I burned through it in about 2 days. Good times!
@ Jean-Philippe Thibault
The structure is more a habit, something I naturally fall into. It isn't something I really set ahead of time, but I notice that I adhere to pretty closely.
@ Glo the Legend
Welcome to the N.H.K. was a really good one. And I guess by "dropping everything" it could also mean "putting everything on hold for a day or two." Because when I'm hardcore marathoning a show I really enjoy, it usually only takes a few days to blast through.
I avoid the gym by exercising on the bike at home and playing sports. And it's not like recumbents are expensive. I got mine for less than $100 at Walmart. Go big box store!
"Injured Reserve": nice. On MyAnimeList, my dropped anime and on hold anime are 50 / 50. I might actually drop some on the "on hold" list and may start up again some on the "drop" list. Both lists are more like an "idea."
As for recording which anime / episodes you've seen, I have to say MyAnimeList all the way.
@ Michael Flux
Fullmetal Alchemist is one of my all-time favorites! But if you didn't like that version of it, there's a new adaptation airing now. Perhaps you'll enjoy that one more.
As for K-On!, I obviously fully recommend it. I mean, what's trying out one episode going to hurt? You know you want to.
@ Seantaku
Mood does play into it a lot. I figure with a few series on the back-burner, I can satisfy whatever mood I'm in. #1 usually goes with a desire for a more serious or action packed anime. #3 is for when I just need to relax. And #2 is when I'm bored and don't feel like doing anything else in particular.
I so need to pick up a PS3 so I can get all over Valkyria Chronicles. I'm even holding off on the anime so that I can play the game first.
8 Glo the Legend
@ Micheal
I started converting my list (which is a wordpad document) onto MyAnimeList about 3 months ago, but I didn't get very far. I'm only up to the anime that start with the letter "D" so far, and don't have enough patience to continue, although I admit it is very good.
9 Seantaku
@ Micheal
The PS3 is supposed to be dropping in price soon (or so they say) so I'd hold off til then.
Definitely wait to play the Valkyrie Chronicles game before watching the anime. I haven't beaten the game yet, I'm more than half way though and am really addicted. The game as a whole is a unique experience but due to my busy work schedule I haven't been able to finish. But I want to finish the game before the anime.
The best part of the game is they give you the option to choose the Japanese voice track, which is rare in most games.
Re Michael is LoHP
@ Glo the Legend
I guess it also depends on just how long your list is. Mine wasn't all that long when I jumped on the MAL bandwagon. But once everything is on there, it becomes great for tracking. Though, if you have your own system for tracking, I can see why you wouldn't want to bother with it.
@ Seantaku
I've heard the rumors as far as the PS3 price drop. The big problem is that I don't think they're true. I think Sony will hold out longer. However, once word gets out (whether it's true or not), no one wants to pick one up, even me, even if I can easily afford it now.
On Valkyria Chronicles, I figure if I play the game first I would enjoy the anime that much more. And hooray on the Japanese voice track! Usually only the really big RPGs (read: Final Fantasy) have good English voices.
10 Glo the Legend
@ Michael
I spelled your name wrong. I feel pretty stupid.
Re Michael is LoHP
@ Glo the Legend
lol, I didn't even notice. You outed yourself for no reason. Actually, looks like you weren't the only one who misspelled it!