Why I watch anime
People don’t remember days. They remember moments.
I believe that the same holds true for anime. It’s not the everyday scenes we remember. It’s that heart-pounding love confession, edge of your seat fight scene or roll on the floor hilarious joke that the audience remembers. The primary reason I watch anime is to experience this blissful state of sheer euphoria. Now, I have a problem regarding my anime “highs” –and I know I’m not alone in this. They are so darn hard to find.
These “moments” are like sex. The more you do it; the more mundane it becomes. This is why I have long since lost my taste for mindless fight scenes, mindless comedy… anything mindless. I admit there are a few shows that still manage to spark a reaction, but they are few and far between. However, that’s beside the point. In the post Final Fantasy VII: Advent’s Children world, 99.9% of fight scenes feel lame. As usual, most comedic gags fall below their mark, and what was the last harem anime that you can wholeheartedly claim as the “anime of the year”?
Too often I find myself chuckling instead of laughing, blankly staring instead of actively watching. I understand that mediocrity is a fact of life but at times I wonder if it’s worth the trouble. Anime is only one of many mediums of entertainment. There are other ways I can spend my time. I could watch television or cheer on my favorite sports teams. Heck, I can even start studying my Multivariable Calculus book. (Shadowmage wishes he could put an “[/sarcasm]” sign)
However, the moment I think these thoughts I realize that it’s better to gamble and hope for unforgettable moment in an anime rather than mindlessly surfing channels or watching my sports team lose… again. Yes, there are a few movies and television shows that can evoke the same sense of sheer awe as anime, but they generally lack the same creativity range that an animated medium provides.
There are no words that I can use to create an accurate description of what I want or where I can go to find it, but I know it’s out there, waiting to be watched. I’m sure there is still a comedy out there that will make me laugh out loud. Shows like Seirei no Moribito fit into the .1% of shows that have genuinely amazing fight scenes, and the harem genre is starting to have serious ammunition with Kyoto Animation the fray. With the many “experimental” anime out there, I wouldn’t be surprised to find a few more curve balls out there like Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.
Regardless, it’s those moments where your jaw slowly slacks, your heart skips a beat and your mind turns blank. It’s the “kiss scene” in Code Geass. It’s Naruto beating the crap out of Sasuke. It’s Haruhi springing loose with her guitar and vocals. It’s Shion’s sadistic laugh. It’s when L… well, you know. To me, these moments are what make anime something more than shallow just entertainment. These moments are what make anime as a medium great.
Well, Sturgeon’s Law states that 90% of everything is crap. But you already knew that. Anime is the same as anything else when it’s new to you; it all seems awesome because it’s different, and with experience, you realize most of it is the same.
I don’t view anime with the same gusto I used to, because it isn’t as novel as it once was. Like you, I still enjoy watching anime, but it takes more than being an anime to satisfy me anymore. Some call that being jaded, I call it being more reasonable. When I see a fan praising a really mediocre show because anime is new to them, I roll my eyes, but I also smile and wish I could get that kind of enthusiasm back. And thankfully, anime is deep enough that occasionally a show comes out that makes me feel like I’m watching DBZ for the first time again. But you have to watch the less stellar product to find the rare gem.
I’ve often wondered if I could get more entertainment out of watching something else, but there’s something about anime that keeps me coming back. I realized this early on in my fandom, but what exactly it is eludes me to this day.
I actually find a lot of entertainment even in the most mediocre anime titles. I mean, I recognize that most of what I watch is crap, but there’s something about even some of the worst titles that’s strangely entertaining. I think the key to anime is having the right expectations when approaching different titles. Not every title is going to be as brilliant as Now and Then, Here or There, but if a title can be enjoyable enough that it’s a fun way to pass the time, then I can still see merit in it. I think sometimes people set their expectations too high for every title, which is why they get jaded and burn out from the medium.
Great moments can be found in many mediums, not restricted to anime. I suppose my simple reason in watching anime is how they present a world/story/ideas in ways impossible for other mediums, something unique and strangely inviting when done right.
I agree that there are lot of craps and I find no reason to follow a pack of mediocrities every season, since for me the frustration/boring factor far outweighs the enjoyment factor. I don’t see the need to gamble for quality viewings though, as it’s become incredibly easy to predict a show’s quality with a high probability, with fansubs and large communities and all.
Sometimes I feel watching mediocre to bad anime helps me appreciate the good ones more. Maybe I’m just weird.
No, I’m exactly the same.
“I suppose my simple reason in watching anime is how they present a world/story/ideas in ways impossible for other mediums, something unique and strangely inviting when done right.” – gaguri
I don’t think there’s very much that can be done in anime that can’t be done in live action with a big enough budget. The only distinct advantage that anime has is that it’s cheaper, and even then there are only very few that push the boundaries of imagination and do it in a fashion that’s polished and decently executed.
Yes, one must first acquire a BIG (very) budget to present the futuristic world of Gankutsuou that is as stunning as the anime version, all 26 episodes of them. Even then, I doubt it will capture the similar feel of the anime version. This is the difference I’m refering to. There’s something distinctly different from the world created from mixture of live action+CG (such as Lord of the Rings) and a completely animated world. Anime has so much freedom in expressing various feelings through extremely wide range of ways in which the world is presented (from chaotic Kemonozume, surreal Angel’s Egg, gritty Berserk, etc.) with so much efficiency and ease, while to me, many Live Action shows that attempts to paint a fictitious world with poor blending of real people with shoddy CG reeks of cheese. That’s why vast majority of live action films that make big impression on me are grounded on reality, while in anime…you know. I think the difference between animation and live action is a complex discussion, and while I am not prepared to produce a lengthy and satisfactory perspective (which you’re all just DYING to know), I fail to see how one can find so many things in live action to replace those uniquely strange feelings in which many decently produced animes offer.
And you guys are weird. At least 80% of completed animes I’ve viewed are what I’d consider as ’8′ or above, and I’ve enjoyed them immensely. I wonder if forcing myself to watch craps will really enhance my appreciation significantly for those awesome shows.
It sounds to me like you enjoy anime plenty without watching bad titles. I would say most of the anime I watch is a “7″ or higher, because I’d rather watch good anime than bad anime.
All I’m saying is that it’s hard to know what’s really good if you don’t know what’s really bad.
As a reviewer, I feel I need to review the occasional bad anime so that readers know both what I like and what I don’t like. But if you’re not a reviewer, I don’t see why you need to watch bad anime, unless you’re curious just how awful something is.
The camp value. Sometimes there is a bit of entertainment in watching something really bad.
“As a reviewer, I feel I need to review the occasional bad anime so that readers know both what I like and what I don’t like. But if you’re not a reviewer, I don’t see why you need to watch bad anime, unless you’re curious just how awful something is. “-Kuma
That’s why I’m very grateful to reviewers
For example, I dropped Blood+ and Le Chavelion..whatever that title was, because it wasn’t entertaining no longer(but still having potential). So I just waited for someone to review them, (Taleweaver did) and I’m grateful for explaining why it probably wasn’t going to end up to my liking, because sometimes (like in the case of Kanon2006), my initial impressions can be dead wrong.
Somehow this turned into reveiwers appreciation post…bleh
We categorically welcome any ego-stroking here at The Nihon Review.