my cure for the average jaded anime fan

[Gypsy]

We all go through it - staring at our shelves packed with DVDs ... and feel like we have nothing to watch. There's no new releases coming up that we're excited about and heck, we even put this month's Newtype back on the magazine rack because ... we just don't care right now.

Most big (and longtime) anime fans will hit ruts where they wonder if they still even like anime. I felt like I had already seen all the series I was interested in and all the new stuff looked stupid. I didn't want to face it, but I was pretty "meh" about anime for a couple months.

Know what kicked me back into (yeah, I'm gonna say it) otaku gear? I dusted off some of my VHS tapes from way back in 2001 and went back to the yesteryear of Toonami. I watched a couple episodes of Gundam Wing, the Big O, and Tenchi Muyo. The AV quality was junk (SLP, you have to expect it) but after watching TOM show fanart and announcing that Gundam Wing and the Big O were "going by the wayside, but keep sending us those fanarts and fight the good fight," I got the old feeling back.

I went through my DVDs and pulled out some of my oldies, and wouldn't you know it - I didn't lose my love for anime after all. So it helped me to go back to square one - maybe it will help some of you others who are going "meh."

[Phil Hartman]

[Saint Kevin]

I think a break from a hobby or passion is necessary from time to time. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, etc. It's at least true for me in the past 6 months.

I was in Florida and missed the mountains of Colorado dearly. Also, I played probably less than 5 hours of xbox in about so many months, so I came back ready to game again. I even got a job testing video games (although due to legal issues my hire date has been postponed to the 5th of July).

I think a step away from a hobby for a while gives us much needed perspective, and a return to the very first things that hooked you can reignite your passion. I've recently done that with DDR, and video games in general. Now...if I can only figure out how to do that with chemistry, I'd be set.

Oh wait, I know just the thing...

I'm gonna go blow something up! YES!

Thanks Gypsy (And if the feds ask, it's all your fault )

Speaking of passions...how's Tairis coming along? *nudge*

[Hitokiri]

I just found my tapped "G Gundam" from Toonami and watched those again haha.

I purchased the entire Outlaw Star and Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team because of watching it on Toonami haha.

[TriezGamer]

Good advice. I don't get into slumps very often, but it does happen. Although it doesn't always work perfectly. The anime that got me started was Ranma 1/2, about 10 years ago, and my tastes have changed a lot as I matured. I can no longer enjoy Ranma 1/2 much.

When I really get into a bad slump, I will wait for a weekend when I'm feeling particularly bored / grumpy and watch Crest and Banner of the Stars. It usually gets me back on my feet well enough.

It's not so much watching the old shows that made you passionate about anime, it's about going back and re-watching shows that you enjoyed completely, even if they're (relatively) new compared to the oldest shows you've seen. For me, there's a list of about 15 shows that really remind me why I love anime a lot.

[Ashley]

Awww, Gyppers is back!

I may be a young otaku, with a very small collection (relatively speaking or so) but yeah, I've hit that stride, too. Coupled with "do I like this anymore" are thoughts of "I'm too old for this" and "what will my friends think" and "I have to focus on school right now." While the latter is true (and the others quite frankly don't matter XD) what jumpstarted me was the long break. But should I hit that slump again, I think I'll take your advice and pull out my ronin warrior/gundam wing tapes. Ah, the memories....

(btw. I wear your bracelet almost everyday. =D )

[Myoti]

Being that there are so few "new" ones I really seem to find interest in, I've been trying to go back myself and check out these older series, like Outlaw Star (pretty good series). I've been meaning to checkout stuff like Big O and the first Dragon Ball for awhile now.

[Yahshua]

Good advice really really Good.

[Cap'n Nick]

I've only been following two or three titles this year, but with everything I've got going it's more than enough to fill my time.

EDIT: Come to think of it, having two or three titles to get pumped about is a pretty good year.

[Arnobius]

Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. In my past I struggled with burnout. In my case, going back to the classics made me wonder what had driven me to such a level of obsession that I once had.

In my case there are only a few series and movies I saw as worth keeping once I walked away:

• Azumanga Daioh
• Sailor Moon TOS
• Sailor Moon S
• Sailor Stars
• Excel Saga
• Green Legend Ran
• Perfect Blue
• Tokyo Godfathers
• Millenium Actress

The rest of what I had does not strike me as worth recovering
I don't forsee anything bringing me back. The only series on the horizon I find interesting is to see that Funi is bringing out Crayon Shinchan so I don't have to rely on Australian dubs. The rest of it feels all too repetitive any more.

[CDLviking]

I usually don't even buy a series unless it's something I find real special (I make occassional exceptions for directors/creators whose work I almost always love). This keeps me from burning out because everything I own is something I can't wait to see again, even after five years.

[mitsuki lover]

I agree that taking a break does help.
Right now I am going to take a break from now until late August early September in buying DVDs for the simple reason that I bought about 5 this month and I simply need to have the time to spend watching what I have before I get any more.

I also feel that I need more of a change in pace as to regards the style of anime that I buy so I plan on going more into shojo for a bit.

[Arnobius]

In my case I was a diehard fan since the late 1990's and before that was favorable to what I had seen. Back then, it all seemed so fresh and new and daring. I think its success is part of what eventually burned me out as back when I started, one could buy most of what came out every week, but now the releases just become so overwhelming. However, back then there was always a hunt for what might be the next big hit while now it seems to be focussing on finding titles that appeals to the popular tastes now.

Perhaps that's why I have a sort of jaded "it all looks the same" POV now.

Incidentally my own walking away from anime should not be taken as a scornful denunciation of it or the people who still watch it. Just because it no longer appeals to me does not mean I think it will happen in time to everyone. I think of it more as it just lost its appeal to me

[eva-boy7985]

I myself can relate as well :-) I'm actually thinking of going through Escaflowne again to reminisce a bit! I am almost done going through .hack Legend of the Twilight a second time, and myself and a close friend are watching RahXephon again for a second time, but together. Definitely good advice, but yeah taking breaks and having some moderation is good too :-)

[termyt]

I've done more than my share to help the industry, but I hit that wall a few years ago. Exactly like Gypsy said, I had all of the series I wanted and the new stuff looked like crap. What pulled me out of that malaise was a friend of mine I had just recently proselytized in to the anime world. He was watching a lot of stuff because it was all new to him. Since he was watching stuff, I watched it, too and found that there is still good stuff out there. I never did make it all the way through RahXephon, though.

I’m less into the Sci-Fi stuff that got me started, but I’m glad I didn’t quit before I learned the joy of titles like DNAngel, Azumanga Daioh, SuperGALS, and Kodocha.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I haven't seen enough, owned enough, read enough manga/anime to get in a slump. It's not as widespread here. But I do 'take time off' from some of my other hobbies every now and then (but never off reading).

[Mithrandir]

"what will my friends think"

If they ever thought you were "normal," would you be offended?

[termyt]

I was wondering about her "too old for this" thouhgt. Especially in light of the "old folks" who have posted on this page.

[mitsuki lover]

Like me.LOL!!!:)

But seriously,we're having company starting on Friday so I don't know how much
anime I'll be watching for the next week.

[eva-boy7985]

I personally find it kind of sad that there is still somewhat prevalently the mindset that some of us are "too old for this stuff". Anime is after all, a medium for storytelling, just as valid and credible as any other, and just as capable if not more so in some circumstances of portraying a story, plot, characters, and even a message at times that can be related to real life. In today's world, I would even say the same of video games; while I'm a little tipsy still on whether or not I would consider video games art in and of themselves, they've also become unique and intriguing vehicles for storytelling, especially due to the advances made in music production, the addition of voice acting, and the improvement in overall graphical quality, development committment within the last decade or so (the Metal Gear Solid games come to mind, and of course the Final Fantasy titles and other landmark Square/Square-Enix releases). And besides, on a simple, more practical level, isn't the sole purpose of hobbies and recreation, just that, to recreate and enjoy oneself and something one is engaged in, if not passionate and even personal about to some extent? Granted all of this is only valid and credible in the light of doing things in moderation and not allowing any said hobby or initially good thing distract from life's key and critically important aspects like your spiritual walk, family relations, friends, etc. Anyways, yeah, I guess that's my mental regurgitation on the whole issue, even though its initial bringing up consisted of a few sentences or so O.o :-p

[Rev. Doc]

I sometimes hit periods where I will watch several titles that just fall far short of what I expected. Thats usually when I begin to question if I've gotten to the point that what is coming out just doesn't interest me anymore and that it's time to move on. Then I'll come across something like Strawberry Marshmallow, Aria, Victorian Romance Emma, School Rumble, Diamond Daydreams, Ah! My Goddess TV, Honey and Clover, etc. that will give me that old warm fuzzy feeling that got me into this in the first place.

So it's not been so much my going back to an older title, it's stumbling upon a new title that fits just right with my tastes. Should that dry period drag out, then I more than likely will dig out my Ranma, Maison Ikkoku, and KOR and some of these others again.

[mitsuki lover]

One of the reasons I plan on getting more into shojo after August is for the variety.I think if you stay with one genre too long it can get overly stupifying so you have to be willing to see as many types of mainstream anime as possible.

[termyt]

Got any titles in mind? I've noticed a lot of shojo titles have been creeping into my collection recently. Perhaps I am subconsciously doing the same thing you are doing.