Ahh, konnichiwa, it has been a while since I last sat and talked with you guys ~
Everyone in the aniblogger community has been spreading the good cheer about all of the fantastic new 2015 summer shows, yet Takuto hasn’t peeped a word. Why isn’t he speaking to us???
The answer is simple. This season, I wish not to sacrifice my soul to simulcasts. Let me fill you in.
Last spring included the largest amount of simulcasted anime that I have ever followed at one time. I’ve only been watching anime like this for two years now, my first technical simulcasts being A Certain Scientific Railgun S and Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club (two fine anime, might I add), but when you up the count to +7 anime, it can be a bit hard to juggle your thoughts.
Who is this? What is that? WHAT IS GOING ON NOW!?
The season started off phenomenally! There were too many shows with interesting concepts and superb animation that I couldn’t resist myself! It was a free cake eating contest and I was the judge, who could blame me.
But that’s when I made my first mistake.
Best not to mess around with cake . . .
You see, the more shows you add to a watch list, the greater amount of stories you’ll have to keep track of. While it was all fine and dandy for the first five or so episodes, I found myself eventually caring less and less as the season went on. Dan Machi made me ‘hoop and holler’ for more SAO-quality fantasy, but I was sighing more and more by the end. Plastic Memories ripped out my coal-black heart with intense robot x human drama, only to spend all of its remaining tickets, despite the other thriller rides it could have ventured through, on one boring-ass unmemorable Ferris wheel ride.
LITARALLY.
Really? I didn’t even know it had started! AHAHAHA [Gendo Ikari abridged voice]
Though I had my fair share of disappointment, there were stand out shows like the rather vulgar Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma, the enduring Sound! Euphonium, and occasionally more twisted Fate deliciousness. *drooling mouth at production quality*
With all of the confusion stacking up on my plate, I didn’t dare start an already-completed show that had been chillin’ in my dusty backlog. So I stuck it through, thank heavens, and have emerged enlightened! After clawing my way out of the pits of weekly trials, it occurred to me that, and hold your seat folks, here it comes, OH GAWD:
Why don’t I just wait the season out, in the meanwhile start hacking at my back log, and see which shows came out on top from you guys?
*gasps* This might actually WORK!
Sure, I’ll be sad not to chase after new sights with all of you, but I have my own personal nightmares that, in due time, need to be faced head on. As they say, “The list of anime only grows longer, not shorter.” So that’s the scoop. Takuto will ‘man the battlestations’ while you lot are off fighting in the summer simulcast war, and upon your return, shall present your finest treasures to the café king!
I will keep my soul thank you very much and hope for the best that this summer turns out great! I already keep eying Charlotte, Snow White with the Red Hair, and God Eater among several others, so hopefully they yield bountiful fruit. But regardless, how are you? Do you ever feel the weight of many simulcasts just crushing your soul at times? What’s piqued your interest this 2015 summer? We are well into the introductions for shows, and your guys’ reactions are enjoyable to read, so the judging can commence! Comment below – let’s chat!
And just watch: I’ll more than likely buckle in and hit up the first episode of Gate or Prisma Illya. 🙂
Because ” By the Gods, you are one sexy beast”
For now, however, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more Code Geass to watch *mischievous hehehe* Until next time, this has been
– Takuto, your host
Takuto's Anime Cafe 
Ahh, I can understand this decision! I’ve been watching simulcasts for only four seasons (a single year) but the list of shows I want to keep up has jumped drastically each time and I mean that literally: 3 shows in Fall, 8 in Winter, 14 in Spring, and an astounding 28 here in the Summer (granted, several of them are shorts, and three are leftovers, but STILL! I CAN UNDERSTAND THE FEELING OF SUFFOCATION.)
I still need to whittle a few shows down, but this season is making that hard to do because I’ve been enjoying so much so far! I think it is smart of you to wait till the end and hear what different people think. While watching so many shows each week can be gruesome, I’ve noticed it only feels a lot if A) you’re not really enjoying them as much as you thought you would, or B) THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY RELEASED ON THE SAME DAY. XD
However, this seems to be one of the most promising seasons yet, and I know that next summer I’ll have a job and won’t be able to do this, so I’m going to enjoy this while I can XD. This season I’m highly looking forward to Gangsta, Gakkou Gurashi!, Charlotte, Rokka no Yuusha, and GATE the most. but there are ton more (obviously!) that I’m enjoying immensely.
Have a awesome simulcast break! 😀
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My my, 28!? That’s quite the handful, but I agree that this is the time and season to do it, as it does look very promising!
Yeah, that’s a great way to phrase it: just a little break from simulcasts, but not anime. Oh heck no – I have so many classics and others that have made me curious on my list, and for me, now’s as good a time as any to start cracking down. Having to watch so many episodes on one day can be dread looming on the horizon, and then it turns out to be the best day of the week! I understand that feeling, too! XD
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for understanding! You always seem to look on the bright side of things, which is very encouraging. 🙂 I’ve heard talk about Gangsta stepping out of the shadows to do very interesting and dark things we haven’t seen in a while, so yep, there’s another show to add to my list when the season is over, assuming that it ends well. Gate also looks fantastic!
That was fun, Jamie, and thanks for chatting with me!
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I totally understand how you feel too Takuto!! I have been eyeing the mountains of seasonal episodic impressions on WordPress Reader, feeling sad and lonely because I haven’t had time to watch anything …. and now YAY I HAVE A FRIEND WITH ME! *dances around in delight*
But hey, I totally feel the same way because for the last two seasons, I tried to catch the season at the same time it was airing and nothing was piquing my interest 3 episodes into the series. I am more of a completionist too so I really felt the stress to finish and catch episodes as they come. But there were so many plots and characters that I was thoroughly exhausted … I thought anime simply didn’t interest me anymore >///< so its good to know that its not me, its the way of watching anime. How I long for those glorious times where I can marathon an entire series and remain excited about the plot throughout! I think that is actually more important to me than anything 🙂 so yep, I am probably gonna rely on the fellow anibloggers here to pick and choose the series I ultimately want to watch 🙂
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WOOHOO for the simulcast break! All hail!
I’m so glad we’re not alone, as I felt I was exhibiting this negative puff cloud of “oh, anime sucks now,” cause it most definitely does not! In fact, I am halting one episode a week for +12 weeks so that I CAN binge watch more anime late into those nights that, I too, have longed for. Since everyone under the sun will be talking about them, I thought I should just wait until the smoke clears and see who emerged out on top. That way I’m not wasting my time watching and writing. Let us share the joy together! 😀 And like I said earlier, I might tag along one or two if they are being very successful just to have some sort of connection with the loop.
Do you have any particular non-simulcast shows that you’ll start with first, Shiroyuni, or are things still up for debate? I know I’m tackling Code Geass first, as it has been in my list for what feels like decades now!
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Haha exactly, I rather have the joy delivered to me in a single heavy dose so that all the feels won’t escape from me xD tagging along one or two is good enough! I may do that too but I’ll see if I have the schedule and time 🙂
Oooooh you HAVE to start code geass!!!!! I am actually currently watching some older romance shows like Ef a tale of memories, and I actually still have some leftovers from last season yet to be done. There seems to be some space left but it’s still pretty uncertain as to what I would be most inclined to watch next xD I have been wanting to tackle Legend of the Galactic Heroes for a long while, but I fear the amount of stamina I would need for it ><
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One heavy dose = ten times the feels! And I know, right! Code Geass has such a wide appreciation from a lot of people for quite some time now, it’s a wonder why I never got to it. As for Ef, oh Lord, that is my favorite drama anime I’ve seen to date! Take this opinion with a grain of salt, however, as I haven’t watched very many drama/romance anime. Still, incredibly sweet yet heavy show to take in, and if you watch the sequel Tale of Melodies, things get even spicier >.< It's funny that you mention this series now, as I was just thinking that I should buy the Blu-Ray so that I can experience the intense feels all over again!
Galactic Heroes? Hmm, can't say that I've heard of that one. It must be a mecha anime or something judging by the title alone. I'd just start it anyway, especially if you've been debating for so long!
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Code geass is my absolute favourite of all time 🙂 ah, I can certainly see the drama even a few episodes in!! I can’t actually wait for things to get spicier; I have quite a penchant for romance drama actually! Ooh what a coincidence!! 😀 do you often buy blu-Rays of shows you like? What have you got so far?
Ah it’s a very old and long classic, I heard that it’s a very heavy dose of intellectualism and politics so I am really attracted to it, but having watched so much modern anime with spectacular graphics and animation I can’t help but say my eyes are a little spoiled with regards to that xD hence the hesitance!
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Haha I understand that dilemma, why downgrade with the eyes, right? Then again, I dipped my toes in Evangelion a while back despite the mouth watering simulcasts popping up and had a blast. Could be worth the try since your show sounds so very interesting!
As for Blu-Rays and physical media in general, uff, where to start? I’ve got quite the shelf, AoT, Log Horizon, Steins;Gate, Eden of the East, Evangelion (only DVD) and so many others in limited and standard editions. Perhaps I should do a post relating to my collection, that could be interesting maybe . . .
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This is exactly one of the reasons I try to steer away from currently-airing anime! Go through the backlog first, and keep an eye out for what reviewers recommend from the current season- that’s my method!
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An excellent method indeed! Only wish I thought of this sooner, though I suppose it was kinda fun to say I was watching 7 shows 😛
Thanks for commenting!
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Nice 🙂
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Thanks! And thank you for following me ~
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Aha I totally understand this. I’m usually watching between 10 and 20 animes (usually nearer 20) every season because I always try out new anime to see if I’ll enjoy it or not. Sometimes it leads me to missing a couple of gems though like Hibike! Euphonium which I will hopefully watch…. eventually.
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Yay, another person who understands, though I suppose it’s not uncommon to feel this way. And 20 anime?! Whoosh, that’s a lot! If you can manage to keep up with it, however, than more power to ya! Just remember to cherish the anime feels, hehe ~
You should make room for Euphonium when you can, fantastic little show, that one is! 🙂
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I know how you feel! I used to do seasonal reviews, trying to cover as many shows as possible, just to keep up with the crowd (‘: I wanted to be “in” on what’s cool and what’s not, but the pressure and stress of actually watching and following the anime was too much for me. It’s hard to enjoy and connect with an anime when you’re watching it for sport.
So I too, decided to wait out the season, focusing on the backlog instead. Whenever I see blog posts on simulcasts I feel a sense of being left out, but hey, at least I’m enjoying my anime for the time being.
Hopefully at the end of the season I can pick up the shows with the best reviews and avoid the crappy ones. I don’t always have to be first.
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Two great minds think alike, right?
It’s nice to see another aniblogger resist the flow and hit up their backlog. I definitely understand that feeling of being left out by doing this, though. But this way, we can get a better feel for a show through one stretch rather than over the course of 3 long months. I mean, it feels like forever since I last watched in my own schedule “for fun!” Thanks for chatting! I’ll have to check out your blog ☺️
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