2021 has been a drastic year of change and seems like the perfect timing right now to revisit an old post I wrote in 2016.
Five years ago I wrote a post discussing from my early anime days till 2016, how my tastes had evolved. Surprising how popular this post was considering I wrote that for purely myself but I know there are few who enjoy analysing pieces like that here. Reading that post over there is a lot still today that holds up but from then to now, my tastes have evolved once more. From rereading that post showed how open and confident I felt writing about my love for yuri and yaoi, that had remained in the anime closet for a long time. My 2016 post was a right old tangent and this one will be no different because the meaning of “tastes” varies in so many ways if you think about it. Doesn’t mean I’ll be referring to a genre I watch more of from when I didn’t only but how I watch anime, what habits have built up, some things I will never touch. I can feel this post turning interesting already.
Watching Habits
If you have been a frequent reader of this blog then you’ll know mentioning over and over I’m a binger than a weekly watcher at heart. That much still holds true but there is slight waver in that department surprisingly. The early days were easy slapping in disc after disc with my friend, constant drip feed of anime was endless: I never got tired of diving into one show after another. Two to three shows a month I’ll complete these days and has nothing to do with having no time. These anime truly enticed and absorbed me holey, that the need to complete is a must. This feeling I have had a lot less these days because it seems anime has to make an extra effort with me. JuJutsu Kaisen, The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent and Re-main are examples in past 2 months that I binged within few days of less because they engrossed me.
A very new thing in my watching habits is purposely not bingeing a series to extra enjoy and appreciate it. I never have been like that until this past year honestly. I’ve come to believe there are certain anime I just cannot binge therefore choose to watch in small doses. The Aquatope On The White Sand is a great example to use, this was one of my highly anticipated watches for 2021. After starting this within past two weeks, became evident I cannot binge you glorious beauty. Watching just two episodes in a small session is enough for me but I know I could binge this easy but this is a special series that does the extra attention. I had the same experience with El Hazard took me a month to complete but watching in small sessions was healing because there times my mood wasn’t so hot. Saving this 90s for times like that was kind of a game changer. So what seems to happen now is I ask myself after a few episodes into a new anime: “Do I want to binge or go small sessions route?”.
I’ve adopted a whole new watching habit which now has made me a current seasonal person. I know some fellow anime blogger folk who already watch a bunch of series in small sessions but I got on this trend till it was my time. I find that myself and don’t see changing my current watching habits because they suit life very nicely right now.
Those Saved Anime
Hey hey you there with the plan to watch list who is reading this now. . . you are as guilty as me for those series that you said you would save for later. Then years pass and someone asks you: Did you ever watch “Steins Gate”? the room is full of silence. . . “Oh I saved that for later, yet to get to it”. This is me in a nutshell with a whole 1/4 fraction of my anime list of many series people I know have seen and I haven’t. Reason this is even appearing as a point in this post, I compared my anime list with someone else recently and difference was obvious. They asked me if I had seen Re-Zero, Bleach, Dr Stone, Beastars S2, etc my answer haha was no of course.
It got me honestly thinking, “God what did I even mean in saying I would save it?”. I avoided all things popular because I would rather some 90s shoujo massacre mess. That was my thinking then but now analysing the comment “Save for later”, it’s just an excuse. To avoid the pressure from others back then to watch certain shows. Older now those saved laters are turning into “I want to watch this least before I die” because you’ll reach that point in not wanting to waste your life. I’ve reached that point with my anime, I want to watch those saved for laters because I’m genuinely interested now. I wasn’t back then but I am and that’s okay. Just comparing anime lists with someone opened this little door, kind of funny.
I still have some anime saved for the right moment, because when I’ve wanted to start those anime it’s been at the right time. Starting Aquatope right now where Australia is feeling the summer love was a perfect choice. But only I’ll know truly what anime I should be saving.
Seasonal And Isekai
I’ve spoke of my on and off relationship with seasonal anime, one minute I can only handle 4 shows then only watching one per season. I’m pleased to say that rocky road has flattened into a smooth ride now. My blogging break I consumed a few seasonal series that I never thought I wouldn’t till when?. . . oh yes when? hahaha. That massive deep dive just opened up for me that I want to be in the seasonal scene now. It gets bigger and bigger every year, I don’t know what it was about 2021 but stopped the to and fro tug I’ve had with seasonal anime. Again recently someone has been of influence for me that has added to this change and also on the classic issue of “there is so many isekai every season”.
I’ve not had the strongest urge to watch any Isekai not since The Shield Hero, that was 2019. The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent is the first Isekai I’ve watched in since that time and through certain events, I’m back on board with Isekai. Saint’s Magic brought some shoujo Isekai into the mix which we don’t get a lot of, I was sick of seeing the same kind of stories but this has given me some hope for more anime like this. I have a become real fan for Shoujo Isekai in past two years, seems to be my Isekai jam but I don’t feel opposed to other Isekai. So I’m keen to try out some different ones I know I’ve missed out on over the last two years.
I’ll Take On Some Madness
In my previous anime tastes post something I touched upon: “As for darker anime shows, psychological, there is a border line for me depends what shows are ever recommended to me. I don’t honestly watch a lot of horror or scary movies in general, I’m at an age where I don’t want to watch depressing things too much. Darker anime though is an exception to this only”. It’s true I don’t watch horror in general still but my opposing original dislike for truly psychological rides has changed a lot. Give me that mad mess currently The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window and Wonder Egg Priority are delivering on this very nicely. I can’t say I will ever watch these series again but I think it’s fair to give these least one watch. I’ve seen some dark stuff in not just anime but other shows and those kind in anime I had avoided like Higurashi When They Cry, Boogiepop Phantom. I’ll let them come at me with their weirdness. But one fact that hasn’t changed I prefer watching these kind of shows with another person. Discussing of what is happening with a series like Wonder Egg Priority currently I’m watching with someone is so fun and intriguing.
Will Evolve Only More
Well reading this over, definitley there has been a drastic change and that will only grow. All my decisions and choices regarded in this post are my choosing with very little influence. I’m choosing my anime for me so that we clear that point up right off the bat. I don’t think honestly I’ve felt in such a good place with anime as for right now and how much open I’ve only become in particular areas. What surprises me most is the “those saved anime” segment and what I did to myself there, haha but I’m not the only one there. Writing all this out for myself was eye opening once more and maybe someone finds interesting, can relate or will inspire you to write out how your anime tastes have changed.
Feel free to share one thing you have noticed changed in your anime tastes over the years!
I’ll see you in the next post!!
LitaKino
litakinoanimecorner.wordpress.com 
I like this post. It really is fun seeing how tastes change and evolve over time. The way our lives evolve have such a huge influence on what we tend to enjoy and how.
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