How to Make Anime Great Again
Anime is a difficult genre to pin down. It’s like if you took all of your favorite movies and television shows and smushed them together into one medium. Some anime is like a film, while some is like a tv show; it can be serious or silly, emotional or hilarious. The range of types of anime that exist is nearly endless, and that’s what makes it so great!
How to Make Anime Great Again: Recognize the Quality
As someone who has watched hundreds (maybe even thousands) of different animes, I can tell you that there are some key elements that make up the best anime out there. Of course this list will differ depending on who you ask; everyone has their own favorites! But this list contains what I believe to be the most important factors in choosing quality animes. First off…
Quality vs Quantity? Why Not Both?
Quantity doesn’t mean everything though; more does not always mean better! You could watch multiple terrible series with no plot or character development at all (I’m looking at you Tokyo Ghoul), but more often than not it isn’t fun for anyone involved when something doesn’t have enough substance behind it. I am wearing demon slayer earrings right now!
When a series has a lot of episodes but is still well written, it gives the plot room to grow and the characters time to develop. For example, One Piece is one of my favorite anime series because it’s been going on for so long but still remains great quality! The plot is always moving forward, and each character has their own unique personality/characteristics which makes them all feel real. In general the best anime have a good balance between quantity and quality.
Anime That Makes You Think: The World Is Not Black And White
I’m not saying that every single anime needs to be philosophical; in fact I don’t think that’s possible since some animes are just comedy or romance (which can be very entertaining too!). However, I like watching shows where things aren’t black-and-white; there’s no clear good vs evil plotline or random deus ex machina moments where you’re like “What? This isn’t how this works!” A show should make sense with itself; even if you don’t understand it at first, everything should eventually add up in some way. Also, characters shouldn’t do things that don’t make sense in their personalities. It’s okay if they have a flaw or two; but if their entire personality changes completely from the beginning to the end of the series, then it’s probably not a very good show.
Why Shouldn’t You Judge An Anime By Its Cover?
Anime covers are so misleading! A lot of times you see an anime and think “Oh this looks cute!” or “This one seems exciting!” and then you go into it thinking that’s what it will be about and…it isn’t!! When I watch anime I want to know exactly what I’m getting myself into; otherwise I feel like my time is being wasted. This also goes back to quality vs quantity: more often than not when an episode does nothing for its plot/characters/etc., at least give me something visually interesting! If your art style is amazing but the actual content of your show is boring/shallow, please consider making some changes because truly great shows have equal parts visual appeal and intellectual stimulation (and sometimes even humor).
Don’t Judge A Show By Its First Episode
I’m going to throw a controversial opinion out there: some anime start off really slow. Some people don’t realize this until they’ve already invested a few hours into watching a show with little payoff.
What is the best way to make anime great again?
The answer is simple: watch more anime! You’ll start to notice patterns in what you enjoy and what you don’t, and when it comes time to choose a new series you’ll know exactly what sort of things to look for. It can be hard finding anime that really hits the right notes for you, but I’m confident that if you keep searching then one day soon you will find your perfect show.
