With the prevalence of streaming platforms in the modern age, it is increasingly common for individuals to binge-watch TV shows. This switch to binging content is present in the anime community. With many shows available in their entirety at the click of a button, it is no wonder that many anime fans have switched from watching weekly to viewing shows that are complete.
However, this is not to say that simulcasts are no longer prevalent in the anime community. Distributors such as Crunchyroll and Funimation make sure that anime episodes are available weekly outside of Japan. Watching anime weekly as well as bingeing shows both have benefits and drawbacks associated with them.
10 BINGE-WATCHING: No More Frustrating Cliff-Hangers
There is nothing more frustrating than watching an episode of one's favorite anime and being left on an uncertain note and then having to wait a week or longer to find out what happens. Attack on Titan is infamous for its "to be continued..." screen. However, fans who binge an anime series do not have to deal with this problem.
The frustration of waiting another week to find out what happens is unknown to those who binge-watch their anime. Instead of waiting, the complete show is ready and each next episode can be started right away. Of course, bingeing anime will not help if the series ends on a cliffhanger.
9 WATCHING WEEKLY: Manga And Anime Were Intended To Come Out In A Timed Manner
Anime is a medium that can be carefully crafted in all aspects, including its pacing. Thus, anime directors can decide to end episodes and seasons in a way that makes viewers see the show in a different light.
Many platforms and creators craft their shows for bingeing. However, anime, for the most part, is still released on a weekly schedule. Thus, anime fans who binge their series miss out on any thought the creators put into the release schedule.
8 BINGE-WATCHING: Audiences Are Less Likely To Forget Parts Of The Story
There are many anime series that can go on for long periods, and for that reason, it can be hard to keep track of events over several years. Audiences may forget about important plot details that are later discussed. Anime such as Mushishi had several years between its seasons.
However, those who binge-watch anime are less likely to forget significant events throughout the series. This ability to remember more of the story comes from the fact that bingers consume anime in a much shorter time frame.
7 WATCHING WEEKLY: Be A Part Of The Conversation
The anime community is a very vocal group on the internet. For that reason, it can be enjoyable to be in conversation with fellow anime fans regarding shows that are currently airing and events happening in the anime internet sphere. Furthermore, these conversations on airing anime allow many series to move into the spotlight.
Demon Slayer is a series that was able to take the anime community by storm. The 19th episode of Demon Slayer was widely discussed on the internet and helped the series become prominent in the West.
6 BINGE-WATCHING: Emotions Can Be Fresher
A lot can happen within a week. This passage of time can dull the emotions that individuals bring into the anime they are watching. For example, if a prominent character had died the week before and the new episode deals with that death, the viewer's emotions may not be as potent.
However, for someone binge-watching an anime, the emotions of a series can still be fresh. Those viewers are going into each episode with the feelings of the previous episode still prevalent. These emotions that binge-watching anime brings may make the viewer have a stronger attachment to the show.
5 WATCHING WEEKLY: Less Of A Time Commitment
Binge-watching anime can be a dangerous game, especially if the viewer has work to do. Bingeing any series can turn into a massive time commitment. The perilous words "one more episode" have led many to spend hours watching TV in a single sitting. The ability of anime to take many hours of its viewers' lives is especially prevalent for long-running series. This time suck is not an issue for individuals who view anime weekly.
Those who watch anime weekly will only have one episode to watch every week from a series. While individuals may be following multiple shows during a single season, these anime may release on different days and still do not have the same power of sucking in their viewers for hours on end.
4 BINGE-WATCHING: Easier To Get Locked Into A Flow With A Show
One of the most satisfying aspects of binge-watching is getting into a flow of a story without having to wait to see how things will play out. There is an almost relaxing rhythm when one sits back and takes a few hours to watch a show play out.
Those who choose to watch anime weekly may not get into this flow. Instead, only watching twenty-two minutes of the anime every week may make the story feel disjointed to some.
3 WATCHING WEEKLY: Audiences Have Time To Reflect On Each Episode
While those who binge-watch their anime may have fresh emotions going into each episode, they are not forced to stop and reflect on what takes place during each episode. Plenty of anime requires time to process both the emotions and the meaning behind its story.
Not every anime needs this time to be reflected on, but there are series that have a more significant emotional impact if approached in this drawn-out format.
2 BINGE-WATCHING: Do Not Have To Worry About Following Multiple Shows At Once
Following seasonal anime can be tricky. Instead of following a single storyline, the viewer may be keeping up with several shows and thus need to follow and remember multiple plots. Following multiple anime series can especially be difficult when two or more are similar to one another. This issue is not prevalent for those who binge-watch anime.
Not only does binge-watching allow the show to be both emotionally fresh and have a nice rhythm, but the audience only needs to be focused on a single storyline at a time. By watching one show at a time, viewers may fully immerse themselves in that anime they are watching.
1 WATCHING WEEKLY: Anime Series Can Have A Larger Impact On An Individual Over Time
While it is convenient to have an entire series at the touch of one's fingertips, nothing can beat the emotional attachment that one has to a series after following it for several years. Anime such as One Piece and Naruto have become massive aspects of people's lives because they have been watching them weekly for years.
Watching the hundreds of episodes that an anime has to offer is an undertaking that can definitely move someone regardless of when they watch the show. However, the experience of growing up or aging with one's favorite anime can not be replicated.