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Anime clubs show lots of samplers, no full series
Having been a member at two different schools' anime clubs, I've noticed that they're great at showing people random smatterings of various shows, usually just their first episode (or any notable episode, especially for continuity-light comedy series). However, they're really bad at getting people together to watch a whole series.
With the exception of the IJBM Anime Club, and one-episode movies, I've felt that the actual anime-watching part of anime club meets have been a bit annoyingly unfulfilling. I usually feel like I just waste some time watching Japan-originated animesque-art cartoons for the sake of watching Japan-originated animesque-art cartoons. I feel no connection whatsoever to the characters, setting, or story.
And after a few hours, I'm left with being introduced to several new series, (usually) none of which I'm interested in. So now, I can...uh, say that I've seen Arakawa Under the Bridge or Rosario + Vampire? Is that really worth several hours of my time?
Comments
I'm thinking of proposing that the current anime club I attend (or at least a subset of the members) get together and take part of each week's meeting to watch and actually finish series, one series at a time. Instead of watching a little of everything, we'll pick out something to watch, and then watch it all the way through (unless we decide it's too annoying to finish), discussing it and our reactions to it as the story unfolds. This way, we'll definitely have at least the handful of us where we can talk to each other about the show (and we'll know what others among us are talking about).
Any suggestions on what to start with? I'm thinking of proposing Time of Eve, since it's just six relatively short episodes (averaging probably 20 minutes an ep or less). Alternatively, we can continue watching Angelic Layer (26 eps of which we watched the first this evening), or another friend suggested Death Note but I don't know how long that is.
Death Note would be bad since everyone either has already seen it or doesn't want to see it.
Time of Eve would be silly since it's movie length (indeed, it's been released as a movie) so you could just watch it in one sitting.
Something like Katanagatari is probably good for an anime club. Unless everyone at your club has horrible taste or something.
Well, the reason for Time of Eve was because it's a short thing that people could get done in one sitting just to see how people like it, and to help get people interested in the idea of actually watching a series through the club and finishing it.
I don't quite want to start with a 26x23 series because I'm afraid that it won't set a good precedent if we just go and jump into a series and then don't finish it, when finishing it is the whole point of this idea.
Katanagatari is 12x50 so that looks like about the same length as a 26x23 series.
Keep in mind that our club meets from 6 PM to 11 PM, but the first two or two-and-a-half hours are taken up by "official" club showings, so I don't want to step on those toes.
Madoka might work well for that format. Long enough not to watch in one sitting, short enough to finish in a single semester, and...well, it certainly gives you enough to discuss.
Oh, hm. 12x24. Might be a good first choice following a pilot series...or maybe a pilot series itself.
Props on pointing out the importance of actually having something to discuss about the series.
I'd recommend Darker than Black. But the ending is a bit WTFery. And it's Neo-Noir spy fiction, i.e.: the plot can bore people with short attention spans.
Madoka is ludicrously popular though, so there's a good chance most of the people have already seen it.
Of course, if they haven't then I guess it's fine.
Paranoia Agent is 13x25, and as a surreal mystery it should provide plenty to discuss. Haibane Renmei, also 13x25, is a nice slice of life that takes a look at the mysteries of life and the afterlife, and it worked for my school's club.
I wouldn't be surprised if most of the people at his club have seen it; there's a fair portion of people at my school's anime club that have seen it.
I don't know how to feel about my school's anime club; they mostly like fightan shonen, one of them listed Sword Art Online as her favorite, half the club listed Clannad as their favorite, and none of them have heard of K-On! Plus, meetings are only long enough to watch one episode of something and play a game to see who gets to show one episode of something next time. And they meet at 9:30 PM on Mondays, whereas M:tG club gets two and a half hours. >_>
I'm looking forward to going to cons, though.
Sounds like you should just use their e-mail list or facebook page to organize a separate unofficial meetup.
I always suggest this, but Samurai Champloo is good fun all around.
Why are you still in this club?
Half your club has only ever watched one anime series.
Is this true?
How the hell can you be a person who watches anime and have never even heard of K-ON!?
^^ It would be a good viewing, but I figure there's gotta be a fair number of people who've already seen it, since it was on Adult Swim for a while. I'm going to try for Eden of the East. Or maybe Nichijou or Seitokai Yakuindomo.
Oh, yeah. Last time we watched Pumpkin Scissors. Can anyone else comment on this series? No offense to the guy showing it, but I thought it was boring (oh, and its dub is terrible).
^ Eh. I feel obligated to watch Clannad now, but I get the feeling someone's gonna want to watch it at some point this season. Also, maybe people have heard of K-On!, but literally no one commented on it, whereas you could get a couple people clapping and cheering for listing Soul Eater or Darker Than Black.
._.
You could go really traditional and watch Slayers, which can pretty much be described as an affectionate parody of D&D via anime. Or Record of Lodoss War, which a lot of people seem to like, although I thought it was pretty boring (and it definitely plays things entirely straight).
There's also Blue Exorcist, which doesn't really get moving until the second season, but is a pretty decent watch and has some fun ideas. Don't expect to be blown away or anything, though. Or, on the topic of anime based on Christian lore, the obvious Hellsing.
Well it's not like it's bad. It's just that it's one of those shows that a lot of people watch and then say is the best anime ever even though they've never watched much other anime in its genre or even at all (see also: Toradora!, Madoka Magica, Gurren Lagann, etc.).
There are people who like Record Of Lodoss War?
That's worth watching if only for the ED song.
Run for you precious life!
There are people who don't?
I could never really stay interested enough to follow what was happening... It wasn't bad or anything, it just never appealed to me.
^^^^^ Hellsing does seem kinda obvious, and I haven't seen anything you've mentioned, and I'd rahter show soemthing that I can talk about people with without a significant, necessitated time sink.
Hmm. I would also like to show Hanairo, sort of, but I don't remember quite how the first episode goes. Also, AnoHana, but I don't know how I'd market it to people in comparison to Clannad. Or Welcome to the NHK, since it's probably still on Funimation's channel.
Watching other mecha shows has only increased my appreciation of Gurren Lagann.> Why are you still in this club?
Hey, I list Kiddy Grade as one of my favorites.
Granted, the other two are Eureka Seven and The iDOLM@STER, and I've also learned which one of these three to say is my favorite, depending on the audience.
> Lodoss
I've seen the first series (the OVA) and found it...okay, but a bit boring.
None of those are Sword Art Online.
I actually like Eureka Seven as well despite me not having watched all the episodes.
I also don't feel the need to discuss it. But that's more of a personal thing.
...What's so terrible about Sword Art Online? I've never watched/read it, but the premise seems interesting.
The best premise in the world can't save the execution. There's also the latent sexism in the character interaction.
The novels are mediocre, and the anime is a completely awful adaptation of the source material (not explaining important plot points that actually were in the novels, inconsistent characterization, the first seven episodes are side stories, etc.).
Our anime club watched the first episode of SAO and we were wondering whether the main character and his new friend are gay or not, and if so, whether they're interested in each other or not.
Pretty much.
^ Don't worry, you won't even see his new friend until Kirito's done seducing every girl that lays her eyes on him.
Despite not having seen either show yet—oh, the things that I need to change in my life—everything that I have read indicates that what Firebert said is dead on.