The evil eye Sung- Jin Woon gives is how I feel most people look upon the direction anime has taken these days. Too many same old isekai’s every freaking seasonal, the shortage of shoujo anime coming out, people opting to stream over collecting physical media. The access for the latest anime is not so out of fans hands these days. I do like this fact but such accessibility has made it harder for people to enjoy anime. Probably sounds silly saying how is it hard to enjoy such a thing as anime?
My own experience with this my 2025 watching I have been diving into watching older series. Mainly this is due to my age bracket, growing up in the 90s and the amount of newer series coming out, gravitates me more to older series. This is not to say I don’t enjoy new anime. Also I gravitate more to watching seasons I never finished like latest season Demon Slayer. God . . the show can do no wrong honestly best binge so far this year. Score one for me scratching off a season. Inb a weird way the evolving more new anime we get pushes us older fans to get back to those things we said “will come back later to you”. This is how I feel on the matter. Currently I have been watching Solo Levelling with my partner and we have been really enjoying it. More than I thought I would the prehype beforehand had put me off previously but I am into this guys. Some seasonals surprise you Solo Levelling intensity and plot are what I love most. Sung Jin is the epitome of I don’t give a rats ass bro. It’s a intoxicating trait towards his character change and works so for him.
I have covered this topic of watching anime many times over the years of having this blog but my feelings this time around are so different honestly. I have noticed on social media that anime is not giving others the same spark that it once did. Which is perfectly is normal but for myself that desire wont dissipate because not having this joy in my life, life will be fucking boring let’s lay it out here. You’re either on the end of that spectrum or not. We’re in a influencing era of media, internet and social media that has many of us questioning, struggling towards the things we love and honestly that isn’t good. The gravitation towards what we once now is so much stronger, like I have been experiencing since beginning of this year. Also it is a crystal ball into where my watching time should go more than ever.
Physical media consumption definitely has increased since streaming came along, I’d say it is bigger than ever. The fact of the matter is streaming we don’t own anything just paying a service. I pay for only HiDIVE and Crunchyroll now purely because discovering anime I really enjoy and wish to add to my collection. This habit has remained consistent for myself and don’t see that changing ever honestly. The access of everything digital already has people fed up no matter the access if the license expires to view a certain show, disappointment over and over mounts up. That’s why so many even people I know in my life are recollecting series they got rid of years ago. Access is not everything these days to some and I applaud those dipping back into physical media, there will always be a market for it.
It seems I am highlighting more negatives of how I see anime being enjoyed or media as a whole these days, we can whittle it down to also the most small of inconveniences the wifi isn’t working (haha always), app won’t work, episodes are put out weekly, lots of waiting. I just had to mention the obvious nusicances haha. Maybe I feel there are more negatives about the whole topic and how fast a film for example makes it onto streaming service after being in cinema for a short while. Yeah I don’t personally like that, going to the cinema is a golden joy part of enjoying media, it has been for a long time. This transition change isn’t good and don’t like. So among all these negatives and inconveniences towards the path of how to enjoy anime or media in general, I adopted the mindset to get to it when I do people. Most certainly you should also. If I miss things, I miss them. Seasonal anime, new shows churning out every week makes us feel time is not on our friend and the upkeep is more important than enjoying in your timezone. You’re timezone and mine is so different, you may be consuming all the weekly anime and I’m consuming a couple and watching more older shows on my good old disc. The train rush to get to all the latest media is damaging people’s enjoyment towards media in general. Which is why adopting to not give a fuck and that your timezone is not others. We’re living a metropolis of rush on all levels these days with the level of technology in our fingertips and affecting the small things so don’t compare your time zone to others upkeep.
I hate a lot on my mind here it seems, I hope my wall of random makes sense for you guys!
Lita xx
