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egoist
Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 7762
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 11:01 pm
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Basically, the real question is whether it's more effective to watch a large amount of episodes in a single run, rather than watching it individually(e.g., weekly). Clearly, I expect the answer to vary from one to another.
As for me, to marathon my anime is the most effective way. There's usually that outstanding episode followed by a weak one, and that such a rush could make that weak episode a little more enjoyable - but that's not all. There are various reasons, and the opposite could also make it enjoyable to watch episodes, e.g., weekly.
The most important, in my case, is that the feelings I got from the past episode won't be forgotten as I'm quickly moving on to the next, thus locking it in. While watching it weekly would easily allow me to forget such feelings; in this case, it happens often with anime a straight storyline, whether it's just an arc or something longer. In worst cases, I'd simply stop caring about that character who just died last week.
To marathon anime also makes me feel as if I was truly disconnect from the world for a long period. It allows me to concentrate on episodes a lot more, and I also consider it a lot more captivating, thus making it hard to have wandering interests(i.e. watching anime and doing something else simultaneously). Besides it means that I'm already set and in the mood, so I won't have to expect the next episode to build that mood - which means for anime I watch episodes of weekly I'd have to expect the episode to build the mood, and if it's a weak episode, I'd end up losing my interest, unlike with marathons.
Lastly(but not the last; I'm just running out of time), those times I crave for more. Waiting for a whole week, or a single day could completely ruin that feeling, and sometimes such a feeling could become the exact opposite.
This could also be partially comparable to pausing videos(which could be used as this thread's secondary theme). I dislike to pause or leave an episode unfinished. Pretty much for the same reason.
Also worth noting that the best experiences I've ever had with anime were from anime marathons.
But of course, I hardly see what I said applying to you.
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PiercingArrow
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 193
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 11:30 pm
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i think marathoning a 24 episode anime in a day is the most effective way to understand the stpry more & enjoy it. Doesn't matter what kind of series is it. i pretty much prefer it that way. but then work & stress is always on the way so most of the stuffs i can finish are those 13 episodes series or watch a series partially. and i always use headphone while watching anime. it makes me more comfortable that way and keeps away from spoiling the mood by hearing other unnecessary noises. Oh and another thing, ready your energy drink in front of you... just in case
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luffypirate
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3187
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 12:35 am
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Dragon Box marathon going on right now!
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Kevin R
Joined: 06 Apr 2010
Posts: 10
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 12:56 am
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I like the fact that I don't have to wait in marathon, but I also like the thrill of waiting in watching a currently airing series so i really don't know. When I marathon it's never all the way through, something always interrupts me and then I can't stop thinking about it and there's always the possibility of overdosing. Weekly I get my fix the go about my way, so weekly would be most effective for me.
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dirkusbirkus
Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 699
Location: Manchester, UK
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 2:34 am
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It very much depends on how much free time I have during any one day.
If I've got a window of 8 hours or so, with nothing pencilled in, then I'll usually plough through an entire series in one sitting (Obviously with small breaks inbetween, heh). I've got a backlog of anime I've yet to see so the marathons help me in getting through it all. If, however, I've been at work or I'm simply not in the mood, I'll watch 2-3 episodes of anime, and not necessarily the same season.
I find a series with a more involving plot benefit from being watched in one go, whereas something that's quite light in terms of story arcs (Azumanga, Lucky Star, Astro Fighter Sunred) can be watched anytime and still enjoyed thoroughly.
This is, of course, personal preference. I don't mind waiting for episodes of current anime to come out, and it doesn't really take anything away from them for me to do so. If there's a current discussion thread for the season then it's good to discuss episode by episode.
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DragonsRevenge
Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 3:13 am
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I don't think I can watch more than eight episodes at a time. I have watched 13-episode series in a sitting before, and even that gets to be a bit difficult. it doesn't have anything to do with not being able to process what's happened, I just don't have the attention span for it.
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eyeresist
Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 995
Location: a 320x240 resolution igloo (Sydney)
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 3:35 am
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Probably my best anime series experiences have involved marathons, as you really get immersed in the story. Honestly, I don't know how some shows succeed in a once-a-week broadcast format, with these intricate plots strung out from episode to episode.
But OTOH some shows become kind of unbearable after a couple of episodes, even if the show itself is good. Comedy shows especially. This is kind of annoying, as I don't want to have to vary my viewing habits on a show-by-show basis.
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RHachicho
Joined: 07 Oct 2009
Posts: 897
Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:19 am
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I definately agree that marathoning is the way forward if a series has captured your attention. However I have often dropped a series halfway through a marathon because I got bored of it during a lul in the story and have not come back to it for a long time. If ever. And when I do I usually have to start the series again because I've lost the plot.
These days I do a sorta hybrid I watch 2/3 episodes max a day until a series clicks. You get to that point where you know you won't get bored THEN I marathon it.
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Guilty_Sky
Joined: 05 May 2010
Posts: 35
Location: Ireland
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:05 am
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Suppose I sort of marathon everything.
Currently twelve at night to four in the morning is anime time (this will be stretched even further if I don't have work the next morning). If four hours counts as a marathon then yes.
Although this is a result of having nothing better to do; can be thrown off be the slightest thing.
Also terrible at starting a new series; if I can't decide on something, during the process of trying to find something to watch I'll get distracted and do something else.
But if I do start something I'll either drop it within a few episodes if I don't like or watch it with religious zealotry until it's finished. Rarely is there an inbetween.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 24165
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:13 am
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Who better to start a thread like this than the Marathon King - the man who watched 300 One Piece eppies in a single week and lived to tell about it. (I still think that feat is worthy of being entered into the Guiness Book of World Records.)
My viewing preference is neither one a week nor marathoning. If I'm watching something on DVD and I'm really digging it, I usually consume it in disc-sized bites. In other words, however many episodes are on the disc (usually 4 or 5), I'll watch those and usually be "full" for that series for that session. My DVD player can hold up to 5 discs and all of the slots are filled with other series in various states of watchification. So after consuming a disc of something I really like, I might pick off an eppie or two of something else that isn't grabbing me as much. Six episodes of anime total is pretty much my limit on an average anime evening (and not infrequently it's less).
If I'm streaming something on a computer, it is rare for me to watch more than two or three eppies of the same series in one sitting. But let's say four of the current shows happen to be all available, I'll watch all of them back to back.
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ninjapet
Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 1517
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:37 am
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It really depends for me. I can not for the life of me sit down and watch something for [/insert hour / time here] to watch a show or series. At most I can watch 4 episodes take like a three hour break and go back to watching. (It's why I have been watching more 13 episode series lately)
If it's on a DVD, I can at most get 6 episodes in for a sitting, but on a computer my max is 4.
I really do envy people who can sit down and watch a whole show in one sitting no problem.
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Mr. sickVisionz
Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 2175
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 7:17 am
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I have to be really high or depressingly bored to marathon anime. Few shows get me attached to the point where I can watch more than 3 or 4 episodes back to back.
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Kimiko_0
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 1796
Location: Leiden, NL, EU
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 7:29 am
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I marathon too, in that I watch about twelve episodes a day, give or take a few. I do take breaks in between them though, to let the events sink in and ponder them a little. I don't remember if I've ever marathoned a whole 26 eps. series in a day.
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DuelLadyS
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: WA state
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:14 am
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I don't marathon anything. Ever. Be it anime, videogames, manga, house cleaning, websurfing- if I don't get a break after 2-3 hours, I will lose focus very quickly.
It can be a short break- sometimes just 10-15 minutes works... but I NEED that break.
Right now, I'm on a bit of an anime 'downtime', only watching a disc or two a week (like Blood-, I tend to break things up disc by disc). Whenever it is I 'pick up' again, I'll either watch a couple discs every day I have off, or break the 'disc habit' and watch 1-2 episodes a day... I don't do that terribly often though, becuase I hate leaving the disc half-viewed. I am getting more comfortable with that though, thanks to the new habit of putting 6-7 episodes per disc. That pushes the limits of my 2-3 hour 'focus' window, and I don't particularly like watching that much as once.
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JBFire
Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 23
Location: Bowie, MD
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:55 am
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It really seems to depend upon mood and the series. There are some series that just seem to not want to be watched in a marathon, while others seem to lose something overall if I don't watch them consecutively.
Elfen Lied, for example, engaged me in it's pace and fluidity to muster me to plow through all of the episodes in fairly short order.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC seems to want me to relax and watch an episode or two at a time to absorb all of the dialogue and exposition being contained in each episode before moving on too quickly.
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