How many episodes?

my last fm profile! · Postby **rocklobster** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:59 am

How many episodes does it take before you decide if you like an anime? For me, it usually takes somewhere between 3-5.

Postby **Tancos** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:01 am

One episode is usually sufficient. If it really stinks, sometimes all it takes is five minutes.

Postby **KBMaster** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:26 am

I think two or three should be sufficient. Sometimes the plot isn't revealed until the second episode.

Postby **Splitter 2.0** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:47 am

KBMaster wrote:I think two or three should be sufficient. Sometimes the plot isn't revealed until the second episode.

I think 4's the best choice, but for some reason, I can't give up until 6. You know... just HAVE to make sure I'm not giving up on anything that could be getting good.

Postby **Stiletto** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:43 am

At the most it's taken me about two or three episodes for me to really get into a series. Since I carefully pick and choose what to watch, I almost always enjoy the show in the end.

Me on Wikipedia · Postby **beau99** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:51 am

Three, if I dislike it.

One, if I love it.

Postby **Tenshi no Ai** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:13 am

I'd say that sometimes, it takes alot more than that, especially anime with different story arcs in it. For example: Dragon Drive. Even the preview shows depicts ONLY that a bunch of kids battle against each other with virtual reality dragons. But that isn't even the WHOLE plot... If one were to continue on, they'd find out that these dragons are in a sense real beings and the kids have to travel to the world of dragons in order to save it. Ok, sort of starts sounding like Digimon there, but in my opinion, alot better of a story than just "kids battling virtual dragons" through the whole thing... And that second huge story arc doesn't even take place for a number of episodes...

So just one example there of how some series can be REALLY hard to judge, knowing the show can get better, episodes in...

Postby **Mr. SmartyPants** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:38 am

I would say five is the maximum.

Postby **TriezGamer** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:07 pm

There really isn't any fixed number of episodes.

Generally, I continue watching something while it's interesting, and I stop when it's not.

I also understand that every show can have weak points, and I usually give it 2-4 more episodes from the point it stops being interesting, just in case it's a brief lull.

That said, I will always finish the first DVD (if I bought it), or give it one more episode (if it's a fansub). Usually first-episodes only set the stage, and often don't really tell you anything about the show itself. As an example, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (Rumbling Hearts), has an incredibly weak first episode that conveys a 'we're just a typical romantic comedy, only done poorly' vibe in episode one. The remainder of the show couldn't be more different than episode one. I almost never finished the show because I stopped at episode one for nearly a year. Now it's my favorite anime ever.

Postby **Nate** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:10 pm

If a show doesn't grab me by the first episode, it isn't worth my time. This is why I don't like Azumanga. XD

Postby **Jasdero** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:27 pm

I think about 2 or 3 episodes would be a trial period for me. I've only seen one series that I didn't want to finish, though (Meine Liebe D: ).

Postby **uc pseudonym** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:12 pm

I have more than one answer, actually.

Outside of unusual circumstances, I try to always watch the complete full episode. There is a chance that the true nature of the series won't be revealed right away, and it might actually be a criticism of whatever I disliked in the beginning. But if the first episode doesn't adequately represent the series then the writers are probably not ones that will interest me.

If the series doesn't drop out at the first episode, I give it 2-3 more to see if it backs up whatever it promised. Well-done McGuffins go a long way with me here, not because they have value in and of themselves but because they indicate that the authors just might have planned out their story instead of stringing together a series of events.

After five episodes or so, I'm essentially committed to the series. If it has interested me up to that point, I care sufficiently to want to see it resolved, even if quality declines somewhat.

Postby **Radical Dreamer** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:05 pm

Tenshi no Ai wrote:I'd say that sometimes, it takes alot more than that, especially anime with different story arcs in it. For example: Dragon Drive. Even the preview shows depicts ONLY that a bunch of kids battle against each other with virtual reality dragons. But that isn't even the WHOLE plot... If one were to continue on, they'd find out that these dragons are in a sense real beings and the kids have to travel to the world of dragons in order to save it. Ok, sort of starts sounding like Digimon there, but in my opinion, alot better of a story than just "kids battling virtual dragons" through the whole thing... And that second huge story arc doesn't even take place for a number of episodes...

So just one example there of how some series can be REALLY hard to judge, knowing the show can get better, episodes in...

Yeah, that's how Utaware is being advertised. XD All the trailers make it look like Mutikapa-sama is the main villain. o_o

Anyways, it really depends on the series for me. With Death Note, I was hooked at episode two. With Rurouni Kenshin, I was enjoying it at episode one and completely hooked by episode 7. With Full Moon wo Sagashite, which is now my favorite series, I mildly enjoyed the first 26 episodes and didn't completely fall in love with it until...somewhere around episode 30. I like to give series at least a 6 to 8-episode chance usually, unless I find the first episode totally unbearable (due to content, boredom, etc.).

Postby **Rocketshipper** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:02 pm

It varies for me too. With some shows (Kare Kano, Tenchi Muyo) I was hooked with the first episode, but others take awhile. I didn't start to really like Magic Knight Rayearth until like the second DVD. A few shows have taken a very long time for me to like them though ^^. I thought season 1 of Full Metal Panic was rather mediocre, but I LOVED Fumoffu and Second Raid.

Postby **Tenshi no Ai** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:11 pm

Radical Dreamer wrote:Yeah, that's how Utaware is being advertised. XD All the trailers make it look like Mutikapa-sama is the main villain. o_o

I remember reading intro reviews on when the show JUST came out, and it was basically like "Mysterious masked guy... village... can they defeat Mutikapa?!" Sort of hard to even write a tentative review on shows sometimes, where in that case the REAL plot doesn't come until the end^^ I know I've written stories myself and it's really hard to say what it's "about", since everything's revealed at the end. I think a number of shows do that too (Uta being one), and I started to REALLY get into it near the end, once everything was coming together... So yes, judging can vary...

With Nate's comment on Azumanga, there is such a thing as "when you've seen one ep, you've seen 'em all"^^ An Azumanga fan myself, but just knowing how the "story" goes with it^^

Postby **Dunedan** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:08 pm

Three is a good test for me... but sometimes I'll give it a longer amount of time if one of my friends really likes it or it looks like it'll get better. Ha ha, Azu's like that. but great to fall asleep to.

Postby **Fish and Chips** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:23 pm

I try to catch a few episodes before making any sort of judgement, unless of course the show comes off as just overwhelmingly bad in that one episode. Numbers vary, usually based off the show's length.

Postby **MorwenLaicoriel** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:56 pm

Most of the anime I see is either renting through Netflix, or watching it on TV (i rarely watch fansubs, although I will sometimes).
If I get something from Netflix, I'll always watch at least the entire volume. Most anime can take four episodes to get going--heck, I don't think my favorite anime, Princess Tutu, really starts to show how good it is until episode 5 or 6.
When I'm watching it on Adult Swim...all too often I watch only one episode and decide I don't like something, only to regret it later. (This happened with COWBOY BEBOP, of all animes, and I gave up on Eureka Seven after one episode, too.)

So, yeah, generally I'll give it about 4-6 episodes to grab me. If it really doesn't interest me at that point, no reason to continue.

Postby **Sami_jane** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:12 am

i can usually tell withing the first two episodes weather or not im going to like an anime....unless it adds some stuff in the middle that i dont agree with. i had that problem with Mirage of Blaze. i thought it was going to be a really good anime. it looked really interesting but then i got to the middle of it and they started bringing out the plot about how one of the male main characters is in love with another male main character and at first i decided that it wouldnt be so bad but i just couldnt watch it after that. because thats what the whole show practically became about.

my last fm profile! · Postby **rocklobster** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:23 am

Well, I tried one show after one episode and ditched it. Then I tried it again and kicked myself. Want to know what it was

BIG O!

Postby **MorwenLaicoriel** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:14 pm

That's another show I only saw one episode of and gave up on. I guess I should try again on it, huh?

Postby **mitsuki lover** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:56 am

Well I think it wouldn't work if you were watching something like Gatekeepers 21
or FLCL that was only 6 episodes long.I mean if you're not going to like it after
episode 1 then it's hardly likely you'll end up loving it by episode 6.
Generally the first two to three episodes should be a good clue as to wheter or not you'll end up liking or hating a show.Though the shorter the show is the less time you will have to make up your mind.

Postby **Roy Mustang** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:06 pm

The first thing that I do is, check to see how many episodes the series is. If the anime is 13, 26, 52 or 60 something episodes series, then I will watch it.

If anime has is 70 episodes or more and it sounds like the story hasn't hit its peakby then. Then my 65 episode rule comes into play and I will not even sit down to watch the anime.

I do have a 5 episode rule. If anime hasn't got any better after the 5th episode, then I will know that the anime is not for me.

Wingzero22

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