Is one moment or episode really a redeeming factor for a bad series?
I’m thankful that I haven’t seen that many bad anime series, but for the few that I have watched to completion, there were always those short moments of excellence that somehow kept me watching. I’m not talking about so bad it’s funny either; just those series which felt completely pointless to have watched in retrospect, yet still had their own merits from time to time. There mus’ve been something to merit me finishing those shows, be it an amazing fight in the first episode (yes, Kurokami has become kind of abysmal by this point), an episode in a romcom which was actually funny, or strangely creative ways of fanservice. But when it comes down to it, are these brief bouts of greatness really worth all the hours wasted on nonsense/boredom/irritation?
If you’ve had to sit through half on anime series watching absolute crap because you felt obligated to as a fan of the Macross franchise, then seeing an episode which is great could seem like a godsend. Your standards have been lowered and at this point, perhaps over halfway through the series, you’re not expecting anything good to happen when SURPRISE BUTTSECKS a character you hate dies, a character you love conquers all or everything goes exactly as you predicted it would, further feeding your animu watcher’s ego.
The follies of the past are eclipsed in the awesome of the present. But that’s the thing, that moment is only the present. Of course, after firing hundreds of arrows at a target one has to hit the bullseye every now and again, but doesn’t change the fact that you’ve missed the target hundreds of times. Next episode it’s probably back to the same old shit of irrational character actions and annoying plot developments and you’ll just have to keep wading through bad episodes until you come across another gem. And blinded by fanboy urges or false expectations, you’re almost guaranteed to do so.
But to say that it’s worth it for those singular moments is to exaggerate. A show should be judged by it’s overall quality rather than being lauded for a single moment of greatness or condmened for a moment that’s completely awful.
Seeing those few good moments in such a series just makes it all feel futile. These moments reminds you of what could’ve been, probably fulfilling what expectations you had for the series from the outset before it degraded into whatever crap was left remaining. Knowing that the creators have the capability to write, animate or direct a series well, yet simply don’t would just irritate me. The more mind-blowingly awesome the moment may be, the more perplexing the fact that the staff of the show couldn’t just do that all (or at least some) of the time.
For me, seeing a series do horribly despite having a large amount of potential, and even showcasing such potential, makes it less enjoyable and a waste of my time. I’ve ended up watching an entire season of Rosario + Vampire hoping for something great at the end (which turned out to be anti-climactic and disappointing) when instead I could’ve been watching Aria or Mushi-shi. And that’s a damn shame.
However, there are always exceptions.
So…. Why are you still watching Naruto for those one-in-a-while AWESOME moments? Grrrrr
The reason I fall into this trap is that often a truly great episode in a poor series is still going to hit me so much harder than even the best of first episodes. Established stories just have more to work with. Sometimes the gamble on an ‘x delivers’ moment from a series I’m following turning up feels more enticing than the gamble on a new series proving to be up my street. [Although with certain famously excellent as yet unwatched series, it’s barely a gamble.]
I’m not a fan of the random-arrows-hit-targets idea. Sometimes our creator is just facing in the wrong direction.
Jesus Mintz. At some point you can get blinded by love for the show, or that your love for the show or the
Macrossfranchise has allowed you to forgive the show’s many faults that you can just enjoy your way through the mucky dozens of episodes.Then the good one comes, like episode 44 of Macross 7 (or episode 10 of Turn A Gundam). It wasn’t just a single moment of it – but the whole episode is very good. And it really made me think:
Was the show that I’ve been watching awesome after all the whole time?
No – it’s awesome to me because I’ve allowed it to be, but this episode reminds me that the others that came before it (subjectivity reduced as much as possible) were pretty much crap.
Does this mean people should stay away from Macross 7? No. I’ve said that it isn’t the best gateway to the franchise (it took much devotion, to go through the ordeal) but OGT discovered the franchise through it and he’s as big a Macross fan as any. I can’t really tell what or how people enjoy their animu.
I ended up completing Macross 7 just hours after I confirmed the opinion you quoted me for. And all crap aside, it’s my current favorite installment of the franchise. MY CHARGING HEART OF LOVE, gives POWER TO THE DREAM, TO BE FIRE, DANCING ON THE PLANET DANCE.
*once in a while
[…] a response to this entry, at a site I will from here on out refer to as Rebranded Anime Blog, I’ve put together a list […]
i tend to lose patience very quickly for bad anime. but somehow i’m more patient with books. i have this issue with the author Gide. The first book i read of his was ridiculously boring for 300 pages, then the last 50 pages were amazing! So 2 years later i picked up another Gide book, and the first 200 pages were dull dull, the last 20 riveting. I still wonder if it’s worth reading that. Are there anime like that, where the buildup sucks but the finale (based on the buildup) rulez??
You’re talkin Macr***. But you’re showin Yunocchi.
You best not be sayin nothin bad bout Yunocchi –
Could this very well be why there are some people for whom ‘sameness’ isn’t a curse, but a blessing? I don’t know about you, but despite Mushishi’s excellent excellence (yes) I’m always hard-pressed to turn on the next episode since I know what awaits me is the same thing. I suppose having caviar and truffles for every single meal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I watched the Kaze no Stigma anime from start to end, and even if I do admit that it actually sucks (especially after the first arc), I’d have to say I still love it! Though I’m not sure if I’d be saying these words had I not blogged it from start to end 😛
@The Sojourner
Biatch, I dropped Naruto at like episode 300 and something. Anyway, I only watch the episodes with fights in them. Otherwise, I either skim or skip them.
@coburn
It’s true that no matter how awful, a series has to have set up some sort of image of itself in your eyes, so seeing it perform well while conforming to that image must be gratifying.
I still can’t see why a creator would do well in some instances and yet not well in others. Perhaps that’s due to a lack of communication with the fanbase or something.
@ghostlightning
That’s an interesting thing to bring up. Perhaps by having seen multiple installments of the franchise, you’ve already got an opinion of LOVE for Macross 7 before you’ve even started. I’m not saying that fans allow themselves to be completely swayed by other fans, but (and forgive if I’m wrong) isn’t Macross 7 widely seen as the worst installment of the series, yet many love it anyway? 7 itself is Momentarily Magnificent in how badly good it is compared to other Macrosses.
I think I made sense there, but I’m not sure.
@animekritik
I actually experience that mere hours a go with a manga I was reading. For the most part, the manga was average- below average, but the conclusion was fantastic and entertaining. Without the sub-par material beforehand, it wouldn’t have been nearly as good, so yeah, I would say that great finales based on build-up , no matter how bad, rule.
@oji-san
I ain’t even seen Hidamari 😛
@Owen_S
I actually have another post in the Drafts about that type of thing, how perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (though no anime is completely perfect). Flaws are a good thing for many reasons.
@usagijen
Lol, I remember that show. Good memories. Also depends on how you blogged it; if it was entertaining to flame and or complain about, that’ll probably mean you like it for that reason.
Does my considering the scene where the girl in H2O~Footprints in the Sand~ gets run over by a train a ‘great moment’ mark me off as a weirdo? ‘Cause it made the whole show worth it to me.
I actually struggle to think of a show I suffered through because some truly great moments popped up from time to time. If I make myself sit through a whole show that’s awful, it usually is of relation to personal pride as opposed to any moments of brilliance.
I’m with you in the sense that I don’t see singular redeeming features to be worth much in the long run, yet somehow I find myself watching a lot of potentially bad anime anyhow. I guess that’s a different topic, but for me, the “momentary magnificence” is just that: something to enjoy in the moment. Looking back at Akasaka, I can see that it was in no way a good show, yet I also remember that I had fun watching it because of it’s occasional funny moments. Same with Kamen no Maid Guy. I don’t acknowledge either as objectively good, but the few moments of brilliance, if you could call it that, made it worth my while as I was watching it.
This reminds me of Elfen Lied particularly. The highlight of the series for me was episode 6 which finally had Lucy’s angst at full front. The series was generally ok. But it never got better than that.
Otherwise Nanoha StrikerS which had Subaru blowing shit up after going crazy…..The only good scene.
sometimes, i wonder if i should have stuck with a certain anime because all of the sudden, everyone was like ‘OMG! this episode was blahblahblah!’ because of one episode. i often contemplate if i should pick up the show again or not. most times, i don’t.
but there are times when i am too loyal to a show that i would watch it to the very end just because i love something specific about it. most of the time it’s CLAMP. well… at least, i stopped episodic blogging about everything i see already.
— i was gone for roughly a month and you’ve renamed your blog already??? this is the third name in less than a year.
Okay, you know I’m going to have to link this. I’ve actually been thinking about the same thing vis-a-vis Koihime†Musou. To wit, the show is a vapid fanservice vehicle. But it has Sousou: one of the most frightening and bloodthirsty killers in five thousand years of Asian history, dressed up as a pretty, pretty princess. And that is most excellent.
@adaywithoutme
That scene was awful and retarded. The show was awful but enjoyable. Have no idea how that equates to “average” for me though.
@ETERNAL
There is something gratifying in knowing it was worth it for those great and enjoyable, though not exactly “good” moments.
@Avisch
Also, the opening of EL was kickass. KICK. ASS.
Blowing shit up, always relevant.
@biankita
Hey, the first name was around for about 2 weeks and made no sense, so that one doesn’t count <_<
I’d think that watching a show like tha would be more about getting in on all the excitement, and I probably wouldn’t watch a show because of that.
@moritheil
Contrasting aesthetics ftw. Pre-emptive thanks for the linkage.
I’m all about hanging on to a bad series just for those few and far between bursts of goodness. As long as I get something from a series, I consider the watch worth my time. And that fear of missing out on something good because I didn’t follow through gets me everytime. Of course, I should also note that I’m a completionist.
One thing to consider doing is multi-tasking during bad shows. For me, I watch sub-par anime on a recumbent exercise bike in my house. That way I can finish off anime while staying in shape while sitting on my ass. I’m in good shape, so when people ask me just “how many hours a day do you spend in the gym” I tell them I don’t, I just watch anime and play video games!
[…] That’s not to say this show is all good, or even all watchable – far from it. Much has already been said about the show’s premise, execution, and style. But for those who have some familiarity with the original material of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the sheer uproariousness of a vampy Cao Cao is worth the price of admission. […]