I’m happy with where my computer is located (high up in the attic) since during the day I can try to feel like I’ve “gone outside” by sticking my head out of the skylight every now and again and I can turn off the light at night and watch anime in the dark. This might not be a voluntary choice for all anime watchers, but I find that some shows are more suited to the darkness than others.
It’s all a question of immersion for me. For the light-hearted series or the comedies, I can just sit back and relax (in a deep seated armchair ftw) but for those “deep” shows, those shows which are dramatic and emotional, watching them in the dark enhances the experience. Even moreso, if I use headphones, I can become completely lost in them, such as the other day when I was watching Pale Cocoon (<3 Yasuhiro Yoshiura) and was surprsied to see the credits roll after what felt like an indeterminate amount of time. Of course this isn’t a requirement, just something that adds to the atmosphere of these shows and really enhances my experience of them.
What about you? Do you have any sort of condition for watching a certain show (or type of genre) that enhances your enjoyment?
food.
theaters.
I approve this post!
Do you have any sort of condition for watching a certain show (or type of genre) that enhances your enjoyment?
Yes, I have a whole set of internalized rules. The theory is Mood is Everything (although its not everything), but the environment and condition in which an experience occurs can [sometimes] be drastically altered.
Something recent and relevant: There’s no way I’m watching Summer Storm in the middle of Spring, not happening. Something from a few years back: I had a beer while watching the last episode of Noodle Fighter Mikki, and I believe there was some added enjoyment about it. Bonus: I like to watch certain episodes of Nodame Cantabile (live-action) during the coldest days of the year, particularly the kotatsu episode.
In theory, I think there can be optimal enjoyment with timing the environment, time of day, season, etc with nearly every media. Media-titles have mood, and experiencing in a similar mood perhaps ups the experience quality.
It’s similar to what another blogger has said (ghostlightning maybe?) in that certain series aren’t enjoyed because the viewer just isn’t ready to enjoy them. (or something along those lines)
Cheers!
Bravo.
Um yeah I said that.
Since me and my wife only watch from our laptop, there’s not much setting we can do to change the atmosphere for the mood.
That said, I couldn’t possibly watch anything remotely serious after
watchingsurviving Grave of the Fireflies.I think I went straight for Cromartie High School afterward.
I like to light candles and rub oil on myself. But hey, that’s just me.
LMFAO
1. Food within my vicinity
2. Confirmation that any place other than that of where I watch the show is inferior in comfort and convenience
3. Total control of the room I’m watching the show in
1. There are just some shows I can’t eat food to. Like Higurashi. Or Elfen Lied.
2. Ah, I only have one computer, so whether or not it’s convenient I must make do. I do have my deep seated armchair ftw though.
3. Pretty much a given, don’t want anyone to go interrupting my… experience. (Why the hell did that turn into a double entendre?)
Best response ever…
@lelangir
I watched Bamboo Blade while eating a particularly bad steak. Then whenever the show came on, I’d remember the taste. It soured my experience of an otherwise enjoyable show.
@omo
I ain’t never seen anime in a theater and until the next Ghibli or heavy hitter comes out I don’t think I ever will.
@Ryan A
I was about to say I wouldn’t go that far with putting off shows until the right time, but that Summer Storm Idea actually makes a lot of sense. Imagining the warmth and the sunlight of summer while watching a show with the same feel sems like a great idea. I’m too much of an eager watcher to put off anything I like though 😛
Also, on the other hand, watching a show when I’m in the opposite mood can be a real pick me up. Such as whenever I’m irritated or tired, I watch Azumanga and it works wonders. Seriously, no amount of music or exercise relaxes me as much as that show does.
@glothelegend
Sounds like your romancing the show more than anything.
I’m snobby enough about my anime watching that I’m willing to put off watching certain titles until I get to see it in theaters. At least nowadays.
There’s a funny balance between the immediate desire of “WANT” and the desire of “WANT REALLY GOOD QUALITY” that if I’m not dying to watch something, but I really like it, I’d set it up for max enjoyment like some describe in the comments.
I like to have a drink, at least, snacks are welcome but sort of hard to focus on while I’m watching Anime. Lastly, like you, I prefer most series in the dark~
I imagine we all do this. I like some variety, set up one routine and then rethink and engage in the pleasure of making a new one.
I used to do the dark room thing, to the point of laying my coat down at the bottom of the door to cut out the slightest hint of light. I’ve since adopted the classic ‘with food’, after a phase of ‘with tea’, and converted to headphonism. There have been shows I would only watch before sleeping, and designated beer shows. Gotta appreciate the full spectrum of obsessive structuring.
Comfortable places, but I haven’t really had those in a while, to be honest. 😛
Well, I would argue that emotional context – that is, not the show’s emotional context, but your own – is actually more important than physical context. This is, of course, a very tricky argument, since the two bleed into each other.
I have to watch anime on the same computer that I work on. That causes problems when I want to get back to working, or rather, it used to cause problems: I’ve given up, and started working elsewhere.
A companion helps when I’m watching crazy shows!
pencil and paper, to jot down my brilliant observations.
I dont need some conditions or whatsoever on watching anime. I just sit so close to the computer and watch anime. But back in the days when I use DVDs for watching anime, I lie down on a soft bed with stacks of pillows on my back and no, I dont turn off the lights. I hate darkness. Sometimes I grab some snacks while watching. 😀
Tissue for spontaneous fapping.
It has to be absolute quiet, or at least as quiet as possible. I hate people talking nearby. A darkened room is fine too. A reclining armchair thing for absolute comfort. Mobile phone set to silent. All desktop notifications turned off.
An immersive experience is key, yeah. At one point I even dragged the taskbar down and out of sight.
I always keep a handy gun or a chainsaw when I watch anime in case of someone disturbs my viewing~I don’t have too much specific preferences… Maybe I never turn off the lights when I watch anime.. but anyway, I always have the lights on in my room XD. (ish scared of the dark).
I mostly watch anime alone, seldom with a friend though, but I still prefer watching alone because I always react too much and it might cause pain to nearby people XD.
A more serious response–
(everything here is generalized, but dependent on title, with exceptions)
– mood is probably my #1 indicator of what to watch/do. includes seasonal deviation.
– purpose. usually the first time through for most TV shows (ie. fansubs of what’s off the air) I watch with a mind for analytical thinking. usually to observe as well. but sometimes if it’s just to relax, i would do it like how some of you guys do it. depends on the show and mood.
– i generally don’t eat while watching things for the first time, it’s a huge distraction (ie. i be a food snob, as well as an animu snob)
– when i’m watching something new, on the computer, i have a tendency to pause to look things up.
Slice-of-life is the best thing to watch while eating lunch or dinner with. Lucky Star got me started on this, I think.
My only requirement is that the door to the room be closed. Beyond that, I’m very flexible and don’t really care if it’s night or day as long as I can see the screen and hear the sound well. I can’t eat while watching though since the sound of my chewing is distracting. D;
I don’t really have any sort of conditions required for watching specific genres or series. The exception is probably having to watch LoGH on Saturday mornings.
I almost always have my lights on, the brightness of the screen hurts my eyes otherwise. Since I use a laptop for everything rather than a desktop, I usually hook it up to my TV, so the brightness is definitely an issue. It also makes it difficult to watch anime impulsively, but it’s still worth it for the quality.
More importantly, though, I need absolute silence, and I can’t watch anything with other people in the room. I’d have to get myself into the group viewing mind frame, which isn’t fun, and these things are always more fun when experienced by oneself. Talking can come later.
@C.C
Delicious caek 😛
@coburn
I probably wouldn’t have a “beer” show so much as a “drunk” show. It would be a show I’m bored watching during a particular slump on its part. otou-san’s blogging of H20 proved that it’s an infinitely more enjoyable experience.
@TheBigN
Good luck with your comfort seeking 0/
@moritheil
But having certain conditions does kind of influence your emotions, getting you prepared for the show in a certain way. That return to the usual routine can also help as well.
@The Animanachronism
Hell, it’s better than planning to work and just watching anime instead, that’s what happens to me every night.
@schneider
*jealousy*
@animekritik
And I thank you for that, for those observations are indeed brilliant.
@Kairu Ishimaru
But THE DARKNESS WELCOMES YOU. COME INTO THE DARKNESS.
@Setsuna-san
Must seperate porn and anime. Will help to enjoy each better.
@Owen S
Full-screenage is a godsend, especially when the show perfectly fits my moniter. Widescreen isn’t always the best, for me at least.
@metan0rn
Not sure who this is, but I’m assuming it’s kanzeon 😛
Never actually done a YATTA! / but I’d think it would hurt for people sitting either side.
@omo
Got tired of analytical thinking after episodic blogging, now for the most part I just go with the flow. Except when moments of AWESOME subtlety and/or messages show up and I just can’t not notice them.
@Kiri
But delicious food can make you think an anime is sweet. Affecting the mind through the tongue ftw.
@Emperor J
How come Saturdays in particular?
@ETERNAL
WHat’s great are those moments when there isn;t absolute silence and yet the external sounds just slowly fade away as you become sucked into the show…
NEED MOAR SHOWS LIKE THAT NAO.
I like to watch Ghost Hunt in the dark, doesn’t matter how many times I watch ‘The Blood Soaked Labyrinth” arc, Urado is always effing creepy and I like a good scare. Also nice to watch on the t.v the nice speakers 🙂
More fluffy shows I like to watch in the light.
So I guess I do like certain conditions, although I think more and more the reason why I slack off of watching shows so much anymore is that I prefer the t.v and the comfort of my armchair to the computer chair and desk.
Macross Frontier was EPIC WIN during the space battles on the 42 inch, just bigger, better, LOUDER than my computer.
We need a laptop so I can solve my problem by connecting it to the t.v.
Actually we can do that right now, but I’m also too lazy to download shows so we can stream from the xbox 360 to the t.v, which is how I got to watch MF from a comfy chair.
If I’m feeling particularly desperate I might watch a show on youtube through the Wii. God I wish you could run hulu on that…
[…] certain rituals or manipulate their environment to create the best experience watching anime. I’m not talking about this at all. I use the same computer for work, play, reading manga, watching anime, and writing blog […]