Alcoholicide said:Kasutoro-Kun said:So I've been a avid anime watcher for years now but I only decided to watch seasonals in 2019. I had no problem felt fine picked up about 3 shows that seemed interesting. Over time I picked up more seasonals. Around late 2021 watching seasonals started to make me feel burn out and it made watching anime a job. I don't like dropping anime so I try to finish every anime I watch. By this season I'm completely and utterly burnt out. I hate seasonals now. Not because the shows are bad. This season is actually incredible. But because of how much of an absolute chore it is to feel like ok I have to watch the new episode because I don't wanna get left behind and catch up. It's giving me serious insane burn out and is making something I love to do as a hobby feel like I'm doing an office job. I can't wait till this season is over and I could go back to what I used to do. Which was pick up random shows and watch them whenever I feel like it. I'm done with seasonals after this season. Does anyone else feel like this and hates having to constantly keep up with multiple shows every week?
Yeah, it can definitely start feeling like work and the desire to not fall behind becomes the primary motivation to watch rather than watching because you're actually in the mood to watch. I definitely recommend opting out of following seasonals. Just look at seasonals with a 6-month to 1-year delay, that's what I do. That way the shows are already finished and you can watch them at your own pace but still don't miss out on recent releases. Or if you haven't already seen all the classics and gems from the past (like I mostly have) then just ignoring current shows in general and exploring past decades is also a decent option.
And yes, never dropping anything is stupid and detrimental to the enjoyment of the medium as a whole, but from personal experience I don't think starting to drop some seasonals alone counterbalances the dynamic of weekly releases feeling like a chore at some point. For me it's just the feeling that I can't watch them at my own pace and the airing schedule dictates what I can watch when and at which pace which slowly but surely drained all the enjoyment out of the viewing process. It becomes less about enjoying or not enjoying the shows you watch and more about enjoying the way you watch them. I could love a show but loathe it if I had to watch it weekly. Once you feel like that I don't think there's a way back into enjoying weekly seasonals, at least that has been my experience. Be it anime or otherwise, I haven't watched anything while it aired for a few years now and I don't look back.
Although admittedly I overdid it way more than you did, averaging about 30-40 shows per season for a solid 5+ years, then another 2-4 years of trying to adjust my habits (picking up less shows, dropping more and so on) followed by 1,5 years of completely taking a break from anime before I arrived at my current situation and mindset.