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Why are people afraid when it's too big/long? (Longer than 24)

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Dec 6, 7:06 PM

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Apr 2023
1974
Well if I were to assume, it would mostly be due to time management. People have lives outside of anime and they can't just binge 100 episodes whenever they want. But I would also chalk it up to fear of a "it gets good after (insert episode/arc here)" case.
If I had to choose between One Piece and a girlfriend...I think I'll go with One Piece
Dec 6, 7:43 PM

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Sep 2018
5821
I keep a list of anime over 50 or episodes that I'm interested in, and will spontaneously start one of them every now and then. I rarely smash right through them, and will only watch a few episodes here and there, especially if they're episodic.

It can be daunting starting something that big and it's also a huge time commitment, so I can understand the hesitance.
Dec 6, 11:00 PM

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Aug 2025
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I thought this thread was gonna be about something else entirely...
Don't forget who you drank water with when you start sippin juice
Dec 7, 1:09 PM

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Oct 2019
720
I could name like two good reasons why this happens

1. Filler content
- Even for renowned anime like DB, One Piece, and Naruto, they suffered from a lot of reasons, particularly trying to adapt the manga at a snail's pace, thus, leading the filler content being made that has no relation or does not move the main story forward, basically a waste of time.

2. Snail's pacing
- Like I said earlier, the pacing in some of these longer anime is so sluggish that most of its renowned fans tend to suggest alternatives to enjoy that same material with better pacing. It's why Nutshells or abridged series exist to begin with: they leverage the media everyone loves with better pacing, without any unnecessary details or fillers that the original adaptation had. But what about anime like Pokémon? Where the content is mostly original to begin with? As long as there is a formula the production found to use, they will milk that series until it's dry.
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Dec 7, 1:33 PM
resident arbiter

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Oct 2015
7018
Not everyone is built for it you know, it really defies reason for someone with the anatomy of-

Wait, what was the question again?
Dec 7, 6:23 PM

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Jul 2022
123
Ayo pause on that title ts wildin 😭
Dec 8, 3:52 AM

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Sep 2019
564
I think part of the reason is a fear of multimedia franchises.

Series like .Hack, Tales, Fate, Umineko, and many more are best described as videogame/Visual Novel franchises which have tons of supplemental novels, manga, and anime which not many are not likely to get into if you arent already a fan of the original games.

Then there's series which were never fully adapted like To Aru. Index is fully adapted, but not any of its sequels and spinoffs like New Testament, Genesis Testament, Railgun, Dark Matter, Mental Out, ect. which have been going strong for decades solely as novels and manga while anime production has been dead for years.

Even purely anime franchises like Gundam scare people off because they think there is a specific order they must follow when the gaps are big enough you're free to pick at random if you want. You'll just miss out on noticing easter eggs shared between series
Tap_Dancin_KaijuDec 8, 3:57 AM
Dec 8, 4:20 AM

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Mar 2022
83
Did you get into anime some point after 2012 or so?
Most people that got into anime around that time are used to shows having less that 25 eps per season (the whole binge mentality and all), so they don't really know how to approach shows longer than that.
jellosaurssDec 8, 4:26 AM
Dec 8, 5:23 AM

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Jul 2009
93
Several reasons:
1. Most shows don't really have a premise that lends itself to more than 12-26 episodes.
2. I like variety, watching the same show for weeks on end doesn't sound appealing to me.
3. A lot of shows with long runtimes get there through botched pacing and fillers.
Dec 8, 6:46 AM

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Dec 2024
1114
I read this with a different meaning..

I don't mind longer anime. My favourite anime K-on is 48 episodes. I think the longer the anime the more chance i have to enjoy it and savour the plot and the story, I feel like 50 episodes is around the ideal anime length for me as my top 2 are both 48 episodes. Although I feel like anything over 200 episodes is a bit much cause its all things like one piece which I'm not a huge fan of..
Dec 8, 7:12 AM
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Aug 2017
3
i dont want to experience sunk cost.
Dec 8, 8:49 AM

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Feb 2020
236
My own sense of the situation is the lack of a climax. Compare a 50-episode Gundam to Iron-Blooded Orphans' two 25-episode seasons. The latter of those two builds towards a climax by the 25th episode and then starts again, building to another climax. Whereas in a 50-episode show the audience might be waiting on a meaningful emotional resolution to anything for 50 episodes. It's just a much larger time commitment.
Dec 8, 9:03 AM

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Oct 2009
516
I don't mind watching longer Anime for at the moment, I'm working through the original "Dragon Ball" that has 153 episodes and previously finished "Yawara" that has 124 episodes, Combattler with 54 episodes and so on.

The older Anime were much longer than today and I don't mind modern Anime with 12 or 13 episodes, as well. I love slow burn Anime or somewhat episodic, they are fun and has so much to offer. One Piece, of course,... I'm catching on episode 938... there's commitment but doable.

Older Anime were risky more than today and we don't get a lot of action/police Anime as much as in the past or epic Mecha Anime with "Monster of the Week". Those are fun and the battles can get creative.
Dec 8, 9:19 AM

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Feb 2016
15826
Reply to Killjoy_Kora
My own sense of the situation is the lack of a climax. Compare a 50-episode Gundam to Iron-Blooded Orphans' two 25-episode seasons. The latter of those two builds towards a climax by the 25th episode and then starts again, building to another climax. Whereas in a 50-episode show the audience might be waiting on a meaningful emotional resolution to anything for 50 episodes. It's just a much larger time commitment.
@Killjoy_Kora
This is exactly why I cite Futari wa Precure as the most accessible Precure. Out of all the Precure I've watched, it is the only one to include a climax and resolution in episode 26. A potential selling point unrecognized by fans!

Lot's of older anime, in fact, have distinct arcs that are not shown on their MAL pages. One could drop Minky Momo or Cardcaptor Sakura after episode 46 while enjoying a complete story. Many prefer to drop Death Note partway through. Digimon Adventure has the heroes battling 4 sets of unrelated villains across 52 episodes.
その目だれの目?
Dec 8, 9:27 AM

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Oct 2016
3070
The chocolate can go bad in that long period.
Dec 8, 10:07 AM

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Feb 2014
5827
Reply to jellosaurss
Did you get into anime some point after 2012 or so?
Most people that got into anime around that time are used to shows having less that 25 eps per season (the whole binge mentality and all), so they don't really know how to approach shows longer than that.
@jellosaurss
No, I did get into anime in 2012.
Dec 8, 10:40 AM

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Apr 2024
1557
The problem with really long anime is that they are eventually crushed under their own weight. I used to like Meitantei Conan a lot. Would always wait a year then watch all new episodes or so. Rewatch from the beginning once in a while.

Last time I tried rewatching from the beginning was about a decade ago and I couldn't make it until the current episode anymore. I got fatigued and haven't continued watching it ever since. It has become un-binge-able. Which is a shame, since the first couple of hundred episodes are pretty good. Like really good. But I liked it a lot better when everyone could agree that it's 1996. It's not like Conan has aged one year since then. But for some reason they eventually got smartphones, making half their gadgets obsolete.

I'll probably rewatch it again at some point, but I'll likely never make it to the end.
TransferUserDec 8, 10:43 AM
Dec 8, 12:11 PM

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Sep 2023
21
It depends on several factors. Many people aren't ready to watch long anime, sometimes because they're new to it, meaning they've only recently started watching anime. So naturally, they'll prefer shorter series of 12 or 14 episodes to get into it. For people who have watched a lot, it's often because "Too long, no time." And that's so sad ngl, because honestly, many long anime deserve a chance... But on the other hand, it's probably the most dedicated fans of a work who will watch it to the end.
Dec 8, 12:23 PM

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Aug 2018
2252
They don't like anime for real, simple as that.

Most of them barely ends 24 ep without getting boring and long shows tend to have slower pace or a richer lore, things that people can't handle nowadays. Also, most newer shows aren't that long so people just watch new stuff regardless if it has an ending or not.

And the last, so many new shows cover most people demand, they don't need to check old stuff.
Dec 8, 12:51 PM

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Aug 2010
156
I had the reverse problem as a kid, as I didn't wanna watch a series that was less than about 50 to 100 episodes long. Back then, I had a belief a series with only 12–24 episodes can't be good, because that isn't enough time to tell a compelling/deep story. Later of course in the teens I realized a short series can be excellent too, and tell a deep, engaging story.
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Dec 10, 3:03 AM
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Aug 2024
58
I believe there are a few reasons.
- people are afraid they will not like it, and will have to watch the entire thing, or til a certain episode to like it
- it will take a really long time, with like work and other stuff, which means there will be some time between u watch certain episodes, which make it less appealing to watch something long. As someone who doesn't drop animes, it can be really difficult to stay interested or driven to keep on watching
MEOW
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