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How do you decide which Anime you are going to watch next?

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Oct 8, 2021 9:46 PM
#1

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May 2021
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I often find myself confused about which show should I watch next, I've got a huge list of shows, but I can't decide which one should I pick, so how do you guys pick shows which you are going to watch next??
Oct 8, 2021 9:53 PM
#2
🦆👑

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Jan 2020
66662
Just something from my 1000+ plan to watch list.

Whatever I'm in the mood for



Oct 8, 2021 9:57 PM
#3

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Aug 2021
290
I usually have a list of shows that I want to watch. I randomly pick one, watch it, get bored in 1-2 episodes, pick another one and so on till I found a show that gets me hooked.

I don't have a pattern though if I've watched so many shounen shows, I pick Sol, if I've watched so many romcoms, then I pick mystery or thriller, and if I watched so much anime, then I pick Life
Oct 8, 2021 10:09 PM
#4

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May 2020
11657
Just randomly I pick anything up from my plan to watch list, or something that everyone is talking about.
Oct 8, 2021 10:26 PM
#5

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Sep 2020
611
yeah used to have a huge problem finding what to watch next. it usually took me more than 2 hours to decide everytime but not anymore

what I do is I either go to a randomizer or I look for something I'm in the mood for (genre wise)
Oct 8, 2021 10:30 PM
#6

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May 2021
717
GOD_USOPP34 said:
yeah used to have a huge problem finding what to watch next. it usually took me more than 2 hours to decide every time but not anymore

what I do is I either go to a randomizer or I look for something I'm in the mood for (genre-wise)


The problem is I don't what I'm in the mood for, I can watch anything anytime, but can't decide...

Oct 8, 2021 10:32 PM
#7
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Jul 2018
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CuckooClock said:
I often find myself confused about which show should I watch next, I've got a huge list of shows, but I can't decide which one should I pick, so how do you guys pick shows which you are going to watch next??


Mood. No point in watching something you don't want to watch
Oct 8, 2021 10:38 PM
#8
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Aug 2021
848
I pick the shows from my PTW to watch depending on the genre.
Oct 9, 2021 12:50 AM
#9

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Jun 2020
269
I just randomly choose and watch something I feel like watching. I already have a huge PTW with lots of different animes, plus some others floating around in my mind which I can choose from.
Oct 9, 2021 1:12 AM
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Jul 2021
129

I do internet searches / youtube top 10s...

I try to search for anime similar to or if you liked lists...

I also ask on the forums to check if there's anything I'm missing...

After that, I have a massive list, then it just comes down to what I'm in the mood for. Watching trailers / short reviews is what usually make me decide.

It can be hard sometimes to decide what you really want to watch, watching just one season can be a huge time investment, so you always want to make sure you really want to watch it.

Of course you can procrastinate and debate yourself for hours too.
Oct 9, 2021 1:23 AM

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Mar 2021
6336
I usually just pick something that's available to me or that seems right to watch at that moment. Next up for me will probably be Odd Taxi - I want something short right now.
"Molly Ringwald" out right now - check my Linktree!


Oct 9, 2021 1:25 AM

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Feb 2020
2519
I always watch several anime at a time and I want them to be different from each other, so that I have a wide variety to choose from when I want to watch an episode. When choosing a new anime to start, I look for something that complements what I'm already watching:

Sailor Moon: 1990s, Shoujo, Mahou Shoujo, episodic, comedy
Ginga Tetsudou 999: 1970s, Shounen, sci-fi, episodic, philosophical
GochiUsa: 2010s, Seinen, CGDCT
Shakugan no Shana: 2010s, action, romance, teen drama
Gintama: 2000s, Shounen, episodic, comedy, historical sci-fi

So I'll probably look for a serious historical anime from the 1980s-2000s next. I also want it to be short (2 cour at most) because I'm already watching several long anime.
Oct 9, 2021 1:34 AM

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Jan 2021
336
Mood and preference. I just check the genre and pick up whatever show im interested in.

For seasonals I usually read the synopsis and decided what to watch.
Oct 9, 2021 1:38 AM
🍅 Tomato 🍅

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Feb 2020
104626
Kinda randomly, but I always check the genre and synopsis first.
Oct 9, 2021 1:42 AM

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Oct 2013
7338
I do the only logical thing. I open the folder I keep all my anime in and throw a dart at my monitor. If I can still read what it landed on, I pull out another monitor and watch said show.
Oct 9, 2021 1:45 AM

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Jan 2021
286
Go to my ptw, look at the shows and think which one i want to watch the most.



             
                            チュブリツァ

           
Oct 9, 2021 4:44 AM

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Aug 2019
5589
yeah I have this issue as well, seeing as lately I’ve had less and less time to watch anime I like to choose wisely what I watch; so I go for the safe option, anything slice of life (since it’s my favorite genre and honestly I tend to like most of them)
Oct 9, 2021 4:47 AM

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Nov 2016
32031
Don't think too much about it, just go with your guts.

If you don't like it immediately then you can always pick something else until you have found what you’re in the mood for.

One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron


Oct 9, 2021 5:10 AM
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Apr 2018
249
I usually bookmark the anime I plan to watch soon then pick the one I remember. When I am done with the ones I remember, I look at the covers to decide the next ones.
Oct 9, 2021 5:16 AM
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Dec 2019
120
https://www.randomanime.org/

I put scores from 7 to 10 and I stop when I find an anime that I want to watch
Oct 9, 2021 5:19 AM
Dragon Idol

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May 2017
7446
Randomizer or I ask other people to pick something for me. I might also join a random challenge clubs like to host and slot in some of them there.
Oct 9, 2021 5:27 AM
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Jul 2018
562356
Whenever I feel that this anime should be pick up then I'll watch it next.
Oct 9, 2021 5:29 AM

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Apr 2021
96
Either through recommendations, or I just pick the one that interests me the most from my PTW list.
Oct 9, 2021 5:37 AM

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Dec 2018
123
I don't pick animes but animes pick me, more or less
Oct 9, 2021 5:47 AM
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Aug 2020
21
I have like 500 shows(not just anime) on my watch list
I mostly decide by their Score or YouTubers or what others tell me To watch
I have some shows above others so i watch them first
Oct 9, 2021 5:56 AM

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Jun 2016
1130
If i don't have time i go for seasonal and i pick them either by studios or by "how interesting their premise is.

And if i am free or on holidays then i go for something big i am planning to watch.
2023 might be the year where I will be happy. This year is not happy year.
Oct 9, 2021 6:00 AM

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Jun 2020
1481
Randomly scroll through internet or my list and then find something that makes me feel "Oh I think I want to watch this" then I watch it.
Oct 9, 2021 6:07 AM

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May 2014
255
I struggle with this too but I just pick whatever I'm in the mood for in that moment, and I usually decide that by genre (eg: I'm in the mood for something light-hearted so let me pick a comedy anime).

I just recently made a list of the anime on my PTW that I think have the most potential to be in my top 20 so maybe I'll just start picking anime on that list.
Oct 9, 2021 6:13 AM

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Jun 2020
828
So I will list out my way of choosing an anime to watch next,
-First order of business, organize your PTW list, remove all the anime which you may not going to watch it, it won't take a long time, just go through few titles each day.

- I have certain categories from which one show should present in my watching list (Currently due to my busy schedule in this month everything is shattered) eg. One Ecchi anime, One long running anime, One sequel from what I have watched already, One short anime (less than 20min, to watch whenever I don't have full 20 min to spend), One SOL, One Serious show which I usually binge etc.
So whenever I finish one anime from that perticular category I look for other anime fitting in that type. So I won't get overwhelmed with the huge list of ptw anime.

-I have enabled genres in my list, earlier I was using tags, I filter out the anime whenever I am done with that perticular category then, look at the poster if something seems interesting I watch it.

-If I can't decide then I use the random number generator and pick the corresponding anime.
Oct 9, 2021 6:26 AM

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Mar 2020
1012
Anime --> Anime Search --> Advanced Search --> Toggle: Romance, Slice of Life and Drama --> Sort by Most members (descending)

If not like that, I see the Recommendations section of animes that I liked

I also always check IMDB and TV Time before watching anything. TV Time has graphics of the score from each episode, so you can see if the anime has a good or bad ending for example. Look:

Good ending:


Bad ending:
Endless_endOct 9, 2021 6:49 AM

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Oct 9, 2021 6:35 AM

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Jun 2010
1121
I usually toggle around different genre to change the flow of mood. If I'm on a sad story at the moment, then I won't pick another similar one next. I will instead choose another genre type like a mystery, detective, slice of life, action, sports, etc. But most of the time, I watch anime and read manga concurrently. I also read light novel and watch live action drama though these two are lesser than anime and manga. I have many series to follow up with, so there is no lack of something to watch or read.

When it's time to pick the next series, I will go to my PTR or PTW list, scroll down the list until a title catches my eye. Then, that will be the one I'm going to watch or read.

Sometimes I will choose a series that happens to be part of a conversation with someone or a series that is being discussed in a forum. If I find it interesting, it will be the series I pick next.

Oct 9, 2021 7:31 AM
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Feb 2015
568
Randomizer or looking if I can watch something from my on-hold list
Oct 9, 2021 7:51 AM

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May 2016
12390
One look at my Plan-to-Watch list and starting whatever I'm in the mood to watch

There's always a series outside of my list that I instantly start watching out of impulse though oof








Oct 9, 2021 9:32 AM

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May 2009
8139
I kinda watch whatever comes to mind when I actually have a chance to watch stuff.

Ideally, I don't even have to decide what to watch because it's already in my head which thing I want to watch.

If I don't have a thing in mind but want to watch something anyway, these days I just look at my PTW, which has accumulated too many things over time. I used to browse for stuff but nowadays I tell myself don't browse.
Avatar character is Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut.
Oct 10, 2021 2:09 AM

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Feb 2019
2410
I wouldn't say I decide what anime to watch next, more that I decide to watch an anime next.

As in, I don't usually have a period of time I allocate for anime and have to decide to fill somehow, but that I have a show in mind to watch and look for somewhere to fit it.
Well I for one already loved Lain.
Oct 10, 2021 2:11 AM

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Jan 2021
2199
Randomly. Mostly it’s gonna be at random and not on my PTW list but there will be rare times I pick out the PTW ones



I hope no one I know irl sees my secret account~

Anyways, do I look cute in this outfit?~

Oct 10, 2021 4:08 AM

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Nov 2020
461
scrolling through my ptw list or just randomly pick any anime with interesting title/poster


Oct 10, 2021 4:34 AM

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Jun 2019
4163
I used to spend ages dithering over which show to watch next from my ever growing ptw list so i started using the priority feature on the ptw list. I went through my entire list and allocated them a priority setting (high, medium or low). I chose a few shows from each genre/theme i like (eg SoL=Yuru Camp, cgdct=K-On, 90's=Slayers, 2000's=Haruka Nogizaka's Secret, Haibane Renmei, Planetes, action=Black Lagoon, Attack on Titan, new & recommended=Odd Taxi, sequels=Bokuben S2, Kamisama Kiss S2).

So now when I'm deciding on what to watch next i pick from my high priority list depending on my mood and what type/genre of show I want to watch. I found it's help cut down on my decision paralysis. I used to spend hours trawling through my list and weighing up each show, whereas if I'd just picked one and started watching it, I could've been halfway through a series in the same time it was taking me to chose a show to watch.

Before i finish a series I have a quick look at my high priority ptw shows and pick one or two, so when i finish I know exactly what show I'm going to start next so i don't waste time deciding.

I also have a 'filler' show on standby to put on when I'm undecided or have a short period of time and just want to stick something on. These include shows on Netflix like Castlevania, Scissor Seven, Edens Zero but also older shounen on Funi like Card Captor Sakuga or Yu Yu Hakusho or shorts on Crunchyroll like Encouragement of Climbing.
23feanorOct 10, 2021 4:59 AM
Oct 10, 2021 4:44 AM

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Apr 2020
966
sort by length of series then by release year or MAL score

Oct 10, 2021 4:54 AM

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3398
Whichever one is the most interesting to me, or if it's popular, and it depends on the length.
Like after I'm done with Kaiji, I was planning on watching Gintama, but it's really long so I'm going to watch a shorter show, Soul Eater, to get out of the way first before starting Gintama




Oct 10, 2021 5:01 AM

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Apr 2019
1666
I watch whatever I feel like watching. I think it's always good to go see something you feel like and have good expectations for, the chance of liking it is better.
Oct 10, 2021 5:08 AM

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Jul 2020
10637
I just watch whatever is on my mind. Just don't think too hard. It's just an anime after all.

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Oct 10, 2021 5:12 AM

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Feb 2021
2743
houlouk said:
https://www.randomanime.org/

I put scores from 7 to 10 and I stop when I find an anime that I want to watch

This site is funny. After finding a random anime it suggests us the all the best pirated sites rather than the legal streaming sites.
Oct 10, 2021 5:13 AM

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Nov 2019
946
I always have many downloaded anime, so if I want to I just watch some of them.
Oct 10, 2021 5:24 AM

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Sep 2011
189
Take my massive list
stick that into a random number generator
pick 5
pick one from the 5 that looks the most appealing at the time
Oct 10, 2021 5:37 AM
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Dec 2019
120
Mantron said:
houlouk said:
https://www.randomanime.org/

I put scores from 7 to 10 and I stop when I find an anime that I want to watch

This site is funny. After finding a random anime it suggests us the all the best pirated sites rather than the legal streaming sites.


No, sometimes it proposes legal streaming sites
if it does not propose it is because it is not available
After, I don't use this feature anyway because I need sites with french subs
Oct 10, 2021 5:42 AM

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Dec 2020
494
For me personally, either a recommendation from my friends or my sister will take priority. After that it's my On-Hold, which I also use as a more "higher priority" PTW. And then it's the PTW
"Did you forget already? In my word the color "red" doesn't exist. These must be...my tears. Ever since I woke up from my coma...I think I've been waiting for this very moment. You'd do well to remember this, Maya. The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over."
(Ace Attorney T&T: Bridge to the Turnabout)
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