We’re (almost) all in it to watch more, right?

Parading around one’s anime list can be a real badge of honour sometimes and the mind boggles at some of the numbers some of these anime list users can put in…So how do they do it? There are many methods and people who watch a lot of anime may use all, some or none of these, but here are 8 possible ways.

Notes:

• This is anime-related because that’s what this blog’s audience cares about the most, but it is also (mostly) adaptable to manga, aside from the fact manga challenges are less prolific than anime ones.
• I’ve picked the most sustainable options I can think of, but this list is not definitive, so add your own ideas in the notes section of the checklist. Where is the checklist? If you sign up using the landing page (the one which went live around the time of this post), you’ll get it there.
• If “watching more” isn’t your idea of fun because you don’t see it as a challenge and/or it does detrimental things to your mental health like burnout, then just keep watching the way you are now. There’s no obligation to follow the checklist and you’re not having fun if you don’t watch the way you want!

Participate in anime challenges like AWC’s

Make sure you read the conditions to completion first and only participate in challenges you can actually finish and enjoy along the way. If you’re a newer anime watcher, you might not have an accurate picture of what speed you can watch before you burn out and that’s okay. It’s easier to know your anime-watching habits with practice and more involvement.

Make a schedule

To some, this may seem like making a hobby a chore, so you can skip this if you want. However, if you work better when you set things out in a schedule, then put the anime on your to-do list like anything else and maintain a habit of watching what you can when you can. (Of course, if you’re on an inconsistent schedule, then…you must work harder to keep your storylines straight, but you can do it!) I address more on this topic in this post.

By the way, it’s not restricted to just to-do lists: you can use physical productivity trackers like a diary/notebook or a timetable, digital solutions like Google Calendar or a combination of these. It’s whatever integrates into your existing schedule and/or what you already use. Good times to update your schedule are when an anime finishes for the season or when a new anime season is beginning.

For example, if you have a seasonal anime that comes out on Fridays, your time, and you love this anime enough that it’s become appointment viewing, then let it be so – watch it as soon as you can find the time in your day. Likewise, if you’re not feeling an anime and don’t see any reason to continue with it, drop it and free up your time for other anime or other stuff.

Fit it in when you can

As an extension of the previous point, some people count “watching anime” as having it on in the background while doing chores. Others say “watching anime” requires one’s full attention. Figure out where you stand on this and your numbers may add up much faster than you think, due to the change in mindset.

Know what you have available to you/Cull services that don’t serve you

Whether you do legal streaming only or do things more…underground, seek out everything available to you, even if you don’t watch it all. Some people stick to just one streaming service because that’s all they can afford and that’s fine, but at least know what shows are available that you want to watch on that service.

This is a money-saving tactic, but as a result of what has just been said, if you decide you’re not actually using a streaming service but still paying for it, make sure you’re going to come back to those anime you want – set a date or few in the future to figure out whether these are worth your time, if you must. If a service doesn’t have enough shows to warrant keeping (or alternatively, enough non-anime stuff to warrant keeping in the case of services like Netflix or Disney Plus), then you can cut the cable and never come back.

Dig into backlog (and your memory)

Were there anime you watched when you were younger that you didn’t count on your list because you didn’t remember how much you watched or that you watched them in the first place? Add those – sure, this isn’t a resume, but they’ll still give people a better picture of who you are and where you come from.

If you don’t remember how many episodes you watched, take a look at pictures of early episodes and/or Wikipedia synopses which might help you jog your memory. It’s okay to give your best guess, so long as you’re transparent about that with others on your list.

Interact with people, understand the content and, most importantly, have fun!

Watching more anime is meant to serve you, so be sure to capitalise on the resultant benefits of staying in the loop. “Interacting with people” doesn’t have to be in-person, either – reading weekly reviews or discussing in relevant online channels also counts – while “understanding the content” may also involve reading reviews or editorials which give a different perspective…like those on the Animanga Spellbook.

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