Spring 2014 Post-Mortem

This season made me accidentally my face.

Under the cut, we have a conversation between myself and my more assholish alter ego (in bold). It has insights as to what I thought about this season, the state of anime, and an announcement going forward. Enjoy!

So, you finished the Spring 2014 season, huh?

Yep.

From your hiatus, it looks like you needed a break.

Definitely. Twenty-eight shows is a lot.

And you went to ACen. How did that go?

Good. I gavea couple of panels, got a good response

from them. Will be back doing my Dr. Boyslove and

Season Preview panel next year.

Do you honestly think anyone reading this cares

about your panels and whether you'll be back next year?

Do you really think anyone reads this blog in 

the first place, voice in my head?

Touche. So, what should we do now?

I dunno, look back at this season as a whole?

Not a bad idea. You know, you should look at the

pass/fail rates for Spring 2014 and compare it to

the last several seasons you've watched all the shows.

I like it! And I can talk about why this season has

the rate of pass-to-fail shows that it has. But, first I'm 

going to need a - 

Chart?

Brian Cook is going to sue me for ripping him off.

Brian Cook will never know who you are.

Because, he's never going to read this.

Just like everyone else. So, chart?

*sigh* Chart.

So, the last two seasons have been the worst.

Anime sure has gone in the shitter, huh?

I wouldn't say that. I mean, there weren't that many 

completely terrible shows this season. The stuff I failed

was mostly mediocre and forgettable.

Why are the last two pass rates so low then?

I'd say that it's because there are only so many good shows

that the anime industry can make at any one time. Say the maximum

is ten. If there are fifteen shows made in a season, up to ten of them 

will be good. Make thirty shows in a season, up to ten of them will

be good. It's a simple case of diminishing returns. 

So, anime hasn't gone in the shitter?

No. I think that some genres are better off than others as far as

putting out quality shows (sports are doing well, mecha not so much). 

But, the general quality is pretty much constant.

That's not going to generate page views. You need

to do something to get people going.

Did you just quote a Kanye song?

Yes.

I hate me so much.

:(

Cheer up, other me, I have an idea to get me to write more.

You're already writing everyday with the Hunter x Hunter stuff.

Aren't you clogging the internet with shit no one reads enough?

Not in the least.

All right, so what's your idea?

I'm going to give some shows a second chance.

Why? Aren't you the arbiter of all anime taste?

Hardly. Given that I watch plenty of shows that turn out

to be garbage, it's entirely possible that a good show

slipped through my fingers.

That seems like someone who is trying to flip flop

according to popular opinion. So, how are you gonna

choose the shows for these "Make Up Exams"?

"Make Up Exams", huh? I like it.

It fits with the whole education language you use.

So, how are you gonna pick the shows?

Probably a combination of the internet's reaction to some shows and

recommendations from friends. I wanted to ask the audience at

at my season preview panel -

Wait, you got an audience at that panel?

Yes. I had several dozen as a matter of fact

I wanted to get their opinion on what show that I failed

deserved a second chance, but I ran out of time.

So, you talked too much.

I had a lot of shows to get through.

Whatever. how is this going to work?

Are you just gonna watch some crap to completion

because the internet or your friends tell you to do it?

Hell no. I don't hate me that much.

I'll give them two more episodes and give it 

another pass/fail grade. And that will be that.

All right, what shows are you doing?

The internet is in love with No Game, No Life, so that

one for sure. A couple of friends of mine say that Baby Steps

gets better around episode five, so that one as well. And for

the last one, I'm going with Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin.

It's noitaminA, so I'll give it two more eps. 

You have fun with that. Anything else you want to say?

Not really, I guess I'll be seeing you at the end of each season.

Until you can come up with an original schitck, yes.

We both know I'm completely incapable of any original thought.

That's why I'm a critic. I'll see you in the summer.