How Often Do You Watch Your Favorites?

[cxt217]

An oddity of a question that developed as I was straightening some items recently...How often do you watch the anime titles that you consider your 'favorites'? Once a year? Twice a day? Once a lifetime (For Dragonball-size titles.)? Somewhere in between?

It only occured to me after I was tidying the shelves where they were stashed, that I could not remember the last time I watched any part of my two favorite titles (1. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory; 2. Betterman), which meant over a year has past since my last viewing of either titles. I have watched parts of the Nadesico series (Not the movie though.), the Armitage III: Polymatrix movie, and The Venus Wars movie within the last three months, despite them being ranked 3-5 on my list. That is not including the other assorted titles like Photon, Ah! My Goddess!, and whatever.

So what is your re-viewing frequency for favorites?

C.T.

[meganly_chan]

You know, it's funny. I love Slayers, but I rarely watch it. Like, rare as in maybe once or twice a year.

[The Great Bear]

Hard to say. I have such a huge backlog, it's become hard to rewatch anything. But there are many shows I have watched a second time. However, rewatches are not always sitting down to watch the entire show again. It might only consist of watching a single disc that had a particularly good set of episodes on it.

The only show that I think I've see three times is Azumanga Daioh, which is one of my top 3 I'd say. Complete second watchings are pretty rare for me. Shows that I have seen in their entirety (or close to it) twice would be Princess Tutu, Comic Party, Steel Angel Kurumi, His and Her Circumstances (KareKano), Ah! My Goddess Season 1 (just about all of it, I might have skipped a couple episodes), Full Metal Panic Fumoffu (I think all of it, at least 3/4 of it a second time), and……that might be it. I have seen Air TV twice, if you count having watched it once raw on R2 DVDs, and then once on R1s (and actually understanding what they were saying :P). The same would go for most of Kanon right now as it is being released in R1, and for Haruhi, which I saw completely on R2s and then again on R1s.

However, not all of those shows are necessarily on my Top 10 all-time list, and several of those rewatches were years ago, when my collection was much smaller and I was more likely to rewatch something.

In the past two years, the only two rewatches were probably Tutu and AMG. And those were both a while ago. Recently, I'd have to say I've rewatched nothing.

After that long ramble, I guess to answer your question, I don't watch my favorites very often at all.

[Lego]

Not as much as actually calling them favorites. In a weird way I tend to get the "bug" for certain series now and then and thats what fuels me to go back into some of my favorites or series that I really like but missed the first time.

[Suwako Moriya]

The amount is not set in stone. It's more a case of events inspiring me. Usually a situation makes me think of a series and leads me to wanting to re-watch it. Also it varies series by series. On a side note this reminds me, I still need to finish the Nadesico re-watch, but I've kind of been distracted by other things. Still I did watch 4 volumes in about four days so maybe saving the last two volumes for later isn't so bad. Oh yes one favorite I'm currently re-watching is Saint October for certain reasons...

[mitamaking]

I try to watch Blue Seed once a year, that seems about right, some other shows I pick up sparingly I like.

[dragonrider_cody]

My two favorites are X TV and Chrono Crusade. I usually watch those at least once a year, though sometimes more often. I can usually find an excuse to whip them out and show them to friends who haven't seem them before. It's a good way to rewatch a series.

[something]

Hard to say. Some are licensed, some are not. Some have been out for years, some are brand new.

There are titles in my top 10 I haven't rewatched yet, and titles I've seen more than a dozen times... no rhyme or reason really, it's just hard to find time to rewatch things when so much good new stuff is getting churned out every season.

[Sorrow's Companion]

For me it's every couple of months I'm watching something from my fave list. Usually when I take vacation.

[Westlo]

With a huge backlog of 25-30 dvds and hundreds... maybe thousands of fansub episodes to watch I rarely get the chance to rewatch my favs. Even when I do I never seem to finish watching... I intended to watch the original Macross again before Frontier started in April.. only got through 6 episodes. I also intended to rewatch the first season of Geass before R2 started up... and only got through 5 episodes.

Seems only short ovas I get a chance to rewatch these days, stuff like the first RK OVA, Gunbuster, Macross Plus and Read or Die. I do have the itch to rewatch RahXephon, Escaflowne and Evangelion... though the new movies for Eva will suffice.

[Collectonian]

In their entirity? Most, about once a year to 1.5 years. Some, like Sailor Moon, less often due to the sheer length, so about once every 2-3 years (though I'll spot watch episodes..

[EmperorBrandon]

Back when my collection was pretty small, I would revisit favorites quite often. I try to spread things out a little bit more since I can now and I like to stay fresh with certain titles. I do like rewatching favorites still. I would say I tend to hit Cardcaptor Sakura (my longest fully-collected series) around every year to year-and-a-half since I completed it (last time got to show it to someone else, which was nice). With most things, usually a year at least, anyway, I guess. As far as watching "a favorite" in general (and not time between particular ones), I guess it's a few months (2-3, maybe) that I'll decide to pull out something that I've had collected that around in my top favorites (around 20-30 titles in the "high favorites" range I guesstimate)

[leongsh]

So what is your re-viewing frequency for favorites?
Usually once a year. That includes entire series which have more than 50 episodes (and some with 100+ episodes). It's becoming much more difficult to do so now.

[HitokiriShadow]

Between my DVD backlog, trying to keep up with the current season, and trying to shrink my video game backlog (all JRPGs), I have little time for rewatching. At this point, I generally only rewatch when I'm showing a series I like to one or both of my brothers. There are some series I would like to rewatch, but I won't rewatch outside of that situation until my backlog is reduced to almost nothing (i.e. incomplete series only).

[Zero Kyori]

From the looks of it, I'd say Bi-yearly.

[Nork22]

For one off episodes: Once every 3-4 months.
For one storyline/story arc: Once every 9 months.
For the whole beginning to the end: Once every 3 years.

[Njr Scrawl]

Eva Rebuild 1.01 - 3 times in 1 week! OK its new & I'm comparing with the TV but Eva is my 1st equal favourite. Kimagure Orange Road being the other of course. :)

For Eva until the movie, once, twice a year. KOR TV & movies once a year. KOR movies more overall, but once a year now.

Others depend on mood. Hyper Police, Silent Mobius, OMG, Tenchi, Rurouni Kenshin, YUA, BGC, FY, City Hunter when I want to "visit old friends".

Newer shows are eating into my re-watch schedules! Black Lagoon, Bleach, Angel Heart, Nanoha, Ex Machina, My Hime, My Otome & many others. But if I get burnout, going back to favourites is usually as good a cure as stopping altogether. That & daily visits to AoD!

[Garasharp K7]

I don't watch my favourites that often - I might dig out a particular show every few years or so, such as Mazinger or other '70s robot shows. Though the last two years have been an exception. In that span of time I've watched Nadesico four times, Full Metal Panic and Excel Saga twice, Zone of the Enders got three views and I'm sure I've watched the Macross arc of Robotech more than once. I feel like watching it again soon. Then there are the odd single eps from various shows I'd watch from time to time. those would be too numerous to mention.
Right now I'm rewatching Azumanga Daioh and Neo Ranga again and I'm just finishing up Nadesico.

But if I get burnout, going back to favourites is usually as good a cure as stopping altogether.

Oh definitely. I think everyone has a show that reminds them why they're a fan and draws 'em back in. :) Mazinger Z or Getter Robo often has that effect on me. (not to mention those other shows listed above)

[Zero Kyori]

Others depend on mood. Hyper Police, Silent Mobius, OMG, Tenchi, Rurouni Kenshin, YUA, BGC, FY, City Hunter when I want to "visit old friends".

I guess I do make exceptions on Tv series like City Hunter and Ranma 1/2. I'd say Angel Heart and Nodame Cantabile are the only shows I frequently watch on a monthly basis.

[Njr Scrawl]

Angel Heart is so good, its my personal #1 discovery of 2007, beating Nanoha ultimately. I'll be watching it over again I know.

[geotrio]

I try to do them at least once a year. Sometimes I will put one off a little longer so I can enjoy it more when I have that nostalgia bomb.

[Splitter]

I rewatch what I can. Shorter series usually have a better shot than longer series, because of the constant influx of new stuff. Much as I'd love to revisit Kaleido Star, I doubt I'd be able to work it in without the backlog growing.

[TalonG4]

For short shows which usually happen to be my favorites, about every 3-4 months. Basically this includes shows like Aria, Maria-sama and other shows of the same vein that I like to watch before I go to bed. (relaxxingg...)
For other longer shows (26 eps or more) it depends on my mood and free time. Probably once a year though.

[Ashyukun]

Honestly, the only time I usually end up 're-watching' something is when I'm going through it making notes for making a video using it or showing it to a friend... my time for watching stuff is almost always taken up with newer shows- be they ones currently airing or ones that are older but I'm watching for the first time via Netflix-like rental- such that I just don't have the time to go back and rewatch very much.

[Senna]

Like at least a few others here, I re-watch my favorites whenever I'm in the mood to see them. This usually ends up being every 1-2 years -- more spread out for longer series like Escaflowne (which I'm slowly working my way through, probably for the 7th or 8th time), and shorter for movies like Whisper of the Heart. I do tend to rack up a few re-watches right away by showing series to friends soon after I get them. I've watched almost everything in my collection at least twice. When I've started to forget general things about a series (like the end), I know it's time to re-watch. Or, when I just want to see characters I love again ... *is waiting impatiently for Bandai's release of Terra he for this reason ^_^*

[JINROH]

An oddity of a question that developed as I was straightening some items recently...How often do you watch the anime titles that you consider your 'favorites'? Once a year? Twice a day? Once a lifetime (For Dragonball-size titles.)? Somewhere in between?

It only occured to me after I was tidying the shelves where they were stashed, that I could not remember the last time I watched any part of my two favorite titles (1. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory; 2. Betterman), which meant over a year has past since my last viewing of either titles. I have watched parts of the Nadesico series (Not the movie though.), the Armitage III: Polymatrix movie, and The Venus Wars movie within the last three months, despite them being ranked 3-5 on my list. That is not including the other assorted titles like Photon, Ah! My Goddess!, and whatever.

So what is your re-viewing frequency for favorites?

C.T.


My wife and I last night started rewatching our Otogizoshi Brick from disc 1,this for the fourth time.

If its a title in my personal top ten(or hers),likely two to three times per year.Whereas with some full length features,I have gone totally nuts and watched them 50+ times since purchase (Akira/ROD OVA/Millenium Actress/Wings of Honneamise/Ghibli Films).

[Keith Palmer]

Lately, I have started rewatching series that might be "favourites" of mine, one every few months, just to say that I am even in the face of all the unwatched stuff piled up... probably separated from my previous viewings by a few years or so.

[lesterf1020]

Geez. You guys make me feel like I am still in kindergarten. I am very new to anime (2 years) and my collection has less than 20 anime series, so it is rare for a day to pass when I am NOT watching one of my favourites. That only happens when I discover a new series to get excited about and it consumes my anime watching time. I can hardly wait until it takes me a year to see my favourites!

[Spirit Of The Stage]

I tend to watch Princess Nine always once a year, it's my most watched series over the years - sometimes twice (once in English, one in Japanese). Most of the time I rarely get a chance to watch my favourites with my backlog - even Kaleido Star I can just about scape once a year if I'm lucky. A comedy series like Azumanga or School Rumble or a really good 13 episode series (Kino's Journey springs to mind) are usually the only shows I can come back to and always give it a good watch every year.

[Lego]

Geez. You guys make me feel like I am still in kindergarten. I am very new to anime (2 years) and my collection has less than 20 anime series, so it is rare for a day to pass when I am NOT watching one of my favourites. That only happens when I discover a new series to get excited about and it consumes my anime watching time. I can hardly wait until it takes me a year to see my favourites!


Just wait for a Rightstuf abundance sale

One of us..

One of us..

:keroro:

[mashimaro]

It tends to be a function of the size of my "A-list" backlog, and the length of the series. OVA's and short series that can be watched in a single sitting or two I tend to watch a lot; I've probably watched the Oh My Goddess OVA about a dozen times, and I've watched Air three times since it came out.

When it comes to longer series, when I wax nostalgic for an old show, more often than not, I'll just pick a couple of favorite episodes and rewatch those.

[Fudce]

It's a good question. I watch Angelic Layer quite often, if not in full then I watch one of my favorite episodes, or a commentary. Listening to Mariela Ortiz and Sasha Paysinger is nice background noise on a busy sunday evening.

I'm also on yet another run through Kaleido Star right now, and that's one of my favorites. Thinking about it, the only one of my favorites I've not ran through a second time is Hayate, and that's only because it's not available yet :P (and I'm not in the habit of saving the fansubs of series)

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

Since I re-watch shows in something of a cycle, it mostly depends on when it next comes around, regardless of whether it's on my personal A-list or B-list, or even C-list. It usually depends on how long it's been since I've watched it last, and how many new series I've added to my collection since last watching the title in question. By now, the average time until re-watch is anywhere from 1-3 years. Some in my collection (longer series mostly) I've probably gone closer to 4 years since I've seen them last.

If I really want to watch something sooner than when it comes around again, I'll just bump it up in the queue.

[Panko]

practically never. favorite or not, i tend to watch a show only once and move on since i want to see something different (not to mention the never ending backlog).

pretty much the only time i'll re-watch a show is if i double-dipped on another release of it, such as Irresponsible Captain Tylor. but i am currently watching Armored Trooper Votoms for the 4th time because i recently read the manga and bonus book that came with the collection. plus i was in an "old school" mood after finishing Gall Force.

[Nosredna]

I used to try and watch my top three shows once a year, but with more to watch, I'm lucky to watch them again every couple of years.

[akcoll99]

General answer to the question: Not nearly as often as I would like.

Mainly due to having too many new shows on my backlog to keep up with. When I get the chance I like to pop in the occasional volume of a favorite like City Hunter or Fruits Basket or Gokusen, but it's been awhile since I've had the time to sit down and re-watch the whole run of a favorite series. Which is too bad as I've been itching to re-watch both Shingu and Gasaraki lately. Maybe this summer when I should have a little more free time...

[The Adventurer]

Once every year or two.

Currently I'm rewatching Macross (mostly because Frontier prompted me to do so)

[ll Katana ll]

About once every year and a half.

After a while I start to forget things that happen in a series and that tells me that it's time for a rewatch.

The only exception is when I was buying the R1 volumes of Haruhi, I watched each disc about three times because I couldn't get enough of it. Two times by myself and then I would bring them to my friends house to watch it with him. :knowitall:

[Chibeh]

Geez. You guys make me feel like I am still in kindergarten. I am very new to anime (2 years) and my collection has less than 20 anime series, so it is rare for a day to pass when I am NOT watching one of my favourites. That only happens when I discover a new series to get excited about and it consumes my anime watching time. I can hardly wait until it takes me a year to see my favourites!

Hahahah, 20 anime, I miss those days, it was easy to choose what to watch next. :) I remember rewatching Trigun 3 times one month. Welcome to the world of anime by the way.

With my backlog being so large, I fall into the whirlpool that a lot of us seem to fall into, choosing to try and get through backlogged anime and having to curtail our rewatching to maybe a few episodes of a favorite anime every so often, or even having to schedule a rewatching in.

It's easier to rewatch a shorter series or movie, than a full on 26 or more episode series. I watch TM: TM In Love and SM R movie about 2 times a year, (and it is coming up on that time a year again (aaaah, spring). Though as someone else said, it comes on quickly, the urge to watch a certain episode, or series, triggered by some random comment someone makes, or a picture you see somewhere. Hell hath no fury, like an anime fan in the mood to watch!

So to actually answer the question, about once a year for the shorter anime, and movies, every year and a half or two years for longer ones (Sailor Moon, oh how I've wanted to rewatch you!!)

[Zeta26]

MARS DAYBREAK

I wach every now and then. Due to my favs; Gram & Achi (20 something mechanic of the ship; Aurora)

MAJOR

Even when it's licensed I probably won't be putting this title anytime soon.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Unfortunately like many people here, my backlog is quite extensive (in fact it spans 600+, close to 700 DVDs). Lately school, work, and my love/social life have left little time for anime I used to watch. Currently I squeeze in a disc a week if lucky (this past month has been hell = 0), so I don't rewatch much of anything. I do buy to rewatch however, and will certainly get to a lot of titles when I have time.

When I watched anime on VHS, I owned a lot less (usually 2 episodes a VHS). I own Maison Ikkoku volumes 1-10 on VHS, and seriously watched them non-stop (volume 1 has been seen about 20 times or so). Basically many of my VHS have been seen at least 3 or 4.

I do rewatch Iria, Project Ako, and Marriage every so often. They are short, and easily very addicitive. Some of my favorite shows, and so easily accesible. Those usually get seen once every 2 years.

[Shirachi]

Not very often. I have a specific requirement for re-watching something: having not seen it for such a long time, I've forgotten everything that's happened. Predictability is boring, so I make an effort to wait a while. In that time period I get new titles, watch those, and begin watching my older titles once I finish all of them; a cycle, if you will. I found that it works, and my collection's fairly small because I'm picky about what I watch.

Despite that, though, I've re-watched Princess Tutu for a second time since I got it in May. So I guess that's the only exception.

[Orihimes_Boyfriend]

About once a week at the moment. Also still watch all the stuff on Adult Swim on Saturdays and Sci Fi on Mondays.

[Cyber Inviso]

Every year re watching my top three favorites or more if there were more to watch.