Do expectations and hype make or break Anime?

A little article from Crunchyroll urged me to start this topic.

Source: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2013/09/08/feature-how-expectations-can-make-or-break-anime

As you can see from the image and text above, it's hard to believe that at one time, I had no desire to ever see Madoka. From the outside looking in, Madoka looks very generic. Truth be told, I still feel like that today. The characters do look stock, though they're done very well. The scenes inside the Witches and the visuals (like Homura battles with Walpurgis Nacht) are the real highlights. No, my thread centers on the series itself. The story, characters, music, everything that makes a series great. I enjoy Madoka now yes, but at one time, it was discouraging to have people shove it down your throat. Upon seeing Madoka about a year and a half later, it did surprise me. The music and art during certain sequences was breathtaking. Although, not as breathtaking as the symbolism and Homura's character arc of weak moe girl, to seasoned veteran, to faded hero.

So did I eat my words? Not actually. Despite being quite good, Madoka isn't the masterpiece people say it is.

((We've seen all this before in Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Neon Genesis Evangelion and even our very own Mai-HiME. Only now it's all sandwiched together. That doesn't make it bad, per se. The best fictional stories are ultimately combinations of established stories and mythologies (Star Wars).))

Was this a result of high expectations? Did I expect the second coming of all of titles I've mentioned? No! I was expecting something original though and maybe that was my only mistake?

No matter how you see it, expectation and hype may damage a series for you. Or not? Maybe you just go in with a well balanced mind when a Attack on Titan or a Sword Art Online comes your way. SAO turned out to be a disappointment to me, while I'm still on the fence for Attack on Titan. But with AOT, I'm not making the same mistake I did with Madoka. With AOT, it's me just not interested in the overall story. It has nothing to do with hype, people saying it's the only anime worth seeing, blah blah blah. I just didn't care much for it and this was with an open mind. You could say Madoka at least triggered something in me. Attack on Titan didn't, although I'm curious about the supposed lesbian couple. It might be worth sitting through more episodes to see how that is.

So, have you ever felt like this about any series in particular? Did hype ruin your viewing experience or did you just ignore everything and judged it on your own terms? Comment below and let me know. Just don't bother commenting if you're offended by me not liking Attack on Titan or thinking Madoka is great, not amazing. It's my own opinion and quite frankly, it's the only one that matters to me.

There are a lot that I would like to mention, but these came into mind easily.



and




Ok, I admit it. I've had high expectations of Madlax. I really expected it to be as epic as Noir. When I first watched Madlax, I was like, "Uhh, a Noir rip-off?" I did quite understand that they're both from the same studio and all, but I was expecting something different apart from girls having amnesia and remembering single words. On the other hand, Noir and Madlax have great strengths: the soundtrack, of course, by Kajiura-san is what made both of these series epic for me. Then again, Noir has a special place in my heart. I have put Noir as sort of a benchmark for animes of that genre.

Another:



and




Again, people (including me) would think of one thing about the latter: A MariMite rip off. Then again, SP! has certain things that made me like it. I didn't come from an all-girls Catholic school, though I know how all-girl Catholic institutions work due to my grandmother working for one back in the day. Secret lesbian romances do happen, romantic trysts in the library, blah blah. I probably mentioned this to someone, but for those who don't know -- I was also once a Kaichou...and I perfectly understood how hard that was, specially for Miyuki. At one point, I was too damn serious to keep everything in order and I had my own share of unrequited love. That's the ultimate reason why SP! has a special place in my heart. Though it may not be the best out there, and MariMite is way better, I know, but that's what I feel.  ^__^

With Madlax, I thought Noir rehash at first because Madlax herself resembled Mireille Bouquet. That didn't turn out to be the case when you watch the actual series; Mireille and Madlax are polar opposites in personality and backstory. All they have in common is their talent for killing people.

I enjoyed Madlax though, it was the most complex of the Girls-with-Guns Trilogy with a more psychological plot compared to Noir. The pinch of supernatural elements it had was heightened further in El Cazador de la Bruja. Now with Cazador, things got a bit silly with the humor (Amigos Tacos!?) and the supernatural Thelma & Louise inspired plot. Still good, just not on the same level as Noir. Noir set the bar way too high imo, Franny. Any series Bee Train would create after it would always be inferior, no matter how hard they tried. You just can't be Mireille, Kirika, Chloe and Altena. They came at the right place and the right time.

MariMite is better by the way. Strawberry Panic is basically what would happen if Maria-sama ga Miteru was more edgy and direct with it's yuri. It had it's good points and all, but MariMite's more slow paced yuri subtlety made it a lot more rewarding. Strawberry just gives you what you want all the time and that gets boring. Nagisa and Shizuma have sex way before Sachiko and Yumi even CONSIDER it!

I did enjoy Madlax out of its complexity and the supernatural part. I guess I was also waiting for a "kaboom!" factor to happen, that's something I felt in Noir--upon Mireille's discovery of her link to Kirika.

franticfranz wrote:I did enjoy Madlax out of its complexity and the supernatural part. I guess I was also waiting for a "kaboom!" factor to happen, that's something I felt in Noir--upon Mireille's discovery of her link to Kirika.

I thought there was a kaboom factor/twist in Madlax when...

Spoiler:

I tend to give a chance to animes that are highly recommended and hyped about. And drop those that weren't more easily.
If I get through the first 5 minutes there's a 90% chance I'll watch it. Sometimes I endure those 5 minutes and end up liking it as it goes on because it must have something to get people so worked up!

Only if it gets to a point where everyone spoils the whole thing will I get turned off. One has to learn how to navigate the internet searching for info on it without spoiling everything. That requires experience and many hours invested on the dark corners of the internet! I'm surprised I still have my sanity!

Plus, when you are into it and either watching or done with it people coming at you left and right shoving their favorite pairings and characters looking to convert you by force can make me start to dislike it.

It's a sensitive balance that I believe is different for everyone!

CaptainVonCookie wrote:Only if it gets to a point where everyone spoils the whole thing will I get turned off. One has to learn how to navigate the internet searching for info on it without spoiling everything. That requires experience and many hours invested on the dark corners of the internet! I'm surprised I still have my sanity!

What sanity?  

Tell me about it. I feel more sorry for tumblr users (dunno if you're one of them) because the second you log in, major spoils and fan wank for a series could show up on your dashboard updates with NO spoiler warnings! It doesn't bother me though as I flee from the scene quickly before figuring out the results of an episode 25 or 236. I gotz navigatin' skillz.

Converting by force is the worst; it's what happened with me and Madoka as I mentioned. Though if you approach me and recommend a series in the most mature way possible, like a member here named planetwarrior did with Muv-Luv: Total Eclipse, I'll watch it in a heartbeat. As it turns out, Total Eclipse surpassed expectations (although it still has it's problems like any other series) because warrior knew what genres I enjoy and what cliche tropes I get a kick out of.

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:Tell me about it. I feel more sorry for tumblr users (dunno if you're one of them) because the second you log in, major spoils and fan wank for a series could show up on your dashboard updates with NO spoiler warnings! It doesn't bother me though as I flee from the scene quickly before figuring out the results of an episode 25 or 236. I gotz navigatin' skillz.

I just hate it when people do that. That makes me hesitate. Errr.

It's the internet, Franny. It's difficult to avoid spoiler talk. XD I don't mind it as long as you don't force the fandom on me like a leek in the butt.  

All those Shonen titles you mentioned are loosing steam. In the States anyway. At one time, the entire convention buildings were filled with Naruto cosplayers. At Otakon 2013, there were only a handful. I blame the Homestuck fandom for that. It's sad that in today's interwebz/tumblr era, cosplayer will only wear what's trending. Why do you think I was so happy to see Miaka Yuuki and Yui Hongo cosplayers? When people cosplay as someone unique and obscure, they earn my respect.

XD I can't really defend or attack Fate/Stay Night that much because that franchise is very hit or miss.

shezaei-neko wrote:[color=#333366]
I remember reading a comment on the opening for the Ah! Megami-sama!! OVAs that said that the animation looked so old and bad, that they wouldn't watch it. That is was too 80's...

I wanted to murder that person....

Ouch. Wanna hear worse? Someone (female) cosplaying as Luffy in the Artist Alley looked at my my Utena pin and said "Who's that?"

 

Get away from me. -_-