Anime Long Anime Series... good or bad?

Here are some series that I can think of...

Conan... 400+ episodes and counting... God knows when we will see the ending...

Dragon Ball... Z... GT... 500+ episodes in Japanese version...

Pokemon... another 400+ episode monster...

Sailor Moon... R, S, Super S, Sailor Stars... 200 episodes... (well I kinda liked it when I was in High School for unknown reasons) well it's not that long comparing to the previous 3...

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Seems that it's a common problem for all Anime / cartoon shows: lack of creative story line toward the later seasons. Pokemon has similar story line in every spisode... so does sailor moon... dragon ball is just endless dialogue... Even in American cartoon like the Simpsons and South Park, you can tell the story is not as good as before.

I started watching Inuyasha when it first came out, and I can tell the story was much better in the first 80,90 episodes than the rest of them. I love the earlier episodes where they made reference to Japanese culture.

 

It's fine if it can keep its actual story moving.

 

i'm perfectly happy about that. ^__^

 

Good question.

My guess is that producers w ould like all their series to run and run, but if that happened hardly any new ones would get started, theres only so much programming time. But the market decides, and it turns out only a few of the huge amount of anime series that are produced get to run to 100s of eps. I think this is fine, I have no interest in most of them. The only realy long running one i actually like is Naruto (135 eps last time I checked).

So I think I would rather have a good big budget limeted series to a cheap, knock em out run forever one, which prob made to appeal to the widest audience, most of who have completely differnt intrests to me.

It also feels satisfying to see a whole series especialy when it has a story that comes to a good end, I mean its like finishing a good book, and you can always read it again.

 

Yes, exactly. Like SMJ, right? Although, I always feel sad when I finish a great series. You know, because you love it, and you'd like it to go on forever.

Of course it can't though. That's where the fans step in. ^_^

 

You forgot the Horrid Inyuasha. About 175 or so, no?

 

Conan who knows, because the early episodes i like (yes i enjoy them) but who knows about the later ones not to mention the 14 movies. another long anime series is Rurouni Kenshin but those episodes all the way till the end are awsome even though the ending of it is somethin i didn't expect. but thats a nother thread and another day. DB series well DB good enjoyed it. DBZ early ok later bad and now DBGT horrible why won't they let it stop!?!? Pokemon should have put it down like old yeller (yes the comparison is heartless but it is the best one!!) salor moon never liked really dispised it!! but that is my opinion. but who knows hw far bleach will go sonce it just started and many people are gettin hooked on it!!

 

You forgot two of the longest-running anime on your list, Sazae-san (first started airing in 1969) and Doraemon (first aired in 1973). To my knowledge, both of these series are still going strong even now. If that's true, then they've been running for 37 and 32 years respectively.

I see nothing wrong with long-running series provided that they tell a good story (or at least a generally interesting one). Then too, you need to consider the intended audience for any given series. Pokemon is a good example of this, actually. The series remains popular (and continues airing) because the games remain popular. The intended audience for the anime is elementary school children, and the storytelling of the anime reflects that.

The fact of the matter is that while there are quite a number of long-running series, most anime series will only last for one to four seasons (13 to 52 episodes), and by far the most common in that grouping are the one and two season series. The interest there is in telling the story, getting it out there, and then moving on. Then too, if ratings are poor a series will get cut off or finished before the intended number of episodes have aired (see Escaflowne and Flame of Recca for prime examples of this).

Those series with large, devoted fanbases (or renewing, built in fanbases) are the ones that will continue to air for long periods of time. The story quality from season to season and story arc to story arc will vary, but most of the people devoted to the series will continue watching it. One Piece and Naruto are two of the biggest series right now (to my knowledge), along with Detective Conan and Pokemon.

And really, is it so different from American television? I mean, look at soap operas and sitcoms, for crying out loud. Some of the things have been running for years with no signs of stopping. Sure, I can't think of any off the top of my head that rival series like Sazae-san and Doraemon in length, but I'm sure they exist somewhere.

*shrug* I'll say again, as long as the story is interesting I don't mind long series. Many times the journey is more important than the destination, after all. My only real requirement is that there be a destination in there somewhere, because all good things must eventually come to an end.

~Shadrach Anki

 

Exactly. Most of the long, long ones keep it tied to the original, but some don't.:sweat:

 

i have no problem with long series. but if it gets too repetitive, i stop watching

 

"ARGH! The monster just got more powerful with a fragment of the pearl!" (Insert 2 or 3 more chapters here)

Yeah, No wonder there... And what to say about YuGiOh?

Yugi: Monster N, attack!
Enemy: Hahah you just activated my trap which gives me 2000 life points and reduces yours by half, now i can kill you! Supermonster, attack Yugi and destroy him!
(To be continued)

I reaffirm this after watching the Yugi vs. Noah battles. Come on, they were like 10 chapters with each chapter with a superpowerful surprise card which changes the turn of events! Plot knots, anyone?

 

i have got to say... even though i love pokemon... they just have to stop airing the crappy episodes that they air now...they need more story line, like the movies, the movies rock because they make references to the history of pokemon and the way pokemon and the human world interact and the mysteries of pokemon are revealed... where as the tv show just shows a bunch of battles and then ash gets a new pokemon or badge...not much plot to that... But i liked how DB GT ended... it really wasnt an ending but more of a beginning, a beggining for others in the future to take from and go with their imagination.

 

Doraemon was good. Anyhow, it depends. If I don't like how 'tis going, I stop.

 

As long as the story line is good, i'm fine with long series. DBZ and Inuyasha are both examples of long but good anime.

 

there ok as long as the story keeps on continuing and is not long and dragged out so its boring.

 

The only thing that I can think of that rivals the lenght of shows like Doreamon is Seasame Street which has been running since 1969. But long shows have the problem with fans who would like to get the DVDs. Again Dragon Ball Z is the prime example with 80-90 sepreate volumes. A good show is in the range of 26 episodes. 13 is good because it is short and then often released in 2-4 volumes. 26 is fine beause that is at most 8 and at least 4(Blue Seed, Slayers)

 

26 episodes seems optimum to me. Series tend to feel rushed when they're shorter, and they tend to drag on if they're longer. (Although, multiple series, like Slayers, Next, and Try, are usually ok)

 

I like my anime. Not like FLCL on 6, or Dragon Ball 400+.

I like animes that last for about 24-50 episodes. Like Trigun and Full Metal Alchemist. That's also why i kinda liked Digimon, nothing repeated in the first season, nothing preety dumb because it was all part of a story, but when they saw how good they did, they started coming up with like a thousand level of monsters to keep it going. That's something i don't like.

As long as they stay true to their story and level of entertainment, I'm good. No cheap scams for me!

-Seishin

 

I agree. Too many episodes is way too much. I could go for 30 something episodes. Sometimes 50 if the series is awsome. But 100? Too much for my taste.
Unless the anime continues in a story in which it doesent drag the point of the series out its ok. Then there's animes with episodes that are JUST there to make numbers and money (Inuyasha has had many pointless episodes).
But yeah...sometimes good...sometimes, horrible.


- Kaiyon