11 minutes of my life lost, just to get told to do whatever I want. I knew I should have dropped it in accordance to the '3 minutes' rule, but my friend kept pestering me that it got better after minute 6…
surprised to not see any mention of Madoka, given that the 3 episode rule appeared just after it came out, most likely due to Madoka showing it's hand in episode 3 and most people not being into the whole magical girl vibe until that point
Yeah, this is the biggest reason why 3 eps rule is even a thing. But nowadays there are some animes that tried using Oshi no Ko's style instead, by making the first episode a 1-hour premier and honestly the most effective way to erase the rule. If you can't handle the 1-hour premier, then the show is definitely not for you and it's easier than suffering through 3 episodes.
@@iTheBeep They're also usually released once a week, and for a show like Oshi no No (Madoka could have actually done it too if it were an idea that had been around back then) there's not a lot to retain the audience in what would normally be the first 23 minute episode. Because of that, OnK opted for the 1 hour and 22 minute first episode so that they could squeeze in that "3rd episode hook" into the first episode instead of having people drop out because the first two weeks had basically nothing going for them. If Madoka had done that back then, it's likely that less people would've dropped it before episode 3 and thus the "3 episode rule" would've taken a different show or more time to "be established". The long premiere in a way was them taking the setup time of two episodes and having the payoff in the 3rd, but dropping it all on the audience right away so that people will find out the first week if they're sticking around or not, instead of having to wait for the 3rd week. It's actually a really smart tactic for shows that can handle it.
The 3 episode "rule" is more of a guideline for if you're not sure on a series in order to better assess a show and understand it more. It's not meant to be a hardline rule to always follow
The one constant in every show or movie I've liked, are compelling characters. Not likeable, or fun characters, just ones that you want to see do anything, win or fail. A bad show will have characters that you wouldn't care about if they killed off or removed permanently
But even that is extremely subjective. What makes a compelling character? Some people would say Subaru from ReZero is a compelling character but other will say he is just annoying. There are cases like One Piece in which the story will make you change your opinion about characters or tone. Lots of people hated on One Piece art style or goofy tone(both things will change the portrayal of the characters in question) and then started to love it, but a lot of other people refuse to give it an opportunity or it just never click for them. Yes, is a constant in every show that you liked but is because you define what is compelling for you. Which, is interesting to consider. Edit: I will give an example with another comment. Feel free to read it or not.
I'm currently reading a lot of fantasy novels and there is this one with A LOT of polarizing characters. The Stormlight Archive is a story with multiple POV. You could say that in a way is like having 6 or 10 different MC's instead of just 1, and comparisons between them is inevitable. One of the most beloved MC's is Kaladin who is an ex soldier, now slave who has chronical depression and PTSD. He wants to die but can't and will see others die in his place even when he only wants to protect them. All of this conflict? In the middle of a war against super powered crab people. On other hand, Shallan is often the most hated, because she is a liar. She lies to everyone including herself and is extremely delusional. Her struggles don't involved too much action and are more often than not separated from the others MC's conflict to the point that the war has noting to do with it in the first book. Even then a minority of people don't like Kaladin because his depression is too real. He can't magically cure it so he will have his moments when he just don't want to do anything or even just die. "He is sad all the time and I don't enjoy it". Shallan on other hand is my favorite female character in ALL OF FICTION and people who like her REALLY like her. They are both super compelling in my opinion but a lot of people don't think the same even if they admit it is well written.
@@drakesacrum8445 That's the point, two people can have differing opinions on whether a character is compelling for them. That is the SOLE reason why all of us like different shows.
The 3 episode rule was made because of Madoka Magica. The first two episodes are standard magical girl fare, with some hints of darkness, with the third episode being the whammy punch to the gut that is still memmed about to this day. It was never supposed to be a hard and fast rule. Just a sort of "give an anime a bit of time to see if it comes into its own" sort of thing. Somehow the anime community just kind of hyperfocused on 3 episodes no matter the context of the series.
They somehow forgot that rule when they declared Oshi No Ko the greatest anime of all time. After one episode. It was the length of a movie, but still.
That 3 episodes rule can be st*pid too, especially for series with slower tempo even if the series would be good if people watch more than 3 eps of it. If you know what i mean.
@@cerberos1 lmaooooo Even though I think OP is good there’s still a part of me that thinks that there’s a lot of people that because they put so much time into op it’s Almost like they’ve become accustomed to the show and that’s the only reason they like it. I’ve heard so many people say “it’s not too long, I wish there was more of it” and I can’t help but think that there’s some that only think that way because they’ve put so much time into the show.
Unrelated, but as a general rule, if you aren't into One Piece after about 40 episodes and excited to watch more, then the show is just not for you. (Arlong Arc is peak)
If a show doesn't grab you from the first episode, it's either not for you or that's probably a pacing issue (unless the anime REALLY only works by starting in a particular manner). Having said that, I deeply regret having dropped Mob Psycho 100 after the first episode a few years back, because I decided to try again recently and boy that was a ride.
As far as I'm concerned, there are only two types of anime. Those that need to be binge-watched and those that you can actually follow week-to-week. Most anime are the former.
You know what, you don’t have to regret dropping Mob Psycho or any show in retrospect. Sometimes people just aren’t ready or willing to get into a particular thing like how as a 7 or even a 20 year old you wouldn’t read a philosophy book, but you’d gladly do so once you’re 40. It’s the same type of thing. I guess the biggest point is that shows exists for your entertainment and you don’t have to fake being entertained (unless you’re doing fake-ass reaction content).
I think it is sometimes really depending in which point you are at your life or mood or such. Sometimes diffrent things hit diffrently. So retrying things when your mindset/mood is diffrent is not a bad idea. In the end there is so much content in this world already why force yourself toward something you aren't getting anything out of it.When it clicks it clicks and when you get intrested in something again it's no harm to try it again.
This is all so true but also one thing that is important to think about is that sometimes is just not really the correct time to watch a show. My best friend recommended me Chihayafuru but I had to stop at episode 5, I wasn't vibing with it. But I eventually came back to it a year later and it became one of my favorite animes and mangas ever. So if you really want to give a chance to a friends recommendation, don't force yourself to do it right away, do it when it feels right. Also I wish people didn't make such a huge deal of dropping shows, I've dropped shows I liked simply because I couldn't watch anime for a week and just forgot to ever continue it lol. But people see it as more offensive than watching a show you dislike only to call it trash and pick it apart.
I dropped shows when something else caught my attention or suddenly lose interest, and rarely went back to it because I forgot what episode I was on and it has so many episodes.😅 I also drop shows when I’m about to finish it because I’m not ready for the journey to end.
@@lilpainteroftales4386Same I still haven’t watch the Madoka Magica 3rd movie even tho I watched the show like 5-6 times since 2015 because I don’t want it to end I’m always like "when they drop the release date for the 4th movie I will watch the 3rd" 💀
Semi-recently, I was watching 2 second seasons that were airing at the time & that are 3.5 stars IMO, & then I got tired of only watching 2 episodes total per week & spending additional mental energy on watching multiple shows at once, so I dropped them & instead watched a 4.5 star show with 26 episodes & watched about 1 episode per day.
completely agree. i have things i used to love that i’ve gone back to and it just doesn’t hit the same bc i’m not at the same point in my life anymore. i’ve picked up shows that i previously dropped and loved them now. sometimes the time just isn’t right. i think it’s okay to drop anything for any reason, all that matters is having fun in the end. you can always try it again later.
I would argue the intent of the 3 episode rule is strictly for shows which you were somewhat interested in before picking it up. You know, shows which have an interesting premise or concept that actually seem like they would be your thing. It's not there for every single anime you start watching unless it's made clear by the greater community that there's some twist in its plot which changes the show fundamentally.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a great example of this rule being effective because there's a twist that happens in episode 3 that recontextualizes and completely alters the perspective of it. Before ep3, the creator's name was not attached to it out of fear it would ruin the twist they had for us. In addition, as another red herring to lure us into a state of comfort, we don't hear the REAL outro song until season 3.
I agree. I also think that it applies no matter how long the show is. Because some shows are subjective and are classics. So 3 ep test is not necessary because it already has credibility with the community. If a show cannot tell you why you should watch in 3 ep, then no matter how long its not worth it. Black Clover has a lot wrong with it, and part of that is the writing. That is a legit flaw. And they lose viewers as a consequence. A show like steins gate, has people vouch for it.
@@growingoaks it’s not a good example at all. There is no twist in episode three. Everything before it is clearly building to tragedy. You’re basically saying that people should just stick around for the tragedy. If they didn’t like the beginning they won’t like the rest
@@ExpertContrarian Nah, not always. But most of the time true. I usually just drop shows on episode one if it looks like something that will be a slog to get through. Doesn't mean I won't try to watch it later when I have time.. But with so many new animes coming out every season, who knows when I will have that kind of time.
I've thought about this rule often, and I'm glad you mentioned Guy2's perspective because that's 100% me. If you're not feeling a show, just drop it, come back to it some other time when the vibes are right. I've done this so many times and it works. Prime example is march comes in like a lion, first time I watched it I dropped it very early (ep1 or 2) but then like 2 years later I looked at it in my watchlist and was like "I'm feeling some slice of lifey stuff" and man, that show is one of the best shows I've ever watched. Had I trudged through on my first watch, I might not have enjoyed it nearly as much because I wasn't feeling the vibe and didn't connect with the characters. So I'll always be Guy2 100% One difference though, if a friend recommends me something, I'll def do my best to watch it because they probably want to talk about the show, and just saying "meh wasn't feeling it" is just being boring, so if they give me like a 10 episode minumum I'll stick to that also just to clarify, I'd never criticise a show I dropped. I see a lot of people who shit on shows say "if it didn't get me interested at the start, it's a bad show regardless of if it gets good later" and I do not agree with that at all. I've still been unable to watch through jojo, but one day I know I will, and I know I'll probably love it. Just because I've dropped it, doesn't mean I can call it bad
@@anonthemouce yeah that's true too, it depends on the moment and the friend I guess. Personally if they really want me to stick it out for a certain amount of episodes I wouldn't be one to argue with them
No no no. Every day you watch ONE episode of a new show, while assessing it's production conditions, style and demographics. You ALWAYS assume to drop it. Then you watch an episode of a random cour you're committed to watching in full no matter what, that's 5 hours of your time. Every four days you play three episode 2s at the same time, and keep going in case you were wrong with your expectations. When a show is bad, you'll pause occasionally to keep better attention to the other ones. When a show is GOOD, you stop and move it to your regular rotation. If it is bad, you can afford to glance at it in the background of watching the other bad shows like it was just on TV, and you can run up to around 5 episodes each in 200-300 minutes a week. Any show truly worth watching you're gonna be watching 4 or 5 times in your lifetime, so if there's something really good you're not gonna be missing anything. Except hours and hours grinding some gatcha video game rare drops in that time. You'll actually gain some understanding of the industry. And if you just watch for the dopamine, you can cut out your time gushing about a show you're a fan of. When you really don't have anything to say about it anyway except confirm bias with other fans, that "everyone has to watch it", just like the beginning of this vid. This huge "problem" we're trying to solve, here. As a bonus, now you have means to vet what your children are watching. A little bit of extra work comparable to hours and hours of animators double-checking theirs.
I actually really agree about Jojos... it can be a really rough one to try and get through if the vibes aren't right. for me, it feels like a "so bad it's good" show, except that I don't think it's bad. it just works on the same principal as a "so bad it's good" watch. like, it has a lot of weird elements, sometimes bordering on actual nonsense... or sometimes plot and even logic can take a total back seat in the midst of large amounts of spectacle. so I find that watching it legitimately works best if you're with at least one friend, and you're both willing to riff on it mercilessly the whole time. like, don't get me wrong, I think Jojos has a legitimate appeal as an art piece. but the storytelling is almost fablelike, or akin to folkloric legend... meaning that it's often more about the order and description of events, rather than creating a whole lot of decipherable character depth. characters will sometimes even directly narrate what is happening to them for whole scenes, like, that's how most stand battles work. but the characters are more archetypal, and they become these epic figures, even moreso as they fall back into the history of the narrative. and then the aesthetics add to this sort of surrealist fever dream quality... it's incredibly unique. but then sometimes the show is really goofy, or crude, or the stuff that doesn't make sense piles up too much to feel like a smart choice anymore, and you have _GOT_ to be able to laugh at it. Jojos is also a work of absurdist comedy, I swear, you'll have a much better time watching with someone who also understands this.
I’m glad you brought up Steins gate as your example for why build up is just as important since for me I still didn’t enjoy the series when I hit “that” episode onwards because I never felt invested in the characters and so no matter what shenanigans where going on I just couldn’t care about it or it’s consequences.
Tbh i never understood how people always say that the show was boring in the beginning. When i first watched it i enjoyed basically everything (maybe its just me loving time travelling scifi), maybe i just supressed those traumatizing boredom feels i dunno XD I have to agree that when i rewatched it with my friend i actually did other things than just watching it (but ofc that seems quite normal to me XD).
@@arponax It was a good show but I was being pressured by a friend to watch it, Had I watched it when I was in the mood for it I would have enjoyed it, Still I don’t imagine it has good rewatch value.
@@theyoungknight.3119 yeah rewatch gets slower at times. but i feel you bruv, we all have friends that force us into anime XD its just not it when you dont feel it.
@@sutirk that could count to more things imo :D i cant wait to rewatch AoT after it ends, just hope its gonna be atleast half the experience as first time. XD
I say your comment and thought “bruh, not watching that already seen a million coments talking about some underated anime” but for some reason I decided to google it, all I can say is, thank you, Im truly thankful
I often just use 1-3 episodes as a measure of whether I like a show based on its animation style, voice acting, and most of the technical aspects of a show. I’ve seen a lot that simply blow me away and make me want to watch more simply on how beautiful or how good the va’s delivery’s are, and other that just make me find those same aspects so grating that I just don’t want to watch it anymore. Plot is best judged individually, with different episode counts, but stuff like the animation style clicking with you often only takes 1-3 episodes no matter the show
You forgot about guy 3 who doesn't drop shows and just suffers through them to commit. Also, the "stop forcing people to watch shows" couldn't be more true. I don't know how many times I have heard someone go "You should watch this show, you would really like it!" to someone who I know wouldn't like it. My theory is that people think that their friends have similar interests as them, so they think their friend would enjoy a show. In reality though, I think people overestimate how much they have in common with each other. Example: My friend (we'll call him Timmy) told my friend (we'll call friend 2 Bob) to watch a show, because he would "really like it." Now, Bob is very innocent. I KNOW Bob doesn't watch stuff with gore, language, or any of that. So imagine my surprise when we're all hanging out and Timmy and I are talking about anime, and all of a sudden, Timmy tells Bob "You should watch Demon Slayer, I think you'd really like it." I was like "What." Speechless. Demon Slayer. With gore, language, and (in your words) "weird anime shit" (I'm thinking like the Mitsuri hot spring shit). TLDR: People suck at requesting anime and only recommend anime because they like it.
That's the reason why Made in Abyss is not on my anime recommendation list, I know that there is a lot of stuff in it that some people would not like, so I think about, if the person i recommend it to would really like it. It's my favorite anime, but that is not enough reason to recommend it to everyone. Deathnote, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Code Geass are anime that I would recommend to nearly everyone that likes good storys in general, since they only have a few minor downsides that people could not like. (In my opinion)
@@Rafaela_S.i totally agree with you. my favorite anime is monogatari, but it *obviously* is something i would never randomly recommend to someone, and it absolutely does not appeal to everyone. at its core, a lot of people find it to be really confusing, or they just don’t like the flow of a show with such heavy dialogue. and of course, there is a lot of questionable content that i for one found downright uncomfortable to watch. to me, the brilliant dialogue writing and incredible themes and absolutely one of a kind style and atmosphere make it amazing despite all of that stuff. i find it to be such a thought-provoking show that honestly changed my outlook on life. but if the style of it doesn’t grab you, and you’re having a really hard time following the story, and you can’t get over the “weird anime stuff” side of it, you are going to have a really bad time watching it and i wouldn’t recommend it, as much as i love it. in my opinion, the show doesn’t go from “good” to “amazing” until hanamonogatari and second season (which in classic fashion is not the second season of the anime), but i would still advise anyone to drop it if they aren’t enjoying it after episode 2.
@@Rafaela_S. I would be careful with code geass lmao. Personally, as someone who isn't really in the anime sphere, the fanservice turned me off instantly
@@l.2620 The amount of fanservice in Code Geass is not so high and in my country naked skin is not really frown over. Hack we have public parks, where it is allowed to sunbath full nude. And it is no on the eye fanservice, where you see the skin for no reason like in other animes. Don't think that someone from my cultural background would have a problem with it in this anime. Don't know if someone has a problem with a character that takes a shower to be naked and partly shown. Than in my opinion that's an overreaction to something that should be normal. In my opinion.
@@l.2620There's fanservice? All I remember from it is the political intrigue, some higher power/alien stuff, MECHS!, And the best ending to an anime I have ever seen.
With most shows you can usually tell by episode 1 if you'll like it or not, since it's meant to be a pilot and show you what you'll be in for, I've noticed that all the shows I felt weary of in episode 1 are shows I didn't enjoy all the way on episode 60.
Honestly, it's very rare that you fall in love with a show the first episode. But if you don't enjoy it in the first place, you aren't likely to suddenly change your mind about it because of some big moment. Love is something that is cultivated, not a spontaneous conclusion. I am going to need your playlist though. You have good taste.
Nah, episode 1 hooks me so much and then I get disappointed later as the premise that was made gets abandoned or dragged out. I'll get a lot of hate for this, but I really thought Evangelion was going to become great after I saw episode one. It felt like it had a lot of potential and I heard how much people praised it... only for 90% of the show to be "A new angel appears" "shinji we need you" "no" "okay I'll do it." Rinse and repeat. Nothing interesting happens until the movie. Maybe I'm spoiled by modern anime that frequently builds upon its premise, but I can't enjoy a show that lacks any filling.
Hell I've dropped some animes/movies/shows/games with certain issues in the first thirty seconds. If they think they can have something so egregious in the first thirty seconds they probably think it's okay to have it in the whole thing and I'm not dealing with that.
I didn't understand why I was watching twilight until the final fight of the last movie. Then I was like "ok, that's why I've been watching this, it was worth it" I wasn't even mad at the twist because of course this is the kind of movie where we wouldn't get to see this fight, so it was nice that we did get to see it.
I feel I personally am not really consistent with how I handle this sometimes I robotically execute the 3 ep rule, other times I would trust a threshold amount of eps a friend would give and others I just drop whenever . I do think anybody who drops shows in less than a whole episode is kind've pretentious because at that point they clearly weren't actually interested in checking it out at all in the first place and were looking for any excuse to drop it
1 episode is often more than enough. I can pretty much tell either by the cover or 5 minutes into the show. Whether i like it or not. You can quickly tell what kinda story it's gonna be, by how the characters are acting. It's very easy with anime imo. If it starts with typical anime humor, i drop it. If the characters act identical to your average isekai or whatever, then i lose interest immediately. You can quickly tell if it wants to tell a compelling story, or if it wants to pander to a target audience. Once you've watched 50 shows, you can easily tell what appeals to you within a few minutes.
@@beastvicious8672if it works for you and you still get shows you like like this then ok, but you really can't predict what a story is going to be like after 2 to 5 minutes, that's just not true. There are so many shows that pull a complete 180, that use basic anime tropes at first to later subvert them, that have a hard tonal shift later on and so on. Re:Zero, Promised Neverland, Made in Abyss, Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man (the anime isn't even at that point yet), Jojo, Mushoku Tensei, Evangelion, Eminence in Shadow... that's all stuff you won't do justice with just looking at the first few minutes or with some even the first few episodes, in some cases not even with the first 6 episodes. I would lie if I said I never drop a show after the first episode even if I know that's the case, but 5 minutes really is way too little time.
I think with some animes, people need to be not afraid to recommend a middle episode. Sure, you miss spoiling some stuff, but often times the middle of the series does a better job of telling you what an anime is about and catching your interest in the middle somewhere than the start. Shoenens are a great example of this. How many Shoenens start like what their really about?
My friend did that for me with One Piece by showing me something that happens around 109 episodes in, and I was spoiled on something that happened far later but I still reacted like it was my first time, despite knowing it. One Piece is certainly an exception, but it's not a bad theory.
I believe it was popularized from Madoka as well. I think it was born from the fear of missing out on the chance that the series was setting up for a tonal shift. It rarely happens and really should have been taken with a grain of salt. But to support sticking with anime that might not immediately vibe I almost missed out on the absolute insanity which was Shadow of Immanence. There's also series like GaoGaiGar that takes about 25 episodes to really start getting good. I believe 3 episodes is a fine rule to follow but it's not something you enforce on other people. At least if someone is asking you to keep with a series, they really want you to see a moment that they liked in it. However being pressured to watch a series that you don't vibe with is a recipe for you to not be receptive of anything positive about the series.
not entirely just tonal shift another reason was to give enough time for the story to go from the plot and character introduction to the actual plot, it usually took around 2 episodes for that being the third one usually the actual begining of how the story would play out till from there on every journey has its preparation and the first 2 episodes are that preparation being the third the actual start of it @@TlbHibiki
*Sold a million copies in one year *Nominated for three awards *Recieved a spot on literally thousands of Top 10 2017 Games list, a year that had more incredible games than any in the last decade *Basically took over all of TH-cam for three months and launched several still-successful channels *Inspired two extraordinarily popular meme formats *Used several game-world celebrities as voice actors *One of the most-reviewed and highest-rated games on Steam *Only to be called underrated a few years later No offense, AHIT is literally one of my favorite games of all time. But if you consider THIS underrated, you have not played NEARLY enough video games, my man.
@justkaibah No offense (yes, I know that the majority of the time someone says this they absolutely mean offense, but I genuinely don't and you just have to trust me on that), but that doesn't really go against anything I said. Most people played most popular games many years after they came out; it didn't mean they were underrated. Just, not in the constant public mind. Yeah, there's a difference between "a game that did very well" and Ocarina of Time or Dark Souls or Skyrim, but there’s also a huge difference between something like A Hat in Time and, say, Blossom Tales, Garden Story, AR Tonelico, Chicken Invaders, Solatorobo, Lost in Shadow, Radiant Historia, Corpse Party, the Midnight Synergy Wonderland games, and Rhythm Thief. These aren't even that good of examples; I'm a pretty mainstream gamer, so a good chunk of these are "mainstream" underrated games. But hey, if you want some more 3D Platformers, highly recommend: Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Grow Home, I-Ninja, Vexx, Rocket: Robot on Wheels, Valley (specifically Blue Sky's, it's a common game name), Pac-Man World 2 (the other two are kinda just okay IMO but you feel free to try 'em!), Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, and the Ape Escape games. Now, none of these are, in my opinion, as good as A Hat in Time. But I recommend 'em anyway, because if you thought Hat in Time was underrated, I can't imagine any other scenario where you would have heard of these. Sorry if I came off as condescending in any way. I just want you to be able to enjoy more games (and maybe feel the pain of your favorite video game of all time being one that nobody else on the planet cares about. It's a rite of passage for gamers). Have a great day!
The thing that can make this complicated is that sometimes the first episode of a show is just kinda bad, or doesnt have the magic the show has later, so it can be hard to determine how much you should give it a chance
Getting past the pilot/1st episode is fair cause it’s usually world building. Asking people to keep going after seeing a regular episode they hated is dumb. Imo
Interesting video, that made me think of my friend that constantly ask for anime recs but at the same time tries to find reasons not to watch a show before giving it a try, because his viewing experience dictates that "he does not drop a show that he started", so in order to not bore himself out before starting an anime he tries to find any, and I mean ANY reason not to start the show, even if he would love the show, he still is not willing to watch because of that unique reason. For example (actually happened) he likes mystery, I watched ODDTAXI and loved the hecking out of it, and know that he will like the show, since it's a type of show he likes, but whenever I rec him ODDTAXI he does not want to watch because the characters are animals (if you've seen the show you know why a part of my dies everytime he comes at me with that reason) and the problema is I can't try to convince him to watch because I would spoil the show and he hates getting anything spoiled more than anything.
this is why i don't mind spoilers, it actually makes me want to not stop watching a show especially when the writing itself is good and it really connects with everything including the ending. Only times I mind spoilers are for movies cuz its already short enough to watch in one sitting so either I watch it blind or I don't watch it.
Most of the time animes are 12 episodes a season....so 3 episodes is ¼ the show...if you're not invested by then, then you probaly won't be by the rest. Though with longer shows I'd say maybe 5 or 6 instead of 3.
I've been watching anime for 30+ years, the '3 episode rule' has served me very well. Even before that became a thing I had been basically doing that anyway. It's not a hard rule, but it's a decent guideline to go by. I've bounced off some anime after just 1 episode. I've fallen off others after 7. I've pushed through others to the end of the season cuz I had seen a glimmer of something early on and hoped it would blossom, and I almost always regretted it, ending up being disappointed cuz it didn't and felt I wasted my time.
I love how no-one talks about spirit tracks (zelda game) but every now and then the music gets used in ytube videos (5:03) and it's super nostalgic for me.
i think the big exceptions to this are slow burner shows. kinda taking comparisions from regular TV shows but i feel its similar and you could probably think of an example. a show that starts off pretty mid, through a combination of the writers getting used to writting the charcater, the actors or voice actors getting comfortable and the show getting a better idea of what it should be, often in combination with a very large story where even individual seasons arent often their own story cause the shows story is really actually about the long span of the show itself, so it takes time to set up things and build the world to then begin paying off in small ways to lead up to big pay offs for the story, plot or characters. the kinda show where the opening maybe even whole season will be ok but dropping the show isnt just going to have you miss out on good scenes and moments, but enteirely great episodes and to have many satisfying things play out that have to wait for the sake of the overarching narrative. even a vibe check would have you drop a show like this as it hasnt gotten the chance to grow and develop its great vibe it would get later
Its also important to know the person you're recommending to. For example, my sister wasn't into the first 2 or 3 episodes of the owl house, but i absolutely KNEW she would be obsessed with the show once the Luz x Amity ship picked up, so I insisted she keep watching, and I was completely right, she loves it! But yeah, asking to watch more than a handful of episodes that they don't like might just waste their time and make them frustrated with you, really weigh how much joy they'll realistically get out of it if you have them stick it through.
what about Katekyo Hitman Reborn!? That show starts as a slice of life comedy that introduces its characters but then goes serious shonen after 20 or so episodes just to go back to dumb slice of life some more and fully back to cool shonen stuff. That show needs you to sit through some of the comedy episodes because it introduces characters in them but the tone change is so drastic that a 3 episode rule is not even a thing.
I like to think of the the 3 episode rule as the max not a minimum. Like if I'm still not even curious to continue by ep3 I'm usually dropping(with some exceptions of course). if I'm not even close to interested in the first ep then it's also fair to drop cuz at this point ik what I like and I can always go back to it if it turns out to peak my interest again.
I love that apparently these Shonen Jump shows don’t get good until later, when they get cancelled if they don’t get a large audience invested within 30 chapters or around 10-15 episodes. Honestly most of those series like Hunter x Hunter and One Piece have excellent first chapters (even if the anime screws them up) and I wouldn’t say it gets good partway in, as I loved them from the beginning. Although I’m definitely in the guy 2 camp, drop it whenever, because I apparently have a pretty high tolerance for meh beginnings, because I like the beginning of FMAB and Steins;Gate when I first watched them. Yeah the vibes are really important, and the 3 episode rule is dumb. And if I’m feeling like continuing, I will continue. Just because you didn’t vibe with it the first time, doesn’t mean that you have to give it up entirely
"It gets good later" didn't work for Barrage when it got cancelled by Shounen Jump in only 16 chapters. Worked out for the author though. His very next manga was My Hero Academia.
I mean amphibia is one of my fav shows but even i gotta say that SEASON1 had the most underwhelming episodes yet it is kinda sad seeing someone drop something before the good part
really good video mayne. it’s amazing how something like this varies and i think you went over it very well. there’s no rule of thumb at all. there are shows that are very short and seemingly simple that don’t reveal their true premise until more than halfway through like love chuunibyo and other delusions, which i found to be almost-unbearable for the first 6 out of 12 episodes but the tone shifted and overall it’s somehow still very special to me as a whole. meanwhile there are longer, more complicated shows like monogatari which you can honestly get like a 99% accurate idea as to whether you’ll enjoy or not by the end of episode 2. it’s not like it’s anywhere close to the best part of the show, but it gives a great representation of what you’re in for and what makes the series special
There are definitely some shows where you need to watch several episodes before judging if you like it (the Oshi No Ko manga is a great example of this, which is why the anime adaptation started out with a really long first episode), but there are also anime that just.... aren't your thing. I've quit several anime in the first episode because I could tell I wouldn't like it. Whether it be that the first episode sexualizes a character heavily, or is extremely insensitive of huge real-life issues, or just has bad humor in general - I've quite many anime ep 1 for various reasons, and that's okay.
I don't stick to it as a hard and fast rule, but I try to at least go two episodes before I drop something. Good things take time, and sometimes one episode isn't enough to gauge how good a series will be. I haven't often had my mind changed by episode 3, but it's happened enough times that I'll usually give that chance.
I think your own time is something you only learn to value with... well, time. When I was a kid, I always hesitated to drop a show. In fact I went as far as to NOT give shows a shot to not feel that obligation. Now. Well, I dropped Hero Aca some time ago. I think the anime just went past my dropping point recently? Felt a bit bad to leave it at what I'm almost sure is the last arc but I just couldn't man. Almost happened the same with demon slayer. I think it's just a vibe thing. If you enjoy the show or you think it has potential worth you investing your time into it then go ahead and watch. if you feel like you are not enjoying it anymore then drop it. The line is on how you value your time. Maybe you don't really have another hobby to jump into or who knows, every person is his own world. You don't have to feel bad for enjoying shows others think are bad. So long as your enjoying your time, no one should affect your decision
Try writing a short story for yourself you’ll realize really quickly that there’s a simple question that you need to ask yourself when writing a story “why am I starting the story here” there are many answers to this question now if the first three episodes suck, I’m not gonna watch it because clearly the writer filter answer a basic question.
One of the action packed anime that works with one episode watch is- zom 100 - I could tell instantly that i wanted to watch it and what the show was going to be about with in one episode and it was great
If a show takes more than 1 episode to get me to give a fuck about what happens and whom it happens to, it has failed. No amount of getting good after the fact makes it worth sitting through boredom hell to get to the good bits. There's more anime than I have time to watch, I'll just watch something that's actually worth that time. *sometimes* you can see potential, but doubt it gets realised. I'll give it a second episode. Sometimes you can tell by the tropes and general character behavior that you're gonna hate the show within the first minute, but these are exceptions.
Just found your channel and went on a binge spree of a ton of your videos cause you’re super engrossing and a great analyzer for anime, you’ll make it big one day man! New sub and frequent watcher right here
i don't watch much anime, but my brother recommended gravity falls to me because i liked the owl house (and disney+ also recommended gravity falls because i watched the owl house), and i ended up dropping it after 2 episodes because i simply found it boring. i've heard it gets better in season 2, but i'm just not the type who wants to trudge through a whole season that doesn't interest me just to get to the good stuff, especially when it's a show with only 2 seasons like gravity falls.
The 1 episode rule is sometimes great. Sometimes awful. If a show starts off mid, the 3 episode rule applies. If the show starts off ABYSMAL, the 1 episode rule almost always applies. If it starts off abysmal AND sexual, it absolutely always applies. If it starts off amazing, it almost always applies.
“People tend to enforce these rules on their friends becuase they themselves love the moments of the show and want to see other people react to that to get some validation” Stop. I didn’t need to be exposed like this today…
3 episode rule is perfectly fine imo. It's the "Okay, the first season or two suck, but it starts getting _perfect_ from season 3 onwards and you _need_ to know some vital info from those first two bad seasons to _really_ appreciate it!" bullshit that immediately prevents me from watching anything. 3 episodes? Psh, sure, what else am I doing for an hour and a half?
Personally, I think the first episode is always the "pilot", which to me explains why there's SO much stuff going on. If you don't like the show by the first episode, that's a valid reason to quit. It's not a bad assumption to believe the author planned the first episode to hook you. That's just how a lot of entertainment media is nowadays. Still, some shows like Talentless Nana take two episodes to enjoy (and 4 to ruin).
Don't worry, I've never used this rule in my life. I simply find it ridiculous and a waste of time. I have my own way of watching new anime, which is to watch the first episode of every new anime. If I really like it, I will continue the anime. And if it gets bad or boring with time, I throw it off my list. And if I don't like it, I throw it directly after the first episode. Some anime I throw them after only the first 10 minutes, because it is clear that these anime will not be good. And personally, I only watch anime that are really worth my time.
we have the 3 episode rule, not because of the % of the total episodes, but because usually thats what the time the show its supposed to have to hook their audience. Normally it should be only the first episode but there was so many pieces of media that just sucked at hooking in the first episode but were way better on any other that the community as a whole gave 2 extra episodes as a benefit of the doubt. About the longer shows, there is literally no difference, if it failed to catch your attention on the first 3 episodes then it already failed on that aspect, the show can be good but its undeniable that it failed on the catching aspect. So to summarise my opinion is, watch 1 episode to check, 3 episodes if you respect that some authors suck at doing episode 1s, and episode X if you got a friend recommendation and you are willing to
Made In Abyss. I truly enjoy this show very much, and season 1 only has 13 episodes. The last few might be a bit longer than the others but i think my impression of the show changed after season 2, i think about this show daily because of the way it makes me feel when i hear the music or just remember some of the more memorable parts of the story. Just an overall great show, personally my favorite show ever. Above anything else i have ever watched. Some people might not like it but that's alright. Every chunk of this show feels different even though it has basically the same characters because of the changing scenery of the abyss. If anyone see's this comment i strongly recommend made in abyss. The ost and visuals are amazing. It has some very weird scenes but every anime has strange scenes, but i mean really strange scenes. Some of these scenes you would throw your computer across the room if someone caught you watching them. But i think, overall the greatest parts of the show outweigh the very strange scenes. Most of the strange scenes stop after the first season.
One piece be out here with the 30 episode rule. (The reason why I said 30 episode Instead of 300 episode is because when I recommend One Piece I usually tell them to watch until they finish the Baratie arc if they still aren’t into one piece then it’s just not for them.)
god I am so in love with Vinland Saga. my brain is just... so full of that. nothing else is in my head, I'm just thinkin about Thorfinn. also I just want to say that, in terms of this sort of thing, Golden Kamuy has the absolute weirdest progression I've ever seen. the first episode has a really neat hook actually... we're set in the early 1900s, and the plot revolves around a large cache of stolen gold, which can be found if you can gather and decode the tattoos off of 24 escaped prisoners, who were held in the same maximum security prison as the guy who stole and hid the gold in the first place. so, our two main characters (a former soldier from the Russo-Japanese war, and an ainu girl, whose ethnic group originally owned the gold) are gonna go do that. it's a good premise. the first episode also has a very petty deterrent, in the form of a CGI bear that doesn't look very good. some people will bounce off here. which is insane, because the show has so many other things that could potentially bounce you off of it later! and a lot of those things are also the features that might draw you in, if you're a big fan of chaos like I am! past that, the first season takes several early episodes to introduce and establish major players for the plot going forward. it's necessary, but the show is clearly revving up, and hasn't quite arrived where it wants to go yet. but it's deceptive, because the first multi-episode arc revolving around one of the escaped convicts is probably the weakest one in the series, in my opinion. it's not even bad... I just know what this show is capable of, and this barely scratches the surface. the show's true entertainment value is absolutely going to sneak up on you, if you stick with it. I think episode 8 is the first truly bonkers one... it hits like a brick, and especially with the way that whole situation gets resolved in episode 9. this is where the show actually starts to tip it's hand as to how deeply nutty it intends to get. but then like... season 1 doesn't really have a finale?? it's like they were handed two 12 episode seasons to work with, and they decided that they'd just pace it like one big 24 episode season. which is a decision I actually really like in terms of how the storytelling flows. but if you're watching it without really knowing what's up, you might make the mistake of thinking that the show just doesn't have a hype season finale up it's sleeve for you, and that couldn't be more wrong. but wait! before you can get any farther, you have to not drop the show based on the very first episode of season 2! for some reason, the show ends up trying to definine it's ceiling for weird insane bullshit _here._ like... welcome to the depravity circus! we may punch through this ceiling later, depending on your tolerance level for certain things, but for now we've reached peak weird. if someone was going to fall off of the show for an actual reason, they might do it here. or this could be further proof that you have to watch more, because holy shit, where do we even go from _this??_ so then the rest of season 2 starts actually using all the building blocks it's been setting up, and getting really interesting, and cool, and the season 2 finale is this big 3-episode long clusterfuck, and it's amazing. and the first episode of the series might've gatekept all of it with that stupid bear! if you're still on board by the end of season 2, you're probably in, hook line and sinker. and from there, the show will never disappoint. but what a fascinating roller coaster of potential pitfalls... I love this show too much to really mind, but damn.
golden kamuy is a great example of the reverse first episode trial where the first episode taken in isolation gives you a decent enough reason to drop it if the cgi bear is too terrible for you, but in reality cg isn’t even that major a part of it and the writing is strong enough to cover it anyway. thanks for the write up, love this series a lot and if you’re reading this now you should give it a try
@@nightshadetq2453 yeah, I give this comment my wholehearted endorsement if you're reading any of this and thinking "wait... what happens in Golden Kamuy??" go watch it, and have a good time. also, I promise the CGI is only used on the animals and a couple of camp fires, and they stop animating it that way pretty early on... the writing slaps, just let it cook. literally.
The 3 episode rules is pretty good for the most part. If you're not interested in anything after spending about an hour in it, then you won't be interested after spending 3000 hours. If something needs 3000 yeas to build up to the point, then you don't have time for that.
Yeah, when it comes to games O have a loose 2 hour rule, if something can't hook me in that time, I'm done. And if after 2 hours I think it has some potential but hasn't really hooked me yet, then I'll give it another 30 minutes and repeat that until either I like it or I drop it.
I dream of making someone reluctantly promise to watch the first episode of Oshi no ko without knowing the length (btw one of the greatest first episodes of all time)
I agree with guy 2 - most of the shows I drop I do so after 1 ep. Some shows I drop after 10 eps, or even later. Some shows I drop after 5 minutes or less. I don't care what kind of crazy plot twist happens later on if the first episode is boring and/or stupid. The worst shows, IMO, are the ones that have a start full of promise and then devolve into garbage. Those just waste your time because you keep watching hoping they get good again, but nope they get worse. Looking at you, Wonder Egg Priority.
0:44 kairiki bear lemming Ming!, Love that song. On topic I agree that it's show dependent, like some shows are worth watching for longer to see if you like it, & others only need 1 ep to know if it's a show worth watching
You know what I hate: when people say “why watch One Piece when I can watch a finished (aka shows that have one season and left on a cliffhanger that never got resolved) 13 episode series.
Me who watched 200 episodes of one-piece. (It did not matter for me to watch those because i have been spoiled so much so after i realise that i just skipped straight to the last part currently and yeah i was basically catched up)
I feel like the "three episode" rule really only exists because of Madoka Magica. Which took three episodes for the infamous dark tone of that show to be properly established.
I agree that One Piece gets good at Arlong Park, but even though I like One Piece, I know that nobody is willing to watch 47 episodes to decide if continue to watch it or either drop it.
I'd say: feel free to drop it whenever you want, but if someone suggests you watch until a certain episode later in time, you can at least try to please them, but if you find yourself incredibly bored after finishing episode 1 and dread the idea of watching ep 2 just drop it
Why do zoomers think that it sounds clever to point out that obvious generalities don't apply to all cases? Is it just because zoomers take every meme dead seriously and think that discovering you aren't actually obligated to apply a Madoka Magica meme to Legend of the Galactic heroes means they've broken free from the matrix?
Yep. Just yep. Agree with the takes all throughout. Though I'd say there's a hefty portion of both Action and Mystery genre series that deserve way more than 1 ep trials; sometimes the first episode gives off a completely different vibe than the rest, biggest examples in mind right now being Death Note that doesnt even introduce the main antagonist in the first ep (which I'd say is its biggest point of appeal, the battle of wits). Also, a thing i keep trying but failing to do is to keep watch of which series you mention/show on screen and see if you forgot to list it in the description. I haven't succeeded yet but one day you'll slip and i'll be on to you 😩
I usually don't watch videos that are often analysis of different anime meta and tropes but I'm glad I sat through this vid. It's great that you didn't just double down on the video title. Watched something like that and it gave me the impression of basically telling me "I'm watching stuff wrong" and one of my favorite animes [GATE] is doing stuff wrong (was about "The proper way of doing a 1st episode"). This one was pretty insightful since I usually go by the 3 episode rule (just for myself though), with some flexibility to watch for longer or cut it short here and there. Which just boils down to, I may not be hooked, but it might have enough promise that I would see more. -- I always went by the 3 episode rule but often would drop the anime short I felt like it's way off my vibe. My personal mindset has always been, if it doesn't appeal to you in ANYWAY after 3 episodes, then you might as well drop it and... is reappliable to any show you've tried before since we should believe in 2nd or 5th chances. This is how I decided on not watching Masamune-kun's Revenge after 3 episodes. The vibe of it to me just did not warrant any of my time. This is about how long it took for me with Giant Killing (3 episodes), maybe even a bit less. Skip Beat took me this amount of time all the same and it's one of my favorite animes. Some immediately took to me -- My Hero Academia had me hooked by 1st episode; as well as Bocchi The Rock, Grand Blue Dreaming, and Oshi no Ko. Then some just... I decided to give it additional episodes and then I became hooked later... Black Clover (though I fell out of it later again), Glass Mask (2005 series), and in terms of this current anime season: Saint Cecilia & Pastor Lawrence as well as My Tiny Senpai. (I also gotta give Tengoku Daimakyou, aka Heavenly Deception, a shout out for also being this way. I can't even say what episode I got immersed into it, but I certainly did get hooked at some point). I often usually tell people about this 3 episode rule but also mention that it's not a rule to "live or die by". I often say 3 episodes because I feel like if an anime doesn't hook you in those 3 episodes, then it's just not for ya. Generally since I wouldn't know the best stopping point for anything I haven't seen or anything that's new or recent. It's tough to do this for older anime I would say, but it feels like in recent anime -- they would take this rule to mind and try some BIG mini arc thing that is either wrapped up in that time span. Oshi no Ko's intro is done in an one hour special. Re: Zero's first arc wrapped up in 3 episodes (4 technically since the 1st episode was a hour long). My Hero Academia first arc technically goes for longer, but I felt like they really tried to rope you in TWO episodes (I usually think it's not for people it can't get you within 2 or even 7 episodes). Jujutsu Kaisen also attempted roping you in about 2 episodes I would say as well. Whenever talking to others, I don't tell them that they HAVE to watch up to this episode. I let them know how long it took for me before I said it got good. If they drop sometime before that, it's fine. (Basically "The Subjectivity Problem" part of the video_ If they watched up to the number I have (which yes, like this video predicted -- it would always be the episode of a [insert BIG moment here]) and STILL "ahhh idk about it", then definitely just a "Then it REALLY might not be for you," realizing that I need to wait upwards of 6 months to 2 years before I recommend it again out of the blue (jk about that last part). It's often really difficult trying to recommend people to watch stuff anyway so I don't give out anime recommendations that often. Last time I have, I recommended My Hero Academia to my dad who fell in love with the show, caught my brother watching Black Clover and has rewatched that about 6 - 7 times, got him really hooked into Haikyuu, and though I haven't seen it: he went out and watched Dr. Stone (up to how long, I don't know though). My cousin watched Fairy Tail on his own so the only thing I could recommend him was Edens;Zero. Never watched that myself, but I did recommend Fire Force later on down the line as I feel they're big on shounen. (Somehow I did get him to watch Re: Zero, though) My brother... actually haven't done recommendations -- every time I believe he just saw me watching on a big screen. Absolutely loved Shokugeki no Soma (minus that final season), Assassination Classroom, and Ace of Diamond (which I still say Diamond no Ace, but... idk thanks to him I say these titles interchangeably too much). We've gone out the way to try to find something the both of us can watch after running out at some point (Praise that out of all that, we found Slam Dunk and Eyeshield 21) With so much anime I just believe that "ehh, if you look hard enough, you'll find something"... even more so that you might even explore outside your usual genre to find something. --- Basically, the 3 episode rule is my foundation, but I have greatly built upon it. I may bring up to others in a foundational sense, but never as an actual rule.
Eh but sometimes good series take more than one episode to get going with that first episode more of a blueprint than indicator how something is, Plus just because the first episode is bad doesnt mean the rest will be.
@@joshuanelsonanimations yeah, but I know many shows that don't do that and still wind up good. Sometimes the only thing a first episode has to do is set things up and let the rest of the series do the heavy lifting.
@themadoneplays7842 Well that's fine, but just don't expect a lot of people to stick around past that first episode. A lot can be done to intrigue the right audience in a short amount of time.
@@joshuanelsonanimations perhaps, but I know many shows that started off as stinkers that went on to be great, Star Trek TNG for example had a bad pilot and a messy first two seasons but later regained some fans and became as popular as TOS. Parks and rec started off as a clone of the office but found its footing in season 2. I can also say the same about buffy. Some shows just need more time in the oven than others, this whole need for instant gratification thing is a nasty side effect of binge-watching and streaming media.
I don't think I'd ever even heard of the 3 episode rule. I usually just try an episode, maybe two, before I decide. In some cases, I've been drawn into a series by watching some random episode later in the series and then going back to the beginning. Like, I went from a few episodes of the Artificial Human arc of DBZ to then starting over with the first episode of the original Dragon Ball.
I was once told I had to watch the first 10 episodes, like I’m Not spending 10 hours bored out of my mind to enjoy it This was for a one season long show that was a hour an episode
11 minutes of my life lost, just to get told to do whatever I want.
I knew I should have dropped it in accordance to the '3 minutes' rule, but my friend kept pestering me that it got better after minute 6…
It gets good in part 2 bro, i promise bro, pls
I do the 3 second rule
@@Mesturful i do the 3 millisecond rule
Yes. DO whatever you want. Stop being a slave to other people opinions and peer pressure.
Read the manga
surprised to not see any mention of Madoka, given that the 3 episode rule appeared just after it came out, most likely due to Madoka showing it's hand in episode 3 and most people not being into the whole magical girl vibe until that point
Yeah, this is the biggest reason why 3 eps rule is even a thing. But nowadays there are some animes that tried using Oshi no Ko's style instead, by making the first episode a 1-hour premier and honestly the most effective way to erase the rule. If you can't handle the 1-hour premier, then the show is definitely not for you and it's easier than suffering through 3 episodes.
@@snailthelostcow63...to be fair, 3 episodes are essentially just a little over one hour.
@@iTheBeep They're also usually released once a week, and for a show like Oshi no No (Madoka could have actually done it too if it were an idea that had been around back then) there's not a lot to retain the audience in what would normally be the first 23 minute episode. Because of that, OnK opted for the 1 hour and 22 minute first episode so that they could squeeze in that "3rd episode hook" into the first episode instead of having people drop out because the first two weeks had basically nothing going for them. If Madoka had done that back then, it's likely that less people would've dropped it before episode 3 and thus the "3 episode rule" would've taken a different show or more time to "be established". The long premiere in a way was them taking the setup time of two episodes and having the payoff in the 3rd, but dropping it all on the audience right away so that people will find out the first week if they're sticking around or not, instead of having to wait for the 3rd week. It's actually a really smart tactic for shows that can handle it.
To be fair, Madoka does hint a bit towards a darker tone. It doesn't let you know how much it dives tho
@@Eichro Subtlety is also unfortunately not picked up by everyone that needs it
Dropped the video after 1 minute and 38 seconds, might give it a chance later in 2-3 years
You dropped the video after seeing pregnant sonic? Ayo 🤨
@@Pyxytypregnabt*
Dropped after 48 seconds, might give it a chance after 4-6 years.
You right
lil bro misspelled the correction when the original reply spelled it right 😭💀@@upsidez
The 3 episode "rule" is more of a guideline for if you're not sure on a series in order to better assess a show and understand it more. It's not meant to be a hardline rule to always follow
He never said it was a hard line Road to follow. It’s a response to people who use it as a way to deflect criticism from the show they like
The one constant in every show or movie I've liked, are compelling characters.
Not likeable, or fun characters, just ones that you want to see do anything, win or fail.
A bad show will have characters that you wouldn't care about if they killed off or removed permanently
Setting, action, animation, comedy, none of them matter if the characters are interesting to watch
But even that is extremely subjective. What makes a compelling character? Some people would say Subaru from ReZero is a compelling character but other will say he is just annoying. There are cases like One Piece in which the story will make you change your opinion about characters or tone. Lots of people hated on One Piece art style or goofy tone(both things will change the portrayal of the characters in question) and then started to love it, but a lot of other people refuse to give it an opportunity or it just never click for them. Yes, is a constant in every show that you liked but is because you define what is compelling for you. Which, is interesting to consider.
Edit: I will give an example with another comment. Feel free to read it or not.
I'm currently reading a lot of fantasy novels and there is this one with A LOT of polarizing characters. The Stormlight Archive is a story with multiple POV. You could say that in a way is like having 6 or 10 different MC's instead of just 1, and comparisons between them is inevitable. One of the most beloved MC's is Kaladin who is an ex soldier, now slave who has chronical depression and PTSD. He wants to die but can't and will see others die in his place even when he only wants to protect them. All of this conflict? In the middle of a war against super powered crab people. On other hand, Shallan is often the most hated, because she is a liar. She lies to everyone including herself and is extremely delusional. Her struggles don't involved too much action and are more often than not separated from the others MC's conflict to the point that the war has noting to do with it in the first book. Even then a minority of people don't like Kaladin because his depression is too real. He can't magically cure it so he will have his moments when he just don't want to do anything or even just die. "He is sad all the time and I don't enjoy it". Shallan on other hand is my favorite female character in ALL OF FICTION and people who like her REALLY like her. They are both super compelling in my opinion but a lot of people don't think the same even if they admit it is well written.
@@drakesacrum8445 That's the point, two people can have differing opinions on whether a character is compelling for them.
That is the SOLE reason why all of us like different shows.
I watched Kiznaiver recently, it was one of the best character driven anime I've watched, I'd give it a try if you like character driven anime
The 3 episode rule was made because of Madoka Magica. The first two episodes are standard magical girl fare, with some hints of darkness, with the third episode being the whammy punch to the gut that is still memmed about to this day. It was never supposed to be a hard and fast rule. Just a sort of "give an anime a bit of time to see if it comes into its own" sort of thing. Somehow the anime community just kind of hyperfocused on 3 episodes no matter the context of the series.
They somehow forgot that rule when they declared Oshi No Ko the greatest anime of all time.
After one episode.
It was the length of a movie, but still.
You mean it was the length of... 3 episodes?@@mariokarter13
The three episode rule is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay older than Madoka Magica, but it does exemplify why it exists.
That 3 episodes rule can be st*pid too, especially for series with slower tempo even if the series would be good if people watch more than 3 eps of it. If you know what i mean.
@@giuliano482 More like 4 episodes, since it's around 100 minutes.
imagine if it would have been 1/10 rule, people would make other people watch 100+ episodes of One Piece
People still do that regardless of that rule not being a thing 😂
"Bro trust me it gets good after episode 418 when the sunk cost fallacy settles in"
@@cerberos1 lmaooooo
Even though I think OP is good there’s still a part of me that thinks that there’s a lot of people that because they put so much time into op it’s Almost like they’ve become accustomed to the show and that’s the only reason they like it. I’ve heard so many people say “it’s not too long, I wish there was more of it” and I can’t help but think that there’s some that only think that way because they’ve put so much time into the show.
800 episodes of Sazae San
Unrelated, but as a general rule, if you aren't into One Piece after about 40 episodes and excited to watch more, then the show is just not for you.
(Arlong Arc is peak)
If a show doesn't grab you from the first episode, it's either not for you or that's probably a pacing issue (unless the anime REALLY only works by starting in a particular manner). Having said that, I deeply regret having dropped Mob Psycho 100 after the first episode a few years back, because I decided to try again recently and boy that was a ride.
One Piece is a great example
As far as I'm concerned, there are only two types of anime. Those that need to be binge-watched and those that you can actually follow week-to-week. Most anime are the former.
@@mhh6645 one piece grabbed me straight from episode 1 and I love it (still haven't finished it)
You know what, you don’t have to regret dropping Mob Psycho or any show in retrospect. Sometimes people just aren’t ready or willing to get into a particular thing like how as a 7 or even a 20 year old you wouldn’t read a philosophy book, but you’d gladly do so once you’re 40. It’s the same type of thing.
I guess the biggest point is that shows exists for your entertainment and you don’t have to fake being entertained (unless you’re doing fake-ass reaction content).
I think it is sometimes really depending in which point you are at your life or mood or such. Sometimes diffrent things hit diffrently. So retrying things when your mindset/mood is diffrent is not a bad idea. In the end there is so much content in this world already why force yourself toward something you aren't getting anything out of it.When it clicks it clicks and when you get intrested in something again it's no harm to try it again.
This is all so true but also one thing that is important to think about is that sometimes is just not really the correct time to watch a show. My best friend recommended me Chihayafuru but I had to stop at episode 5, I wasn't vibing with it. But I eventually came back to it a year later and it became one of my favorite animes and mangas ever. So if you really want to give a chance to a friends recommendation, don't force yourself to do it right away, do it when it feels right.
Also I wish people didn't make such a huge deal of dropping shows, I've dropped shows I liked simply because I couldn't watch anime for a week and just forgot to ever continue it lol. But people see it as more offensive than watching a show you dislike only to call it trash and pick it apart.
I dropped shows when something else caught my attention or suddenly lose interest, and rarely went back to it because I forgot what episode I was on and it has so many episodes.😅
I also drop shows when I’m about to finish it because I’m not ready for the journey to end.
@@lilpainteroftales4386Same I still haven’t watch the Madoka Magica 3rd movie even tho I watched the show like 5-6 times since 2015 because I don’t want it to end I’m always like "when they drop the release date for the 4th movie I will watch the 3rd" 💀
Semi-recently, I was watching 2 second seasons that were airing at the time & that are 3.5 stars IMO, & then I got tired of only watching 2 episodes total per week & spending additional mental energy on watching multiple shows at once, so I dropped them & instead watched a 4.5 star show with 26 episodes & watched about 1 episode per day.
completely agree. i have things i used to love that i’ve gone back to and it just doesn’t hit the same bc i’m not at the same point in my life anymore. i’ve picked up shows that i previously dropped and loved them now. sometimes the time just isn’t right. i think it’s okay to drop anything for any reason, all that matters is having fun in the end. you can always try it again later.
I would argue the intent of the 3 episode rule is strictly for shows which you were somewhat interested in before picking it up. You know, shows which have an interesting premise or concept that actually seem like they would be your thing. It's not there for every single anime you start watching unless it's made clear by the greater community that there's some twist in its plot which changes the show fundamentally.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a great example of this rule being effective because there's a twist that happens in episode 3 that recontextualizes and completely alters the perspective of it.
Before ep3, the creator's name was not attached to it out of fear it would ruin the twist they had for us. In addition, as another red herring to lure us into a state of comfort, we don't hear the REAL outro song until season 3.
I agree. I also think that it applies no matter how long the show is. Because some shows are subjective and are classics.
So 3 ep test is not necessary because it already has credibility with the community.
If a show cannot tell you why you should watch in 3 ep, then no matter how long its not worth it.
Black Clover has a lot wrong with it, and part of that is the writing. That is a legit flaw. And they lose viewers as a consequence.
A show like steins gate, has people vouch for it.
No, if the first episode is bad. it’s bad
@@growingoaks it’s not a good example at all. There is no twist in episode three. Everything before it is clearly building to tragedy. You’re basically saying that people should just stick around for the tragedy. If they didn’t like the beginning they won’t like the rest
@@ExpertContrarian Nah, not always. But most of the time true. I usually just drop shows on episode one if it looks like something that will be a slog to get through. Doesn't mean I won't try to watch it later when I have time.. But with so many new animes coming out every season, who knows when I will have that kind of time.
stumbled upon this channel and now I have to watch 2 more videos to decide if I wanna subscribe or not
"When is it okay to drop a show?"
Short answer:
,,Whenever you feel like it."
I've thought about this rule often, and I'm glad you mentioned Guy2's perspective because that's 100% me. If you're not feeling a show, just drop it, come back to it some other time when the vibes are right. I've done this so many times and it works. Prime example is march comes in like a lion, first time I watched it I dropped it very early (ep1 or 2) but then like 2 years later I looked at it in my watchlist and was like "I'm feeling some slice of lifey stuff" and man, that show is one of the best shows I've ever watched. Had I trudged through on my first watch, I might not have enjoyed it nearly as much because I wasn't feeling the vibe and didn't connect with the characters. So I'll always be Guy2 100%
One difference though, if a friend recommends me something, I'll def do my best to watch it because they probably want to talk about the show, and just saying "meh wasn't feeling it" is just being boring, so if they give me like a 10 episode minumum I'll stick to that
also just to clarify, I'd never criticise a show I dropped. I see a lot of people who shit on shows say "if it didn't get me interested at the start, it's a bad show regardless of if it gets good later" and I do not agree with that at all. I've still been unable to watch through jojo, but one day I know I will, and I know I'll probably love it. Just because I've dropped it, doesn't mean I can call it bad
@@anonthemouce yeah that's true too, it depends on the moment and the friend I guess. Personally if they really want me to stick it out for a certain amount of episodes I wouldn't be one to argue with them
No no no.
Every day you watch ONE episode of a new show, while assessing it's production conditions, style and demographics. You ALWAYS assume to drop it. Then you watch an episode of a random cour you're committed to watching in full no matter what, that's 5 hours of your time.
Every four days you play three episode 2s at the same time, and keep going in case you were wrong with your expectations. When a show is bad, you'll pause occasionally to keep better attention to the other ones. When a show is GOOD, you stop and move it to your regular rotation.
If it is bad, you can afford to glance at it in the background of watching the other bad shows like it was just on TV, and you can run up to around 5 episodes each in 200-300 minutes a week. Any show truly worth watching you're gonna be watching 4 or 5 times in your lifetime, so if there's something really good you're not gonna be missing anything. Except hours and hours grinding some gatcha video game rare drops in that time.
You'll actually gain some understanding of the industry. And if you just watch for the dopamine, you can cut out your time gushing about a show you're a fan of. When you really don't have anything to say about it anyway except confirm bias with other fans, that "everyone has to watch it", just like the beginning of this vid. This huge "problem" we're trying to solve, here.
As a bonus, now you have means to vet what your children are watching. A little bit of extra work comparable to hours and hours of animators double-checking theirs.
@@sboinkthelegday3892 nah you're just crazy, I'd rather enjoy my anime than mindlessly consume everything at once.
I actually really agree about Jojos... it can be a really rough one to try and get through if the vibes aren't right.
for me, it feels like a "so bad it's good" show, except that I don't think it's bad. it just works on the same principal as a "so bad it's good" watch. like, it has a lot of weird elements, sometimes bordering on actual nonsense... or sometimes plot and even logic can take a total back seat in the midst of large amounts of spectacle. so I find that watching it legitimately works best if you're with at least one friend, and you're both willing to riff on it mercilessly the whole time.
like, don't get me wrong, I think Jojos has a legitimate appeal as an art piece. but the storytelling is almost fablelike, or akin to folkloric legend... meaning that it's often more about the order and description of events, rather than creating a whole lot of decipherable character depth. characters will sometimes even directly narrate what is happening to them for whole scenes, like, that's how most stand battles work. but the characters are more archetypal, and they become these epic figures, even moreso as they fall back into the history of the narrative. and then the aesthetics add to this sort of surrealist fever dream quality... it's incredibly unique.
but then sometimes the show is really goofy, or crude, or the stuff that doesn't make sense piles up too much to feel like a smart choice anymore, and you have _GOT_ to be able to laugh at it. Jojos is also a work of absurdist comedy, I swear, you'll have a much better time watching with someone who also understands this.
@@sboinkthelegday3892
Dude. Not everyone has time to watch anime for 5 hours a day, are you sane?
I’m glad you brought up Steins gate as your example for why build up is just as important since for me I still didn’t enjoy the series when I hit “that” episode onwards because I never felt invested in the characters and so no matter what shenanigans where going on I just couldn’t care about it or it’s consequences.
Tbh i never understood how people always say that the show was boring in the beginning. When i first watched it i enjoyed basically everything (maybe its just me loving time travelling scifi), maybe i just supressed those traumatizing boredom feels i dunno XD
I have to agree that when i rewatched it with my friend i actually did other things than just watching it (but ofc that seems quite normal to me XD).
@@arponax It was a good show but I was being pressured by a friend to watch it, Had I watched it when I was in the mood for it I would have enjoyed it, Still I don’t imagine it has good rewatch value.
I've watched it 9 years after my first watch and came here to say that it has great rewatch value if you have trash memory like i do
@@theyoungknight.3119 yeah rewatch gets slower at times.
but i feel you bruv, we all have friends that force us into anime XD its just not it when you dont feel it.
@@sutirk that could count to more things imo :D i cant wait to rewatch AoT after it ends, just hope its gonna be atleast half the experience as first time. XD
Whoever is reading this it's a sign to watch nichijou, the show is underated as hell
Nichijou is goated yo 👏🏻
I say your comment and thought “bruh, not watching that already seen a million coments talking about some underated anime” but for some reason I decided to google it, all I can say is, thank you, Im truly thankful
@@giorgiomaggioni3646
haha funny goat principal
Ngl I stopped halfway thru episode 1
one of the main things im putting off watching rn, i love saving the first experience of a series/movie for a later date
I cannot believe your channel doesn't have more subs, this is extremely well made
I often just use 1-3 episodes as a measure of whether I like a show based on its animation style, voice acting, and most of the technical aspects of a show. I’ve seen a lot that simply blow me away and make me want to watch more simply on how beautiful or how good the va’s delivery’s are, and other that just make me find those same aspects so grating that I just don’t want to watch it anymore. Plot is best judged individually, with different episode counts, but stuff like the animation style clicking with you often only takes 1-3 episodes no matter the show
You forgot about guy 3 who doesn't drop shows and just suffers through them to commit.
Also, the "stop forcing people to watch shows" couldn't be more true. I don't know how many times I have heard someone go "You should watch this show, you would really like it!" to someone who I know wouldn't like it. My theory is that people think that their friends have similar interests as them, so they think their friend would enjoy a show. In reality though, I think people overestimate how much they have in common with each other.
Example: My friend (we'll call him Timmy) told my friend (we'll call friend 2 Bob) to watch a show, because he would "really like it." Now, Bob is very innocent. I KNOW Bob doesn't watch stuff with gore, language, or any of that. So imagine my surprise when we're all hanging out and Timmy and I are talking about anime, and all of a sudden, Timmy tells Bob "You should watch Demon Slayer, I think you'd really like it." I was like "What." Speechless. Demon Slayer. With gore, language, and (in your words) "weird anime shit" (I'm thinking like the Mitsuri hot spring shit).
TLDR: People suck at requesting anime and only recommend anime because they like it.
That's the reason why Made in Abyss is not on my anime recommendation list, I know that there is a lot of stuff in it that some people would not like, so I think about, if the person i recommend it to would really like it. It's my favorite anime, but that is not enough reason to recommend it to everyone.
Deathnote, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Code Geass are anime that I would recommend to nearly everyone that likes good storys in general, since they only have a few minor downsides that people could not like. (In my opinion)
@@Rafaela_S.i totally agree with you. my favorite anime is monogatari, but it *obviously* is something i would never randomly recommend to someone, and it absolutely does not appeal to everyone. at its core, a lot of people find it to be really confusing, or they just don’t like the flow of a show with such heavy dialogue. and of course, there is a lot of questionable content that i for one found downright uncomfortable to watch.
to me, the brilliant dialogue writing and incredible themes and absolutely one of a kind style and atmosphere make it amazing despite all of that stuff. i find it to be such a thought-provoking show that honestly changed my outlook on life. but if the style of it doesn’t grab you, and you’re having a really hard time following the story, and you can’t get over the “weird anime stuff” side of it, you are going to have a really bad time watching it and i wouldn’t recommend it, as much as i love it. in my opinion, the show doesn’t go from “good” to “amazing” until hanamonogatari and second season (which in classic fashion is not the second season of the anime), but i would still advise anyone to drop it if they aren’t enjoying it after episode 2.
@@Rafaela_S.
I would be careful with code geass lmao. Personally, as someone who isn't really in the anime sphere, the fanservice turned me off instantly
@@l.2620 The amount of fanservice in Code Geass is not so high and in my country naked skin is not really frown over.
Hack we have public parks, where it is allowed to sunbath full nude.
And it is no on the eye fanservice, where you see the skin for no reason like in other animes.
Don't think that someone from my cultural background would have a problem with it in this anime.
Don't know if someone has a problem with a character that takes a shower to be naked and partly shown. Than in my opinion that's an overreaction to something that should be normal. In my opinion.
@@l.2620There's fanservice? All I remember from it is the political intrigue, some higher power/alien stuff, MECHS!, And the best ending to an anime I have ever seen.
With most shows you can usually tell by episode 1 if you'll like it or not, since it's meant to be a pilot and show you what you'll be in for, I've noticed that all the shows I felt weary of in episode 1 are shows I didn't enjoy all the way on episode 60.
Honestly, it's very rare that you fall in love with a show the first episode. But if you don't enjoy it in the first place, you aren't likely to suddenly change your mind about it because of some big moment. Love is something that is cultivated, not a spontaneous conclusion.
I am going to need your playlist though. You have good taste.
Nah, episode 1 hooks me so much and then I get disappointed later as the premise that was made gets abandoned or dragged out.
I'll get a lot of hate for this, but I really thought Evangelion was going to become great after I saw episode one. It felt like it had a lot of potential and I heard how much people praised it... only for 90% of the show to be "A new angel appears" "shinji we need you" "no" "okay I'll do it." Rinse and repeat. Nothing interesting happens until the movie. Maybe I'm spoiled by modern anime that frequently builds upon its premise, but I can't enjoy a show that lacks any filling.
Hell I've dropped some animes/movies/shows/games with certain issues in the first thirty seconds. If they think they can have something so egregious in the first thirty seconds they probably think it's okay to have it in the whole thing and I'm not dealing with that.
i operate on the "if the op bangs" rule (if the ed rules its even better because it motivates me to actually watch the whole thing wow)
thats how i find most shows now lol, even if it leads to an isekai idol show
i watched at least five episodes of kiznaiver because the op alone carried me into thinking this episode was gonna be actually good
Truest comment ever. And I assume you loved Opm?
@@Silver-Arrow isekai idol show?
@@killuad0 look up the op for "Genjitsu no Yohane: Sunshine in the Mirror"
I didn't understand why I was watching twilight until the final fight of the last movie. Then I was like "ok, that's why I've been watching this, it was worth it"
I wasn't even mad at the twist because of course this is the kind of movie where we wouldn't get to see this fight, so it was nice that we did get to see it.
I feel I personally am not really consistent with how I handle this sometimes I robotically execute the 3 ep rule, other times I would trust a threshold amount of eps a friend would give and others I just drop whenever .
I do think anybody who drops shows in less than a whole episode is kind've pretentious because at that point they clearly weren't actually interested in checking it out at all in the first place and were looking for any excuse to drop it
very true!
1 episode is often more than enough. I can pretty much tell either by the cover or 5 minutes into the show. Whether i like it or not. You can quickly tell what kinda story it's gonna be, by how the characters are acting. It's very easy with anime imo. If it starts with typical anime humor, i drop it. If the characters act identical to your average isekai or whatever, then i lose interest immediately. You can quickly tell if it wants to tell a compelling story, or if it wants to pander to a target audience. Once you've watched 50 shows, you can easily tell what appeals to you within a few minutes.
Every anime deserves at least the first episode of your time.
If you can't sit through 20 minutes, why'd you even click on it in the first place?
@@mariokarter13 2-5 minutes is usually enough for most anime.
@@beastvicious8672if it works for you and you still get shows you like like this then ok, but you really can't predict what a story is going to be like after 2 to 5 minutes, that's just not true. There are so many shows that pull a complete 180, that use basic anime tropes at first to later subvert them, that have a hard tonal shift later on and so on. Re:Zero, Promised Neverland, Made in Abyss, Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man (the anime isn't even at that point yet), Jojo, Mushoku Tensei, Evangelion, Eminence in Shadow... that's all stuff you won't do justice with just looking at the first few minutes or with some even the first few episodes, in some cases not even with the first 6 episodes.
I would lie if I said I never drop a show after the first episode even if I know that's the case, but 5 minutes really is way too little time.
If an anime can’t capture me in 1 episode, it’s not worth watching the whole thing.
I think with some animes, people need to be not afraid to recommend a middle episode. Sure, you miss spoiling some stuff, but often times the middle of the series does a better job of telling you what an anime is about and catching your interest in the middle somewhere than the start. Shoenens are a great example of this. How many Shoenens start like what their really about?
My friend did that for me with One Piece by showing me something that happens around 109 episodes in, and I was spoiled on something that happened far later but I still reacted like it was my first time, despite knowing it. One Piece is certainly an exception, but it's not a bad theory.
0:44 IS THAT FUCKING LEMINING BY MOTHERFUCKING KAIRIKI BEAR?!?!?!?!?!
This video was so well edited and made that I feel like you deserve more subs, good stuff dude!
4:28 What about YuGiOh GX or JoJo part 4 where it starts off as calm and slice of life but gets real dark when the main villain shows up?
I am convinced that the 3 episode rule came from Madoka Magica
the mami incident
I believe it was popularized from Madoka as well. I think it was born from the fear of missing out on the chance that the series was setting up for a tonal shift. It rarely happens and really should have been taken with a grain of salt.
But to support sticking with anime that might not immediately vibe I almost missed out on the absolute insanity which was Shadow of Immanence. There's also series like GaoGaiGar that takes about 25 episodes to really start getting good.
I believe 3 episodes is a fine rule to follow but it's not something you enforce on other people. At least if someone is asking you to keep with a series, they really want you to see a moment that they liked in it. However being pressured to watch a series that you don't vibe with is a recipe for you to not be receptive of anything positive about the series.
not entirely just tonal shift another reason was to give enough time for the story to go from the plot and character introduction to the actual plot, it usually took around 2 episodes for that being the third one usually the actual begining of how the story would play out till from there on
every journey has its preparation and the first 2 episodes are that preparation being the third the actual start of it
@@TlbHibiki
@@eliasrosas2310 Delete that spoiler.
For me I randomly came up with it and found out it was a real thing. 3 episode rule is why I even bothered w Steins Gatw
I dropped this video at 11:11, that second to last second just wasn't doing it for me in the VIBES department.
6:05 that hat in time ost gave me so much nostalgia. Nice to see someone else who appreciates such an underrated 3D platformer :).
*Sold a million copies in one year
*Nominated for three awards
*Recieved a spot on literally thousands of Top 10 2017 Games list, a year that had more incredible games than any in the last decade
*Basically took over all of TH-cam for three months and launched several still-successful channels
*Inspired two extraordinarily popular meme formats
*Used several game-world celebrities as voice actors
*One of the most-reviewed and highest-rated games on Steam
*Only to be called underrated a few years later
No offense, AHIT is literally one of my favorite games of all time. But if you consider THIS underrated, you have not played NEARLY enough video games, my man.
@@LittleZbot I think it may be more the fact that I picked the game up much later after it’s release.
@justkaibah No offense (yes, I know that the majority of the time someone says this they absolutely mean offense, but I genuinely don't and you just have to trust me on that), but that doesn't really go against anything I said. Most people played most popular games many years after they came out; it didn't mean they were underrated. Just, not in the constant public mind. Yeah, there's a difference between "a game that did very well" and Ocarina of Time or Dark Souls or Skyrim, but there’s also a huge difference between something like A Hat in Time and, say, Blossom Tales, Garden Story, AR Tonelico, Chicken Invaders, Solatorobo, Lost in Shadow, Radiant Historia, Corpse Party, the Midnight Synergy Wonderland games, and Rhythm Thief. These aren't even that good of examples; I'm a pretty mainstream gamer, so a good chunk of these are "mainstream" underrated games.
But hey, if you want some more 3D Platformers, highly recommend: Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Grow Home, I-Ninja, Vexx, Rocket: Robot on Wheels, Valley (specifically Blue Sky's, it's a common game name), Pac-Man World 2 (the other two are kinda just okay IMO but you feel free to try 'em!), Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, and the Ape Escape games.
Now, none of these are, in my opinion, as good as A Hat in Time. But I recommend 'em anyway, because if you thought Hat in Time was underrated, I can't imagine any other scenario where you would have heard of these.
Sorry if I came off as condescending in any way. I just want you to be able to enjoy more games (and maybe feel the pain of your favorite video game of all time being one that nobody else on the planet cares about. It's a rite of passage for gamers).
Have a great day!
The thing that can make this complicated is that sometimes the first episode of a show is just kinda bad, or doesnt have the magic the show has later, so it can be hard to determine how much you should give it a chance
Getting past the pilot/1st episode is fair cause it’s usually world building. Asking people to keep going after seeing a regular episode they hated is dumb. Imo
Not really. No good shows have a bad first episode
Interesting video, that made me think of my friend that constantly ask for anime recs but at the same time tries to find reasons not to watch a show before giving it a try, because his viewing experience dictates that "he does not drop a show that he started", so in order to not bore himself out before starting an anime he tries to find any, and I mean ANY reason not to start the show, even if he would love the show, he still is not willing to watch because of that unique reason.
For example (actually happened) he likes mystery, I watched ODDTAXI and loved the hecking out of it, and know that he will like the show, since it's a type of show he likes, but whenever I rec him ODDTAXI he does not want to watch because the characters are animals (if you've seen the show you know why a part of my dies everytime he comes at me with that reason) and the problema is I can't try to convince him to watch because I would spoil the show and he hates getting anything spoiled more than anything.
Hey, if an anime's aesthetics are ugly as fuck (like Oddtaxi) then they're ugly as fuck and you don't need to force yourself to watch ugly shit.
this is why i don't mind spoilers, it actually makes me want to not stop watching a show especially when the writing itself is good and it really connects with everything including the ending. Only times I mind spoilers are for movies cuz its already short enough to watch in one sitting so either I watch it blind or I don't watch it.
Two guys philosophy should actually be named "Two bros chillin in the hot tub five feet apart cause they're not gay"
Naoki Urasawa's Monster is one of the best show's ever, but it took about 20 episodes for me to realize it was great.
Most of the time animes are 12 episodes a season....so 3 episodes is ¼ the show...if you're not invested by then, then you probaly won't be by the rest.
Though with longer shows I'd say maybe 5 or 6 instead of 3.
I've been watching anime for 30+ years, the '3 episode rule' has served me very well. Even before that became a thing I had been basically doing that anyway. It's not a hard rule, but it's a decent guideline to go by. I've bounced off some anime after just 1 episode. I've fallen off others after 7. I've pushed through others to the end of the season cuz I had seen a glimmer of something early on and hoped it would blossom, and I almost always regretted it, ending up being disappointed cuz it didn't and felt I wasted my time.
I love how no-one talks about spirit tracks (zelda game) but every now and then the music gets used in ytube videos (5:03) and it's super nostalgic for me.
i think the big exceptions to this are slow burner shows. kinda taking comparisions from regular TV shows but i feel its similar and you could probably think of an example.
a show that starts off pretty mid, through a combination of the writers getting used to writting the charcater, the actors or voice actors getting comfortable and the show getting a better idea of what it should be, often in combination with a very large story where even individual seasons arent often their own story cause the shows story is really actually about the long span of the show itself, so it takes time to set up things and build the world to then begin paying off in small ways to lead up to big pay offs for the story, plot or characters. the kinda show where the opening maybe even whole season will be ok but dropping the show isnt just going to have you miss out on good scenes and moments, but enteirely great episodes and to have many satisfying things play out that have to wait for the sake of the overarching narrative.
even a vibe check would have you drop a show like this as it hasnt gotten the chance to grow and develop its great vibe it would get later
Really nice editing. I just randomly got recommended this video!
Its also important to know the person you're recommending to. For example, my sister wasn't into the first 2 or 3 episodes of the owl house, but i absolutely KNEW she would be obsessed with the show once the Luz x Amity ship picked up, so I insisted she keep watching, and I was completely right, she loves it! But yeah, asking to watch more than a handful of episodes that they don't like might just waste their time and make them frustrated with you, really weigh how much joy they'll realistically get out of it if you have them stick it through.
what about Katekyo Hitman Reborn!? That show starts as a slice of life comedy that introduces its characters but then goes serious shonen after 20 or so episodes just to go back to dumb slice of life some more and fully back to cool shonen stuff. That show needs you to sit through some of the comedy episodes because it introduces characters in them but the tone change is so drastic that a 3 episode rule is not even a thing.
I like to think of the the 3 episode rule as the max not a minimum. Like if I'm still not even curious to continue by ep3 I'm usually dropping(with some exceptions of course). if I'm not even close to interested in the first ep then it's also fair to drop cuz at this point ik what I like and I can always go back to it if it turns out to peak my interest again.
I thought this video would argue for something like a 5 episode rule, I was surprised. I watched 100 naruto episodes before stopping
I love that apparently these Shonen Jump shows don’t get good until later, when they get cancelled if they don’t get a large audience invested within 30 chapters or around 10-15 episodes. Honestly most of those series like Hunter x Hunter and One Piece have excellent first chapters (even if the anime screws them up) and I wouldn’t say it gets good partway in, as I loved them from the beginning.
Although I’m definitely in the guy 2 camp, drop it whenever, because I apparently have a pretty high tolerance for meh beginnings, because I like the beginning of FMAB and Steins;Gate when I first watched them.
Yeah the vibes are really important, and the 3 episode rule is dumb. And if I’m feeling like continuing, I will continue. Just because you didn’t vibe with it the first time, doesn’t mean that you have to give it up entirely
first 100 ep rule with one piece ong
@@rustinhaigoodI was hooked from chapter 1. It’s one of the best first chapters in manga.
@@thomasffrench3639 the anime is drawn out manga is fast compared
"It gets good later" didn't work for Barrage when it got cancelled by Shounen Jump in only 16 chapters.
Worked out for the author though. His very next manga was My Hero Academia.
@@mariokarter13 exactly what I’m saying. They don’t get good later, they are good from the start or they get cancelled
I mean amphibia is one of my fav shows but even i gotta say that SEASON1 had the most underwhelming episodes yet it is kinda sad seeing someone drop something before the good part
really good video mayne. it’s amazing how something like this varies and i think you went over it very well. there’s no rule of thumb at all. there are shows that are very short and seemingly simple that don’t reveal their true premise until more than halfway through like love chuunibyo and other delusions, which i found to be almost-unbearable for the first 6 out of 12 episodes but the tone shifted and overall it’s somehow still very special to me as a whole. meanwhile there are longer, more complicated shows like monogatari which you can honestly get like a 99% accurate idea as to whether you’ll enjoy or not by the end of episode 2. it’s not like it’s anywhere close to the best part of the show, but it gives a great representation of what you’re in for and what makes the series special
if something doesnt catch my interest after 1 episode/chapter, im not gonna continue. there's a reason why pilots exist.
There are definitely some shows where you need to watch several episodes before judging if you like it (the Oshi No Ko manga is a great example of this, which is why the anime adaptation started out with a really long first episode), but there are also anime that just.... aren't your thing.
I've quit several anime in the first episode because I could tell I wouldn't like it. Whether it be that the first episode sexualizes a character heavily, or is extremely insensitive of huge real-life issues, or just has bad humor in general - I've quite many anime ep 1 for various reasons, and that's okay.
My answer is never cuz I hate myself I have finished or am still watching every show I’ve ever started
I don't stick to it as a hard and fast rule, but I try to at least go two episodes before I drop something. Good things take time, and sometimes one episode isn't enough to gauge how good a series will be. I haven't often had my mind changed by episode 3, but it's happened enough times that I'll usually give that chance.
I often drop after 1 episode. Sometimes I just give up mid episode.
I think your own time is something you only learn to value with... well, time. When I was a kid, I always hesitated to drop a show. In fact I went as far as to NOT give shows a shot to not feel that obligation.
Now. Well, I dropped Hero Aca some time ago. I think the anime just went past my dropping point recently? Felt a bit bad to leave it at what I'm almost sure is the last arc but I just couldn't man. Almost happened the same with demon slayer.
I think it's just a vibe thing. If you enjoy the show or you think it has potential worth you investing your time into it then go ahead and watch. if you feel like you are not enjoying it anymore then drop it. The line is on how you value your time. Maybe you don't really have another hobby to jump into or who knows, every person is his own world. You don't have to feel bad for enjoying shows others think are bad. So long as your enjoying your time, no one should affect your decision
Try writing a short story for yourself you’ll realize really quickly that there’s a simple question that you need to ask yourself when writing a story “why am I starting the story here” there are many answers to this question now if the first three episodes suck, I’m not gonna watch it because clearly the writer filter answer a basic question.
One of the action packed anime that works with one episode watch is- zom 100 - I could tell instantly that i wanted to watch it and what the show was going to be about with in one episode and it was great
If a show takes more than 1 episode to get me to give a fuck about what happens and whom it happens to, it has failed. No amount of getting good after the fact makes it worth sitting through boredom hell to get to the good bits. There's more anime than I have time to watch, I'll just watch something that's actually worth that time. *sometimes* you can see potential, but doubt it gets realised. I'll give it a second episode. Sometimes you can tell by the tropes and general character behavior that you're gonna hate the show within the first minute, but these are exceptions.
Just found your channel and went on a binge spree of a ton of your videos cause you’re super engrossing and a great analyzer for anime, you’ll make it big one day man! New sub and frequent watcher right here
i don't watch much anime, but my brother recommended gravity falls to me because i liked the owl house (and disney+ also recommended gravity falls because i watched the owl house), and i ended up dropping it after 2 episodes because i simply found it boring. i've heard it gets better in season 2, but i'm just not the type who wants to trudge through a whole season that doesn't interest me just to get to the good stuff, especially when it's a show with only 2 seasons like gravity falls.
The 1 episode rule is sometimes great. Sometimes awful. If a show starts off mid, the 3 episode rule applies. If the show starts off ABYSMAL, the 1 episode rule almost always applies. If it starts off abysmal AND sexual, it absolutely always applies. If it starts off amazing, it almost always applies.
YuGiOh GX starts getting good in episode 30 when Darkness shows up.
I am a simple fan. I see a sleepy princess avatar, I click. I have no need for another rule.
5:00 I like how there's that mostly known trickshot clip from mw2 2009 for that "OH MY GOD" reaction lmao
“People tend to enforce these rules on their friends becuase they themselves love the moments of the show and want to see other people react to that to get some validation”
Stop. I didn’t need to be exposed like this today…
I have a twelve episode rule, I have to watch all of it to make sure I'm not missing out.
Just read Steins;Gate VN and it's good from hour 1. Problem solved.
3 episode rule is perfectly fine imo.
It's the "Okay, the first season or two suck, but it starts getting _perfect_ from season 3 onwards and you _need_ to know some vital info from those first two bad seasons to _really_ appreciate it!" bullshit that immediately prevents me from watching anything.
3 episodes? Psh, sure, what else am I doing for an hour and a half?
Personally, I think the first episode is always the "pilot", which to me explains why there's SO much stuff going on. If you don't like the show by the first episode, that's a valid reason to quit. It's not a bad assumption to believe the author planned the first episode to hook you. That's just how a lot of entertainment media is nowadays.
Still, some shows like Talentless Nana take two episodes to enjoy (and 4 to ruin).
As a rabbid World Trigger fanboy, 3 episodes is absurd. You have to give a show 75 episodes minimum to grip you. 😡
Don't worry, I've never used this rule in my life. I simply find it ridiculous and a waste of time.
I have my own way of watching new anime, which is to watch the first episode of every new anime. If I really like it, I will continue the anime. And if it gets bad or boring with time, I throw it off my list. And if I don't like it, I throw it directly after the first episode. Some anime I throw them after only the first 10 minutes, because it is clear that these anime will not be good. And personally, I only watch anime that are really worth my time.
I watch cowboy bebop, evangelion and samurai champloo on repeat for the past 15 years. I need help
we have the 3 episode rule, not because of the % of the total episodes, but because usually thats what the time the show its supposed to have to hook their audience.
Normally it should be only the first episode but there was so many pieces of media that just sucked at hooking in the first episode but were way better on any other that the community as a whole gave 2 extra episodes as a benefit of the doubt.
About the longer shows, there is literally no difference, if it failed to catch your attention on the first 3 episodes then it already failed on that aspect, the show can be good but its undeniable that it failed on the catching aspect.
So to summarise my opinion is, watch 1 episode to check, 3 episodes if you respect that some authors suck at doing episode 1s, and episode X if you got a friend recommendation and you are willing to
Banger music choices, good editing and genuinely well constructed arguments for your point. Subbed.
Made In Abyss. I truly enjoy this show very much, and season 1 only has 13 episodes. The last few might be a bit longer than the others but i think my impression of the show changed after season 2, i think about this show daily because of the way it makes me feel when i hear the music or just remember some of the more memorable parts of the story. Just an overall great show, personally my favorite show ever. Above anything else i have ever watched. Some people might not like it but that's alright. Every chunk of this show feels different even though it has basically the same characters because of the changing scenery of the abyss. If anyone see's this comment i strongly recommend made in abyss. The ost and visuals are amazing. It has some very weird scenes but every anime has strange scenes, but i mean really strange scenes. Some of these scenes you would throw your computer across the room if someone caught you watching them. But i think, overall the greatest parts of the show outweigh the very strange scenes. Most of the strange scenes stop after the first season.
One piece be out here with the 30 episode rule. (The reason why I said 30 episode Instead of 300 episode is because when I recommend One Piece I usually tell them to watch until they finish the Baratie arc if they still aren’t into one piece then it’s just not for them.)
god I am so in love with Vinland Saga. my brain is just... so full of that. nothing else is in my head, I'm just thinkin about Thorfinn.
also I just want to say that, in terms of this sort of thing, Golden Kamuy has the absolute weirdest progression I've ever seen.
the first episode has a really neat hook actually... we're set in the early 1900s, and the plot revolves around a large cache of stolen gold, which can be found if you can gather and decode the tattoos off of 24 escaped prisoners, who were held in the same maximum security prison as the guy who stole and hid the gold in the first place. so, our two main characters (a former soldier from the Russo-Japanese war, and an ainu girl, whose ethnic group originally owned the gold) are gonna go do that. it's a good premise.
the first episode also has a very petty deterrent, in the form of a CGI bear that doesn't look very good. some people will bounce off here. which is insane, because the show has so many other things that could potentially bounce you off of it later! and a lot of those things are also the features that might draw you in, if you're a big fan of chaos like I am!
past that, the first season takes several early episodes to introduce and establish major players for the plot going forward. it's necessary, but the show is clearly revving up, and hasn't quite arrived where it wants to go yet. but it's deceptive, because the first multi-episode arc revolving around one of the escaped convicts is probably the weakest one in the series, in my opinion. it's not even bad... I just know what this show is capable of, and this barely scratches the surface. the show's true entertainment value is absolutely going to sneak up on you, if you stick with it.
I think episode 8 is the first truly bonkers one... it hits like a brick, and especially with the way that whole situation gets resolved in episode 9. this is where the show actually starts to tip it's hand as to how deeply nutty it intends to get. but then like... season 1 doesn't really have a finale?? it's like they were handed two 12 episode seasons to work with, and they decided that they'd just pace it like one big 24 episode season. which is a decision I actually really like in terms of how the storytelling flows. but if you're watching it without really knowing what's up, you might make the mistake of thinking that the show just doesn't have a hype season finale up it's sleeve for you, and that couldn't be more wrong.
but wait! before you can get any farther, you have to not drop the show based on the very first episode of season 2! for some reason, the show ends up trying to definine it's ceiling for weird insane bullshit _here._ like... welcome to the depravity circus! we may punch through this ceiling later, depending on your tolerance level for certain things, but for now we've reached peak weird. if someone was going to fall off of the show for an actual reason, they might do it here. or this could be further proof that you have to watch more, because holy shit, where do we even go from _this??_
so then the rest of season 2 starts actually using all the building blocks it's been setting up, and getting really interesting, and cool, and the season 2 finale is this big 3-episode long clusterfuck, and it's amazing. and the first episode of the series might've gatekept all of it with that stupid bear! if you're still on board by the end of season 2, you're probably in, hook line and sinker. and from there, the show will never disappoint. but what a fascinating roller coaster of potential pitfalls... I love this show too much to really mind, but damn.
anther golden kamuy fan i just made comment about golden kamuy
@@fatehero4750 excellent taste! ^_^
@@kamuyking551 thanks ^_^
golden kamuy is a great example of the reverse first episode trial where the first episode taken in isolation gives you a decent enough reason to drop it if the cgi bear is too terrible for you, but in reality cg isn’t even that major a part of it and the writing is strong enough to cover it anyway. thanks for the write up, love this series a lot and if you’re reading this now you should give it a try
@@nightshadetq2453 yeah, I give this comment my wholehearted endorsement
if you're reading any of this and thinking "wait... what happens in Golden Kamuy??" go watch it, and have a good time.
also, I promise the CGI is only used on the animals and a couple of camp fires, and they stop animating it that way pretty early on... the writing slaps, just let it cook.
literally.
If I stuck by the 3 episode rule, I would have dropped One Piece tbh. I started loving One Piece in the Syrup Village arc.
The 3 episode rules is pretty good for the most part.
If you're not interested in anything after spending about an hour in it, then you won't be interested after spending 3000 hours.
If something needs 3000 yeas to build up to the point, then you don't have time for that.
Yeah, when it comes to games O have a loose 2 hour rule, if something can't hook me in that time, I'm done. And if after 2 hours I think it has some potential but hasn't really hooked me yet, then I'll give it another 30 minutes and repeat that until either I like it or I drop it.
Subjectivity is the key. "Don`t like it - don`t watch it".
I dream of making someone reluctantly promise to watch the first episode of Oshi no ko without knowing the length (btw one of the greatest first episodes of all time)
I thought I made this up in my head, I started doing it a few days ago when I was watching some dumb anime about gaming
Dumb anime about gaming? Does it feature a gaming club?
I agree with guy 2 - most of the shows I drop I do so after 1 ep. Some shows I drop after 10 eps, or even later. Some shows I drop after 5 minutes or less. I don't care what kind of crazy plot twist happens later on if the first episode is boring and/or stupid. The worst shows, IMO, are the ones that have a start full of promise and then devolve into garbage. Those just waste your time because you keep watching hoping they get good again, but nope they get worse. Looking at you, Wonder Egg Priority.
0:44 kairiki bear lemming Ming!, Love that song. On topic I agree that it's show dependent, like some shows are worth watching for longer to see if you like it, & others only need 1 ep to know if it's a show worth watching
Love the editing in this
wasn't expecting you to use such a goated song for the intro
You know what I hate: when people say “why watch One Piece when I can watch a finished (aka shows that have one season and left on a cliffhanger that never got resolved) 13 episode series.
Me who watched 200 episodes of one-piece.
(It did not matter for me to watch those because i have been spoiled so much so after i realise that i just skipped straight to the last part currently and yeah i was basically catched up)
I feel like the "three episode" rule really only exists because of Madoka Magica. Which took three episodes for the infamous dark tone of that show to be properly established.
I agree that One Piece gets good at Arlong Park, but even though I like One Piece, I know that nobody is willing to watch 47 episodes to decide if continue to watch it or either drop it.
one mid fans telling me to watch at least 100 episodes
Zoro's first appearance was when OP got good 👍
I am Guy 3. In that I never drop a show... But I also enjoy suffering. Everyone else can do whatever they want, idc.
I'd say: feel free to drop it whenever you want, but if someone suggests you watch until a certain episode later in time, you can at least try to please them, but if you find yourself incredibly bored after finishing episode 1 and dread the idea of watching ep 2 just drop it
Why do zoomers think that it sounds clever to point out that obvious generalities don't apply to all cases? Is it just because zoomers take every meme dead seriously and think that discovering you aren't actually obligated to apply a Madoka Magica meme to Legend of the Galactic heroes means they've broken free from the matrix?
Yep. Just yep. Agree with the takes all throughout. Though I'd say there's a hefty portion of both Action and Mystery genre series that deserve way more than 1 ep trials; sometimes the first episode gives off a completely different vibe than the rest, biggest examples in mind right now being Death Note that doesnt even introduce the main antagonist in the first ep (which I'd say is its biggest point of appeal, the battle of wits).
Also, a thing i keep trying but failing to do is to keep watch of which series you mention/show on screen and see if you forgot to list it in the description. I haven't succeeded yet but one day you'll slip and i'll be on to you 😩
lmao one day you'll catch me slippin on that
I usually don't watch videos that are often analysis of different anime meta and tropes but I'm glad I sat through this vid.
It's great that you didn't just double down on the video title. Watched something like that and it gave me the impression of basically telling me "I'm watching stuff wrong" and one of my favorite animes [GATE] is doing stuff wrong (was about "The proper way of doing a 1st episode").
This one was pretty insightful since I usually go by the 3 episode rule (just for myself though), with some flexibility to watch for longer or cut it short here and there.
Which just boils down to, I may not be hooked, but it might have enough promise that I would see more.
--
I always went by the 3 episode rule but often would drop the anime short I felt like it's way off my vibe.
My personal mindset has always been, if it doesn't appeal to you in ANYWAY after 3 episodes, then you might as well drop it and... is reappliable to any show you've tried before since we should believe in 2nd or 5th chances.
This is how I decided on not watching Masamune-kun's Revenge after 3 episodes. The vibe of it to me just did not warrant any of my time.
This is about how long it took for me with Giant Killing (3 episodes), maybe even a bit less. Skip Beat took me this amount of time all the same and it's one of my favorite animes.
Some immediately took to me -- My Hero Academia had me hooked by 1st episode; as well as Bocchi The Rock, Grand Blue Dreaming, and Oshi no Ko.
Then some just... I decided to give it additional episodes and then I became hooked later... Black Clover (though I fell out of it later again), Glass Mask (2005 series), and in terms of this current anime season: Saint Cecilia & Pastor Lawrence as well as My Tiny Senpai. (I also gotta give Tengoku Daimakyou, aka Heavenly Deception, a shout out for also being this way. I can't even say what episode I got immersed into it, but I certainly did get hooked at some point).
I often usually tell people about this 3 episode rule but also mention that it's not a rule to "live or die by". I often say 3 episodes because I feel like if an anime doesn't hook you in those 3 episodes, then it's just not for ya. Generally since I wouldn't know the best stopping point for anything I haven't seen or anything that's new or recent. It's tough to do this for older anime I would say, but it feels like in recent anime -- they would take this rule to mind and try some BIG mini arc thing that is either wrapped up in that time span. Oshi no Ko's intro is done in an one hour special. Re: Zero's first arc wrapped up in 3 episodes (4 technically since the 1st episode was a hour long). My Hero Academia first arc technically goes for longer, but I felt like they really tried to rope you in TWO episodes (I usually think it's not for people it can't get you within 2 or even 7 episodes). Jujutsu Kaisen also attempted roping you in about 2 episodes I would say as well.
Whenever talking to others, I don't tell them that they HAVE to watch up to this episode.
I let them know how long it took for me before I said it got good. If they drop sometime before that, it's fine. (Basically "The Subjectivity Problem" part of the video_
If they watched up to the number I have (which yes, like this video predicted -- it would always be the episode of a [insert BIG moment here]) and STILL "ahhh idk about it", then definitely just a "Then it REALLY might not be for you," realizing that I need to wait upwards of 6 months to 2 years before I recommend it again out of the blue (jk about that last part).
It's often really difficult trying to recommend people to watch stuff anyway so I don't give out anime recommendations that often. Last time I have, I recommended My Hero Academia to my dad who fell in love with the show, caught my brother watching Black Clover and has rewatched that about 6 - 7 times, got him really hooked into Haikyuu, and though I haven't seen it: he went out and watched Dr. Stone (up to how long, I don't know though).
My cousin watched Fairy Tail on his own so the only thing I could recommend him was Edens;Zero. Never watched that myself, but I did recommend Fire Force later on down the line as I feel they're big on shounen. (Somehow I did get him to watch Re: Zero, though)
My brother... actually haven't done recommendations -- every time I believe he just saw me watching on a big screen. Absolutely loved Shokugeki no Soma (minus that final season), Assassination Classroom, and Ace of Diamond (which I still say Diamond no Ace, but... idk thanks to him I say these titles interchangeably too much). We've gone out the way to try to find something the both of us can watch after running out at some point (Praise that out of all that, we found Slam Dunk and Eyeshield 21)
With so much anime I just believe that "ehh, if you look hard enough, you'll find something"... even more so that you might even explore outside your usual genre to find something.
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Basically, the 3 episode rule is my foundation, but I have greatly built upon it. I may bring up to others in a foundational sense, but never as an actual rule.
Personally I think it’s a writer's job to hook people within the first few minutes, if not the first episode.
Eh but sometimes good series take more than one episode to get going with that first episode more of a blueprint than indicator how something is, Plus just because the first episode is bad doesnt mean the rest will be.
@themadoneplays7842 Yes but there are certain things a first episode must always do, like setting the tone and making you feel for the main character.
@@joshuanelsonanimations yeah, but I know many shows that don't do that and still wind up good. Sometimes the only thing a first episode has to do is set things up and let the rest of the series do the heavy lifting.
@themadoneplays7842 Well that's fine, but just don't expect a lot of people to stick around past that first episode. A lot can be done to intrigue the right audience in a short amount of time.
@@joshuanelsonanimations perhaps, but I know many shows that started off as stinkers that went on to be great, Star Trek TNG for example had a bad pilot and a messy first two seasons but later regained some fans and became as popular as TOS. Parks and rec started off as a clone of the office but found its footing in season 2. I can also say the same about buffy. Some shows just need more time in the oven than others, this whole need for instant gratification thing is a nasty side effect of binge-watching and streaming media.
I don't think I'd ever even heard of the 3 episode rule.
I usually just try an episode, maybe two, before I decide. In some cases, I've been drawn into a series by watching some random episode later in the series and then going back to the beginning. Like, I went from a few episodes of the Artificial Human arc of DBZ to then starting over with the first episode of the original Dragon Ball.
I was once told I had to watch the first 10 episodes, like I’m Not spending 10 hours bored out of my mind to enjoy it
This was for a one season long show that was a hour an episode
I thought u meant the 3 episode rule is that 3 episode limit a day.
literally the equivalent to "the game gets good after 7 hours"
i've had people tell me that my dislike of the atlier games is complete bull because "you have to get to hour 80 before it gets good"