I’ve always dealt with this thing where I can binge 10+ episodes of something focusing on the same plot, but episodic anime feels like hours to get through like 1 episode.
I totally agree with your point on expectations. I think it’s very important for a show to set expectations for its viewers and meet them in a satisfactory manner. A show should be judged on what it tries to do rather than a general metric of “good.” That said, I think these expectations are set by the show itself rather than the plot or characters. For example, I was never too concerned with finding the flower samurai because the show made it clear that its appeal is the dynamic between its three main characters. Similarly, I think many episodic shows set up tons of expectations. The details may differ but most episodes of Pokémon have an extremely predictable formula. I also don’t think Cowboy Bebop and Trigun are good examples for shows that take too long to meet the expectations they’ve set for themselves, even in a plot sense. CB has basically no expectations at the outset other than that you’re following a group of poor bounty hunters (much like Champloo). Trigun’s only real expectation is learning what Vash is all about and the first five episodes focus on exactly that. Having not read the manga, I also expect Spy X Family to have next to no interaction with its “plot,” at least not until the manga starts reaching its end. That just seems like window dressing to set up the premise. Basically the point here is that things like tone, appeal, and focus are much more indicative of the expectations one should have for a show rather than plot.
A detail is that apearently sunflowers have no smell, so even that shows that is more an abstract goal. Even if all 3 resolve their past really well with closure. Its about them becoming friends and help each other, to live, in a dificult realistic world. Also samurai champloo, its about how they become friends and together face life with people coming and leaving. Thats life.
I do think Spy x Family shot itself in the foot by giving people the expectation it was going to be plot driven before going mostly slice of life. I honestly think the it works better in the manga for some reason. I’m going to guess it’s just because watching an anime 30+ episodes deep with little plot advancement is a bigger time commitment than reading some chapters that take less time to read.
I don't blame the anime, i blame the unironic fanboys that praise the living shit out of this show without telling what type series is this with redundant shit like "its peak fiction" "the best anime of the year" "great character development" and so on and so on without saying something straight up honest like "its a fun sitcom with a lot of plot convenience, so don't take it that serious" . It kinda remind me of that time where every single critic was prasing La la land by saying it was a masterpiece never seeing before without saying for once that is an homage to old school hollywood musical, so people who aren't into that genre will be dissapointed for the redundant overhype.
As some who is anime only for this show (though I do plan on reading the manga soon), while I do wish it was a little more plot driven since it is partially an espionage story, I quite enjoy the more slice of life aspects of the anime and to be honest it’s a nice breathe of fresh air. Not every show or story have to be super plot driven, it’s fine to have something like this every once a while (that’s literally what the Iyashikei genre is). It’s as you say though, this show gave me the expectation that it was going to be plot driven. I still enjoy this series though.
The timing of this video couldn't be any worse. The Cruise Ship Arc that's currently airing right now is where the plot begins to gradually take over the story. Can confirm as a manga reader. And I think this kind of slice-of-life works because when Operation Strix inevitably falls apart, it'll make the audience nostalgic for the earlier episodes when things were peaceful. Anya being the unifying glue that keeps the Westalian father and the Ostanian mother together is the main theme of the story too, so of course she and the slice-of-life gets so much spotlight. The main lesson of the story is reject war, embrace peace, and see everyone around you as a human being, so seeing everyone get along when the dogma of the nation's politics is telling the public and villains of the story that the other side is inhuman just reinforces the main theme of the story. It's supposed to make the audience treasure that peace, making us sympathize with Loid, Yor, and Yuri's desire to protect it, and Anya's fear of abandonment and desire for normalcy.
I mean... not really though. The story after the cruise ship arc is still pretty episodic. I feel more like this is the format it always had going. It will go with small episodic arcs and after a bit there will be a more substantial arc. The dig arc, tennis arc, and Cruise ship arc are examples (even though it's true that the arcs get bigger both in length and scope from here on out). I mean, for all intents and purposes, we still don't know much. Yhea, we had Loid's backstory, and Anya got a few stars and tonitrus bolts and all, but we're still so far from advancing the plot in a substantial way towards the actual goal of operation strix. Loid hasn't gotten any closer to Desmond since he talked to him at the parents meeting thing (and that was early on in the story)...
Great breakdown as always! What's interesting to me is you're not the first person I've heard who's disappointed with SxF's format, which I understand, since I know some people went in expecting a more plot-driven show. Personally, I went into it assuming the overarching conflicts were just a means to get this family together and that it would be mostly a goofy pseudofamily doing goofy family things, so in that regards, SpyFam works perfectly for me. (I may also just be more patient with these kinds of shows than most, after watching 900+ episodes of Detective "I swear to God the plot will progress eventually" Conan.) I'm also glad you brought up those Big 3, because I recently watched Cowboy Bebop for the first time because a lot of people I know LOVE that show, and...yea, agree, I wasn't as into it. It was fine. On the other hand, I watched Samurai Champloo recently too, and liked that one due to enjoying the overall aesthetic and side stories way more. But that's the gamble with Episodic stuff, since the moment-to-moment stories will make or break the show for different people. (Like K-On, which I really wanted to like but got bored with partway through. Hamtaro slaps though, I miss those Ham-Hams.)
Does Trigun 97 promise stuff at the start? I remember it just introduces this guy who supposedly has this massive bounty on his head and goes on from that. In the 97 anime his backstory and the villians and all that stuff are established once the story becomes more of an ongoing story. Like early on in the manga he's just like "I am going to kill [main antagonist]." And the 2023 anime starts with some of his backstory, but neither of those two are really episodic. Also it sounds like I got to check out Mushi-shi.
Really good explanation and categorization of the beast. I recently felt that same way about Spy X Family - that it's still fun and funny, but you kinda wanna see the story move on already. And I think part of the issue is that the pace initially is kinda fast until it isn't. Up until chapter 11, it feels like there is progress constantly - getting the Family together, getting Anya into the school, getting introduced to Yor's brother - and then once the school life starts everything kinda slows down and you get a lot of slice of life bits. You get Bond a bit later, but from then on it kinda keeps this slow pace. A good show to kick back to and watch an episode of, but not really all that bingeable anymore. I feel the manga works a bit better from a pacing standpoint as a result - you at least have a little bit of progress each time if you read volume by volume (which is how I'm going through it). Maybe the Mangaka slowed down to show more family life because the manga got so popular? Anyway, one of the few episodic shows I thought was very bingeable recently was Pop Team Epic Season 2. Kinda funny considering that you basically get the same episode twice each time with slight alterations. But the quick-paced zanyness and the engaging voice work always left me wanting more by the end of an episode.
What I love about a "Journey" type show is how varied in tone it can be. In Kino's Journey most episodes are very serious political comentaries. But you switch to the next episode where we're literally having a shounen tournament arc, or a no brain slice of life episode about a girl with her airplane. Sometimes it can be jarring but I think it greatly adds to that feeling of "Journey" where you truly can't predict whats gonna come up next which heightens your curiosity and excitement for the next journey. Watching Kinos Journey ironically enough made me want to stop sitting in my ass watching anime and travel the world.
Heralen mention Lucky Star challenge (impossible) (failed) Though I personally feel differently about a lot of episodic anime with underlying stakes (which I think could be because of my relationship with western shows like Steven Universe, Infinity Train, The Owl House, etc.) This is one of my favorite videos of yours and I definitely picked up a few anime on my watchlist haha
As much as I love Spy X Family (both the anime and manga) I have to admit that I also often find myself wishing that the plot would advance. I love the family dynamic and the slice of life and comedy, but I am really intregued about the politics and operation Strix's goal, yet Loid has interacted with his target only once in the story and jasn't done anything substantial to further his mission... I still love all the different arcs and all the different episodic stories, but i do want to see some arcs that actually have something to do with operation Strix.
I sometimes think that it is a PG rated anime so there will be no blood every ep. But yeah other times I think that the plot should just moved already. And I haven’t seen the S2 up until now 😬
I loved Samurai Champloo exactly because of its episodicness, because i could go almost a month without watching it and still pick it right up withouth losing the plot with the exception being the couple stories that take more than one episode, and the long periods between watching an episode wasn´t because i didnt like it but because i just wanted to enjoy the journey with the characters that i loved so i took my time with it, the key point beign that basically every episode included shenanigans with Mugen, Fuu and Jin. Comparing it to the start of SpyXFamily season 2 a lot of the episodes have been centered around the secondary characters which is fine but i was getting a bit bored and at the end of the day the heart of the show is Anya, Yor and Loid, i would watch 24 unrelated episodes of their adventures just to see their relationship, but when you have to also build a world around them the plot gets in the way of what most of the audience wants to watch, at laeast that problem seems to be getting corrected with the Cruise Ship Arc which involves all three of them. Extra opinion: i never felt the Sunflower Samurai was a big set-up or the point of the story, it was mostly to keep a destination in mind but as the series goes on even Fuu starts to question if she really wants to find him if it means she will part ways with Mugen and Jin, and even then the ending was satisfying to me.
How you view the Sunflower Samurai is how I saw it, the point of the Sunflower Samurai is to be a reason for Fuu to have her "found family" story and that's why the ending feels bittersweet, as its not something you expect out of the trope but it still feels great. It feels like this person missed the point of that particular anime. It's not meant to be you conventional shonen anime or an episodic one, because every episode has a purpose presented in a way that you can watching slowly. It's ok to not like the anime, but I feel as though that misrepresents the goal of Samurai Champloo.
Also the show does develope them becoming friends and help over trauma, and they do fight assasins, And i think the finale does pay that off great. But its also how they are there for each other and together survive just, living. That they just live and have to live and get in misadventures, is a really good having it relevant about living, now, with all the cool plot stiff still happening and a hook, add the mugens pirate past even, its just more important how they are misfits surviving a cynical capitalist world even making friends. And like in real life purpose is pretty abstract and life gets to zany places and that captures that really well. While delivering as promised, which then has good fights and that too.
I loved reading the Spy x Family manga. I enjoyed watching S1 when it aired. I was excited for S2 when it was announced. Then I watched Buddy Daddies earlier this year... and now I really could not be bothered to watch any new episodes of SxF. Its like I got everything I wanted out of SxF in 12 eps of Buddy Daddies. That would be the main difference between episodic and serialized shows.
buddy daddies don’t have the amount of subplot spy x family has. The aren’t the same type of anime at all, outside of the family aspect, so perhaps you just wanted a little story about a fake family becoming real, which is not what sxf is all about.
So you just preferred a different premise more? As well as a different type of Anime? Damn bro thanks for informing us you had preferences in the most roundabout way possible.
I grew up watching episodic anime like Urusei Yatsura, Cat's Eye, Sherlock Hound or Kimagure Orange Road, so I never had any problems with this format. It's only later on the internet that I realized that some people have problems with this kind of anime, expecting them to have an overarching plot and a crystal clear plot progression, or else it's a slog to get through a single episode, or something like that. Bizarre.... I hope those people realize that episodic anime were the norm for anime TV shows since the early sixties. It's only since the mid to late nineties with shows such as NGE that anime with an overarching plot became more common.
It was the norm because of the nature and tv and syndication. People tuning in each week to see a show was an exception. People tuning in from the start of the show, with no easy way to catch up was the reality. So in order to garner an audience shows where produced in such a way that you can tune in, at any point in the shows run time, and not lose a thing. So episodic shows where more or less a market reality rather then creative choice. As it turns out people tend to love ambitious plots.
@@Tibi93 That's one valid reason, but another one is also that most anime back then were based on serialized manga which, depending on the manga, had self contained stories which were perfect to adapt as single episodes with no overarching plot. Romcoms like Ranma for example, or action shows like Lupin the third or Cat's Eye. Shows with more ambitious plots came up when late night anime started to become a thing in the mid- to late nineties, so it also was due to a market reality and less to an inherent preference with the audience.
The manga is good but I’m pissed cause the latest chapter was a 90.1 and we have to wait two weeks 😭😭😭 also the latest episode we’re yor fights the assassins the animation quality is fire
Yes, the problem is your expectations. Sure, there's a war plot going on, but Spy x Family is a story about a family of spies. Of course, the daily dynamics of that family are the main point. I don't enjoy it either, but I just brush it off as not to my taste instead of blaming a fine tested writing archetype.
I feel like Trigun Stampede would be up your alley more than the original anime because it hones in on the main plot with Vash and Knives from the start and focuses on their relationship throughout.
Keep up the great work man, thanks for talking about the Mushi-Shi, I think I wouldn't discover that anime if you didn't bring it up. And I think I will love it!
I feel like you missed the best and most iconic episodic anime, Lupin III. Seriously it’s literally just fun mini stories that have no connection to each other. Hell, just watch the Miyazaki episodes as they are some of the best. It doesn’t matter what order you watch it. Another good episodic anime is the PreCure franchise which has plot progression, but it is also self contained in the episode structure.
Mushishi and Kino's Journey are some of my favourite episodic anime. I'm also a huge fan of Aria and Natsume's Book of Friends, the former is kind of like K-On! and the latter like Mushishi except they do have a general linear direction and the characters do grow and progress as the episodes go by
I've never had any issues with episodic storytelling. In fact, Samurai Champloo and Spy x Family are some of my favorite shows ever. I think the trick is to manage your expectations. Don't go into anything demanding it fit into your preconceived notions. Just enjoy the ride and judge a show on how well it delivers on what it was trying to do...not what _you_ wanted it to do.
Yes. That's why trigun 98 is my favorite. I use to hate episodic because it didn't follow the plot progresion format I was used to. But it's indirect approach gave more impact on the themes and helped me understand the characters perspective it was trying to tell.
8:55 Combining the K-on strawberry scene with the Omori background music to deal super effective damage to the viewer. You sir are a menace to the society!
YESSS! Finally someone calling out the hype around Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo for feeling like a show that is 90% filler!!! They are not terrible shows, (the music is great) but I get so bored. This is exactly what I have been saying! I’m annoyed that everyone is giving it 10/10, because I didn’t think it entertained me enough. All the same Kaguya-Sama is my favorite of the 100+ anime I have watched so far, and you mentioned it is kinda episodic. This video helped me understand what’s going on. Thanks. I can see that you look for the same things in anime that I do: interesting ideas, humor, intensity/energy, and/or uniqueness.
Don't worry too much about the breaks between your vids. I waited for the plot to come back in SxF, I can definitely wait for more wonderfully edited video essays (with C A T E G O R I E S)
Lol imagine following the manga that used to release by two weeks, and now is almost monthly. Sometimes we waited for two weeks to get a chapter and then got an “especial illustration” instead. ;-; so pacing wise is better the anime. But still is my favorite manga. We get arcs and then episodics chapters, then an arc and episodic bunch and so on... some months we get manga chapters that are worth analyzing an discussion, and other months is just a gag, so following the manga plays with your expectations
This video is well put together, but I think a huge part of your problem is HOW you watch anime rather than the anime itself. If you're binging a slice of life episodic anime with very slow plot progression, then of course its going to feel like nothing ever happens. Even if you watch an episode weekly as it airs, it can still feel slow. I think the reason for this is because these stories are originally told through manga, which has a completely different release schedule. My solution to this, was to limit how much of a show I watch.. Instead of binging a 12 episode anime in a day - limit yourself to 3-4 episodes a week. Maybe watch one show for an hour or so. That helps me with the pacing. Obviously this number will depend on the show itself and isn't a perfect solution, but its worked pretty well for me. Also the X in SpyXFamily is silent I hope you get made fun of for saying it wrong like 40 times.
I like if a show has episodicx something roughly, but there is a thematic, character exploring or developing, or really anythong adding something to the world , it is still very xclear even if filler adding something, ok. Yes beach episodes can add a lot.
great video!! completely disagree about bebop lmao. also filler in general. i get wanting to see the plot progress but a lot of times i find that filler makes up my favorite episodes of some shows. it can get pretty egregious at times but i think that not everything has to move forward a plot. the overarching story of bebop is rarely present. the only reason it works at all (imo) is that we have had the time with these characters to care about them and their stories. you could argue that ed as a character has no plot bearing at all, but cutting them out would make the show so much worse. the dynamic of the crew and all of the poignant and sad moments throughout are what fill in the gaps left BY the plot. the filler is the real meat of the show. idk i just think viewing it like the plot trumps everything is kinda reductive. there are so many weird and striking and beautiful things that happen throughout the show that build the plot and characters up. that's what makes the show special. major respect for publicly not liking it, that takes a lot of guts
The main diference between the big 3 episodic animes and spyxfamily is that they have something called "edge" sinc3 they are mostly seinen they can explore more in terms of themes or comedy that most shonen can't. You can watch an episode from cowboy bebop and be amaze for the amount of creativity of action and theme they deliver in just one self contain episode like the pierrot episode, or you could just enjoy and relax for a normal episode made for laught like the mushroom episode. Spyxfamily can have edge like the simpsons or the addams family but like those shows its mostly sitcom humor, a type of humor only made for a large audience to laught in between pauses. So they can't go beyond the standard writting they have to appeal to the mainstream audience not just a select group of audience. Thats why by beeing a shonen SxF dosn't have the same level of "edge" that the other series have. Plus since its longer than those its more easy to spot on the formula between each episode after the first 20 episodes. Ans spyxfamily right now has 37 with the manga still going on (we still having no progresión) and a filler movie that can't break the status quo.
It’s hard to find an anime with a perfect balance of filler and story. I need filler, it keeps my emotions in check and gives me a breather. Recently got to season 6 of my hero academia… I’m struggling needless to say ;-;
There are some moments where Spy x Family has a story arc that goes over multiple episodes. Anya wanting to get into the school and when she finally gets in, her father gives her a Bondman Castle as her present.
An example of a Journey episodic series. Golden Boy. Each episode is Kentaro's own story of helping out a girl and/or girls he gets to work with during the episode, he stuffs up because he is a pervert but the girls are so into him they don't realize how much they love him until he is gone. Only for each girl to return in the final episode of the OVA series for a massive plot that ties everything together.
What about anime that have a mix of both? Uncle from Another world, when Uncle Usuke is interacting with his Nephew Takafumi, that is more episodic slice of life. But when it comes to Uncle Usuke's adventures in another world back when he was in a coma, that is more of a serial storyline where we see how Uncle Usuke learned to survive in a fantasy world despite the mistakes he always makes.
The author of spy x family used to write very dark mangas, iirc. The publisher told em to make it kid friendly and, combined with the intriguing plot hook, the manga took off. BUT the takeoff is cuz of the promise that the plot will eventually come back in this lighthearted facade! WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?!?! (bomb plot was fun. Then i stopped) Edit: Wait maybe i just confused him with the kaguya sama author...
Another example of episodic anime with overarching plot would be Meitantei Conan where commonly each 1-2 episodes are dedicated to a single case, occasionally having episodes or movies that's related to the black organization that turned the mc into a kid.
Yea I love spy x family, and for the first like 12 episodes I was hooked, but then out of nowhere I started getting the "This is boring" and "why is this so long" feeling lol. but I could re-watch Nichijou everyday. idk lol
as someone who watched spy family because i got interested in the characters, i dropped it in season 1 cour 2. it got too boring for me. no, it's not that i don't like fluff and meaningless episodes, i just really wanted the plot to advance because like it is said in the video, i got promised a plot, not a sunday morning cartoon u.u also, i get your need to categorize stuff. i'm the same XD
I got too many seasonals i havent kept up with to finish this video, but all i'll say is the hate SxF receives from the mainstream fans are insane. Don't come into a slice of life expecting a plot with no fluff or cute meaningless episodes. Furthermore, I've seen many diss the second season so far because of the first 4 episodes, conpletely neglecting the fact that those episodes were literally just so that they could remind casual viewers of the character cast and their personalities again, kind of like a refresher. Freakin' anime elitists coning in complaining about it pretending they know everything when they couldnt even figure that simple conclusion out. Ugh! Sick of it. I'll save this to my watch later though and finish at a later date. 😊
I think this problem only existed because the unfamiliarity of the story telling style and how different way the people consume said media. The pratice of having some kind of big over arching premised and then having episodic narative style while the big plot point only happened every once in a while is such a common pratice especially on manga that serialized in Shonen Sunday. The most recent example being Frieren, and the most famous one probably Detective Conan and Inuyasha. And in my opinion this kind of style is way more friendly and healthier to the mangaka. because yes they are filler that the mangaka can write on weekly basis so the reader can have something fun to read while the mangaka cooking some big story arc in the background without sacrificing their health or making rush decision on the story so it end up bad. And with Detective Conan have episode rivaling one piece and now Frieren on top of MAL 's anime ranking, we know that this style of storytelling is working. Especially since they are manga from weekly magazine, people can just take them whenever and read them without feeling left out most of the time. And yes unlike story driven pace shonen manga like JJK, one piece and bleach where it was such a pain when you read weekly, but actually very fast pacing and good when you read them on volume, this kind of manga sometimes do feel mixed when you read them in a bulk because how slow the story often played out. And yea that would felt more in the anime because you cant just read them faster.
How did you make a video about episodic anime without mentioning saiki k.? It literally has 5 episodes in 20 minutes and it's the best comedy anime ever.
People needed to realize that the cold war premise is also a joke not a premise. Its Anya's story not Loid's or Yor's. The spy and assassin premise is a theme for the comedy that is Anya's life.
Okay, I'm pausing early, so I may need to come back and edit this comment/eat my words, but I think Cowboy Bebop absolutely delivered on its premise. The overarching plot was only drip fed, anyway, so wasn't a feature of ep 1. And in the end, that plot was wrapped up. Moreover, all the episodic narratives were vital character development that tied into the serial narrative. Primarily Cowboy Bebop was a character study and it follows its characters after their big moments (a bit Frieren-y in that respect), so the episodic scenarios were key to the character focus of the show. And in the end it got closer to its premise's conclusion in 26 episodes than One Piece, Bleach, or Naruto did in hundreds.
I don’t see why you call it a problem just because it’s not your favorite type of anime genre. Some people prefer episodic/sol type of animes, some other prefer stories that go straight to the point. At the end of the day, everything is valid, and everyone can like different things.
tbh spyxfamily seems more like a type 3 than a type 2 episodic show. It's problem is that the world building and plot could actually be really cool, but it was never really seriously addressed
I recently dropped the SxF manga exactly because of the expectations it set up on itself. It might've been fine if they sprinkled development here and there, but nothing of value has happened in 80 chapters. If there is an arc, you know how the characters are going to react in it. Loid; Is on a mission, doesn't react to it much emotionally, is in some disguise. Anya; Too naive and reckless to do anything of importance unless it is leading her parents secretly Yor; Unaware of anything, thinks everything is a housewife problem she doesn't understand and solves it through assassin violence. In short, I have gotten bored. Side-characters don't matter or never return, the main characters won't have any progression and the plot isn't going anywhere. If I wanted to watch an episodic show with a hint of overarching plot, where the main character helps other and he himself has character growth, I'd watch Natsuki's Book of Friends instead.
The thing with Spy x Family is that it's a show where the anime was made when the original manga is still in its relatively early stages. So the balance between SoL and main plot is quite awkward. Take Mob Psycho 100 for example, absolutely god tier show because of its pacing and plot development despite also being quite episodic because the author can focus on what he thinks is right for the series. Editors have a huge influence to how a manga direction is being set, with how popular Spy x Family is due to its SoL elements, the mangaka is kind of being forced to incorporate more SoL into his work because that's what earns them the big bucks from the anime franchise.
So you're ok with episodic series, but not serial series that ever take a break from moving the plot forward? Highlighting Spy Family is unfair because the duality of the series is part of it's premise; lots of series artwork shows two sides to it. Full Metal Panic did the duality thing for it's first season, then alternated between serious & comedy series afterwards & felt lacking in comparison because we lose the contrast.
Scissor Seven is a Chinese series which wwas often episodic with building characters an some mystry so when season 3, 4 and an a Movie yet to release further the fuk you serious sthit but still being silly throughout I has the MC having a poison born painful time worrying about his friends an still is able to bullshit with his love intrest to keep her mood up
The main issue with shows like Spy x Fam is that they are centered on one core gimmick. In this case, its keeping your identity a secret. The issue now is that if you want the plot to progress, you put the central gimmick at risk. What happens when Loid's identity is revealed? The show will have to take a drastic turn. But right now, the show is massively popular because of the gimmick. So does the show take a risk and change up its core premise? Or just continue pumping out glorified filler because its a money printer? I think we all know the answer, sadly
I mostly prefer slice of life. If a series has a plot then I want the entire story at once. I hate watching or reading something with a story and having to wait from week to week for tiny little snippets. I want to binge an actual story. So 90% of what I watch and read is slice of life.
13:11 Swap out Mushoku with Made in Abyss and this makes more sense. While MiA seems to have more forward momentum with the characters literally descending down a path they can’t return from, it’s really just a great excuse to explore a wild, interesting, and dangerous ecosystem and cause it’s characters immense pain and suffering. It’s good 👍. Can’t wait to find out what’s at the bottom.
it is what killed spy x family for me, i loved the first season and went to the manga right away and man, chapter after chapter of nothing, every singgle arc ends the same way it started, i dont mind episodic series if the characters grow even if the plot doesnt move at all but spy x family is boring as hell, the animation made it good but thinking back it was never that good, you can watch ep 3 and then jump to ep 20 and the only thing youll miss is the introduction of bond, thats it, no plot development, no character development, nothing and it feels worst in the manga, is just boring
14:43 like shows like the twilight zone, the outer limits and love, death and robots. Litle bit of an advice. Don't try to act funny if you don't know squat about other better shows if you don't want to mention your less favorite show. You sound like a forced mcu meme straight out of quatumania.
I’ve always dealt with this thing where I can binge 10+ episodes of something focusing on the same plot, but episodic anime feels like hours to get through like 1 episode.
sooooo true underated opinion
yeah im watching this show called frieren with my friend and it feels just like that
Yeah, because episodic anime have a satisfying conclusions for each episodes
MrgotenEnter nah thats only in americkan kartoons
One of the most underrated TH-cam comments involving anime storyline plot of all time
The editing in this video is so good thanks for including the music choices
love how this guy went from CEO of anime to CEO of shitting
in my pants
I totally agree with your point on expectations. I think it’s very important for a show to set expectations for its viewers and meet them in a satisfactory manner. A show should be judged on what it tries to do rather than a general metric of “good.”
That said, I think these expectations are set by the show itself rather than the plot or characters. For example, I was never too concerned with finding the flower samurai because the show made it clear that its appeal is the dynamic between its three main characters. Similarly, I think many episodic shows set up tons of expectations. The details may differ but most episodes of Pokémon have an extremely predictable formula.
I also don’t think Cowboy Bebop and Trigun are good examples for shows that take too long to meet the expectations they’ve set for themselves, even in a plot sense. CB has basically no expectations at the outset other than that you’re following a group of poor bounty hunters (much like Champloo). Trigun’s only real expectation is learning what Vash is all about and the first five episodes focus on exactly that.
Having not read the manga, I also expect Spy X Family to have next to no interaction with its “plot,” at least not until the manga starts reaching its end. That just seems like window dressing to set up the premise.
Basically the point here is that things like tone, appeal, and focus are much more indicative of the expectations one should have for a show rather than plot.
Quite possibly the best line of reasoning I've seen on here. Thank you very much.
A detail is that apearently sunflowers have no smell, so even that shows that is more an abstract goal. Even if all 3 resolve their past really well with closure. Its about them becoming friends and help each other, to live, in a dificult realistic world.
Also samurai champloo, its about how they become friends and together face life with people coming and leaving. Thats life.
I do think Spy x Family shot itself in the foot by giving people the expectation it was going to be plot driven before going mostly slice of life. I honestly think the it works better in the manga for some reason. I’m going to guess it’s just because watching an anime 30+ episodes deep with little plot advancement is a bigger time commitment than reading some chapters that take less time to read.
I don't blame the anime, i blame the unironic fanboys that praise the living shit out of this show without telling what type series is this with redundant shit like "its peak fiction" "the best anime of the year" "great character development" and so on and so on without saying something straight up honest like "its a fun sitcom with a lot of plot convenience, so don't take it that serious" .
It kinda remind me of that time where every single critic was prasing La la land by saying it was a masterpiece never seeing before without saying for once that is an homage to old school hollywood musical, so people who aren't into that genre will be dissapointed for the redundant overhype.
As some who is anime only for this show (though I do plan on reading the manga soon), while I do wish it was a little more plot driven since it is partially an espionage story, I quite enjoy the more slice of life aspects of the anime and to be honest it’s a nice breathe of fresh air. Not every show or story have to be super plot driven, it’s fine to have something like this every once a while (that’s literally what the Iyashikei genre is). It’s as you say though, this show gave me the expectation that it was going to be plot driven. I still enjoy this series though.
The timing of this video couldn't be any worse. The Cruise Ship Arc that's currently airing right now is where the plot begins to gradually take over the story. Can confirm as a manga reader. And I think this kind of slice-of-life works because when Operation Strix inevitably falls apart, it'll make the audience nostalgic for the earlier episodes when things were peaceful. Anya being the unifying glue that keeps the Westalian father and the Ostanian mother together is the main theme of the story too, so of course she and the slice-of-life gets so much spotlight. The main lesson of the story is reject war, embrace peace, and see everyone around you as a human being, so seeing everyone get along when the dogma of the nation's politics is telling the public and villains of the story that the other side is inhuman just reinforces the main theme of the story. It's supposed to make the audience treasure that peace, making us sympathize with Loid, Yor, and Yuri's desire to protect it, and Anya's fear of abandonment and desire for normalcy.
i read up to the cruise ship arc when it was still coming out but lost interest. Did i drop it at the worst time?
@@jon_with_no_n3065 Yes 💀
I mean... not really though. The story after the cruise ship arc is still pretty episodic. I feel more like this is the format it always had going. It will go with small episodic arcs and after a bit there will be a more substantial arc. The dig arc, tennis arc, and Cruise ship arc are examples (even though it's true that the arcs get bigger both in length and scope from here on out). I mean, for all intents and purposes, we still don't know much. Yhea, we had Loid's backstory, and Anya got a few stars and tonitrus bolts and all, but we're still so far from advancing the plot in a substantial way towards the actual goal of operation strix. Loid hasn't gotten any closer to Desmond since he talked to him at the parents meeting thing (and that was early on in the story)...
as someone who just started getting into spy family, i regret reading your message. jesus man.
@@xiphosmaniac Why?
3:47 bro really put gravity falls into episodic as if it isnt one of the most famous story-driven cartoons.
Yeah, I feel personally offended
Great breakdown as always! What's interesting to me is you're not the first person I've heard who's disappointed with SxF's format, which I understand, since I know some people went in expecting a more plot-driven show. Personally, I went into it assuming the overarching conflicts were just a means to get this family together and that it would be mostly a goofy pseudofamily doing goofy family things, so in that regards, SpyFam works perfectly for me. (I may also just be more patient with these kinds of shows than most, after watching 900+ episodes of Detective "I swear to God the plot will progress eventually" Conan.)
I'm also glad you brought up those Big 3, because I recently watched Cowboy Bebop for the first time because a lot of people I know LOVE that show, and...yea, agree, I wasn't as into it. It was fine. On the other hand, I watched Samurai Champloo recently too, and liked that one due to enjoying the overall aesthetic and side stories way more. But that's the gamble with Episodic stuff, since the moment-to-moment stories will make or break the show for different people. (Like K-On, which I really wanted to like but got bored with partway through. Hamtaro slaps though, I miss those Ham-Hams.)
I didnt even know Detective Conan had 900+ episodes, thats crazy.
@@anusaukko6792 With no signs of stopping haha. It's over 1000 now, but I fell a little behind lmao.
Does Trigun 97 promise stuff at the start? I remember it just introduces this guy who supposedly has this massive bounty on his head and goes on from that. In the 97 anime his backstory and the villians and all that stuff are established once the story becomes more of an ongoing story.
Like early on in the manga he's just like "I am going to kill [main antagonist]." And the 2023 anime starts with some of his backstory, but neither of those two are really episodic.
Also it sounds like I got to check out Mushi-shi.
Really good explanation and categorization of the beast. I recently felt that same way about Spy X Family - that it's still fun and funny, but you kinda wanna see the story move on already. And I think part of the issue is that the pace initially is kinda fast until it isn't. Up until chapter 11, it feels like there is progress constantly - getting the Family together, getting Anya into the school, getting introduced to Yor's brother - and then once the school life starts everything kinda slows down and you get a lot of slice of life bits. You get Bond a bit later, but from then on it kinda keeps this slow pace. A good show to kick back to and watch an episode of, but not really all that bingeable anymore. I feel the manga works a bit better from a pacing standpoint as a result - you at least have a little bit of progress each time if you read volume by volume (which is how I'm going through it). Maybe the Mangaka slowed down to show more family life because the manga got so popular?
Anyway, one of the few episodic shows I thought was very bingeable recently was Pop Team Epic Season 2. Kinda funny considering that you basically get the same episode twice each time with slight alterations. But the quick-paced zanyness and the engaging voice work always left me wanting more by the end of an episode.
What I love about a "Journey" type show is how varied in tone it can be. In Kino's Journey most episodes are very serious political comentaries. But you switch to the next episode where we're literally having a shounen tournament arc, or a no brain slice of life episode about a girl with her airplane. Sometimes it can be jarring but I think it greatly adds to that feeling of "Journey" where you truly can't predict whats gonna come up next which heightens your curiosity and excitement for the next journey. Watching Kinos Journey ironically enough made me want to stop sitting in my ass watching anime and travel the world.
Heralen mention Lucky Star challenge (impossible) (failed)
Though I personally feel differently about a lot of episodic anime with underlying stakes (which I think could be because of my relationship with western shows like Steven Universe, Infinity Train, The Owl House, etc.) This is one of my favorite videos of yours and I definitely picked up a few anime on my watchlist haha
As much as I love Spy X Family (both the anime and manga) I have to admit that I also often find myself wishing that the plot would advance. I love the family dynamic and the slice of life and comedy, but I am really intregued about the politics and operation Strix's goal, yet Loid has interacted with his target only once in the story and jasn't done anything substantial to further his mission... I still love all the different arcs and all the different episodic stories, but i do want to see some arcs that actually have something to do with operation Strix.
I sometimes think that it is a PG rated anime so there will be no blood every ep. But yeah other times I think that the plot should just moved already. And I haven’t seen the S2 up until now 😬
I loved Samurai Champloo exactly because of its episodicness, because i could go almost a month without watching it and still pick it right up withouth losing the plot with the exception being the couple stories that take more than one episode, and the long periods between watching an episode wasn´t because i didnt like it but because i just wanted to enjoy the journey with the characters that i loved so i took my time with it, the key point beign that basically every episode included shenanigans with Mugen, Fuu and Jin. Comparing it to the start of SpyXFamily season 2 a lot of the episodes have been centered around the secondary characters which is fine but i was getting a bit bored and at the end of the day the heart of the show is Anya, Yor and Loid, i would watch 24 unrelated episodes of their adventures just to see their relationship, but when you have to also build a world around them the plot gets in the way of what most of the audience wants to watch, at laeast that problem seems to be getting corrected with the Cruise Ship Arc which involves all three of them.
Extra opinion: i never felt the Sunflower Samurai was a big set-up or the point of the story, it was mostly to keep a destination in mind but as the series goes on even Fuu starts to question if she really wants to find him if it means she will part ways with Mugen and Jin, and even then the ending was satisfying to me.
How you view the Sunflower Samurai is how I saw it, the point of the Sunflower Samurai is to be a reason for Fuu to have her "found family" story and that's why the ending feels bittersweet, as its not something you expect out of the trope but it still feels great. It feels like this person missed the point of that particular anime. It's not meant to be you conventional shonen anime or an episodic one, because every episode has a purpose presented in a way that you can watching slowly. It's ok to not like the anime, but I feel as though that misrepresents the goal of Samurai Champloo.
Also the show does develope them becoming friends and help over trauma, and they do fight assasins, And i think the finale does pay that off great.
But its also how they are there for each other and together survive just, living. That they just live and have to live and get in misadventures, is a really good having it relevant about living, now, with all the cool plot stiff still happening and a hook, add the mugens pirate past even, its just more important how they are misfits surviving a cynical capitalist world even making friends. And like in real life purpose is pretty abstract and life gets to zany places and that captures that really well. While delivering as promised, which then has good fights and that too.
I loved reading the Spy x Family manga. I enjoyed watching S1 when it aired. I was excited for S2 when it was announced.
Then I watched Buddy Daddies earlier this year... and now I really could not be bothered to watch any new episodes of SxF. Its like I got everything I wanted out of SxF in 12 eps of Buddy Daddies. That would be the main difference between episodic and serialized shows.
buddy daddies don’t have the amount of subplot spy x family has. The aren’t the same type of anime at all, outside of the family aspect, so perhaps you just wanted a little story about a fake family becoming real, which is not what sxf is all about.
So you just preferred a different premise more? As well as a different type of Anime? Damn bro thanks for informing us you had preferences in the most roundabout way possible.
I've never once thought of aot being classified as a "flesh mecha" and I blame you for my now sudden interest in the genre
I grew up watching episodic anime like Urusei Yatsura, Cat's Eye, Sherlock Hound or Kimagure Orange Road, so I never had any problems with this format. It's only later on the internet that I realized that some people have problems with this kind of anime, expecting them to have an overarching plot and a crystal clear plot progression, or else it's a slog to get through a single episode, or something like that. Bizarre.... I hope those people realize that episodic anime were the norm for anime TV shows since the early sixties. It's only since the mid to late nineties with shows such as NGE that anime with an overarching plot became more common.
It was the norm because of the nature and tv and syndication. People tuning in each week to see a show was an exception. People tuning in from the start of the show, with no easy way to catch up was the reality. So in order to garner an audience shows where produced in such a way that you can tune in, at any point in the shows run time, and not lose a thing.
So episodic shows where more or less a market reality rather then creative choice. As it turns out people tend to love ambitious plots.
@@Tibi93 That's one valid reason, but another one is also that most anime back then were based on serialized manga which, depending on the manga, had self contained stories which were perfect to adapt as single episodes with no overarching plot. Romcoms like Ranma for example, or action shows like Lupin the third or Cat's Eye. Shows with more ambitious plots came up when late night anime started to become a thing in the mid- to late nineties, so it also was due to a market reality and less to an inherent preference with the audience.
Dude, your videos are so fun! I'm glad you're part of AniTube.
Fans watching this video just after S2 ep 8 of SpyxFamily : 🤨
The manga is good but I’m pissed cause the latest chapter was a 90.1 and we have to wait two weeks 😭😭😭 also the latest episode we’re yor fights the assassins the animation quality is fire
For manga or anime
@@kevsimoeswdym
Yes, the problem is your expectations.
Sure, there's a war plot going on, but Spy x Family is a story about a family of spies. Of course, the daily dynamics of that family are the main point.
I don't enjoy it either, but I just brush it off as not to my taste instead of blaming a fine tested writing archetype.
I feel like Trigun Stampede would be up your alley more than the original anime because it hones in on the main plot with Vash and Knives from the start and focuses on their relationship throughout.
yet some people act like Stampede is not at all Manga
Keep up the great work man, thanks for talking about the Mushi-Shi, I think I wouldn't discover that anime if you didn't bring it up. And I think I will love it!
I feel like you missed the best and most iconic episodic anime, Lupin III. Seriously it’s literally just fun mini stories that have no connection to each other. Hell, just watch the Miyazaki episodes as they are some of the best. It doesn’t matter what order you watch it. Another good episodic anime is the PreCure franchise which has plot progression, but it is also self contained in the episode structure.
Mushishi and Kino's Journey are some of my favourite episodic anime. I'm also a huge fan of Aria and Natsume's Book of Friends, the former is kind of like K-On! and the latter like Mushishi except they do have a general linear direction and the characters do grow and progress as the episodes go by
I've never had any issues with episodic storytelling. In fact, Samurai Champloo and Spy x Family are some of my favorite shows ever. I think the trick is to manage your expectations. Don't go into anything demanding it fit into your preconceived notions.
Just enjoy the ride and judge a show on how well it delivers on what it was trying to do...not what _you_ wanted it to do.
Yes. That's why trigun 98 is my favorite. I use to hate episodic because it didn't follow the plot progresion format I was used to. But it's indirect approach gave more impact on the themes and helped me understand the characters perspective it was trying to tell.
The trick is that the author needs to not set up false expectations.
8:55 Combining the K-on strawberry scene with the Omori background music to deal super effective damage to the viewer. You sir are a menace to the society!
7:47 violet evergarden is a comedy? That’s a weird way to put it
3:47 don’t forget kids anime like Doraemon
YESSS! Finally someone calling out the hype around Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo for feeling like a show that is 90% filler!!! They are not terrible shows, (the music is great) but I get so bored. This is exactly what I have been saying! I’m annoyed that everyone is giving it 10/10, because I didn’t think it entertained me enough. All the same Kaguya-Sama is my favorite of the 100+ anime I have watched so far, and you mentioned it is kinda episodic. This video helped me understand what’s going on. Thanks.
I can see that you look for the same things in anime that I do: interesting ideas, humor, intensity/energy, and/or uniqueness.
Don't worry too much about the breaks between your vids. I waited for the plot to come back in SxF, I can definitely wait for more wonderfully edited video essays
(with C A T E G O R I E S)
Lol imagine following the manga that used to release by two weeks, and now is almost monthly. Sometimes we waited for two weeks to get a chapter and then got an “especial illustration” instead. ;-; so pacing wise is better the anime. But still is my favorite manga. We get arcs and then episodics chapters, then an arc and episodic bunch and so on... some months we get manga chapters that are worth analyzing an discussion, and other months is just a gag, so following the manga plays with your expectations
This video is well put together, but I think a huge part of your problem is HOW you watch anime rather than the anime itself. If you're binging a slice of life episodic anime with very slow plot progression, then of course its going to feel like nothing ever happens. Even if you watch an episode weekly as it airs, it can still feel slow. I think the reason for this is because these stories are originally told through manga, which has a completely different release schedule.
My solution to this, was to limit how much of a show I watch.. Instead of binging a 12 episode anime in a day - limit yourself to 3-4 episodes a week. Maybe watch one show for an hour or so. That helps me with the pacing. Obviously this number will depend on the show itself and isn't a perfect solution, but its worked pretty well for me.
Also the X in SpyXFamily is silent I hope you get made fun of for saying it wrong like 40 times.
Watching Mushishi two episodes at a time before bed with a mug of green tea is bliss
mushishi mentioned let's go!!!
I like if a show has episodicx something roughly, but there is a thematic, character exploring or developing, or really anythong adding something to the world , it is still very xclear even if filler adding something, ok. Yes beach episodes can add a lot.
great video!! completely disagree about bebop lmao. also filler in general. i get wanting to see the plot progress but a lot of times i find that filler makes up my favorite episodes of some shows. it can get pretty egregious at times but i think that not everything has to move forward a plot. the overarching story of bebop is rarely present. the only reason it works at all (imo) is that we have had the time with these characters to care about them and their stories. you could argue that ed as a character has no plot bearing at all, but cutting them out would make the show so much worse. the dynamic of the crew and all of the poignant and sad moments throughout are what fill in the gaps left BY the plot. the filler is the real meat of the show. idk i just think viewing it like the plot trumps everything is kinda reductive. there are so many weird and striking and beautiful things that happen throughout the show that build the plot and characters up. that's what makes the show special. major respect for publicly not liking it, that takes a lot of guts
You are inaccurately using filler.
i am now watching JJK season 2 and so far it is pretty good but i just dont have time to watch anime anymore kinda sad TBH
i don't think Kaguya-sama should be grouped into the episodic anime category, as it has a pretty big Continuity Creep over the three seasons
I always felt like: why should I get intersted in characters that I will never hear about again, this feel like shit tbh
Golden Kamuy fans that get attached to characters who only appear for 2 eps: uh oh 🫣
@@dewifatmawati9660 some bluey characters barely show up an yet ya know whole videos are made about the deeper point the them
The main diference between the big 3 episodic animes and spyxfamily is that they have something called "edge" sinc3 they are mostly seinen they can explore more in terms of themes or comedy that most shonen can't. You can watch an episode from cowboy bebop and be amaze for the amount of creativity of action and theme they deliver in just one self contain episode like the pierrot episode, or you could just enjoy and relax for a normal episode made for laught like the mushroom episode.
Spyxfamily can have edge like the simpsons or the addams family but like those shows its mostly sitcom humor, a type of humor only made for a large audience to laught in between pauses. So they can't go beyond the standard writting they have to appeal to the mainstream audience not just a select group of audience. Thats why by beeing a shonen SxF dosn't have the same level of "edge" that the other series have. Plus since its longer than those its more easy to spot on the formula between each episode after the first 20 episodes. Ans spyxfamily right now has 37 with the manga still going on (we still having no progresión) and a filler movie that can't break the status quo.
gintama is cool cuz it takes its random episodic plot and somehow makes it into a long serial journey
The Whiteboard is my favourite reoccurring Heralen character
It’s hard to find an anime with a perfect balance of filler and story. I need filler, it keeps my emotions in check and gives me a breather.
Recently got to season 6 of my hero academia… I’m struggling needless to say ;-;
There are some moments where Spy x Family has a story arc that goes over multiple episodes.
Anya wanting to get into the school and when she finally gets in, her father gives her a Bondman Castle as her present.
No way bro just spent like 5 minutes downgrading my favorite anime of all time samurai champloo
great video tho respect your opinion
I never understood how anyone could think that spy family was not going to be insanely episodic.
Great Video :)
An example of a Journey episodic series. Golden Boy.
Each episode is Kentaro's own story of helping out a girl and/or girls he gets to work with during the episode, he stuffs up because he is a pervert but the girls are so into him they don't realize how much they love him until he is gone.
Only for each girl to return in the final episode of the OVA series for a massive plot that ties everything together.
What about anime that have a mix of both?
Uncle from Another world, when Uncle Usuke is interacting with his Nephew Takafumi, that is more episodic slice of life.
But when it comes to Uncle Usuke's adventures in another world back when he was in a coma, that is more of a serial storyline where we see how Uncle Usuke learned to survive in a fantasy world despite the mistakes he always makes.
The author of spy x family used to write very dark mangas, iirc. The publisher told em to make it kid friendly and, combined with the intriguing plot hook, the manga took off. BUT the takeoff is cuz of the promise that the plot will eventually come back in this lighthearted facade! WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?!?! (bomb plot was fun. Then i stopped)
Edit: Wait maybe i just confused him with the kaguya sama author...
Another example of episodic anime with overarching plot would be Meitantei Conan where commonly each 1-2 episodes are dedicated to a single case, occasionally having episodes or movies that's related to the black organization that turned the mc into a kid.
Yea I love spy x family, and for the first like 12 episodes I was hooked, but then out of nowhere I started getting the "This is boring" and "why is this so long" feeling lol. but I could re-watch Nichijou everyday. idk lol
Link is an Amazing episodic show that turns serialized by the end of S1
But Season 2 of Spy Family is serialised
as someone who watched spy family because i got interested in the characters, i dropped it in season 1 cour 2. it got too boring for me. no, it's not that i don't like fluff and meaningless episodes, i just really wanted the plot to advance because like it is said in the video, i got promised a plot, not a sunday morning cartoon u.u
also, i get your need to categorize stuff. i'm the same XD
how can something be so underrated
I got too many seasonals i havent kept up with to finish this video, but all i'll say is the hate SxF receives from the mainstream fans are insane.
Don't come into a slice of life expecting a plot with no fluff or cute meaningless episodes. Furthermore, I've seen many diss the second season so far because of the first 4 episodes, conpletely neglecting the fact that those episodes were literally just so that they could remind casual viewers of the character cast and their personalities again, kind of like a refresher. Freakin' anime elitists coning in complaining about it pretending they know everything when they couldnt even figure that simple conclusion out.
Ugh! Sick of it.
I'll save this to my watch later though and finish at a later date. 😊
King of making up terms 🔥 they might as well become official
3:45 bro, Gravity Falls is at most a level 2 on the episodic scale.
I think this problem only existed because the unfamiliarity of the story telling style and how different way the people consume said media.
The pratice of having some kind of big over arching premised and then having episodic narative style while the big plot point only happened every once in a while is such a common pratice especially on manga that serialized in Shonen Sunday. The most recent example being Frieren, and the most famous one probably Detective Conan and Inuyasha.
And in my opinion this kind of style is way more friendly and healthier to the mangaka. because yes they are filler that the mangaka can write on weekly basis so the reader can have something fun to read while the mangaka cooking some big story arc in the background without sacrificing their health or making rush decision on the story so it end up bad. And with Detective Conan have episode rivaling one piece and now Frieren on top of MAL 's anime ranking, we know that this style of storytelling is working. Especially since they are manga from weekly magazine, people can just take them whenever and read them without feeling left out most of the time.
And yes unlike story driven pace shonen manga like JJK, one piece and bleach where it was such a pain when you read weekly, but actually very fast pacing and good when you read them on volume, this kind of manga sometimes do feel mixed when you read them in a bulk because how slow the story often played out. And yea that would felt more in the anime because you cant just read them faster.
SAamurai Shamploo establishes itself as episodic from the beggining
How did you make a video about episodic anime without mentioning saiki k.? It literally has 5 episodes in 20 minutes and it's the best comedy anime ever.
Well, there were older anime like Speed Racer and Doreamon.
People needed to realize that the cold war premise is also a joke not a premise. Its Anya's story not Loid's or Yor's. The spy and assassin premise is a theme for the comedy that is Anya's life.
ngl the dog voice bothers me too
Okay, I'm pausing early, so I may need to come back and edit this comment/eat my words, but I think Cowboy Bebop absolutely delivered on its premise. The overarching plot was only drip fed, anyway, so wasn't a feature of ep 1. And in the end, that plot was wrapped up. Moreover, all the episodic narratives were vital character development that tied into the serial narrative. Primarily Cowboy Bebop was a character study and it follows its characters after their big moments (a bit Frieren-y in that respect), so the episodic scenarios were key to the character focus of the show. And in the end it got closer to its premise's conclusion in 26 episodes than One Piece, Bleach, or Naruto did in hundreds.
I don’t see why you call it a problem just because it’s not your favorite type of anime genre. Some people prefer episodic/sol type of animes, some other prefer stories that go straight to the point. At the end of the day, everything is valid, and everyone can like different things.
tbh spyxfamily seems more like a type 3 than a type 2 episodic show. It's problem is that the world building and plot could actually be really cool, but it was never really seriously addressed
You should have actually define what you mean by conflict.
It being episodic isn't an issue, the issue is that the author doesn’t have a message.
I see no problem here and theres no boring either
I didn't get the hype around Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, but their OST was enough for me to enjoy them
which level of episodic would hetalia fall on
As far as your Catagory 4 of episodic goes, one I can think of is Galaxy Angel.
Episodic is honestly best in manga.
I think that Detective Conan is a good example of a level 2/3 episodic anime.
The problem with episodic anime is that people treat it like it's serialized anime.
I recently dropped the SxF manga exactly because of the expectations it set up on itself.
It might've been fine if they sprinkled development here and there, but nothing of value has happened in 80 chapters.
If there is an arc, you know how the characters are going to react in it.
Loid; Is on a mission, doesn't react to it much emotionally, is in some disguise.
Anya; Too naive and reckless to do anything of importance unless it is leading her parents secretly
Yor; Unaware of anything, thinks everything is a housewife problem she doesn't understand and solves it through assassin violence.
In short, I have gotten bored. Side-characters don't matter or never return, the main characters won't have any progression and the plot isn't going anywhere.
If I wanted to watch an episodic show with a hint of overarching plot, where the main character helps other and he himself has character growth, I'd watch Natsuki's Book of Friends instead.
I don’t agree with your opinion but great video!!
How dare you to put Gravity Falls in level 4! Haven't seen it have you?
The thing with Spy x Family is that it's a show where the anime was made when the original manga is still in its relatively early stages. So the balance between SoL and main plot is quite awkward. Take Mob Psycho 100 for example, absolutely god tier show because of its pacing and plot development despite also being quite episodic because the author can focus on what he thinks is right for the series. Editors have a huge influence to how a manga direction is being set, with how popular Spy x Family is due to its SoL elements, the mangaka is kind of being forced to incorporate more SoL into his work because that's what earns them the big bucks from the anime franchise.
2:28 I died laughing
So you're ok with episodic series, but not serial series that ever take a break from moving the plot forward?
Highlighting Spy Family is unfair because the duality of the series is part of it's premise; lots of series artwork shows two sides to it. Full Metal Panic did the duality thing for it's first season, then alternated between serious & comedy series afterwards & felt lacking in comparison because we lose the contrast.
Scissor Seven is a Chinese series which wwas often episodic with building characters an some mystry so when season 3, 4 and an a Movie yet to release further the fuk you serious sthit but still being silly throughout
I has the MC having a poison born painful time worrying about his friends an still is able to bullshit with his love intrest to keep her mood up
Watch natsume yuujincho. Great episodic anime
Ranking of Kings S2 did a similar thing to Horimiya missing pisses
Except for that last episode
@@Ash_Wen-li ik, and it was peak
The main issue with shows like Spy x Fam is that they are centered on one core gimmick. In this case, its keeping your identity a secret. The issue now is that if you want the plot to progress, you put the central gimmick at risk. What happens when Loid's identity is revealed? The show will have to take a drastic turn. But right now, the show is massively popular because of the gimmick. So does the show take a risk and change up its core premise? Or just continue pumping out glorified filler because its a money printer? I think we all know the answer, sadly
At the time ism watching this video it gas like 110k likes? Its a bug ig? But if it will happen in the future iam all here for it 🙏
I mostly prefer slice of life. If a series has a plot then I want the entire story at once. I hate watching or reading something with a story and having to wait from week to week for tiny little snippets. I want to binge an actual story. So 90% of what I watch and read is slice of life.
Really good analysis but i came here wanting someone to shit on SPY x FAMILY and only got 1 min of it
13:11 Swap out Mushoku with Made in Abyss and this makes more sense. While MiA seems to have more forward momentum with the characters literally descending down a path they can’t return from, it’s really just a great excuse to explore a wild, interesting, and dangerous ecosystem and cause it’s characters immense pain and suffering. It’s good 👍. Can’t wait to find out what’s at the bottom.
tbh the spy x family anime is great but the manga is better
havent seen the anime but the manga is good
it is what killed spy x family for me, i loved the first season and went to the manga right away and man, chapter after chapter of nothing, every singgle arc ends the same way it started, i dont mind episodic series if the characters grow even if the plot doesnt move at all but spy x family is boring as hell, the animation made it good but thinking back it was never that good, you can watch ep 3 and then jump to ep 20 and the only thing youll miss is the introduction of bond, thats it, no plot development, no character development, nothing and it feels worst in the manga, is just boring
The samurai Champloo hate will not be tolerated in my ears so this is my verbal(?) dislike 😤
Good video overall tho
I F cking Hate This Guy, Not In A Bad Way, Just... 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣 I Can't Just Stop Laughing... Or Maybe I'm Way To High.
SAIKI K IS THE BEST EPISODIC ANIME!!! PLEASE WATCH SAIKI K!!
14:43 like shows like the twilight zone, the outer limits and love, death and robots.
Litle bit of an advice. Don't try to act funny if you don't know squat about other better shows if you don't want to mention your less favorite show. You sound like a forced mcu meme straight out of quatumania.
wahhhh wahhhh wahhhh
For me the episodic neuter of the anime isn't that bad but the s2 is just less funny and there is way less story then s1
why are you not famous yet lol!
No lupin the third reference damn...
Bad vid, mixed serialized episodic shows are the best type of shows. Episodic and serialized are equally good.
This is why black lagoon and ghost in the shell suck. Even though they have amazing aesthetic and character design, episodic/mini arc format sucks.