How do you deal with completing a good anime?

Voddas

Voddas

Symphogear
Like most of you, I use anime as an escape form the real world, somewhere where I can forget about how mundane and boring day to day life is, and just fantasize about something more! Even then, there are times that you watch a series that really hits home with you. By this I don't just mean, characters you can relate to, or that the series shares a similar scenario that happened to you.
What I mean is; you've just watched a series that you've got completely consumed with. You know the kind I mean. I mean that series you were still thinking about when you went to sleep, when you woke up, eagerly awaiting the moment you can continue onto the next Episode.
Then it happens. Even though it was inevitable. Your flying through the series and then the the final episode comes to a close. Suddenly you find yourself sat in silence, with no option to watch what happens next you suddenly feel a massive hole in your soul that screams out "What do I do now?" Like an emptiness that you feel you will never again be able to fill.
I know I might be sounding a little melodramatic, but I guarantee most, if not all of you have felt the same way at some point, otherwise you wouldn't enjoy and watch anime as much as you do!

So my question is "How do you guys and gals cope with this?"

I personally struggled to watch anime for a little while (like a night off, HAH).
It's true though, I fear the my next choice will be a huge disappointment to me so I delay my viewings. Obviously I get over it and get back into anime heavily until that moment it happens again! TT_TT

Anyway, I've blown the dust from my profile to come and pose this question today as it recently happened "again" to me and I don't have anyone in my personal that would be able to relate.

On another note, I apologize if I don't respond immediately, or with any haste for that matter, as I'm a very busy man. Respect the Business Tie!
 
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For me, if I really enjoyed an anime then I go and seek out the manga or the light novels (if they're licensed in English) and go from there. DanMachi is a good example of a series that I have become completely engrossed in and now eagerly await the latest volumes of the novels coming out. Your Lie in April is a case where the original story was finished, but thanks to the license of the manga I got to relive the whole thing all over again in a new medium and that really helps with the aimless feeling after completing an anime!
 
The only real solution to move on is to find the next great show that will put you in the same state of mind again. Or, as @Demelza says, find out if the original source material has been translated into English and read that. Even if there's no continuation, you can at least experience it again in a slightly different way!
 
If I get engrossed in something that badly I end up finding its source material (if it has one), and dive into that. Once I get through all of that then I just mope around for a day till I get over it.
 
I know what your sayings peeps. I too have used the original source material as a way to escape that feeling in the past.

I try not to do as much these days as a cost issue. Plus you go through the whole process again when you finish the manga! :( Either that or a decade later you're still following the same story... *cough*Berserk*cough*

There's no right or wrong answer really. I just find it interesting to know how other fans deal with FINALEPISODEDEPRESSION. :)
 
Voddas said:
you suddenly feel a massive hole in your sole that screams out
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I'd buy a new pair of shoes...

The trick to this is own a whole lot of anime that makes you feel like this. Have at least 30 or 40 best ever soul ennervating stories on your shelf. Finish one and then move onto the next one. If, as you say you're a busy man with a tie, then you'll probably have just enough time in your life to watch 1 or 2 episodes a day. Or if you're watching more than that, actually stretch things out to one episode a day, a treat, don't be beholden to the binge. With 30 or 40 best ever shows, it will take you 2 years of watching one episode a day to get back to the show you just watched, by which time it will be fresh enough for you to appreciate again.
 
I try to see if the manga/light novel is released in English, especially if the series is still ongoing and there doesn't seem to be more anime happening. Otherwise I play video games until I feel like watching any more anime.
 
Just Passing Through said:
I'd buy a new pair of shoes...
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Aww crap!

Just Passing Through said:
The trick to this is own a whole lot of anime that makes you feel like this. Have at least 30 or 40 best ever soul ennervating stories on your shelf. Finish one and then move onto the next one. If, as you say you're a busy man with a tie, then you'll probably have just enough time in your life to watch 1 or 2 episodes a day. Or if you're watching more than that, actually stretch things out to one episode a day, a treat, don't be beholden to the binge. With 30 or 40 best ever shows, it will take you 2 years of watching one episode a day to get back to the show you just watched, by which time it will be fresh enough for you to appreciate again.
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I do own a lot of anime and I do frequently re-watch series in between new shows, and yes I do sometimes use this as a coping mechanism. I usually end up re-watching something when I finish a series I thought was "ok" but could have been a whole lot better. Then I go re watch a series of a similar genre to make up for the previous shows inadequacies.

Rena Ryuugu said:
I try to see if the manga/light novel is released in English, especially if the series is still ongoing and there doesn't seem to be more anime happening. Otherwise I play video games until I feel like watching any more anime.
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Another one I use. Being as busy as I am these days, I sadly have to choose how I use my limited free time. That usually results in either anime or gaming... I can't do both at the same time for any satisfying length of time. Growing up sucks in that respect. :(
 
If you'd asked this questionn about 12 years ago (Jesus I'm getting old) I'd give an answer akin to what you've heard, but now a day detoxes me and I move onto other things in general (my anime viewing has curtailed with more important issues and general life experiences so I haven't got to the point of dispear of needing anime for a very long time). Saying that one of things I still like to do is if I've watched a nice anime is to see what other anime surround it, such as spin-offs or extra episodes (by that I mean earlier series and other anime from the series that were never released here or are OOP). As it stands most of my anime adventuring is for OOP anime.

Also being someone who buy's rather than streams I'm rarely at a loss as I'm in a great position to rewatch an anime.

The only thing I will say as a DIRE WARNING. Don't get too involved as not only can it get expensive, the burnouts are severe. If you are forcing yourself or feel forced (note compelled) you will hit a wall very soon and the joy of anime will escape you. Try to focus on one or two anime at a time and don't feel you need to binge or watch the whole way through even if you like it.
 
I'd watch it again if and when I'm that invested in a show. But most of the time I don't get to do that as there are so many others shows and experiences I still want to have, so I tend to move on quite quickly these days to the next thing, being invested in decades worth of Anime means there is always something to move onto.

But yeah my advice would be to either rewatch it or to just let that experience sink in for a week, as others say listen to the soundtracks, watch AMVs or read up on the show and how others experienced it and just essentially digest the show. Then when your ready move onto the next thing.

I would also try to not worry about whether the next experience is going to be as good, I mean there are plenty of resources out there to help make that more likely but sometimes something more mindless and not as intensive can be a nice change of pace. A nice anime snack before the next big meal lol
 
I never get tired of anime. But I do get very skittish about ending a good show. I was too afraid to end Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu for weeks last season which completely delayed me starting this one, and there are a few shows I have physically on disc which I've stalled on as I'm afraid to see them through to the end.

I do get heavily into the supplemental materials for my top shows, like manga, doujinshi, drama CDs, image songs etc, which helps to prolong the experience. Some just end with little fanfare though. It sucks.

R
 
Rui said:
I never get tired of anime. But I do get very skittish about ending a good show. I was too afraid to end Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu for weeks last season which completely delayed me starting this one, and there are a few shows I have physically on disc which I've stalled on as I'm afraid to see them through to the end.
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Funny you say this, but I've noticed I do this with Manga sometimes, stall things a few volumes from the end.

Been a while since I was really drawn in by an Anime. If I liked it I generally have a look round for the original source. I have also learnt that if the Anime was the original source the Manga's etc probably are not worth my time. If the original was a light novel I tend to find the Manga is pretty good as it has material to work from and ofc if the LN is translated that's the best.
 
Rui said:
I never get tired of anime. But I do get very skittish about ending a good show. I was too afraid to end Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu for weeks last season which completely delayed me starting this one, and there are a few shows I have physically on disc which I've stalled on as I'm afraid to see them through to the end.

I do get heavily into the supplemental materials for my top shows, like manga, doujinshi, drama CDs, image songs etc, which helps to prolong the experience. Some just end with little fanfare though. It sucks.

R
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I sometimes attempt to avoid the 'it's all over' feeling by immediately starting again at the first episode/ volume or two... and then leaving things there to try to recreate that 'it's all to play for' excitement. (I'm glad to find I'm not the only one who doesn't want to watch that final episode/read the last volume...)

Then there's the CLAMP phenomenon. But I won't get started on that here...
 
I only really delay watching the end of a good anime if I'm watching the series as the episodes are being released. A single episode of anime doesn't cut it for me, there has to be at least two episodes (preferably more) available. This is actually why I haven't started on Attack on Titan S2 or My Hero Academia S2 yet. I will probably use my preferred technique of watching the series in full in as fewer sittings as possible. Not ideal with the high risk of spoilers, but it's how it is.
 
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