Kara Dennison
February 23, 2021 
Years ago, our problems as anime fans were much different. First off, even finding the shows we wanted to watch proved to be a challenge. Then there was the sub vs. dub debate — an issue that’s not actually an issue anymore thanks to multiple language tracks. But now that we have anime streaming and manga simulpubs, yesterday’s problems seem awfully far away.
Now, though, we’ve got new problems… problems that, frankly, our younger selves would’ve killed to have. When compared to a sheer inability to access things, we’ll take the new inconveniences gladly. What are some “issues” you’ve run into?
Getting a Manga Spoiled Before the Simulpub
Anime streaming sites are great to have… but so are manga simulpubs. For those of us who like our stories straight out of the comic faucet, they’re a godsend. Not only are licensing sites doing this, but so are companies like Shonen Jump. We can stay up to date on all our faves like never before.
Sadly, some people just want to watch the world burn. And in an age when we get manga as it comes out, there are people finding ways to get to it before it comes out. For those of us wanting to read legally, and get our dollar to the creators, it’s a bummer (to put it lightly) to see the next chapter wrecked early on Twitter. Stopping it is like playing Whack-a-Mole, but at least we still have ways to support creators legitimately.
Site Crashes During a Big Premiere
Before anime streaming became a thing, how long did you have to wait for the next installment of a show? Depending on the series, it could be anywhere from a week to ten years. (We’ve been through Giant Robo, we know.) So being able to watch on the day — to the minute — is a dream come true. But, sadly, bandwidth is a thing.
Big titles like Attack on Titan and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure bring sites down with the sheer force of their popularity. Thousands of viewers (us amongst them) pile in to watch the hottest new episodes as they air… and sometimes the site isn’t quite ready. Fortunately, we just have to wait a few hours. A few hours? It’s hard to believe that a few years ago, we’d wait weeks without breaking a sweat.
Too Many Shows to Watch
There was a time when you watched whatever anime you found because it was anime. (That’s how we ended up watching Dream Dimension Hunter Fandora. Don’t ask.) DVDs made life a little easier, but anime streaming sites made it easier still. Now, we can see whole seasons of anime as they air… and there’s so much of it.
For those of us who want to be on the bleeding edge, we’re watching (as YouTuber Gigguk once pointed out) the equivalent of a full season of anime every week. Of course, we could always just… not watch as much. Right?
Don’t get us wrong, these are problems we’re glad to have. It means the industry’s come a long way, and will likely grow even more. What “problems” have you encountered in your modern anime viewing life? (And seriously, they’re not actual problems, are they?)
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