What to do when you’re waiting for a show’s next season

Recently, season 2 of One-Punch Man was confirmed to be in the works, which is great news! But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad for the Attack On Titan fandom. Those guys have been hoping for a second batch of episodes for almost 4 years. I know, I am one of them.

Those of you that follow my work know I’m not fond of watching shows as soon as they air. Today, I would like to talk about one of the main perks of doing so: Not having to worry about when the next season is coming.

I remember when I ended the first season of Attack On Titan. Eager for more, I read the manga, bought merchandise, that not-so-good 3DS game, and braced myself waiting for Summer 2014 when we were supposed to get season 2. And then came Summer 2015. And Summer 2016. Now I don’t even care anymore: if I happen to be alive when the second season is released I’ll watch it, but I don’t count on it.

And I wonder how many people feel the same way. Don’t get me wrong, I know how it goes. We say we won’t ever watch a show again, but we do it anyway when it’s back on, and the investment and loyalty are never the same. When a new season hits the streaming sites, like Crunchyroll, there is a huge chance that, unless we were talking about your favorite show, you no longer remember every character’s name or what happened to them if it wasn’t a key plot point.

This would not be a problem if we were living 10 or 15 years ago, but as we once discussed, we live in the age of hype. We are encouraged to get involved as much as possible with a show as soon as it’s available (sometimes as soon as it’s announced!) and to make it the center of our lives. It doesn’t sound smart to me to wait 4-5 years to release the second season, when the potential public (and buyers) may have well have moved onto something else.

What can we do to change that?

There’s not much we can do to impact the way the industry works. First of all, we must understand how difficult it is to animate a show and how long it takes. The amount of money and hours of hard work put into it is incredible. But how should we let companies know our opinion? Asking the folks behind Attack On Titan & Shirobako to hurry up is not the smartest idea. They probably hear it every single day from other fans, executives, and most importantly, themselves.

But it would be nice to praise the animation studios, such as Mad House and JC Staff, the teams behind Shokugeki no Soma and One-Punch Man (just to name a few) and let them know how grateful we are for their fast delivery. Buying their products, watching their content legally, and personally thanking them on social media might be a great message for those that, for whatever reasons, take so long to bring us new episodes.

Also, if someone is hosting a panel at a convention you’re going to, make sure to attend. Be nice, ask questions, and show them why you like their product and how you’re supporting them.

What can we do when we believe a season takes too long to arrive?

This is a good moment to try to forget about how long it may take for the new episodes to arrive. Thinking about it will only make the wait seem longer than it is. If the show was adapted, take this chance to read the manga/light novel if you haven’t already. Learn more about the sakuga, the animation process. Sakugabooru is a great resource for that.

Re-watch the episodes, focusing more on the details. Draw fanart, write fanfics, come up with theories, and share everything with the community. Introduce the show to a friend. You can also use this time to dive into other products. It’s highly possible that you can find official light novels, manga, OVAs, video games, etc.

Another good idea is to check out the series that influenced your favorite show. Are you into modern mecha? Take a look at Mobile Police Patlabor or the classic Gundam series, for example. You can also try going the other way and look out for artists that were influenced by your favorite anime. Even when we’re talking about newer shows, it’s easy to find those that spawned from the show you’re into. Another good idea is to check out more about the same genre. Who knows, you might even find a new favorite!

What you should NOT do under any circumstances

Common sense, guys. It doesn’t matter how long it takes for the studio to release a new season, it is never a good excuse to harass those who work on the project. Not in person, not on the Internet, not in any way. Try to understand the situation is way harder for them than it is for you. You’ll get much better results by encouraging them with kind words rather than bashing them. Positive reinforcement goes a long way!

In the end, patience is key. The wait can make those new episodes taste even better, as long as you know how to handle it. Make sure to use that time wisely and in a positive way, by contributing to the community, learning more about the series or genre, supporting the hardworking artists responsible for it, introducing the show to someone, or preparing for the new batch of episodes.

What was the show that you waited for the longest? How did you cope with it? Do you have any techniques you’d want to share with us?

Sources:
One-Punch Man clip – Sakugabooru