why do you watch toonami?

[CountFrylock]

with the rise of streaming services it seems foolish to some that anyone would tie themselves down to an outdated way of watching anime

Me? I Watch it for the community vibe i like discussing the shows weekly online with people in real time instead of watching something and realizing the discussion's already dead because the crowd's moved onto the next big show

I Like having all these shows in one place instead of needing several subscriptions to watch it all

I Watch the block every saturday night with my mother and it's become this ritual between us

you can't really get that with streaming services

[PokeNirvash]

It's anime that's available on TV so I can record it without having to go out of my way to make that happen (read: contributing to the family cable bill), it took up the reins of the dying ACTN block which I was still watching Bleach premieres on so it was a natural step forward, and even though I didn't watch it as extensively as the rest of you probably did (at least, not until Naruto fever took off), it's nice to have the block back after such a sudden and unceremonious cancellation.

Oh, and I guess the community discussion is nice too, when people aren't dogpiling on a single show like it's the cool thing to do.

Edited May 1, 2021 by PokeNirvash

[CountFrylock]

1 minute ago, PokeNirvash said:

It's anime that's available on TV so I can record it without having to go out of my way to make that happen (read: contributing to the family cable bill), it took up the reins of the dying ACTN block which I was still watching Bleach premieres on so it was a natural step forward, and even though I didn't watch it as extensively as the rest of you probably did (at least, not until Naruto fever took off), it's nice to have the block back after such a sudden and unceremonious cancellation.

Oh, and I guess the community discussion is nice too, when people aren't dogpiling on a single show like it's the cool thing to do.

Anytime you bring up toonami on some anime forum/sub-reddit/discord whatever

You'll always have those people who say "That Still Exists?!" or "Who the hell watches television anymore?...lol are you in an old folk's home"

[The1gairon]

... you know that's a good question. 

I guess the biggest reason right now is that I can interact with people online while the block is airing, and I always know you guys are on at the same time. For streaming shows which have no set schedule, I can't tell who else is online to talk so I have to either wait for them to get online later, or I forget to talk about it. These days an episode is only as important as the exact time it airs and a few minutes after that before everyone forgets about it, so by the time you do get around to watching it on your own schedule, the topic is dead and no one's interested anymore.

Oh and also Toonami sometimes has dub premieres. On even rarer occasions they have ACTUAL premieres, if they co-produced it.

Edited May 1, 2021 by elfie

[CountFrylock]

1 hour ago, elfie said:

... you know that's a good question. 

I guess the biggest reason right now is that I can interact with people online while the block is airing, and I always know you guys are on at the same time. For streaming shows which have no set schedule, I can't tell who else is online to talk so I have to either wait for them to get online later, or I forget to talk about it. These days an episode is only as important as the exact time it airs and a few minutes after that before everyone forgets about it, so by the time you do get around to watching it on your own schedule, the topic is dead and no one's interested anymore.

Oh and also Toonami sometimes has dub premieres. On even rarer occasions they have ACTUAL premieres, if they co-produced it.

the interactions are great but i realize that's something most people couldn't care less about because it requires them to put up with "An Outdated Form Of Watching Shows"

You'd be surprised how many people think toonami doesn't exist anymore because they don't have cable at all

[Blatch]

I'm a washed-up Toonami viewer whose only recent show they watched is Gridman, but I enjoy the block for most of the same reasons as the OP. I'd love to start being active on social media while it's going on again, but that'll take changing circumstances and maybe a bit of work.

[katt_goddess]

I remember a time when anime was something that SyFyllis played late at night maybe once every few months and if I was lucky enough I'd find it while channel surfing as I wrote term papers. It was a rare but glorious thing. So despite being able to access things online now with the ability to binge watch any series, I still enjoy having a set block to look forward to and just watch old school - one episode at a time, once a week. It's very relaxing.

The bonus is that if I do fall asleep during the block because it's been a long week, I at least have the capability to hunt down the missed episode online and watch it that way. 

The block also gives me some direction when it comes to potential series I might like since I'm not opposed to binge watching, I just prefer not to when possible. Especially series that have movies since movie acquisition is hit and miss, may be over a holiday like Labor Day where I'd miss it, or may be skipped over completely but I'd still be interested in hunting it down and watching it. 

[mochi]

because I'm a creature of Habit

[Ric]

I have other stuff to do three out of four Saturdays so I don't. And if I can't watch it as it airs might as well stick to streaming.

[ben0119]

I've been watching Toonami and Adult Swim Action for years, no reason for me to stop unless they cancel it completely or go full reruns.

Of course it is the last of its kind, anime on regular TV that isn't something like Pokemon or Beyblade.  As it is, there were probably quite a few shows I never would have watched if they hadn't aired them on TV.

That is the thing with streaming.  You tend know what you want to watch already and then go seek it out on wherever and whatever way you can watch it.  With TV, you may end up watching something out of your comfort zone and end up finding a gem.  Say you stumble upon something or see a promo for something.  And with Toonami, and my completionist rule, I'll watch whatever they put on.  I may not like everything they air, but I'll end up watching stuff that I end up loving that I may have never watched otherwise.  And I think it is still a way to bring in new anime fans and new fans of shows, so it still has its value.

And of course there is the community aspect.  Which you can't get with streaming unless you are staying current with a new release series.  A lot of people won't want to discuss a show they've already seen, and either way, you can't join a discussion before you finish a series or you run into spoilers.  It's an experience that really can't be replicated.

[Top Gun]

Sheer force of habit, for one. I've watched every single piece of anime that [as] has aired--good, bad, and godawful--for over 15 years now, and I'll keep watching them as long as the block still exists. There's still something great about knowing that I have a whole lineup of new episodes to watch every Saturday night. The social aspect is definitely a part of it too, since I know I have a chat full of people who are watching the same thing at the same time and are riffing on what's being shown. Beyond that, the main thing it provides for me is an external motivator. I'm terrible at watching shows I own physically on my own time, and streaming is right out since for whatever reason it's never clicked with me as a way to consume media, and I don't subscribe to any services. (We technically got a freebie Netflix subscription with Xfinity, but I haven't even bothered logging into it yet.) Knowing that these shows are airing at a set time each week means that I'm forced to tune in so that I don't fall behind. And the variety of shows appearing on the block over the years has meant that I've been exposed to many that I knew little to nothing about beforehand. I know it seems to be a dying entity, but the linear TV model just works for me.

[CountFrylock]

1 hour ago, Top Gun said:

Sheer force of habit, for one. I've watched every single piece of anime that [as] has aired--good, bad, and godawful--for over 15 years now, and I'll keep watching them as long as the block still exists. There's still something great about knowing that I have a whole lineup of new episodes to watch every Saturday night. The social aspect is definitely a part of it too, since I know I have a chat full of people who are watching the same thing at the same time and are riffing on what's being shown. Beyond that, the main thing it provides for me is an external motivator. I'm terrible at watching shows I own physically on my own time, and streaming is right out since for whatever reason it's never clicked with me as a way to consume media, and I don't subscribe to any services. (We technically got a freebie Netflix subscription with Xfinity, but I haven't even bothered logging into it yet.) Knowing that these shows are airing at a set time each week means that I'm forced to tune in so that I don't fall behind. And the variety of shows appearing on the block over the years has meant that I've been exposed to many that I knew little to nothing about beforehand. I know it seems to be a dying entity, but the linear TV model just works for me.

the social aspect is my favorite part...however what i do not like about the linear tv model is the way ratings are gauged(still have yet to know someone who participated in the nielsen survey)

[stilgar]

No.

[The1gairon]

9 hours ago, CountFrylock said:

the social aspect is my favorite part...however what i do not like about the linear tv model is the way ratings are gauged(still have yet to know someone who participated in the nielsen survey)

But Adult Swim said they no longer take ratings into consideration for how to run the channel anymore, so it may not matter.

[CountFrylock]

40 minutes ago, elfie said:

But Adult Swim said they no longer take ratings into consideration for how to run the channel anymore, so it may not matter.

it matters to the advertisers

[PokeNirvash]

All that matters is the ratings we don't see.

[CountFrylock]

33 minutes ago, PokeNirvash said:

All that matters is the ratings we don't see.

and as a result shows could be doing far far far better than anyone knows or so bad that it's shameful they were even allowed to continue

honestly  with all that in mind...why talk about toonami ratings when it's pointless garbage that's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things

if all that matters is information and knowledge we'll never know about

then gauging ratings is about as useful as collecting dog turds

yet people commonly discuss them on the toonami sub-reddit and there's a big topic to discuss these nothing burger ratings

so really shouldn't we just outright stop discussing those when what's important is something we can't see

Edited May 3, 2021 by CountFrylock

[The1gairon]

3 hours ago, PokeNirvash said:

All that matters is the ratings we don't see.

There's secret ratings!?

#ratingsgate

[Top Gun]

6 hours ago, CountFrylock said:

and as a result shows could be doing far far far better than anyone knows or so bad that it's shameful they were even allowed to continue

honestly  with all that in mind...why talk about toonami ratings when it's pointless garbage that's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things

if all that matters is information and knowledge we'll never know about

then gauging ratings is about as useful as collecting dog turds

yet people commonly discuss them on the toonami sub-reddit and there's a big topic to discuss these nothing burger ratings

so really shouldn't we just outright stop discussing those when what's important is something we can't see

I've wondered for years why some of you guys still bother giving them any notice. Just watch and enjoy the block for as long as it lasts.

[CountFrylock]

On 5/3/2021 at 6:11 PM, Top Gun said:

I've wondered for years why some of you guys still bother giving them any notice. Just watch and enjoy the block for as long as it lasts.

i think it happens because those are the only numbers we have access to and some  people like to know how the shows they enjoy are doing  because You can't really think if a show does horribly that toonami would keep it around unless the cost to air it is so cheap that they don't care

[Chapinator_X]

It’s been ages since I’ve regularly kept up with Toonami, but my current brush-ins have been while I’m doing late night channel surfing on vacation.

[CountFrylock]

On 5/3/2021 at 2:10 PM, elfie said:

There's secret ratings!?

#ratingsgate

yeah the one Demarco and crew have access to but nobody else does

[mochi]

and 'cause It's fun to chat with you guys about the block

Edited May 10, 2021 by mochi

[ben0119]

On 5/3/2021 at 12:39 AM, CountFrylock said:

the social aspect is my favorite part...however what i do not like about the linear tv model is the way ratings are gauged(still have yet to know someone who participated in the nielsen survey)

We got some Nielsen booklets some years ago, but we weren't ultimately chosen as a Nielsen household.  I guess we weren't worthy lmao. 

I remember I made sure to watch and write down everything on Toonami, even the reruns and the stuff I hate.  I usually watch everything anyways, but a lot of the reruns I would skip.

It's too bad we didn't get picked to have the boxes!

[CountFrylock]

1 minute ago, ben0119 said:

We got some Nielsen booklets some years ago, but we weren't ultimately chosen as a Nielsen household.  I guess we weren't worthy lmao. 

I remember I made sure to watch and write down everything on Toonami, even the reruns and the stuff I hate.  I usually watch everything anyways, but a lot of the reruns I would skip.

It's too bad we didn't get picked to have the boxes!

and it's too bad that according to demarco those numbers are irrelevant and what matters are the secret numbers only adultswim can see...

 

 

[ben0119]

14 minutes ago, CountFrylock said:

and it's too bad that according to demarco those numbers are irrelevant and what matters are the secret numbers only adultswim can see...

That probably wouldn't upset me too much, since the Nielsen numbers are a probably an inaccurate shitty sample anyway.  It's archaic and antiquated.  Networks would be pretty stupid to keep putting so much stock in it.

[CountFrylock]

On 5/9/2021 at 3:40 AM, ben0119 said:

That probably wouldn't upset me too much, since the Nielsen numbers are a probably an inaccurate shitty sample anyway.  It's archaic and antiquated.  Networks would be pretty stupid to keep putting so much stock in it.

some people say a more accurate system would be considered invasion of privacy and that they can't just track what everyone in the country watches on cable

or they say there's no better way than the nielsen system because maybe anything else would take too much work

as you said it's an outdated system one that always annoys me because I Always watch toonami but I'm not considered a viewer...instead a very small amount of people that were randomly selected are considered actual viewers

most of which probably don't watch toonami every week and are simply bored channel surfers

[ben0119]

On 5/10/2021 at 4:06 AM, CountFrylock said:

some people say a more accurate system would be considered invasion of privacy and that they can't just track what everyone in the country watches on cable

or they say there's no better way than the nielsen system because maybe anything else would take too much work

as you said it's an outdated system one that always annoys me because I Always watch toonami but I'm not considered a viewer...instead a very small amount of people that were randomly selected are considered actual viewers

most of which probably don't watch toonami every week and are simply bored channel surfers

It's pretty funny given how everything else is tracked and most people don't seem to care (or understand what cookies are and how they work.)  Might as well track everyone's TV viewing habits lol.

Well I think niche stuff could be harmed more by inaccurate sampling.  Well, anime isn't so niche anymore, but still.

[CountFrylock]

6 hours ago, ben0119 said:

It's pretty funny given how everything else is tracked and most people don't seem to care (or understand what cookies are and how they work.)  Might as well track everyone's TV viewing habits lol.

Well I think niche stuff could be harmed more by inaccurate sampling.  Well, anime isn't so niche anymore, but still.

that's the thing...when you sample so few people and some of them are probably old folks falling asleep at the tv on one channel

it's not what I'd call accurate

[CountFrylock]

i think one major reason why i enjoy toonami is because i miss when saturday meant something on television and it wasn't just a day for networks to put on filler content