Considering the vast amount of anime that exists, how is a person to choose whether to watch something again or try something new? The possibilities are endless and can be a daunting choice. Here are some of my ways in which I decide which to go with.

Remember kids, everyone’s gonna have a different opinion on shows and likes or dislikes, so please take this with a grain of salt. Here we go:

#1 Gage your mood:

I take this step because depending on how I’m feeling on a given day; it can affect what I want to watch. If I just had a really hard day, then there’s a good chance I’ll be watching something cutesy that night. Knowing what emotional state you’re in can save you a lot of flip flopping between shows and never committing.

#2 Consider your tiredness levels:

I’ve had it happen so many times where I tried watching a show tired and then ended up being bored or hating it. Giving it a few weeks till I was more awake I’d go back and try it again, only to find that I actually loved the show. If you’re dead tired from the day or week you’ve had, then the usual thing is to stay with something tried and true. Otherwise you won’t be willing to give the new show a chance to do its thing.

#3 Consider recs that friends have given:

I’ve watched some beautifully done shows and some not so well done shows based off of recs that my friends gave me. Not everything is going to be a gem and vice versa, but it’s important to keep in mind that your friends know your taste in shows so it should be ok to trust them….right?

#4 Know whether you’re a single or group watcher:

This is a big one—I feel—as there have been times I wished I’d watched that new show by myself to take it in. There are always going to be talkers and some people take in information about a show like this, but if you’re someone like me it’s helpful to watch something new by yourself for the first time and then go to a group.

Hopefully these are some things that can help you choose or at least decide to watch something new or familiar. I know everyone’s got his or her own tastes and ways of doing it, but hopefully this was helpful in some way.