Anime lends itself to marathons for some reason. Fans love to pick out a series, sit down, and watch it on end. Part of this may be because most anime series are self contained limited series. Shows like Witch Hunter Robin and Neon Genesis Evangelion only have twenty or so episodes. As such, you can go through the whole thing in a day if you so chose, and often anime fans do.
Unlike most shows, a three hour block does not constitute a marathon. Anime fans go hardcore and dedicate about 8-12 hours for their anime marathons, sometimes going even further beyond that.
Having an anime marathon seems simple enough, you put the DVD in the player, sit down and watch it. Well, yeah, but much like making a mix tape, having an anime marathon is an art that requires a lot of preparation and skill.
The first thing to consider is whether you want this to be a group or solo activity. It can often be fun to get a group of fans together to watch a series. Sometimes, however, you want to hermit it up, close yourself off in a room and spend the day watching anime.
Which one you choose will affect the setting. If you're hosting a large group, you will want enough seating. A love seat works really well in this regard. If you're on your own, you have a bit more flexibility as you can simply use your bedroom.
You'll want to use the largest television you have possible. If you are going to watch it on your computer, it's advised that you use your laptop as that grants you greater movement. While it's possible to spend that much time in a desk chair, having the option to lay down or to adjust positions will make the process much easier.
One important factor in your marathon is which series to choose. There are, after all, tons of anime series out there that range from lengths of six episodes to a couple hundred.
While FLCL is indeed a great series, watching that in its entirety doesn't really constitute a marathon. On the other side of the spectrum you have shows like Dragonball Z or Yu Yu Hakusho that are over 200 episodes long.
You can certainly choose one of these, and maybe go through one of the "sagas", but there's a certain joy that comes from watching a series from beginning to end. As such, the shows that have about 20 episodes are the ones you'll want to target. Shows like the aforementioned Evangelion, Witch Hunter Robin, Hellsing, or Blue Gender are also of appropriate length.
You'll want to be well rested before starting this particular venture. It is definitely not fun realizing you've dozed off and have to backtrack to figure out where you left off. This also becomes a problem as it becomes more difficult to allot the necessary time you need.
Beverages and snacks are a must. This will help keep you in one spot as opposed to constantly getting up. It will also make the experience more enjoyable as it's always good to have a tasty beverage on hand. As for what snack to choose? Chips are always a good choice. You could do it movie style and cook up some popcorn. You'll want something that you can snack on endlessly. Cookies are great, but they aren't the type of food that you can munch on for hours on end. Well, you can, but it's not as acceptable to eat a whole bag of cookies as it is to tear through a big bowl of chips.
If you are hosting a large group, be sure to have plenty of food. It's better to have too much and have snackage left over than to run out halfway through.
Also, be sure to use the facilities beforehand. Try to take care of anything that may disrupt the flow of the marathon before you get started so that it doesn't become a problem later.
Now, the question arises of whether or not to watch it dubbed or subbed. If you are watching the series on your own, obviously go with your own personal preference. If there's a group you can put it to a vote (yay democracy!)
Anime marathons can be challenging, but they are always fun. There's quite a bit to consider, but at the end of the day, all of the effort you put into it will pay off in the end.
Yahoo Voices Article
*Originally published on 4/22/08
If you're an anime fan then, odds are, you've had at the very least a mini marathon. You set aside a block of a couple of hours where you sit down to watch several episodes of a series. Unlike most tv shows, a 3 hour block does not constitute a marathon, not when it comes to anime anyways. Much like creating a mix tape, having an anime marathon is an art that requires a lot of planning and skill. Several factors are involved in having a marathon of this sort.
The first is picking which series you want to watch. Most anime series have an average of 25 episodes. Neon Genesis Evangelion, Escaflowne, Witch Hunter Robin all have about this number. Hellsing has about 15 I think. These are the series you want to gun for. The more mainstream anime series (DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha) are a couple of hundred episodes. While you might be able to go through an arc of such a series, I would recommend going for one that isn't so lengthy. Having the story come to a complete end within your time parameters is a nice plus. You also don't want to go for a series that is too short. FLCL is only six episodes. It's a highly enjoyable series, and worth watching, but viewing this in its entirety does not constitute a true anime marathon.
Your average marathon will run you from 8-10 hours. As such it would be a good idea to do this when you have a large block of free time and no obligations the next day. Friday or Saturday are your ideal days, if you work in retail then the day before your day off is what you want to gun for. You also want to eliminate all distractions and make sure that you have no prior engagements. This is a marathon after all.
Which ever room has the largest tv is the room you want. If that doesn't work, then whichever room will allow you to have your viewing uninterrupted will also work. Either way, just make sure you're comfortable. Recliners are ideal but a comfortable couch or bed will do just nicely. It has to be a place where you can stretch your legs. It would be impossible, or at the very least very uncomfortable, to remain in one position for the duration so you want something that allows you to shift around with little to no trouble.
Make sure you're well rested. If you're comfortable enough, no matter how engaging the show is you will be tempted to curl up and take a small nap. Don't do this. If you do, you'll have to backtrack to see at which point you dozed off and go through episodes that you should have already seen. It also makes it more difficult to complete uninterrupted. You may be able to secure 10 hours to yourself but if you fall asleep at hour 5 for 6 hours, there's a good chance someone's going to want something from you before you finish your second set of 5.
You'll definitely want a beverage of some kind on hand. I usually go with soda, but if you prefer something else then go with that. This will give you energy should you start to tire and will also keep you from getting up repeatedly to get something to drink. Seeing as you are going to be there for a while, I suggest going with a large container, a big gulp or a 2 liter bottle of said item. If you have a mini fridge in the room then this is not as urgent an issue as you can easily grab a new can or glass between episodes or disc switches.
As you need drinks you will also need snacks. I usually go with chips but pretzels or popcorn will work just as well. While I enjoy cookies as much as the next person (more so even) I don't recommend going with these simply because they are not particularly filling and most people don't like the idea of going through a whole package of cookies in one sitting.
An important choice you have to make is whether to watch the series dubbed over in English or in Japanese with subtitles. If you hate subtitles, then you'll want to go with the dub. I myself have no problem with them and go with the subbed version when watching anime. If you don't them then I recommend going with the subtitles as they are usually better (DBZ is one exception where I prefer the dubbed version over the subtitles). Just be aware that if you watch the series in English and bring this up among fellow anime fans, depending on the person there's a good chance that they will chide you for it.
Much like before going on a long drive you will also want to use the facilities before beginning this endeavor. If you're not used to sitting and watching television for hours on end you may want to work your way up to the 10 hour block. You wouldn't run a marathon without spending a few months on a jogging regiment, the same idea applies here.
In closing, if you are new to anime just be prepared for a good deal of angst. Also, depending on which series you choose, don't be surprised if the ending is borderline incomprehensible, these are known as mind f-s and are fairly common in anime (Boogiebop Phantom is just one giant mind fuck from beginning to end). You just have to roll with it.
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