#Guideline to a successful rewatch:
(Big cheers to /u/Spiranix for writing this up)
Introduction:
What is the purpose of this guide?
At their best, rewatches can be a fun and engaging way to interact with something worthwhile, to establish camraderie among likeminded peers, and to bring attention to a program that may have flown under the radar of people while it was airing or may be entirely new to people who are only recently getting into the scene. However, rewatches can very easily become an underwhelming or even taxing experience for those hosting/participating if the necessary considerations are ignored and if the person in charge isn't on top of their duties. I'll be writing the following guide under the presumption of having had hosted a few rewatches of varying success, and being a part of/observing multiple rewatches at varying degrees of attendance, both large and small, over the course of the last year. I'll be citing examples here and there whenever necessary, to provide better context.
Before we get into the actual guide, however, we need to take a moment to figure out what is meant by a "rewatch", and what makes one "successful", to determine whether or not this is an idea you may be interested in and are willing to take part of.
What is a "rewatch"?
For those of you questioning what a "rewatch" is, under the context of the sub, it's a type of organized watch program that's hosted by users to sit down and revisit a series that has already finished airing. The practice is similar to that of a book club, wherein interested parties are given a scheduled time for all of them to meet up (in this case, on the sub) in order to discuss what they've all watched the day/night before. While the name implies that the participants will be watching a series that they're already familiar with, this isn't always the case, as a lot of times there'll be a mixed audience of both people experiencing the work for the first time and those who are taking the opportunity to see something again that they've already experienced.
What is a "successful" rewatch, as opposed to an "unsuccessful" one?
People have different reasons to launch rewatches, just like people have different reasons attending them. Whether or not the incentive is a clear one (more on this below), or the incentive is as cut and dry as "here is a good anime, we should watch it", a rewatch is, more often then not, launched on the back of some kind of idea, which is premeditated by an understanding of what one wants to accomplish with it. Therefore, whether or not a rewatch is "successful" can be determined differently by different people. However, for the context of this guideline, we will be defining success under the presumption that the rewatch is capable of establishing and retaining consistent participation as a community-wide event.
When deciding what show to pick, there are some questions you should be asking yourself:
Is the show popular? If not, does it have a storied legacy, a strong fanbase, or relevancy to an upcoming program?
Popularity is a a bit hard to gauge, but a good rule of thumb is whether or not the MAL (MyAnimeList) popularity rank places it among its top ~500 (e.g. FMA 2003). Determining legacy can be done similarly, by looking at whether or not the MAL score rank places it among the top ~500 in that category (e.g. White Album 2), or whether or not the series has enough name recognition or sub popularity to pique interests on that alone (e.g. So Ra No Wo To. Strong fanbases can be determined by looking at how established the work is or how far its developed as a franchise, as well as looking at whether or not there are active subreddits or communities for it online (e.g. Mobile Suit Gundam). Relevancy to an upcoming installment in a franchise can also be a strong incentive to participate as it sets an obvious goal (e.g. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure).
Has the show been rewatched on the sub before? If so, was the last rewatch recent?
Sometimes we aren't active on the sub when a rewatch is being hosted, which can feel like a missed opportunity. Sometimes, a rewatch will be just as successful or moreso the second time around, especially if paced out accordingly (e.g. the Haruhi holiday rewatch: Haruhi the first time and Haruhi the second time). However, if the distance between rewatches is only a few months, you'll be attracting a smaller audience as those who would have been interesting may've already participated in the previous one (e.g. Code Geass the first time and the second Code Geass the second).
Does the show fit under the base target demographic of the sub? If not, does it have broad appeal?
The Start of Winter 2016 Survey lists the average age of r/anime viewers as 20.11 years old and the gender ratio as being 91.3% male to 8.7% being comprised of the other genders. Therefore, the most participation can usually be expected out of series that fall under the demographic labels for shows that are designated for older male audiences and cater to the interests that such an audience might have (Seinen in lieu of Shoujo, e.g. the difference between Raildex and Cardcaptor Sakura). However, there have been cases of successful rewatches for titles that would fall outside of that survey information, so if you recognize that your show might contain mass appeal and would check off a few of the conditions listed above, and you are ready to be thorough in your spearheading of your project, then go ahead and gauge interest (e.g. Chihayafuru).
Did the show run recently, or is it an older program? If the former, would it be "too soon" to rewatch? If the latter, is the nostalgia or name recognition strong enough to carry an audience?
A large part of the the community is interested in shows from '00s and onward, which means that series from this era in anime (the shift to digipaint and away from cel animation) will more often than not receive the most attention and, by extension, the most interest (e.g. Sakura Trick). However, the scenario might come up where proposing a rewatch of a show too soon after it finishes airing results in backlash from the community and have difficulty moving past the planning stages (e.g. DanMachi). On the opposite side of the spectrum, a series might not find approval if it's considered too old to sustain interest in the same way as a more modern title might, even if they were a part of the same franchise (e.g. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 interest thread and the Mobile Fighter G-Gundam interest thread ;_;). There are cases, though, where an older series can be just as successful in a rewatch format as a newer series if it is acclaimed enough or has a standing presence in the community, so if you have a title from the '90s or older that you're considering to pitch, take the above factors into consideration and it could work (e.g. Berserk.)
Now that you've chosen your show, it's time to gauge interest. The most courteous way to do this is to consult the public with a thread, usually proposing the name of the show in the title and including some information in the header.
In some cases, you can sell your pitch with the name of a show by itself and a little blurb in the text body if the time is just right (e.g. Natsume Yuujinchou). While this method works sometimes, it's best suited for cases where the show you're looking to pitch has a lot of relevancy at the moment (sequel on the horizon, holiday theme, etc.), so if you know you have a show that may not be as relevant, you might have to prepare a bit more.
If what you're trying to get approved is a series a little off the beaten path, one that may've already been the subject of a previous rewatch, or maybe one that can be construed as old, you might have to be a little bit more prepared to grab interest if interest isn't readily there. In this case, here's some things you might want to include:
- Database info (MAL, ANN, etc)
- Some eye-catching information, like important staff info or a plot synopsis of some kind
- A [WT!], or, if there isn't one, write a small one up for the text body
- A pre-emptive plan or schedule (more on this below)
Basically, with a rewatch proposal you're trying to convince people to make room in their day, every day, for whatever extended period of time it may be, to sit down, watch however much you're asking them to watch, and come back the next day to discuss it with everyone. To get people's attention, you need to sort of spice things up a bit, as if you're trying to sell your idea. Proposals that go the extra mile tend to demand the most attention and do well on their own merits, as they imply a certain level of passion or commitment from their host (e.g. Ghost in the Shell).
Important: At this phase, you might run into a wall that could very well kill your momentum. Usually, if you have people showing interest you need to account for the fact that not everyone on the sub lives in the same time zone, has the same work schedule, or can necessarily afford to participate daily sometimes due to extenuating factors. Because of this, you may have to go by the Rewatch rule of thumb, wherein you count the parent comments in the thread and subtract 10 in order to get a good idea of how many people will actually be able to participate. If you get less than that or only a smidgen more, you'll be running the risk of launching a rewatch that might be faced with low attendance right from the start (e.g. Denpa Onna Interest Thread -> Episode 1). Considering the amount of effort that might go into hosting a rewatch, having low participation at this stage might be a good reason to back out before anything gets set in stone. If you do decide to back out, please do it at this point in the process and not during the actual rewatch or after you've announced it.
As mentioned above, it might be a good idea to pitch your proposal with a planned start-date and watch method. However, regardless of whether or not you chose to include a proposal in your interest thread, you will have to set up a schedule before you submit your rewatch to the designated runners of the wiki, so it's best to think ahead.
Here are some guidelines to help set up your schedule
Planning the Start Date
This is when the first thread will go up, and its significance cannot be understated. A method that has proven worthwhile is to announce a planned start date in the interest thread (which should be at least a few weeks ahead of time), confirm the start date alongside a schedule posting once you recieve the approval, and post one or two reminders before the first thread goes up, with one being the day before the actual thread goes up (e.g. Love Live rewatch interest thread -> Schedule announcement -> One-day reminder -> Episode 1). The strategy allows for your idea to make its rounds on the sub and find a viewership that may not have been around for the first or second thread but might be there for the third, though it's important to note that too many reminders might annoy frequent sub visitors.
Planning the amount of episodes per viewing
There have been a few methods that have worked been tried in the past, but these are the two types that seem to yield the best results:
- 1 episode a day (e.g. Toradora Christmas Club)
- 2 episodes a day (e.g. Humanity Has Declined)
There are other methods that were used for successful rewatches, such as 1 episode every other day (e.g. Kara no Kyoukai) and 2 episodes every other day (e.g. Hyouka), but in general it's advised not to try experimenting with the formula too much or your rewatch may receive a lukewarm response. Batches, for example, tend to have lower participation rates as a whole (e.g. K-On! 3 episodes a week and Barakamon 1 episode a week).
Planning the time for the threads to go up
This is a bit tricky. The End of Spring 2015 Survey revealed that a majority of active /r/anime posters are in North America by a substantial margin, with Europe following in second at a bit below half of the percentage. Because of this, the time table for most active rewatches is between 2-8pm EST (GMT-5), with earlier times being better for Europeans and later times being better for Americans. However, while you should make an attempt to reach the most amount of participants by avoiding redeye hours for these two target groups, don't set up a rewatch time you can't follow because it conflicts with your time zone (more on this later).
It is also important to make sureto set an exact time and abide by it, as both a courtesy to the people participating and to establish the necessary ethos that promotes steady activity (again, more on this later).
Now that you have your show approved and have the schedule set up, it's time to create the header post you'll be using for each thread. The most effective rewatch header is one that conveys the right information, works well for the sake of archiving, has a touch of personality, and is consistent. Here are some things to take into account:
Thread Title
There are many templates that work, but for the sake of establishing a global meta that coincides with the bot-operated weekly discussion threads, this is the most optimal one at conveying the information you need:
[Spoilers][Rewatch] Show Name - Episode X Discussion
The basics
There are a few items a thread's text body should include:
- The number of the episode + the episode title
- Some measure of database info (MAL, ANN, AniDB, etc)
- Legal streaming information, if available
- A way to access a previous thread (whether through a table or a direct link)
- A warning to tag spoilers appropriately
You can always include more or less, but the general skeleton of a thread should at least present participants with this much information (e.g. Fate/Zero).
Familiarize yourself with the Reddit Formatting Guide
Knowing how to format can add a level of structure to the header that makes it look interesting and inviting. While you don't have to make an effort to have it be a work of typographical art, an attempt at making the project more attractive can only help in the establishment of a space that welcomes and nurtures continued participation. Keep it light and elegant, but not too cut and dry (e.g. The Tatami Galaxy).
Be consistent
Use your thread template that you create as an outline for your future threads. You only ever have to make the body of the text once, so keep an outline handy in a notepad file or whatever is most convenient for you and simply input the information that has to be updated (such as episode titles, past discussion thread links, etc). This way, there's a cohesion between threads and less work you have to deal with.
While this may come as a surprise, a large part of a rewatch's success is determined during the planning stages. Once the first thread goes up, you can ascertain whether or not your labor has borne any fruit by seeing how people are participating and discussing the material amidst themselves. A rewatch whose start date and post time has been properly broadcasted will usually have attendees preparing responses beforehand, so a lot of the activity happens within an hour or so of the thread being posted, with people dropping in throughout the day for bigger projects.
There are, however, some ways to help ensure that participation doesn't taper off:
Post threads on time
A death blow to many a rewatch has been when hosts make it a habit to be off of schedule. Remember, your rewatchers are taking time out of their day to join you in your project, and if you cannot establish a means for them to do what they came to do, then you will lose them by the droves, until eventually the project cannot continue. (e.g. D.Gray-man)
Be proactive and join in on discussions
For some projects, posting a thread may be all that a host is required to do, as the work might demand the necessary attention on its own, but in many cases a host that is passionate about their project can create an environment of positivity through their involvement in the actual conversations taking place. This can be done by responding to rewatchers, providing miscellanious content for them to take in, and/or providing perspectives on the episodes directly (e.g. Amagami SS and Tamako Market).
Be firm about spoilers
For series that rely heavily on plot, one of the issues you'll encounter is making sure to facilitate rewatchers but also taking care of your newcomers, since the material you're presenting for them to discuss is something that had to have already aired in some capacity. Read the threads and be vigilant about any suspect information, whether it be untagged spoilers, vagueposts, or hyperlinks/images that might reveal something that hasn't happened yet, even if only by conjecture. Threads that are minefields to traverse aren't fun for people experiencing a narrative for the first time, and participation might suffer as a result. Don't be afraid to send warnings or use the report button if it means doing right by your first-timers.
Conclusion:
Rewatches can be hard work, both to arrange and to keep active, but once get into the rhythm they become a fun way to reintroduce some of your favorite anime back into your routine and experience them with others. You might learn new and wonderful things about a program or film that you adore, or are given the opportunity to lend a guiding hand for those seeking to explore a work that you've studied or enjoyed deeply. At their best, rewatches can be among the best and most memorable times one can spend on the board.