An Anime DVD Introspective

I first started collecting anime DVDs way back in high school due to a combination of factors. One, I was getting paid enough at that point to be able to afford it on my own. Two, DVD as a format had finally taken hold and lots of anime titles were being released, giving me a great selection and eliminating the need to choose between dubbed and subtitles versions of a show. Finally, my family got internet access at about that time, giving me easier access to all sorts of online anime sources, many of which I still use to this day. I even had a subscription to Netflix, to try titles before I buy and to attempt to copy some to VHS (which didn't always work, I discovered, do to the copy protection on some discs). I fairly quickly did away with my piratical ways, Netflix did nevertheless introduce me to a number of series that I otherwise wouldn't have seen, and I ultimately wound up purchasing several of them. Netflix wasn't a perfect solution though, since many of the discs I wanted often had waiting times measured in months. However, once I got to the Academy, my anime collecting tapered off for a while, since I didn't have as much disposable income, and couldn't even legally have DVD's during my Plebe year anyway. Towards the end, I started collecting a little more, but I wound up getting away from it again once I got to power school and prototype. Even so, I had managed to amass a collection of well over 100 discs by that point. For a time, I felt that I had "gotten over" anime, that I had lost interest. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I picked up Netflix again. I was inspired in this move by one of my housemates who is an avid Netflix user. I got online, and discovered that since I had last used the service their wait times have dropped drastically. I looked up several anime series that I had been curious about, and they were all ready to ship.

I'm not trying to shill for Netflix or anything, but I told you all that to get to this point: It seems that I have re-kindled my interest in anime. Perhaps it was never really out, just suppressed by some of the things going on in my life. I have sampled a few series, and now I have plans to eventually purchase several of them. I'm planning on going to an anime convention this weekend, and I'm not ashamed to admit it is in no small part to get a feel for other shows I might be interested in.  When I first started collecting anime, in one of the dark recesses in the back of my mind lurked the desire to own every anime ever made. Obviously, that is an impossible goal, given the shear variety of shows out there. Even if I could afford to buy it all, I probably couldn't watch it all in my lifetime! The anime universe is giant indeed, and it seems I have just re-discovered it!

By: Andy Rucker

If you wish to comment, feel free to email me! andyrucker@gmail.com