UlasanAnime.com – Companies have varying approaches to releasing anime. Some, like Anime Network, often delay their shows by several months after their initial broadcast. Others strive to release them as soon as legally possible. The debate over what constitutes a “simulcast” and whether a delay of a few days is acceptable is less interesting than understanding the actual impact of these delays. Realistically, what is considered “too late” for a simulcast, and at what point does the quality of service diminish, affecting viewer engagement?
The perception of “too late” likely varies from person to person. This article aims to explore the impact of these delays, examining the current release schedules and their effects.
Here are the release schedules for shows I’m currently following that are being simulcasted, based on available information. Note that Daylight Saving Time (DST) can complicate calculations. Japan does not observe DST, and the US observes it differently across regions, which can affect the perceived delay by an hour, especially during the Spring and Autumn seasons. To convert from JST to EDT, subtract two hours and flip AM/PM. For example, 7:00 JST becomes 5:00 PM EDT the previous day, and 17:00 JST becomes 3:00 AM EDT on the same day.
- Space Bros: Sunday 07:00 JST / Saturday 11:00 PM Eastern (CR) – 6-hour gap.
- Magi: Sunday 17:00 JST / Wednesday 1:00 PM Eastern (CR) – 3 days and 10-hour gap.
- Teekyuu: Sunday 22:27 JST / Sunday 10:00 AM Eastern (CR) – 1 hour and 33 minutes gap.
- Muv-luv Alternative: Total Eclipse: Sunday 25:35 JST (Monday 1:35 AM JST) / Sunday 1:30 PM Eastern (CR) – 1 hour and 55-minute gap.
- Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo: Monday 24:30 JST (Tuesday 12:30 AM JST) / Wednesday 3:00 PM Eastern (CR) – 2 days, 3 hours, and 30-minute gap.
- Girls und Panzer: Monday 25:00 JST (Tuesday 1:00 AM JST) / Wednesday 11:00 AM Eastern (CR) – 2-day gap.
- Jormungand: Perfect Order: Tuesday 24:30 JST (Wednesday 12:30 AM JST) / Thursday 11:30 AM Eastern (FUNi) – 2 days and 1-hour gap.
- Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai: Wednesday 24:30 JST (Thursday 12:30 AM JST) / Thursday 10:30 AM Eastern (AN) – 10-hour gap.
- Ebiten: Airing on Wednesday at 25:00 JST. Streaming information is unclear.
- Medaka Box: Abnormal: Wednesday 25:30 JST (Thursday 1:30 AM JST) / Friday 2:35 AM Eastern (CR) – 1 day, 15 hours, and 5-minute gap.
- Psycho-Pass: Thursday 24:45 JST (Friday 12:45 AM JST) / Thursday 11:45 AM Eastern (FUNi) – 1-hour gap.
- Robotic;Notes: Thursday 25:15 JST (Friday 1:15 AM JST) / Friday 12:15 AM Eastern (FUNi) – 1 day and 1-hour gap.
- Hidamari Sketch: Honeycomb: Thursday 25:25 JST (Friday 1:25 AM JST) / Monday 11:25 AM Eastern (AN) – 3-day gap.
- K: Thursday 25:30 JST (Friday 1:30 AM JST) / Thursday afternoon Eastern (Viz) – Up to a 7.5-hour gap, potentially 0 minutes.
- Zetsuen no Temptest: Thursday 26:00 JST (Friday 2:00 AM JST) / Thursday 3:00 PM Eastern (CR) – 3-hour gap.
- Oniai: Friday 23:00 JST / Friday 12:30 PM Eastern (FUNi) – 1 week, 3 hours, and 30-minute gap due to FUNi’s delayed stream start.
- Shin Sekai Yori: Friday 24:30 JST (Saturday 12:30 AM JST) / Tuesday 3:40 PM Eastern (CR) – 3 days, 17 hours, and 10-minute gap.
The varying release times, potentially influenced by DST, raise questions about the consistency of simulcasting services. Some services might be an hour behind due to these factors, while others may have adjusted their schedules.
Several immediate observations can be made from the provided data.
A simulcast with a week-long delay significantly diminishes its purpose. It loses its primary appeal, making viewers like myself opt for fansubs to maintain a week-to-week viewing pace, even with access to the official simulcast. While personal viewing habits may not require immediate access, the delay hinders effective episode blogging. For those without premium access, a two-week delay is almost as detrimental as waiting for the entire season to conclude, as it removes the benefit of staying current.
I do watch some shows immediately upon release via simulcast. Historically, I’ve watched noitaminA shows within 36 hours of their airing, thanks to diligent efforts by FUNimation and Crunchyroll. This season, FUNimation’s involvement continues this trend. A notable observation is how brand association influences viewing habits. For instance, I tend to associate Psycho-Pass and Robotic;Notes due to their shared branding and programming block. However, a one-day delay between their streams means I often watch Robotic;Notes days later, typically on the weekend, as I might forget about it after watching Psycho-Pass on Thursday. This highlights how even small delays can disrupt viewing momentum.
Simulcasts that are delayed until the weekend often work well for me. I find myself with more free time during weekends, allowing me to catch up on shows like K, Chuunikoi, and Jormungand, even if their delays are not substantial.
Some shows are easier to delay than others. Despite Space Bros and Muv-luv being simulcasted on weekends, I tend to watch them during the week. This is partly due to busy weekends and their Sunday air times, which offer less viewing flexibility than Friday or Saturday. The inability to pre-catch-up to an un-aired show also plays a role. In previous seasons, I would watch these shows shortly after their release, but this season has seen a shift in my viewing habits.
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Without an Anime Network account, I don’t follow Hidamari Sketch and Chuunikoi as closely. Despite this, I generally watch them within two weeks, often within seven days, of their broadcast. I tend to look for them during lulls in my viewing schedule, averaging about 1-2 days for Chuu2koi and closer to a week for Hidamari Sketch.
Delays of less than 24 hours generally do not pose a significant issue. I tend to watch shows with this kind of lead time. I’d say up to 36 hours is manageable. I stop tracking release times when the delay exceeds one calendar day. Medaka Box, despite its relatively short delay and potential for weekly viewing, is a show I tend to put off. The harmless and short delay mitigates this tendency somewhat.
Regarding Sakurasou, Shin Sekai Yori, and Girls und Panzer, I’ve managed to avoid spoilers effectively. This is also true for Magi, though it’s still possible to encounter spoilers from social media posts. The risk of spoilers online is ever-present, and simulcast timing offers limited protection. Once the initial few hours pass, most eager viewers have already watched the episode. Furthermore, even a 0-minute delay doesn’t guarantee immediate viewing if personal schedules prevent it, such as returning home hours after the episode airs. Faster simulcast times can reduce the window for spoilers, but this effect is typically minor.
To maximize viewer engagement with simulcasts, several key factors are important:
- Day of the Week: Streaming shows on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays is generally more effective than Mondays through Wednesdays. This is because people tend to have more free time later in the week, and the news cycle often revolves around the weekend. This is a significant drawback of the current season’s schedule. Ideally, all shows would be released on Thursdays, allowing viewers to watch them over the weekend and be ready for the next batch by Monday. FUNimation’s handling of Jormungand’s delay is a good example of effective scheduling, whereas Magi, Girls und Panzer, and Sakurasou represent missed opportunities. These shows often miss the peak of the Japanese news and reaction cycle, becoming available mid-week when attention has shifted to Thursday releases.
- Type of Story: Some shows are inherently more suspenseful or cliffhanger-driven than others. This can influence the urgency of viewing. While not always a primary factor, it argues for 0-day simulcasts for all shows to prevent potential spoilers, especially for impactful episodes like Madoka’s 13th. Some narratives are more resilient to delays than others.
- Prompts for Viewing: Personal motivators, such as episode blogging or seeing discussions about a show, can encourage immediate viewing. Awareness of these prompts allows providers to strategically time releases to capture viewers’ limited attention spans. The internet news cycle also plays a role in reminding people to watch shows.
- Clear Release Times: Viewers should not be confused by inconsistent or irregular release schedules. Communication with licensors to ensure easy-to-follow release patterns is crucial.
- Time Constraints: A week-long delay is excessively long and should be avoided. If such a constraint is unavoidable, it might be more cost-effective for licensors to forgo the simulcast altogether.
Additionally, Anime Network should improve its website’s usability, which currently hinders the user experience. While “Thursday afternoon” from Viz is appreciated for its general timeframe, more precise scheduling, even by the hour, would be beneficial. This precision likely aims to ensure shows are available before evening commutes, making “before 6 PM” a sufficient indicator for many.
It’s important to acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding when most simulcast viewers actually watch their anime. Whether it’s during the week, on weekends, during commutes, in the morning, afternoon, between classes, or during lunch breaks remains unclear. However, the viewing patterns of working individuals likely share similarities. Assuming a significant portion of anime fans work traditional 9-to-5 jobs, their schedules will differ from those who work weekends or have flexible weekday off-days.
This analysis assumes that providers offering simulcasts aim to maximize viewership. Therefore, these observations are intended to contribute to that goal.
