Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Ever notice how the anime lineup seems to hit its peak during the spring and fall seasons, while summer and winter sometimes feel like they’re lacking in exciting new shows? Let’s take a look into why that might be the case.
First off, spring and fall are known for their strong anime debuts. Why? Well, these seasons align with the start of Japan’s academic year and fiscal year, respectively. Spring kicks off in April and marks the start of the school year, which means anime studios are eager to debut new shows to capture the attention of students who are just settling in. They're likely to be home studying instead of out doing things and when they do leave the house to go to school they'll talk to their friends about what they watched. Similarly, fall, starting in October, coincides with the start of the fiscal year for many companies, making it a prime time for fresh content to get funding.
On the other hand, summer and winter often see fewer new shows making a splash. During summer, many anime studios are wrapping up projects and gearing up for the big releases of the upcoming fall season. Meanwhile summer brings vacations for everyone across Japan so no one would be home to watch anyway. It’s a bit of a breather before the rush of new content. Winter can be similar—it's a time when studios are regrouping and preparing for the big spring debuts while taking time off for the winter and new year holiday gaps. Despite the cost of holidays in this time frame, you are more likely to see a big release in winter trying to take advantage of the cold keeping people in doors. This means the summer sun is one of the main causes for it consistently being the weakest anime season of the year
That said, summer and winter aren’t without their gems. While they might not have as many high-profile releases, you'll find if a hit anime feels it's going to have a weak season they'll throw it in during the summer or winter where it's previous popularity might help boost its position on the charts. These seasons also tend to surprise you with hidden treasures and unique shows that might not fit the usual mold of spring and fall and you may not have watched if the heavy hitters were airing. Frequently those hidden gems will then change to a Spring or Fall releade if there's a season 2. Plus, with fewer new releases, there’s more room to catch up on shows you might have missed earlier in the year.
So, while spring and fall might be the heavy-hitters for anime seasons, there’s always something worth checking out year-round. Keep your eyes peeled, and you might just find a new favorite in the off-seasons too!
