I myself mentioned something in IRC the other day that interested me. It was a bit about what anime I’d rewatched. I mentioned AIR, and 2/3 of Interlude. Thinking back, I have also rewatched a couple other titles: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, Kannazuki no Miko.

Oh sure, there have been other things I’ve watched more than once, like I rewatched Maria-sama ga Miteru and Mai-HiME with my brothers, and some episodes of Naruto, Bleach, and Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito with a friend of mine. But those, in my not-so-humble opinion, don’t count. I didn’t rewatch them for the sake of rewatching them, for my personal enjoyment. I believe I’m right in this distinction.

So one of the trends I noticed, looking back, is that the shows I’ve rewatched coincide with some of the anime in my top 5 list. Interlude is my #0, absolutely divine and above all else. Kannazuki no Miko is my #1, “my favorite anime series” (whereas Interlude is an OVA), and AIR is probably my #2, boosted greatly by its atmosphere. Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is up there as well, along with Saikano (too fucking depressing to rewatch, yeesh) and Loveless (rewatched with onii-tama), completing my top 5 (6) anime.

What does this mean?

Is truly good anime anime that one rewatches? Anime that one can appreciate more than once? I don’t think I would answer my own question with a “yes” unless I had come to the realization that I have come to: that I have rewatched most of the titles I consider my favorites. Did I rewatch them because they were my favorites? No, I rewatched them because I enjoy them.

Interlude continues to transcend anime with a number of factors that leave me weak in the knees. I’ve been rewatching it slowly, about 4 months between episodes.

Kannazuki no Miko holds some of the most powerful emotional shit there is in anime. In episode 12, very revelation of who Chikane is and why she has done what she has… they all hit home and honestly make me tear up. The show is cheesy as shit and the mechas are crap, but the yuri is genuine. I stand by that, and am ready to argue it with the best of you (yes, that includes Yuricon).

AIR is an anomaly. Many of you can’t seem to get past the character designs or contrived story line. I see something in AIR that I’ve seen only in one other anime, and a truly sub-par one at that: Avenger. What I see in AIR is an atmospheric appeal, a rich environment, a believable setting. The scenery is tangible, and that sensation is soothing. On days when I’m sick, or have headaches for other reasons, I remarathon AIR. I’ve seen it something like 20 times, which I believe is the most number of times of any show I’ve rewatched. I think that also adds up to more anime-watching hours than all the Naruto I’ve seen combined.

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien… seems to receive a lot of hate from the average anime blogger I interact with. What it’s done to deserve this is beyond me. Some people speak of characters that one can’t relate to because they’re all unlikable asshats, and yeah, that’s a fact. But for me it’s an appeal. It heightens the drama of it all. I’ve seen KGNE something like 2.5 times, maybe, and I intend to return to it some day.

Yes, these are the shows I care enough about to rewatch. I enjoy experiencing them.

Does that make them “good” in my eyes? Or is it completely coincidental?

What do you think, ANO?