Picking Your Content

How do I pick which content I'm going to watch/read at any given time? Huh... I have no idea. Never thought about it!

I think it depends on what type of content I'm after and why. Sometimes- but too rarely, to Bethany's dismay- I go based on recommendation. But more often than not, I actually do a lot of researching before picking something for myself. This is probably a huge let down to people because of what I end up picking. However, I factor in a lot of things when picking: popularity, genre, reviews, my mood, how this will effect the blog's timeline, etc. Not to mention, I have to balance that with who I am watching or discussing the content with. James? James and Chase? Just Chase? Chelsea? Bethany? Other people I haven't even mentioned? All the combinations in between? Those change what I pick, as well. Doesn't make sense? That's fine, I'm going to walk you through all the content I am currently taking in, with who, and why. Just to give a little behind the scenes as to how Nerdom works...and to show how I am usually stuck in a slump after huge projects like the Anime Awards just was. So, this is a filler episode? Pssh, no, peanut gallery, stop it, no. Okay fine, kind of, but even still, here we go!

The Fam: James, Chase, & Karyn

Our normal Family Anime Night actually consists of Fruits Basket [Fruba], but since it is their off season, we tend to watch other shojos, instead. Most recently, we are on Blue Spring Ride. I picked this based on my mother's preference to anime, as well as the fact that it is a classic amongst its genre. My mom and James have both never seen it, while it is one of Chase's favorites. It creates a good balance for the viewers participating. Not to mention it's a one-shot- There's only one season. Though my mom doesn't like one-and-done animes, that's all we have time for while waiting for Fruba's final in April. I have watched this one a few times before and don't anticipate writing a review on it. However, I would definitely include it in a shojo line-up review. Picking this didn't take any research because I had already watched it and was attuned to my mother's tastes. When I first found the show for myself, it came up after I had watched Your Lie in April, which is a part of the same genre and has a similar feel and beautiful art style. I was looking for something that matched the mood and this was a perfect fit. I ended up liking it so much that I read the manga series as well, which is better than the show. This was during a strong shojo phase that I haven't quite experienced since. Regardless, if shojo is your jam, this is one to check out, as well as all the other titles by the same author. She is a shojo queen, to say the least. Picking anime for this group of people has been easier than most because of how light hearted we keep it.

The OG Trio (or The FBC): James & Chase

It is no secret that James, Chase, and myself are watching through Inuyasha in order for us to be able to watch Yashahime. I wrote a whole article about this particular adventure! However, it started even before that; the three of us had been on a fantasy genre binge for a while. Before Inuyasha, we had finished all that was out of Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? Judge us how you will for that, but we really liked this take on deities. What can I say, Family Book Club gave us a weak spot on the subject, considering we worked our way through the Riordanverse. I had picked Is It Wrong because of the fact that it kept popping up on all of my recommended lists... I don't know what that says about me, but it did catch my eye. I was interested to see what happens when you shove all the worlds deities into a dungeon crawl. I had been looking for an opportunity to trap James and Chase with Inuyasha because they would never watch it, and a genre binge was a great way to do that. The announcement of Yashahime simply sweetened the deal and finally allowed me the final push I needed for us to embark on this adventure!

The Sister: Chase

Speaking of genre binges, Chase and I are continuing our sports anime festivities. Now, if you've seen Free!, you can't judge me as I haven't watched it yet. This is just the next one on our docket, after we've completed the newest season of Haikyu!! Picking this one came about in a much more unique way. Someone showed Chase a parody of this anime called 50% Off and we died laughing. We decided afterwards that the original deserved our attention. Most of the animes Chase and I end up watching together is actually based off of her TikTok or her friends content for us. That was how we got Haikyu!!, Banana Fish, and arguably Yuri!!! on Ice, as well. When that happens, I actually do ZERO research on the show before watching it. I like the surprise of it. Though, I probably should have braced myself better with Banana Fish, since my predictions were so wildly off there... oh, well. You live, you learn, your heart dies. But, I digress. Chase definitely makes me the most spontaneous when it comes to content, which is apparent when you look at those three articles tagged above. It's because of that that I am so excited to watch Free! and everything else she'll bring me afterwards.

The Husband: James

I know- NOT anime, but still a huge fandom to tackle. I have watched Supernatural before. James has not and he needed a break after my massive anime binge I did for the Anime Awards. Which is fair, as he was a part of it every step of the way. James is very unique when it comes to how I address content with him. He is not as attuned to binging as I am and therefore requires balance. That's often why we have a live action show and anime that we watch at the same time. So, if he's tired of one he can switch to the other. Supernatural is our current live action and Jujutsu Kaisen is our anime. Unfortunately. Jujustu Kaisen is about to be over, so we will have to pick a new anime soon. I typically find myself re-watching shows with James, rather than finding new content. I'm not sure why, but somewhere along the line I turned into a content scout for him. I definitely don't mind it, but getting to watch Jujutsu Kaisen and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! were super fun experiences, so maybe I'll branch out with our next anime. Not to mention it would be more helpful in the long run, as I am constantly in need of more content for this blog.

Bonus: I should also note that we listen to audiobooks together, as well. We are currently on The Dark Tower Series Book IV: Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. I won't get into this too much, as a review will be coming in the future. I will say that I like that James and I get to take on multiple forms of content at once. Although, it does make my brain fuller faster, which isn't always a good thing. It is a good way to practice some balance though, while also getting a load of content at once.

The Cousin: Chelsea

Chelsea and I never watch or read content at the same time. Growing up, we would watch things together over the summer. Now, we live in different states, and being adults with differing schedules doesn't really allow for watching together the way we used to. However, we share content recommendations quite a bit. She has probably the most similar tastes to me when it comes to content, but we find ourselves on different platforms. This is an incredible power combo because we can come to each other with completely new content, with almost a surefire guarantee that we are going to like what the other has to offer. The best example of this is Mo Dao Zu Shi. I brought her some webcomics and she brought me this gem. Because of this, I ended up writing my biggest review to date. So big it had to be split in two. The first being about the series original novel, as well as its manhua (Chinese version of manga or comics). The second being about the anime, live-action, and chibi spin-off. With the anime's third season coming out, we will both be watching the same thing at the same time for the first time since we were kids. I am excited about the experience and always love getting to explore the new content she has for me. Speaking of which, she has a book lined up for me that I should probably dive into soon!

The Waifu (jk): Bethany

Bethany and I typically don't watch anime at the same time, either. When we do, it is usually slice-of-life or a movie, rather than a show. We are the exact opposite of Chelsea and I. Our tastes and opinions on anime are different in almost every sense. I think that's what makes our recommendations interesting. I feel decently confident picking content for literally anyone else but Bethany. So, when she reacts to something positively, I typically try to file that away for future selections. Currently, she has selected The Ancient Magus Bride for me to watch. Unfortunately, the jokes on her because this was already on my watch list. I don't typically do research when Bethany and I go back and forth because we discuss our stances on the shows in depth, and I don't want to be influenced by outside sources. I am looking forward to this a great deal because though our opinions and preference for anime differ, I have always liked every anime she's selected for me. Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Orange, and Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku are all master pieces that I would not have found without her recommendations, and I'm sure this one will fall under the same category.

Me, Myself, & I

This is my pickiest spot. When it's just me- what do I watch or read? How do I pick? I will spend DAYS sometimes upwards to a week, selecting what I am going to read or watch. I use MyAnimeList.Net A LOT (you can find me on there under 'allipwells' to view all my content and ratings). I also read other nerd blogs to see their recommendations. Since starting My Mess, I also take into account if what I'm about to read or watch is worth writing about. Which is funny, because I've written about things wildly out of date multiple times. I can't help that I didn't catch a gem in time- I just still want to highlight its sparkle! Anyways, I usually end up with a handful of picks, then whittle it down based on ratings and reviews. If I am particularly stuck between two, artwork is usually my final deciding factor. Currently, I am reading through My Hero Academia's manga. This is mainly because I got tired of accidentally reading spoilers online, and also because Season 5 airs later this month. The manga is extremely relevant, right now, and has been receiving a lot of hype from its latest volume release. I think I'm most careful in this watch/read phase than in others because I want to make sure what I'm bringing to the table in group instances is worth discussing/watching. I'm also a big proponent of "don't waste my time," while simultaneously being unable to stop watching/reading something, no matter how much I may hate it. So, I have to be very selective, else I turn into a monster of my own making.

There are other people I discuss content with and take recommendations from, but this is my main crew. This is how I sort through content and also how I present it. What's your content look like? How did you get there? Let me know! I'm always looking for new inspiration. Now if you'll excuse me, there's some content I need to dive in to! After all, that's how we get our Nerdom.

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Thanks for joining me for this breakdown installment of Nerdom! This genuinely is how I go about taking in content to bring here to you. Plus, there are so many premiers coming up that will bring new content with it soon! I am so excited!! In the meantime though, I hope you're having a wonderful week! Finish strong and I will see you back here on Sunday for The Mess. Until then, stay safe, stay nerdy, and stay messy otaku!