Just because it’s not as cathartic as the culmination doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining.
Summary:
Steins;Gate is often criticized for its “boring” first half.
The first half lays the groundwork for the second half, serving its purpose.
The first half is fun as well if you have the right mindset for it.
Steins;Gate is one of the most well-received anime of all time, needing absolutely no introduction. Being a classic in a mystery/thriller genre, it is often given as an example of time travel done right in anime. If it is criticized by fans for anything, it is for having a slow and boring first half, only getting to the apparent greatness in the second cour. Except… that criticism completely misses the point of why the show is structured like it is in the first place.
Second half relies on the first half
Steins;Gate is a stellar example of an approach where the information on the world is gradually revealed piece by piece. With an elaborate plot that all comes together in the very end, it is natural that the show takes some time to get there. If the latter half consists mostly of answers and shocking plot twists, without the first half, which provided questions those answers belonged to, the anime would not be good in the first place. The slower pace of the story in the first half serves its purpose, however, slow doesn’t mean boring, either.
First half is actually fun — if you know where to look
For many fans, a lack of action makes anime boring, unless it assaults you with “wham episodes” and shocking moments. In this sense, yeah, perhaps Steins;Gate’s first half is boring — but that notion comes simply from a wrong mindset. The first half is just as entertaining as the latter, although for different reasons. The cast interactions are awesome, and the information about the plot is sprinkled here and there: you just have to collect it yourself, as the anime takes a “show, don’t tell” approach. In one of the earlier episodes, for example, Suzuha has a classic PTSD reaction when she hears the sound of fireworks, foreshadowing her (future) past as a soldier, as well as her identity as John Titor. It is moments like this that make you appreciate the show as a whole.
To this day, many people complain about the show’s slow beginning, saying they dropped S;G on its first episode. However, they have simply gone into the show with wrong expectations: it requires you to actually pay attention to what is going on, slowly figuring out the plot points by yourself. That is one of the main selling points of the anime, and it is too bad most people seem to see it as a negative.
Just because it’s not as cathartic as the culmination doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining.
Summary:
Steins;Gate is often criticized for its “boring” first half.
The first half lays the groundwork for the second half, serving its purpose.
The first half is fun as well if you have the right mindset for it.
Steins;Gate is one of the most well-received anime of all time, needing absolutely no introduction. Being a classic in a mystery/thriller genre, it is often given as an example of time travel done right in anime. If it is criticized by fans for anything, it is for having a slow and boring first half, only getting to the apparent greatness in the second cour. Except… that criticism completely misses the point of why the show is structured like it is in the first place.
Second half relies on the first half
Steins;Gate is a stellar example of an approach where the information on the world is gradually revealed piece by piece. With an elaborate plot that all comes together in the very end, it is natural that the show takes some time to get there. If the latter half consists mostly of answers and shocking plot twists, without the first half, which provided questions those answers belonged to, the anime would not be good in the first place. The slower pace of the story in the first half serves its purpose, however, slow doesn’t mean boring, either.
First half is actually fun — if you know where to look
For many fans, a lack of action makes anime boring, unless it assaults you with “wham episodes” and shocking moments. In this sense, yeah, perhaps Steins;Gate’s first half is boring — but that notion comes simply from a wrong mindset. The first half is just as entertaining as the latter, although for different reasons. The cast interactions are awesome, and the information about the plot is sprinkled here and there: you just have to collect it yourself, as the anime takes a “show, don’t tell” approach. In one of the earlier episodes, for example, Suzuha has a classic PTSD reaction when she hears the sound of fireworks, foreshadowing her (future) past as a soldier, as well as her identity as John Titor. It is moments like this that make you appreciate the show as a whole.
To this day, many people complain about the show’s slow beginning, saying they dropped S;G on its first episode. However, they have simply gone into the show with wrong expectations: it requires you to actually pay attention to what is going on, slowly figuring out the plot points by yourself. That is one of the main selling points of the anime, and it is too bad most people seem to see it as a negative.
