Since there are countless new anime series coming out each season, it's obvious that you cannot watch all of them. This brings up an issue of choice: how can you decide which anime are worth your attention and how are you supposed to choose them? And it seems like the three episode rule is here to save the day.
So Much to See, So Little Time: The Struggle is Real
The three episode rule has a pretty self-explanatory name: it means you have to watch at least three episodes of an anime to decide whether you should keep watching. Not all shows have a good start and are capable of enthralling you straightaway. The first episode is usually one of the most crucial things in a series, but sometimes it's just not enough.
For example, Death Note has two important characters, but the first episode of the anime introduces only one of them, so if you're not a fan of Light and don't know what is going to happen next, your first instinct would probably be to drop the show right away.
Fans mention that sometimes it's impossible to fully understand what an anime is going to be like from just 20 minutes. Such series as PuellaMagi Madoka Magica (Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica) or Monogatari need you to give them more time to show their full potential.
We can't also forget about such shows as Made in Abyss that have a significant tone shift after several episodes, so it might feel like you're watching a completely different series after some time.
When It's Okay to Hit the 'Skip' Button
Still, we can't forget that there are really…like really! a lot of series coming out every year, and if you give each of them about an hour of your life, you're never going to finish anything. Some fans don't want to spend this much time on something they're not enjoying only for a promise of something great later. If it takes you 10 minutes to understand that you're not having fun, why bother going on?
All of this brings us to the importance of the first episode. World building and character development are always important, but it's the main conflict that keeps us engaged. A good show has to establish it right away and make you interested in what is going to happen next.
The Promised Neverland (Yakusoku no Neverland) is a great example of that. We see the main issue in the first episode: kids are getting eaten by monsters. Now that you have the viewers' attention, you may take your time explaining how the world works and why the kids are in danger.
Why do you keep watching an anime?
Since there are countless new anime series coming out each season, it's obvious that you cannot watch all of them. This brings up an issue of choice: how can you decide which anime are worth your attention and how are you supposed to choose them? And it seems like the three episode rule is here to save the day.
So Much to See, So Little Time: The Struggle is Real
The three episode rule has a pretty self-explanatory name: it means you have to watch at least three episodes of an anime to decide whether you should keep watching. Not all shows have a good start and are capable of enthralling you straightaway. The first episode is usually one of the most crucial things in a series, but sometimes it's just not enough.
For example, Death Note has two important characters, but the first episode of the anime introduces only one of them, so if you're not a fan of Light and don't know what is going to happen next, your first instinct would probably be to drop the show right away.
Fans mention that sometimes it's impossible to fully understand what an anime is going to be like from just 20 minutes. Such series as PuellaMagi Madoka Magica (Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica) or Monogatari need you to give them more time to show their full potential.
We can't also forget about such shows as Made in Abyss that have a significant tone shift after several episodes, so it might feel like you're watching a completely different series after some time.
When It's Okay to Hit the 'Skip' Button
Still, we can't forget that there are really…like really! a lot of series coming out every year, and if you give each of them about an hour of your life, you're never going to finish anything. Some fans don't want to spend this much time on something they're not enjoying only for a promise of something great later. If it takes you 10 minutes to understand that you're not having fun, why bother going on?
All of this brings us to the importance of the first episode. World building and character development are always important, but it's the main conflict that keeps us engaged. A good show has to establish it right away and make you interested in what is going to happen next.
The Promised Neverland (Yakusoku no Neverland) is a great example of that. We see the main issue in the first episode: kids are getting eaten by monsters. Now that you have the viewers' attention, you may take your time explaining how the world works and why the kids are in danger.
