The need of flashback episodes?

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:39 pm

As you know some anime series may include a flashback episode or two just to keep the audience in tact. Sometimes it may help a story a little bit or sometimes it prolonges the series even further. Sometimes it's a cheaper way to create the episode so the creators can save some of the production values. Do you think flashback episodes are needed?

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:43 pm

I don't mind them. Keep in mind, they're for Japanese TV primarily. It's not surprising that fans watching fansubs/DVD's may get irritated at them, but they're pretty-well justified for the indigenous TV.

Remember, they're trying to get the biggest audience possible to watch the show in a particular timeslot; this is their concern before re-view value, since the first TV run is make-or-break for a show.

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:29 pm

The two 'flashback' episodes in Gundam Wing annoyed the heck out of me at the time - though they *did* include about 10 minutes total of new clips since it was almost entirely monologues retelling the anime. But that was only because I'd watched the anime from the beginning. I remembered *very* well exactly what happened in the previous episodes so I didn't need a reminder - I saw those episodes as filler and unnecessary. Now, I just skip them when I watch the series - I can see how they'd be useful to those who only caught a few eps or who came in late in the series.

One thing I would say for 'flashback' episodes - long anime like Inuyasha or YYH could use them. Although...from what I've seen of Inuyasha (about 100 eps) - a flashback wouldn't tell much since not much really happens in the separate episodes. I think you couold watch the first 10, skip 20 and watch the 31st episode without being lost. I did that when I first saw the anime - skipped and watched about every 10th episode and only once did I wonder who a new character was. YYH is different. It's shorter, but there is so much movement in the plot from episode to episode - and especially between each arc - that it would be easy to forget who people are and what all has happened so far. I wouldn't mind a flashback episode or two being added to that anime. I don't *need* one, but it wouldn't bother me. Then again, I have the anime, so I wouldn't be cursing the TV for playing a flashback episode after I waited over the weekend to see 'what happens next' - no disappointment.

The Hitokiri Battousai · Post by **The Hitokiri Battousai** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:49 pm

do you mean a flashback of a previous episode or a flashback episode of someones life??

If it's not a floashback of another peiosde, i find the flashback of someones life intresting.

Two flashback episodes that are good is in Trigun (to vash's childhood) and Hellsing (integra finding Alucard)

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:50 pm

I'm practically talking about flashbacks to a previous episode(s).

J-0080 · Post by **J-0080** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:51 pm

I don't think I've come across a flashback episode that really bugged me or anything. Though I can see how the slow pacing those episodes usually have can bug some people.

The Hitokiri Battousai · Post by **The Hitokiri Battousai** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:03 pm

well...i think a flashback episode to another episode may be benifiting say like in Neon Genisis Evangelion when it's already a confusing sotry at times. I tihnk by using a flashback episode to explain the story of what happened this far can be benefiting at times......

but when not needed it can be boring and dumb.

AquaSky · Post by **AquaSky** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:35 pm

I'm not particularly fond of them, but I can see why they'd include them. The only ones I really felt were unnecessary were the two in Chobits, as it's only 26 episodes long. One recap would have been more than enough.

SS5_Majin_Bebi · Post by **SS5_Majin_Bebi** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:51 pm

The Hitokiri Battousai wrote:well...i think a flashback episode to another episode may be benifiting say like in Neon Genisis Evangelion when it's already a confusing sotry at times. I tihnk by using a flashback episode to explain the story of what happened this far can be benefiting at times......

but when not needed it can be boring and dumb.

There were actually 2 episodes in Evangelion that cann be considered flashback episodes: the one that details breifly the angle attacks, and the one where Fuyutski gets kidnapped, and Kaji gets shat. They're both sorta-kinda-flashback episodes.

Jonathan02us · Post by **Jonathan02us** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:57 pm

I dont really mind flashback episodes. A lot of them explain the pass of the characters and i like that. I ususaly dont like to be left hanging without an explination of why that happend.

So flashback = good ... 8)