Anime Watch Party and Discussion!

*50 minute class time is MAXIMUM allocated time. Class usually lasts around 35-40 minutes as not every anime requires a lengthy discussion*

Welcome to the Anime Watch Party and Discussion Class!

In this on-going class, every week, we will watch the first episode of an anime that no one in the class has seen before (except for the teacher). The purpose of this is to make the reactions genuine and it also allows everyone to give their genuine thoughts and initial impressions on the characters, plot, story, music, animation and whether they will continue on with the anime series in their own time. Had someone already seen the anime before, then it would mean their discussion/input is not based on their initial impression but rather something that has been built on over time. However, it is understandable that at some point, we will reach a stage where it will be difficult to find an anime whereby no one has seen it before, and thus we may have to select an anime that one or two learners have seen. This brings me onto the next point: How will the anime selection be decided? During the end of each class, I will ask all learners to provide me with some anime that they would like to watch for next week. I will then briefly watch the anime the learners suggest to check if it is suitable and appropriate for the age group. Thereafter, I will select the anime to be watched for next class. In order to be fair, I will make sure that each week a different learner's anime suggestion is chosen. 

Learners are required to keep their mics muted and their cameras can either be on or off. If learners want to express their reactions and thoughts during specific scenes, I will leave the chat on for everyone to talk publicly with one another. This will give the feel that we are watching together in a friendly social enviornment whilst not being a direct disturbance during the viewing.
Once the anime viewing is finished, we will then move back to zoom. In this segment, we will discuss the following based on the first episode of the selected anime that we just watched:

Characters: This will usually cover everything to do with characters such as favourite characters, personality traits, character designs etc.
Plot/Story: Discussing whether we like the story/plot so far, if we think there are going to be plot twists etc.
Animation: What do we think of the animation? Does it suit the genre/themes? What about the art style?
Music: What did we think of the soundtrack? What about the opening/ending?

These are some examples of what the discussion would look like after the viewing. This class is a great way to introduce anime to those who may not have watched much anime to begin with. It is also an excellent way to develop communication and social skills through a common interest such as watching anime! Lastly, with the new anime season (spring) just around the corner, below are some anime with tentative dates that are likely to be viewed in the first few classes:

*Please note that some anime may contain some inappropriate language and violence/gore/censored nudity*

86: Eighty Six - 04/11/2021
Edens Zero - 04/18/2021
Futmetsu no Anata e - 04/25/2021
Mars Red - 05/02/2021

FAQ:
1) How is this class different from the Anime Discussion class?
In the Anime/Manga discussion, we don't watch any anime and tend to keep the discussions very broad and general in order to avoid spoilers. However, in the anime watch party class, the discussion is about the anime we just watched, and thus is a lot more specific. 

2) What happens if you are late to class?
As mentioned above, we will usually wait a few minutes for any late comers before we watch the episode. If a learner still turns up later than a few minutes than they will have to watch the episode whilst being behind. And only after they have finished it can they join the discussion.