Three Years of Anime Blogging and Reflections

To think that three years have actually passed since I first started Anime Viking. It has been a long journey coupled with both joy and sadness, but ultimately every second has been worth it. Being able to create something and be recognized for it, while also connecting with readers genuinely caring about you as a person, is a feeling difficult to describe in words.

Had you at its creation asked me if I were to continue blogging for this long, I wouldn’t have been able to give you an answer.  Not necessarily because I would grow tired of it – that was no chance in the world, as I find writing to be very engaging – but because I lacked a proper goal.

I wanted to try blogging and see how I fared after having discovered some lovely anime blogs. The anime blogs in question were “Moe Sucks” by E Minor and the, today, sadly removed blog “Ganbatte” by Seinime. Especially Seinime from Ganbatte resonated with me and was the one who inspired me to start blogging the most, as he himself had recently started at the time. It was a rather personal anime blog and had a very fluffy writing style, which made me feel very involved and relaxed. I miss it a lot.

As for Anime Viking, the truth is that it still doesn’t have any actual goal. It is a way for me to not only keep my writing and English skills intact, but also a means to connect with other anime fans. I love writing with my whole heart and having a platform for it is a perfectly fine reason to continue. There really isn’t any better reason than that!

Throughout these three years I’ve been able to experience so many things I never could’ve imagined! My personal highlight still remains the colloquium blog posts I did with Myst from the today retired blog “Through the Frozen Glass”. I had always wanted to try writing with another person and as I was fond of Myst – he still is my favorite anime blogger – I asked him. When he said yes I was incredibly happy and together we discussed the second half of the then ongoing first season of Sword Art Online. It may have been difficult and time-consuming at times – and I feel guilty for taking time away from Myst’s focus on studies – but it’s no doubt the most fun period in my blogging “career”.

Another high point is to have been featured on Crunchyroll, the largest legal English website for streaming anime, and is also something I now feel is time to shed some more light onto. As I’ve previously written, I quit publishing there on my own accord. The reason for this, as I tried to subtly imply, was because they were suddenly trying to indirectly censor my opinions due to vague reasons. One thing led to another and I eventually discovered that Crunchyroll is doing shady things in regards to journalistic ethics (in my personal opinion) – not to mention I was threatened not to press the issue further as it could “lead to strained relationships” –  which made me no longer want to be associated with them.

Ironically, Crunchyroll is also the lowest point as a result. I was so excited to be featured there that the disappointing discoveries I made hit me hard. After I had finally found a goal in not only blogging, but also life, and to then have it shred to pieces in front of my very eyes hurt a lot. All the enthusiasm built up was completely gone from that point onward – all because I didn’t want to play by their rules due to personal ethical beliefs. To this day I still reflect on whether or not I made the right decision.

Yet, I should be proud to have been able to blog for three years straight. Anime Viking may no longer be a large or popular blog, but I feel content with what I have. Yes, it may not be updated as frequently as before because of changes to my life – something I hope to talk about in an upcoming post – but I’ve been able to meet persons who seem genuinely interested. There was one particular supportive email I received when I felt all alone and hopeless which almost made me cry. To the person who wrote it: thank you from the bottom of my heart.

In fact: thanks to everyone who continues to read Anime Viking after three whole years! You are what make blogging worth every second, no matter how difficult it can be. Hopefully you will all continue to read until the final days.

Three years is a long time, but my blogging journey is still continuing like never before. Soon it will come back in full force. Thank you all.