Has anyone else noticed that some long-running anime series tend to drop the quality of their animation as time goes on?
I noticed this in Bleach a while ago. Since about halfway through the Soul Society arc, I reckon they got a bit sloppy. Watch the first season again. Has anyone else noticed this? Or is it just me?

No, I noticed, too. But it's not always towards the end of a series or if it goes on for a long time.
I saw Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpuchou Tou, which has only 14 eps, and there were 2 crappy made episodes, one somewhere in the middle and the last one... It really spoiled my fun watching it =(

One piece episodes during the Enies Lobby season during the fighting episodes with the CP9 members ... the shame... the shame...

Has anyone else noticed that some long-running anime series tend to drop the quality of their animation as time goes on?
I noticed this in Bleach a while ago. Since about halfway through the Soul Society arc, I reckon they got a bit sloppy. Watch the first season again. Has anyone else noticed this? Or is it just me?

Clarify what you mean. Do you mean the artwork was slipping, or the story got hasty? If you mean the story got hasty than yeah it did. The arc was about a 20-epper iirc if they didn't speed it up it would spill over to next season. If you mean the artwork then your crazy. The soul society had incredible effects, mesmerizing battles, and the same great detail.

I did in fact mean the artwork. I wouldn't go anywhere as near as saying that it's "bad", but the post-illustration effects haven't been used as much or as well as they used to be.
For example, in the first season:
(http://img125.imageshack.us/my.php?image=earlyny0.png)

and later on, during the end of the soul society arc:
(http://img125.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20071211152258uo2.png)

It's really just the shadows, and the lack of contrast that was used in the first season. Of course, there are times where the animation goes back to top notch, like during the grimmjow vs ichigo fight.
Not that any of this would stop me from watching Bleach anyway.

Eh I always figured that at first they try to impress you as much as possible first season. Well some shows that is seems like other programs get better after first season. Probably just bigger budget..for poorer shows. I need to think of some examples. Ah wells.

In most cases that is true but with Naruto it got better imo. And when I say Naruto I mean the actual story arcs.... fillers not included.

I thought it got better as time passed and now that it is at Shippuuden it is even better.

*Shrug* Naruto is the only HUGE anime I have watched.... that and Pokemon when I was younger.

based on the screenshots i would have assumd it was just a night scene and a daytime scene. and you can't really compare those. O_o

yeah, my screens were probably a bit biased -_-;
maybe it might just be me...
But I still miss the post-illustration effects.


In most cases that is true but with Naruto it got better imo.
Yeah, I noticed that too.

Honestly, the art in the second scene looks better to me.

The only show I can remember being really bothered by the art at one point with is Sailor Moon. One of my favorite animes was widely lampooned in its first season for bad artwork, but I just never really noticed it.

I guess everyone has their own tastes.


but I just never really noticed it.
I don't usually notice that stuff either. The only reason I noticed the "possible" difference in animation of Bleach was because I re-watched a bit.
On the first viewing, I guess you're just too busy with enjoying the show.

Art. Animation. Not the same thing.

If you have a gripe about the art, that's all well and good, but calling it animation is confusing. If your gripe is with the animation, then posting still images is pointless.

Art. Animation. Not the same thing.

Sorry, I did in fact mean art. Thanks Prak.
But, if anyone wants to complain about animation, feel free.

My english= Fail