Animedoro is the name of a study technique that combines two very different things: studying and anime.
With this technique, it’s possible to study more productively while still enjoying your favorite anime.
DISCLAIMER: This was a text I wrote years ago for my professional blog. I was going to delete it, but I thought the content was valuable and moved it to my personal blog instead. Keep in mind that this text has a bit less literary value and is more focused on “content”.
What is Animedoro?
The name Animedoro already gives you an idea of what this technique is about, but it’s worth detailing a bit more.
Animedoro is a technique that consists of 40-60 minutes of study followed by a 20-minute break. During the break, the student can watch an episode of anime. It is inspired by the Pomodoro technique but has been adapted to be more enjoyable while remaining productive
This technique can be very effective if you’ve already tried the Pomodoro technique but haven’t achieved positive results.
So let’s understand a bit more about how it works. This technique is much simpler than it may seem and is highly adaptable.
I’m sure it can help you just as it helped me – and as it has helped thousands of people around the world.
How does Animedoro work?
Animedoro is quite simple when you break it down. Just alternate between periods of study and periods of watching anime.
The first phase of Animedoro consists of studying for 40 to 60 minutes. There’s no need to set an exact limit, but it’s good to stay within that time frame and adjust according to your study stamina. Then, you watch an anime episode, which typically lasts about 20 minutes.
Regarding study time, just go with your own needs: if you’ve completed a task in 45 minutes, you can watch the anime.
However, if you’ve finished a task in 30 minutes, you can start another one until you reach 60 minutes so that the study session isn’t too short.
Some say to skip the opening and ending credits, like the creator of the technique himself, but I prefer to watch everything for a more immersive experience. But you do you, of course!
Animedoro vs. Pomodoro
Indeed, the name Animedoro suggests that it’s a variation of the Pomodoro technique, which is well-known among students.
In Pomodoro, you study for 25 to 30 minutes, then take a break for about 5 minutes. In Animedoro, you study for 40 to 60 minutes and take a 20-minute break. So, the break time in Animedoro is longer and allows for more activities, while Pomodoro’s break time is too short to do much of anything.
Thus, Animedoro gets the student more excited for their study break because they get to watch anime, whereas in Pomodoro, they can hardly do anything.
That’s why many people prefer doing Animedoro in the long run and are seeing good results.
However, Pomodoro isn’t a bad technique. Some may prefer it because everyone has their own pace.
What is Animedoro for?
But what exactly is the purpose of Animedoro? What does it serve?
Animedoro was created to be a productivity technique for studying, as it allows students to learn various subjects while also watching many anime episodes. This makes them feel motivated and able to study more consistently.
Indeed, it’s a very useful technique, especially for younger people who sometimes lack motivation to study.
Associating anime with studying is a way to overcome this lack of motivation. That’s why many people are already using and teaching this technique to others.
What are the positive aspects of Animedoro?
Animedoro brings many benefits, indeed. Some of them stand out.
Animedoro allows the person to feel more motivated to learn, preventing studying from becoming a burden. This way, they can study more while still having fun. This is great for younger people, who sometimes lack motivation to study.
Of course, even older folks lack motivation sometimes (I confess it happens to me sometimes), but I see the appeal being much greater for the younger ones.
However, if you’re older like me, you can still benefit a lot from the technique! Just give it a try and see if you can adapt to it.
What are the negative aspects of Animedoro?
Not everything is rosy, and Animedoro also has some points that require attention to fully enjoy it.
During the break periods, you need to be careful not to want to watch just one more episode. This defeats the purpose of the technique and makes you study less. So, you need the willpower not to watch, even if the episode ends with a very strong hook.
On the bright side, this gives you much more satisfaction when you watch the next episode.
Perhaps some less focused people might end up harming themselves with this technique, but moderation is key in everything.
Furthermore, this method can help you develop the maturity to know that it’s not always time for fun (which can be difficult in a world with so many distractions as there are today).
Example of an Animedoro Routine
I’ll mention an example of a routine using Animedoro to help you understand how it works.
Let’s say you’re studying for college entrance exams and watching a short anime, like a season of Attack on Titan (average of 12 episodes). If you complete 4 full sessions, you study from 3 hours and 40 minutes to 4 hours and finish your anime in three days. This helps you keep up with the best anime while studying every day (after all, you’ll be motivated to continue).
This way, you can watch several long anime series, like Naruto, One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, Dragon Ball, Gintama, Bleach, and others with hundreds of episodes.
Moreover, you’ll study every day and achieve much better results in your studies (whether it’s for school, college, entrance exams, or competitive exams).
If you used to procrastinate with studying and watching anime, this is a way to get a lot done with both!
Why does Animedoro work?
Animedoro seems interesting, but why not just study and get results? Why watch anime afterwards?
Animedoro works because it alternates between study periods and breaks. And the best part is that, unlike Pomodoro, the break period allows you to engage in something truly enjoyable. This helps motivate many students who already apply this technique in their daily lives.
The beauty of dividing anime and study periods is precisely the increased motivation the student feels to finish their study session.
Of course, you need to be careful not to procrastinate in your studies and just let the time pass: you need to study for real to get your results!
Who created Animedoro?
This technique is quite recent, indeed. Did you know it was created in 2021?
The technique was created by YouTuber Josh Chen, who posted his video explaining the Animedoro method on January 11, 2021. The video in which he explains the technique has already garnered over 1 million views, with thousands of positive comments about the usefulness of the technique.
osh created the technique and, with it, managed to watch Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, and other major anime series – all while successfully studying for his exams.
This video is one of the most successful on the channel and has brought Josh many subscribers, as he continues to post content on YouTube.
You can watch the video that introduced the technique for the first time below:
Can I listen to music during Animedoro?
Many wonder if they can play some music during study sessions to help with focus.
It’s possible to listen to music during the study parts of Animedoro, but be careful not to let the music distract you. Therefore, prefer calmer instrumental music without vocals, as it helps you concentrate without getting distracted.
For example: classical music, piano instrumentals, lo-fi hip hop, ambient music, instrumental jazz, and others that help create the perfect study environment.
Both Spotify and YouTube have hundreds of playlists of this style, with the most famous being the classic 24-hour lo-fi hip hop radio. Check it out below:
Can I adapt Animedoro?
Animedoro isn’t a rigid technique that must be strictly followed. It can be adapted to your reality.
It’s possible to adapt the study time in the Animedoro technique, as well as the break time. Just be careful not to spend too much time on entertainment and too little time on studying. Additionally, you can swap anime for reading or a TV series, and swap studying for work or household tasks, for example.
In other words, the technique is much more versatile than it may seem at first and can be an important ally in various areas of your life.
Below, I’ve listed some of the main questions about how to adapt the Animedoro technique correctly.
Can I do Animedoro with TV series?
Some people don’t like anime but prefer to watch TV series. In this case, can it still be used?
It’s possible to do Animedoro and watch episodes of TV series, but make sure to watch a series with short episodes, around 20 minutes as well. This way, you won’t get distracted during your break time.
I say this because there are series with episodes that are over an hour long. In this case, you would have to divide the episode into parts (and I know how difficult that can be).
Need an ideal series to do Animedoro? The Office is very funny, and most episodes are standalone.
Can I do Animedoro with video games?
And what about video games, can Animedoro be done with this beloved hobby for many?
In general, it’s not recommended to play games during the break time of Animedoro. The reason for this is that games are usually very immersive and make it difficult for a person to be satisfied with just 20 minutes of playing: they will want to play for longer.
So, stick to anime or series, it’s less risky, and you’ll be able to follow more easily.
If you still want to play, I recommend simpler games, like Super Mario, Sonic, and other arcade-style games.
Can I do Animedoro with a book?
A book might be the favorite hobby for some people, and it’s a possibility to fit it into the break time of Animedoro.
In general, it’s good to read simpler books during the break time of Animedoro, such as simpler fiction stories. If you’re going to read something complex, it’s best to do it in a more dedicated time. This is because during the break time, you need to rest, not exert yourself too much (as some more difficult books require).
So, look for simpler things, like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, or the countless other good stories out there in books.
Can I do Animedoro with manga?
Manga and anime are closely related – after all, many anime are adaptations of manga. So it’s natural to think that you could easily swap anime for manga, right?
Manga can indeed replace anime in Animedoro, but the chapters of a manga can vary in length and take more or less time to read. Therefore, it’s important to time yourself when reading manga to avoid spending too much time on this activity and disrupting your study time.
So, you can read manga chapters for 20 minutes and then return to your studies normally.
Believe me, there are manga where 20 minutes is not enough to read a complete chapter. On the other hand, there are others where 20 minutes are enough to read almost an entire volume.
Can I do Animedoro with comics?
By logic, if it’s possible to do Animedoro with manga, you can do it with comics too!
You need to be careful when doing Animedoro with comics, as some stories are longer and others shorter to read. Additionally, everyone has a different reading speed. Therefore, it’s important to time yourself when doing this technique with comics.
There are those very short stories that are quickly read and others that take hours to read everything. So, set an alarm or keep track of your reading time.
Can I use Animedoro in my work?
Indeed, not everyone is in the school or college phase. Moreover, not everyone wants to take a public exam. But Animedoro can still be useful.
The study periods in Animedoro can also be used to do work-related tasks, for example. Especially if the person works from home or is a freelancer, it’s possible to work for 40 to 60 minutes and then watch an anime episode. The rules are the same, but instead of studying, it’s work.
This can be very helpful in daily life, especially if you’re someone who procrastinates at work – like I sometimes do, I confess.
Just don’t do this if you work in a very traditional company. They won’t like to see an employee watching anime, that’s for sure…
Can I use Animedoro for other tasks?
Just like with work, Animedoro can be used for any other type of task that needs to be done.
It’s possible, for example, to use the study time of Animedoro to work or do household chores. You can also use it to organize things and any other task that needs to be completed. In other words, you can see that this is a productivity technique and that it is very adaptable.
Regardless of what you do in life, it will be possible to combine this task with watching the best anime.
Is Animedoro worth it?
After talking about Animedoro all this time, here comes the important question: is it really worth doing this study technique?
It’s definitely worth doing Animedoro, as long as you can maintain control and not watch several episodes at once. This technique, if done correctly, can help you be much more productive in your studies, work, or any other activity you want to apply it to.
Much more than a study method, it’s a method to make you productive in any activity you want to apply it to.
So, give it a try and see if it’s for you! It’s definitely more interesting than the Pomodoro technique.
And remember to adapt it to your reality because everyone has a study style that is more appropriate for their personality.