[Categories: Site Announcements]
The End of the World: two years old today
Two years. TWO YEARS I’ve been doing this. From my first post waxing lyrical about Monster, through the gender-bending Kashimashi, my stubborn refusal to fanboy about Haruhi and my stubborn refusal to not fanboy about Mushishi, right up to the move to Wordpress, the ABC dorama and beyond, it’s been fun. I cautiously dipped my toes into a whole subculture of aggregators, IRC humour, editorials, episode summaries and Wordpress upgrades precisely 731 days ago today and I haven’t regretted it one bit. Okay, it’s very tsun-tsun of me to say so but sometimes I get a bit baffled and exasperated at the aniblogosphere and your antics, but what can you do?
Happy birthday to me…
Actually, the precise date is probably lost in the mists of time since I arbitrarily set the timestamp of the first post to April 1 when I did the move to WP, but it’s as good a day as any. According to my stats this blog, when updated regularly, gets upwards of 500 hits daily. Admittedly this is way more than I expected or deserve but it’s all thanks to you, the reader. I write because I feel like it but the motivation to keep going has come from the comments, trackbacks, e-mails and other words of constructive criticism and encouragement from everyone who’s visited, commented, flamed and helped in some other way. You have my heartfelt thanks. I couldn’t have done it without you. Actually, I possibly could, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as awesome. You get the picture.
As for the other big blogosphere event today, I only have this to say:
Just as planned!
My new ‘net connection was only activated this afternoon so I didn’t get the chance to see the results of those conspiratorial e-mails that have been flooding my inbox in recent days; it was fun observing it all periodically on the sidelines but I’ve been almost coughing up blood with laughter this afternoon. It’s just another reason why I love you guys. Seriously.*
Totally irrelevant I know, but the concept of chibi-Sadako amuses me greatly
Coming up this week will be my true tears and Spice and Wolf retrospectives, more belated editorials and an epic three part Saikano review. Thanks again for all your support so far - it sure feels good to be back, in my own place IRL no less.
QFT
In Memoriam
Blogs come and go but sadly this includes some important individuals who contributed a lot to the community. I hope will someday return - you ruled and I miss you.
Hopeless Sensei: originally Attack of the Pink Robots, Hopeless moved his blog to Wordpress and turned me into a convert of the said blogging platform that I use to this day. In addition to this he recommended me Kare Kano, provided other irreplaceable pieces of advice and discussion and had excellent taste to boot. You sir are sorely missed and I hope all is well, wherever you are.
Mangaminx: The one person above all others who got me into blogging in the first place (along with the warning “Blogging is addictive!”, which I didn’t fully understand until it was too late). Surprisingly, her blog is still online so while it isn’t updated any more you can still browse the archives; a lot of it has quite a strong yuri slant but her excellent writing skills were inspirational and I owe a lot to her in anime/manga knowledge too.
Epic Win: It was short in terms of longevity but as far as humour, good taste and solid writing are concerned the unconventional approach and endlessly entertaining banter of Orion and Guff made up for its brevity by truly living up to its name. They may have come across as the Aniblogosphere’s own Statler and Waldorf but those guys know a good anime when they see one - I hope to see its magnificent revival.
Ten: I remember YSP: Duh! as a fantastic aniblog that sadly ceased to be quite recently after months of retirement. Fortunately her non-anime blog, The Park, is still alive and well.
*That was my dere-dere breakdown there in case you missed it.
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
Congratulations. I hope to keep reading your weblog for years to come.
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
Well done, Martin. Two years is no mean feat and to have lasted for so long (in relative blogging terms, at least) is an achievement to be proud of; I love reading this blog. Seems like there was this whole generation of us that came through into blogging at the same time; I still have an occasional chat with Michelle (Mangaminx) and she seems really happy, albeit in a way that doesn’t involve downloading raw obscure yuri anime on IRC
No doubt, it was her fault that you ended up watching Kashimashi! Anyway, keep it up!
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
I never realized how hard it’s been to keep up anime blogging until I realized that I’ve done it for a year. For you to keep persevering and continuing to feel the but to blog for this long is very commendable. Congratulations. :3
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 9:29 pm
It’s quite the achievement to last two whole years (’Count ‘em!’) and (as I recall remarking on Bateszi’s blog) in terms of lifespan relative to other anime blogs, that must make The End of the World positively middle-aged.
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
Congratulations! It is a bit daunting to see all these older blogs, but it’s also encouraging for us newer bloggers. It must have been quite a ride.
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 9:39 pm
Congratulations to the two-year’s anniversary. Hope you’ll keep it up for many years to come.
And yeah, especially Hopeless and Ten, when they were still active were some of my favourite bloggers as well. It’s a shame that they’re gone now.
Posted on April 1st, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
Congratulations, the End of the World has just been the beginning of your blogging, or something like that…
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 12:01 am
Congratulations on making it to two years; Azure Flame won’t turn two until the summer, so you’re my blogging onii-san
I used to talk to Hopeless on MSN a lot, until he vanished last September…
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 2:29 am
Congrats! Hope to be reading your 3rd year post =p
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 5:04 am
Well, I’ve only been reading your blog a few months, but it’s one of the few where I actually look forward to updates. Here’s to many more years!
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 5:55 am
Graaaats, but this better not be an April Fools joke!
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 7:35 am
Congradulations.. damn 500 hits a day. Wow.. I feel totally inadaquate in the face of your might
Good work and here’s to at least a few more years 
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
Wow, did everyone I know start blogging in April or what? The coincidence amazes me sometimes, heh. Must be something about Spring that gets people started — I know I did.
Nevertheless, here’s a late happy anniversary wish. That’s one whole year of seniority more than mine! May you blog happily for many more years to come, with none of that abrupt disappearance from the internet that we’ve come to associate with many a person. Cheers. Looking forward to your posts as usual.
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
Happy birthday, sir. It’s been a great tenure so far!
Yeah, I miss Hopeless a lot, too. It’s sad how he disappeared off the face of the internet. I think university played its usual trick; I sympathise entirely.
Also: can’t wait for your SaiKano posts. The manga is one of my genuine favourites and I just recently bought the DVD boxset.
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 @ 5:39 pm
Thanks everyone. I’m aiming for a celebratory one-post-per-day blogging schedule this week, although that’s also to catch up on the post backlog that I’ve built up for myself.
@don: thanks. Same to you! ^_^
@Bateszi: yeah, Mangaminx recommended me Kashimashi! It’s good to know she’s still around and doing well.
@TheBigN: If you can keep it up for a year, you’re already halfway there! (:
@IKnight: middle-aged?! Beats being a pensioner, I guess.
@IcyStorm: yeah, I used to find the idea of older blogs daunting. Rest assured you’ll see it from the opposite side someday!
@psgels: yeah, they’re gone but not forgotten!
@DS: I’ve no idea what the future holds TBH. I’m hoping I can keep this going for as long as I can…
@Karura: it’s a shame about Hopeless, it really is. It’s strange to think your blog’s about to hit the Terrible Twos soon as well though. It’s great to see some of the older crowd still going strong.
@hayase: I’ll do my best to reach the next milestone!
@Peter S: cheers. Your frequent commenting hasn’t gone unnoticed either!
@Kabitzin: don’t worry, it isn’t. I can’t speak for the other ABC members though!
@Cameron Probert: patience, my friend. Racking up the stats takes time (although I suspect quite a few hits are from search bots!)
@Owen S: there’s something about this season…I don’t know. There’s a lot coming up on the fansub circuit soon, although I’ve yet to even begin making a ‘to watch’ list.
@Hige: again, I miss Hopeless’ posts. The first of my Saikano reviews is up now btw, as promised.
Posted on April 4th, 2008 @ 10:50 am
I am late like always, but anyways: Congratulations to a 1/3 of my favourite Top 3 blogs! The day you close this blog, I’m going to cry. (I’m being dere-dere too now.)
To be honest, I was really surprised to see that my blog is even half a year older than yours - it doesn’t feel like it at all! I also arbitrarily set my blog’s birthday on a special day: my own (in reality, it’s something like +/- 2 days). Hehe.
Posted on April 4th, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
@Sasa: Many thanks, belated or otherwise! Yeah, it’s kinda surprising that you’ve kept up blogging for so long - I know you sometimes feel like you don’t update often enough but to still update at all (great Chi’s post btw) takes some doing. Always a pleasure to have you guys as fellow bloggers! ^_^
Posted on April 10th, 2008 @ 7:15 pm
I may have been late, but congratulations on the anniversary.