Decluttering Log: Falling into the Anime Rabbit Hole in My 50s. The Strategic Reason I Chose a Blu-ray Box Set Over Streaming

Less is more.

I have always told myself this, finding joy in organizing my surroundings and creating comfortable 'white space.' As I entered my 50s, my theme for the second half of life has been how to live as lightly and peacefully as possible.

However, you never know what life will throw at you. Recently, I literally fell down a 'rabbit hole' for a certain manga series.

Driven by such intense enthusiasm, I collected all the volumes at a speed that surprised even myself, and eventually found myself reaching for the Blu-ray box set of the anime adaptation. As someone whose life's work is a 'letting go' lifestyle and organization, choosing to intentionally increase physical 'things' might seem contradictory at first glance. Yet, as I gazed at the box that had arrived, my heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

The other day, I finally finished watching all the episodes during my evenings and days off. As I watched the characters come to life on screen, I realized something.

Why did I go out of my way to choose a physical 'Blu-ray' in an age where I could easily watch it on a streaming site? There was a strategic reason behind it, related to my own 'time' and 'space,' rather than mere materialism. Today, I would like to talk about the criteria I use when a minimalist decides to 'intentionally own things.'

The rational choice of a 'Compact Edition'

What I got this time was not the standard individual volume release, but a box-set Blu-ray called a 'Compact Edition.'

This anime consists of 12 episodes each for the first and second seasons, and if I were to collect the standard editions, I would need a total of 10 discs. Naturally, that would mean 10 cases. If lined up on a bookshelf, they would easily occupy about 20cm of space.

On the other hand, the Compact Edition I chose has only 4 discs in total for both seasons. What is surprising is its storage style. The discs are efficiently housed in a standard tall case in a 'two-story' structure, and the total thickness is only about 5cm.

This 15cm difference is extremely significant for someone like me who wants to keep the management of things simple.

Of course, if I had collected the standard editions, I would have been able to admire the gorgeous, newly drawn package illustrations for each volume, and there would have been plenty of bonus footage included. It is true that I had to give up those extras in exchange for gaining 15cm of 'spatial white space.'

However, what was most important to me now was being able to enjoy the 'main story' in the best possible image quality at any time, and not crowding my living space. This time, I also added the option of buying used, making it a purchase I was satisfied with in terms of cost as well. The physical fact that it 'takes up space' remains, but I was convinced that with these '4 discs' where waste has been thoroughly eliminated, it would not be a burden, but a pleasant part of my life.

Why 'discs' instead of streaming?

In this day and age, the most common way to watch anime is through a 'video streaming service (subscription).' By paying a few hundred to a thousand yen a month, you get access to more works than you could ever watch. If you think only in terms of cost-performance, spending several thousand yen to buy a Blu-ray might seem like an inefficient act.

However, what I was looking for this time was not 'watching a lot of anime,' but deeply savoring 'this particular work.'

This is the biggest reason I avoided a subscription. If I had signed up for one, my frugal nature would have started whispering, 'You have to get your money's worth.' I felt that I would end up dabbling in works I didn't originally intend to watch, and as a result, I would lose something more valuable than money: my own time.

Buying a Blu-ray is certainly more expensive than a monthly subscription fee. However, what I have in my hands is just that one work I love. I am not swayed by unnecessary recommendation algorithms, nor do I stay up late searching for what to watch next.

The disc I bought with the decision that 'I will only watch this work' also became the ultimate time management tool for me. By intentionally setting a 'limitation' in the form of physical media, I protected my free time and gained the luxury of facing the work one-on-one.

The 'joy of ownership' that comes from having something tangible

Even setting aside the logic of 'efficiency' and 'time management,' there was an undeniable 'joy of ownership' there.

The Blu-ray box set I received this time, while compact, is a package with careful craftsmanship. Unlike clicking an icon on a screen, I take the case off the shelf, feel its solid weight, and gaze at the expressions of the characters drawn on the jacket. The sensation transmitted to my fingertips makes me feel something like 'body heat' that digital media lacks.

I was especially happy about the included booklet. The setting materials that complement the world of the work and the text describing the background of the story. The time spent flipping through them page by page and reading them thoroughly was truly a blissful moment.

'I want to support this work, I want to keep a part of this world in my own hands.' I feel that this box is the embodiment of such pure feelings. Precisely because I continue to live a life of letting go of unnecessary things, the brilliance emitted by the 'one item' I carefully selected and kept seems to shine much brighter than before.

Letting go of everything is not the only right answer; it is about keeping only what is truly valuable to you in the best possible form. For me now, this Blu-ray box set has become an irreplaceable 'favorite' that adds color and healing to my daily life.

Strategic 'ownership' gives space to life

There is an atmosphere in the world that 'not owning is justice.' I, too, have valued letting go of unnecessary things and creating 'space' both physically and mentally.

However, through this experience, I realized something again. It is that thinking strategically about 'what to own' is just as essential for a rich life as 'what to let go of'.

Instead of efficiently bathing in information through trendy subscriptions, I intentionally spend the cost to face one work single-mindedly. Instead of prioritizing room space and digitizing everything, I display my favorite packages.

This choice, which at first glance seems inefficient, has resulted in giving me 'time not distracted by unnecessary things' and a 'space where my heart settles every time I look at it.'

Owning things is by no means bad. What is important is not to be swept away by the 'common sense' of the world, but to measure value with your own yardstick. And to own only what you are truly convinced of, with responsibility.

I will continue to design the 'space' that is comfortable for me while rotating the two wheels of letting go and owning. When I decide to 'own' something next, there will surely be a new story waiting that goes beyond mere possession.

Thank you very much for reading until the end.