Have you ever felt that overwhelming pang of emptiness right after finishing an anime season you fully adored? It’s like one day you’re immersed in the ongoing adventures of your beloved characters, and the next, they’ve vanished into thin air. If you’ve experienced that hollow feeling in your chest when the final episode’s ending theme plays, you might be dealing with what Japanese fans call “アニメ喪失感 (anime loss).” Think of it as “post-anime depression” or “anime withdrawal”—the feeling that there’s suddenly a hole in your weekly routine and you have zero idea how to fill it. The reason you should keep reading is simple: there’s a new, chaotic phenomenon swirling around anime fandoms in Japan, something so mind-bendingly fun (and borderline bizarre) that it just might make you want to pitch a tent and camp out in the realm of your favorite unfinished titles forever. If phrases like “Wait, I heard there was a 13th episode last week!” or “That new arc was insane—did you see that plot twist?” spark curiosity (and maybe a little confusion) in you, this journey into the heart of “集団幻覚 (shuudan genkaku),” or collective hallucinations, is definitely for you. Strap in, because we’re diving deep into the swirling madness of anime fans who have decided that waiting for the official new season is just too darn boring.

The Moment Anime Loss Strikes

There’s something deeply human about only realizing how precious something is after it’s gone, and for anime fans, that realization lands hard the instant their favorite show’s broadcast finishes. All of a sudden, you can’t see more of that character you’ve come to love, you can’t watch that storyline you couldn’t wait to see resolved, and you’re left in an uncomfortable haze of “What do I do now?” For me personally, this has happened more times than I care to admit. Sometimes there’s no word on when the next season might start, or whether the manga (or novel) it’s based on is even continuing. If you can’t wrap your head around a years-long wait, you’re not alone. But ironically, it can feel even more bizarre if you stumble onto someone’s social media post that goes, “Hey, I caught last week’s new episode, and that crazy reveal was epic, am I right?” without any actual new episode existing. And that, dear friends, is where the phenomenon of collective hallucination comes in.

The Mighty Storm of Anime Industry Shifts

Before we break down this weird new trend, we need to explore what’s going on in the anime industry. Not too long ago, it was standard for certain series to run for 4 continuous “cours” (roughly 50 episodes spanning an entire year). But times have changed in a big way. The labor conditions for production staff in many studios have come under intense scrutiny. Overwork has long been a major issue, and more and more studios are making an effort to give their employees a healthier schedule—meaning they can’t just churn out non-stop episodes year-round. Meanwhile, in cases where the source material (like a manga or novel) isn’t finished yet, the anime often catches up ridiculously fast. In the olden days—well, not that old, but you get the idea—studios would throw in “filler episodes,” random arcs unrelated to the main storyline just to buy time. Or they’d produce “recap episodes” to stretch out the broadcast. But viewers today are hyper-aware on social media; they’ll instantly call the studio out with comments like, “This filler is so pointless,” or “The pacing is a train wreck.” Creators then have to weigh the backlash of stretching things out unnecessarily vs. pausing to wait for more source material or a better production schedule. So we’ve seen more split-cour releases and shorter broadcasting seasons. In turn, all that means fans have to endure longer waits between arcs, which, for our collective mental state, can sometimes be tragic.

The Emptiness Right After the Final Episode

When that finale hits and the ending credits start scrolling, there’s a unique heartbreak that anime fans understand with painful clarity. The second you realize “Wait… there’s no new episode next week,” it’s like somebody flips your world upside down for a moment. You hop online only to find social media teeming with posts like “I cried so hard at that final scene” or “They better announce a sequel ASAP.” The flood of emotion is real, and the combined volume of that mourning is huge. The anime and its characters might have been a staple in your life—perhaps you repeated your favorite catchphrases with your friends, or found yourself humming the opening theme during your daily commute—and now, poof, it’s over. The habitual rhythm of your week abruptly disappears, sometimes leaving you feeling strangely disoriented. On top of that, everyone else in your fandom circle seems to be grappling with the same hollowness at the exact same time, so whole communities go quiet or shift to a subdued, reflective vibe. “Remember that twist in episode 10?” becomes a bittersweet memory instead of a source of hype. The next step is often a flood of fan art, funny memes, or random speculation about how things could continue, because nobody’s ready to let go. It’s like a group therapy session disguised as an explosion of creativity.

Schedules, Overwork, and the Original Material Catch-Up Dilemma

Flash back a few years, and we had massive, year-round anime series that never seemed to take a break. If you were a fan of certain long-running shounen shows, you basically never went hungry for new content. Now, however, the industry is rethinking that approach. Overworked animators and production staff are hitting their limits. Suddenly, it’s “Wait, we can’t just keep going until everyone on the team collapses.” Studios are pushing to produce fewer episodes at higher quality and with better working conditions, so the old model of 50-episode marathons each year is far less common. Another factor is that some of the biggest hit anime are based on unfinished manga or light novels. If the anime sprints ahead of the source material, we quickly enter filler territory or half-baked arcs that might upset fans. These days, fans are more vocal than ever about what they expect, and subpar writing or pacing triggers a tidal wave of negative posts. It’s simpler (and smarter from a reputation standpoint) to wait for more chapters or a better production schedule, or to split the show into arcs, each one carefully planned. Hence, we’re seeing more frequent mid-season breaks that can last several months or more. That’s fantastic for quality control and staff health—but potentially torturous for fans who are addicted to their weekly dose of story and character shenanigans. Suddenly people have extra time to dwell on the cliffhangers, to speculate, and to yearn. It’s like fans are given an extended break with nothing to do but dream up possible directions in which the next part of the series might go.

The Rise of Unconventional Broadcast Schedules

Back in the day, anime was synonymous with a big weekly event on TV. But now, you’ve got streaming platforms claiming “simulcast” or “fastest broadcast” and dropping episodes sometimes hours after they air in Japan. Or they might release entire seasons at once—goodbye, weekly schedule! Meanwhile, the financial foundation of anime has drifted away from reliance on TV broadcast licensing fees toward a combination of merch, Blu-ray and DVD sales, subscription and licensing deals with overseas platforms, exclusive streaming rights, and even large-scale events. This shift means studios can experiment with broadcast schedules that better suit their internal workflow and marketing strategy. One show might dump all episodes at once, another might do short bursts of 6-episode arcs every couple of months, and yet another might go the old-school route of a consistent weekly run but only for 10 or 12 episodes at a time. As a result, free-flowing release gaps are almost the new normal, and that leads to fans spending more time in a state of “anime hunger.” Put differently, the tension between wanting new content and not having it yet is fueling a culture where fans fill the downtime with creative or comedic coping strategies. And that’s exactly where “集団幻覚 (shuudan genkaku)” or, in looser terms, “collective hallucination” struts in with a flourish.

What Is 集団幻覚 (Shuudan Genkaku) Anyway?

Yes, it literally translates to “collective hallucination,” but don’t worry—nobody is actually slipping psychoactive substances into your midnight snack. Instead, it’s a playful gabfest that unfolds when fans gather online and declare they’ve seen an unaired “next episode” or an upcoming arc that doesn’t exist. They’ll talk about it in such detail—plot twists, character arcs, shocking revelations—you might think it’s real if you accidentally wander into the conversation. “Episode 13 was a pure adrenaline rush,” claims one netizen, while another chirps back, “I know, right?! That moment when the sidekick turned villain was mind-blowing!” This is obviously not an official show. It’s a phenomenon that started with fans half-jokingly brainstorming “what if…” scenarios to stave off that maddening wait until the next season. But then the jokes got elaborately fleshed out, and people started stepping in with their own additions. Before anybody realized what was happening, entire threads of fan discussions were dedicated to analyzing a phantom storyline. Imagine peeking into your Twitter feed and seeing multiple folks discussing an episode you’re sure doesn’t exist. But the flavor is so believable that for a split second you wonder if you missed an update.

Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and the Collective Hallucination Hype

For a high-profile example, look no further than the incredibly famous “ガンダム 水星の魔女 (Gundam: The Witch from Mercury).” That show had a broadcast gap between seasons, creating the perfect breeding ground for “Hey, the new season is months away, but guess what I ‘saw’ last night?” posts. Suddenly, social feeds were filled with claims like “Dude, do you know who’s about to return in Episode 13?” or “Watch out for that backstory reveal in Episode 14—it’s crazy!” A wave of fan theories, random speculation, and playful (but borderline serious) claims about “leaked spoilers” took over certain threads. The kicker is that many people engaged in these discussions kind of knew it was a big in-joke, while others jumped in and legitimately asked, “Wait, is that official info?” The interchange between these groups escalated into a weird, swirling synergy of half-truths, comedic jabs, and elaborate fan ideas. Some folks argued passionately about the plausibility of certain plot lines—”No way the official staff would do that!”—while others fervently insisted that yes, they’d witnessed it themselves. It’s like sanity took a backseat, and everyone was comfortable with it. In fact, that very chaos seems to be a signature of modern otaku culture: the willingness to blur lines between what’s real and what’s just a big fan-driven masquerade.

The Mysterious 13th Episode of “ジークアクス (Ziek Axx)”

Ever heard of the show “ジークアクス (Ziek Axx)”? If you stumbled upon its fan community on social media, you might have seen references to a bizarre phenomenon: people talking endlessly about Episode 13 that—surprise!—doesn’t even exist in the official records. The series ended at Episode 12, so how is it that #13話 somehow trended, filled with comments like “The reveal in 13 was insane” or “I can’t believe they showed that backstory!”? When you dig deeper, you realize it’s all a grand act of collective make-believe. One person might invent a brand-new character and claim they appear in Episode 13. Another might jump in with a continuation of that subplot, detailing how that same made-up character meets a devastating fate in the phantom Episode 14. It’s a bit reminiscent of a group improvisation game, but with a global audience on social media. To outsiders, it looks like mass confusion. But among fans, it’s this massively entertaining swirl of creativity that keeps the fandom alive. You never know when official creators might quietly be observing from the sidelines, possibly adding a cameo in a future season just to humor the chatter. This intangible line between official canon and fan invention becomes deliciously blurry.

The Power of 二次創作 (Fan Fiction) and the Worlds We Build

In the heart of this phenomenon, there’s something that’s been with otaku culture for ages: 二次創作 (fan fiction). It’s where fans continue the thread of a beloved story—sometimes picking up right where the official version stopped, or diving into “what if” scenarios that never made it into the show. Historically, fan fiction thrived in specific corners of fandom through events like Comic Market (Comiket) or small, fan-driven communities. But the rise of social media has catapulted it into a lightning-fast exchange of ideas that can burst into the mainstream at any moment. When a show ends, fans simply shrug and say, “We’re not ready to be done, so let’s keep it going ourselves.” Some people write entire stories to detail the next adventures of the characters, others create short comedic skits or illustrate new arcs. The process is unbelievably collaborative: someone might propose a plot twist, and the next person picks it up and runs with it, then 10 more fans chime in with their own expansions. Before you know it, there’s an entire chunk of “episodes” that exist only in the collective imagination. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, well, some fandoms argue it’s basically “real.” That’s the sense in which these phantom episodes come alive—fans treat them like they truly aired somewhere in a parallel dimension, fueling an immersive experience that keeps them entertained while they wait for official content. In a sense, it’s a testament to how deeply fans love these works. Not only does the official anime get unwavering support, but it spawns a living, breathing extension in the form of fan stories.

Is Anime Headed Toward One Big Hallucination?

With broadcast schedules becoming more erratic, some might wonder if fans will just keep conjuring up more and more of these illusions between official episodes. While no one can predict the future, it’s safe to say that anime has always been about evolution and adaptation. When you look back through history, every new era has introduced changes—whether it’s new technologies, new storytelling techniques, or new ways of consuming media. Right now, the entire ecosystem is grappling with how to balance staff well-being against the demands of tight deadlines and enormous fan expectations. Rather than pumping out weekly content all year at the expense of quality, many studios are saying, “We’ll do fewer episodes now, so the production team doesn’t spontaneously combust.” This naturally leads to longer breaks and intervals that require fans to be patient. But fans are rarely content to wait quietly, especially when social media platforms encourage collaborative hype. People end up generating entire theoretical arcs, forging new revelations, and even weaving in details from the original manga or secondhand rumors. International fans join the chatter, sometimes “inventing” arcs that incorporate their own cultural references or reading subtle hints from official previews. By the time the show returns, the widespread speculation and illusions might be so huge that the official storyline almost feels like it needs to address them. It’s a wild synergy—on one hand, the production side might cringe at rumors that mislead or overshadow the real narrative; on the other, it can spark excitement that keeps the brand alive even without official episodes airing.

Chasing Endless Excitement Without Any “Real” Episodes

For those of us who live and breathe anime, the final taste of an ending is often so bittersweet. We’re excited to see a conclusion, but devastated that the weekly routine is gone. Thanks to the internet, fans aren’t forced to sit alone in that emptiness. Instead, they gather to conjure up ghost episodes, pretend arcs, or entire fan-fiction expansions that make it feel like the story never ended at all. Right now, somewhere online, someone is probably posting a tweet like, “Omg, just watched Episode 14 last night—my mind is blown!” And you can bet at least a chunk of their followers will play along with the gag, either knowingly or out of genuine confusion. Sometimes it’s hilarious, sometimes it’s actually moving. It’s basically performance art on a digital stage. But the deeper message is that fans love these works so fiercely that they’d rather just keep that flame alive, even if it takes stretching the boundaries of reality. Of course, official creators might raise an eyebrow at these “collective hallucinations,” especially if they cross any lines. There’s always a fine balance between fan passion and legal or creative boundaries. And yet, from a cultural standpoint, it’s a fantastic sign of vibrant, fully engaged fandoms. The notion that “the anime might have ended, but the fun never has to” underscores how modern otaku communities see a show not as a static entity, but as a living, evolving tapestry. Once you realize that, it becomes obvious that these illusions, jokes, and made-up episodes are part of a bigger tradition of fans wanting to keep the party going.

Will the Official Studios Ever Play Along?

Interestingly, sometimes the official anime staff or creators do nod to fan theories or illusions. Maybe they spot a fun piece of fan art or a short comedic scenario and tease the fandom by referencing it in a promo video or a future arc. This sort of “pilfering” from fan ideas can lead to a feedback loop, where the fans see their own illusions reflected in the official product and then spin up even more creative works. In an age where social media can blur the line between professional production and grassroots fan invention, the entire conversation around what’s “canon” and what’s “fanon” gets complicated—and, if you’re like me, deeply entertaining. Ultimately, we might see more synergy between official content and the systematically generated illusions that swirl around it. Animation studios no longer exist in a vacuum; they’ve got an army of watchers on Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and beyond, who not only consume the product but actively shape its discourse and might even influence future plotlines. That’s both exhilarating and a wee bit scary for creators trying to preserve artistic integrity. But from the fandom perspective, it’s a sign that their voices matter.

Embracing the Chaos

So as the industry further diversifies, and productions inevitably come with big pauses and uncertain returns, we can probably expect even more of these illusions. If we’re starved of official episodes, we’ll create them ourselves—why not? Of course, there’s always the question of how far is too far. Some illusions can be so convincing that newcomers are duped into thinking they missed actual episodes, which can spark frustration or confusion. But for many fans, that playful friction is precisely the charm. The unspoken agreement goes, “We know this is not real, but it’s too fun not to indulge.” By the time the official episodes do drop, entire online circles might have generated multiple fully fleshed-out versions of what could happen next—and one of those versions might inadvertently guess the actual storyline. If that happens, well, cue the flood of “we called it!” boasting. Or a collective meltdown in which fans claim they really saw it coming. And on it goes, in a beautifully never-ending feedback loop of speculation, confirmation, and brand-new illusions popping up out of nowhere.

The Bigger Picture

You might think this phenomenon is just some fleeting joke, but it actually cuts to the core of modern fandom culture. In many ways, “集団幻覚 (shuudan genkaku)” is the natural outcome of fans’ desire to connect with each other, keep the hype alive, and deal with the heartbreak of seeing a show they love vanish from the weekly TV or streaming lineup. By weaving illusions of future episodes, fans keep the communal spirit burning. It’s also a testament to the unstoppable power of 二次創作 (fan fiction), showing just how creative people can be when they refuse to let a story end. On the professional side, as anime studios lean into flexible broadcast schedules and multi-pronged revenue strategies, we can guess that occasional broadcasting gaps and hiatuses will keep happening. The question is how fandoms will collectively respond. Judging by what we see with “ガンダム 水星の魔女 (Gundam: The Witch from Mercury)” and “ジークアクス (Ziek Axx),” that response looks like it’ll stay fun, chaotic, and extremely imaginative. All these illusions might even spawn entire spin-off narratives and new ways of engaging with anime. The lines between the “real” show and fan-invented expansions can overlap in unpredictable ways, breathing new life into the entire cultural ecosystem. So if the day comes where half the fandom is absolutely convinced that they’ve seen Episode 22 while the other half is sure the show ended at Episode 21, just know: you’re witnessing the unstoppable creative impulse of anime fans to fill every narrative void. And to be honest, it’s incredibly entertaining.

Once you embrace that sense of cultural chaos, you realize there’s no reason to let “anime loss” drag you down. Instead, you can jump right into the swirling illusions, keep that hype alive, and form deeper bonds with others who share your passion. Official episodes might be limited, but the fandom’s creativity is boundless. In other words, the next time your favorite anime leaves you hanging, don’t just stew by yourself—dive into your community. Someone out there is already fantasizing about Episode 13 or even Episode 14, and they’ll welcome you with open arms as you conjure your own “memories” of the episodes that never were. After all, staying excited about a show is half the fun, even when that show isn’t technically running anymore. And who knows, maybe official studios will someday drop a hint that all those illusions were on their radar. When that happens, you can proudly raise your hand and say, “Yep, I’ve been ‘watching’ the nonexistent episodes all along!”

アニメロスを感じた瞬間から始まる物語

何かを大切に思う気持ちは、それが手から離れた瞬間こそ強烈に感じられるもの。アニメファンにとっては、毎週楽しみにしていた放送クールの終了がまさにそれにあたります。物語の続きが見られない、愛するキャラクターたちの活躍がもうしばらく見られない――あの胸に空いた穴のような喪失感は、筆者自身も何度も経験してきました。しかも、次のクールがいつ始まるか決まっていない場合や、原作がまだ続いているのかどうか分からない場合には、下手すると数年単位で待たされることもあるんです。でも、「あれ？　先週の続き見たんだけど、意外な展開だったね？」なんてSNSで言う人がいたら、それはちょっと不思議じゃないでしょうか？

実は、放送されていないはずの新作回を「見たこと」にしてしまう、いわゆる“集団幻覚(しゅうだんげんかく)”なる現象があるんです。振り返れば、最近のアニメを巡る状況は変化の嵐。制作会社のスタッフさんたちが働きすぎて倒れてしまわないように労働環境を変えたり、原作付きのアニメはあっという間に追いついてしまってネタが枯渇したり、収益はテレビ放送だけじゃなく配信やグッズが重要になってきたりと、もうアニメ作りの土台がガラッと変わってきました。そんな中で生まれた“集団幻覚”は、いつの間にかネット文化のトレンドになりつつあります。それがいったいどんなもので、なぜファンの間で盛り上がっているのか。放送終了後の喪失感、そしてファン活動のリアルを、オタクの愛をこめて深掘りしていきます。

アニメ放送終了とあの喪失感

アニメが終わる瞬間、最終回のエンディングが流れていくときって、なぜあんなに胸がきゅっとなるんでしょう。筆者は毎回、「え、もう来週これが見られないの？」という切なさに襲われながらSNSにログインしてしまいます。すると「最終回泣いた…」「続編早く発表してくれ！」などの声があふれていますよね。いわゆる“アニメ喪失感”が爆発するタイミングです。

多くのファンにとって、アニメのキャラクターや物語はただの娯楽ではなく、日常の一部になっています。推しキャラに思いを馳せたり、作中のセリフを日常会話に織り交ぜたり。そんな習慣が、放送終了と同時にぴたりと止まってしまうわけですから、胸にポッカリ穴が開くのも当然かもしれません。放送及び新作を心待ちにする“週間リズム”が崩れることで、生活の一部が失われるような感覚もあるんです。

しかも、その喪失感は一人で抱えこむものではなく、SNSやネットコミュニティで集団的に共有されます。「今週の展開ヤバすぎた！」と盛り上がっていたコミュニティが突然沈黙するような雰囲気になってしまうのが寂しいんですよね。そんな寂しさを紛らわすために、ファンアートや考察、ネタツイートが大量に投稿されるのも、ある種の“逃避”かもしれません。

制作会社の働き方改革と原作追いつき問題

数年前までは「ほぼ一年中、毎週放送してくれるアニメも当たり前だよね」と思っていた方もいるでしょう。いわゆる“4クール連続放送”が当たり前の作品もありました。しかし最近は、その流れが少しずつ変わってきています。もっとも大きな要因の一つが、制作会社の働き方改革にあると言われています。スタッフがずっと徹夜で作業し続けるような環境はもう限界ということで、スケジュールに余裕を持たせる方針が強まっているんです。

さらに、原作がまだ完結していない漫画や小説をアニメ化する場合、アニメ版の展開が原作を追い越してしまう“原作追いつき問題”が発生します。昔なら、アニメオリジナルの“引き伸ばし回”や“総集編”などを挟んで何とか乗り切る手法もよくありました。でも今は視聴者がすぐSNSで「今回の回は微妙…」「構成が破綻してる？」など反応し、良くも悪くも敏感になっているので、無理に引き伸ばしをするよりも分割して放送する方が賢いという考え方が主流になりました。

これらの変化は、一昔前から続く“ガチ”の繋ぎ回でお茶を濁すより、クオリティを大事にしたいという思いがあってのことでもあります。週刊的に新作を供給できなくなった結果、ファンが物語に飢える時間がどうしても生じてしまう。そんな“飢え”が、後述する集団幻覚を盛り上げる燃料になっているのかもしれません。

収益構造から見る放送スケジュールの多様化

アニメといえば、昔はテレビ放送が一大イベントでした。しかし、時代は移り変わって現在では配信プラットフォームが「最速配信」なんて肩書きを掲げて先行公開することも当たり前になっています。さらに、作品の収益源もテレビ局の放送料よりDVD・Blu-rayやグッズ、イベント、さらには海外配信の契約が重要な柱になりつつあるんです。

この新しい収益構造が、アニメ制作者サイドの放送形態を大きく変えています。たとえば「一度に全話配信してファンをガッと集めてしまおう」という手法や、逆に「分割クールでじっくり話題を引っ張ろう」など、いろいろなパターンが生まれています。結果、テレビで毎週欠かさず放送する形ではなくなり、数ヶ月待たされることも珍しくない状態になりました。ファンとしては待ち時間が長い分、アニメ喪失感が強まるリスクがアップ。だからこそ、そのストレスを発散させるネットコミュニティの役割が重要になっているわけです。

集団幻覚(しゅうだんげんかく)って何だ？

さて、そんな放送スケジュールが不規則になってしまった結果、一部の作品のファンたちの間で妙なムーブメントが起こるようになりました。それが“集団幻覚”です。聞いただけで「いや、さすがに幻覚はヤバいでしょ？」とツッコミたくなるかもしれませんが、もちろん幻覚剤とかを使っているわけではありません。

簡単に言うと、未放送のエピソードを「自分は見た」とSNSで主張し合う現象です。例えば、シーズン1が12話で終わったのに「13話を見たんだけどキャラが大暴走してた」とか「14話はあの伏線が回収されるから必見」といった、実在しないエピソードのネタばらし（？）がネット上に大量に出現するわけです。最初はジョークとして始まったり、二次創作的に「こんな話があったらいいな」と想像して盛り上がっているだけだったりするのですが、あたかも本当に存在するかのようなリアリティで語られることも珍しくない。

もはや集団的な一種のお祭り状態といってもいいかもしれません。放送終了後の空白期間のイライラや喪失感を、SNS上で遊びとして昇華する。ガチガチの設定を盛り込んで「未放送回」を書き上げる猛者までいるんだから、ネット民のクリエイティビティ恐るべしです。

ガンダム 水星の魔女に見る集団幻覚の盛り上がり

言うまでもなく超有名タイトルである『ガンダム 水星の魔女』でも、この現象は大々的に盛り上がりました。本来は放送クールが途切れて、次の展開がまだ先なのに、SNS上では「次回はあのキャラが帰ってくるらしい」という未確認情報がバズったり、勝手にストーリーを予想した創作がまるで公式設定のように扱われたり。

特にクール間があいた時期は、まるで本当に13話や14話が存在するかのように、ファンがこぞって“見た感想”を言い合う状態になっていました。ある人は「だからあのキャラ裏切ったのよ！」なんて真顔で語っていたり、別の人は「公式がこんな展開やるわけないじゃん」と真剣に反論していたり……冷静に考えるとちょっと不思議な状況ですよね。でも、それがこそばゆく面白いのがオタク文化ってもんです。果たしてこれはただの集団冗談なのか、それとも冗談に乗じて一斉に脳内シミュレーションを楽しんでいるのか。どちらにせよ、ファンの喪失感を埋める盛り上がりの具現化と言えるでしょう。

ジークアクスと13話の謎

『ジークアクス』という作品名を最近SNSで見かけた方もいるかもしれませんが、実はこの作品も集団幻覚の題材として有名です。公式には最終回が12話で完結しているにもかかわらず、あるとき「13話がトレンド入り」してしまったのです。SNSで「13話のオチが衝撃的だった」なんてツイートが飛び交い、さも当然のように感想が書かれていたりするから目を疑います。

もちろんいくら探しても本物の13話なんて見つかりません。だけど、ファン同士で「こんなエピソードがあったら面白いかもね」という二次創作としての“幻の13話”を、みんな一致団結して本物っぽく語り合っていたわけです。ひとりが壮大な新キャラを登場させると、別の人が「そのキャラが次の回で退場したら燃えるよね」と続く。あたかも集団小説のように物語を練り上げていく即興劇が行われているようでした。

こうした現象は、ファンコミュニティの間で「まさかそんな神展開が？」という期待と、「公式がやるわけないでしょ」という冷ややかさが同居するカオスな空間を生み出します。でも、そのカオスこそがネット文化の醍醐味と言えるのではないでしょうか。もしかするといつか公式が「本当に13話作ってみました」なんて逆輸入してくれないかと、密かに願っているファンも少なくないかもしれません。

二次創作のパワーが生む新たな世界

アニメ放送が終わったあともファンが“ワンチャン続きあるんじゃないか”とか、“自分で作っちゃうからいいや”と考えるのは、いかにもオタクっぽいはず。二次創作（にじそうさく）自体は昔から活発ですが、最近はSNSがあるおかげでそのスピード感と拡散力がまったく違います。

例えば、放送終了後にファン同士で「もしこのキャラがこう動いたら」「いや実はこういう伏線があって」などと妄想を共有し、それがどんどん膨らんで一大ムーブメントになることもしばしば。さらには、通称“ファンフィクション”として小説や漫画の形で本格的にまとめられ、イベントやオンライン上で公開する人も多いです。

こうした活動は、まるで作品が“公式”だけでは終わらない持続的な命を得ているようなもの。その背景には、やはり放送終了または中断に伴う寂しさをみんなで紛らわしたい、または “この作品をまだまだ楽しみたい！”という熱い思いがあるわけです。その結果として、集団幻覚のような「未放送回が本当にあるかのような二次創作」が生まれ、それらがファンの結束をより強くするという良循環に繋がっている面もあります。

これからのアニメ放送はどうなる？

じゃあ、このまま連続放送が少なくなると、ファンはどんどん“幻覚”を見るようになってしまうのか？　それは謎ですが、もともとアニメ産業は絶えず変化してきた歴史があります。近年のアニメ制作会社の事情を見ると、週に1話ペースで大量に作品を量産するとスタッフの負担があまりにも重くなり、クオリティダウンやスケジュール崩壊につながりやすいという問題があるのも現実です。

そこで分割放送や短期集中放送といった形態を採用し、ファンには少し待ってもらいながら制作上のリスクを減らす。おまけに配信プラットフォームとも提携して、DVDやBlu-ray、グッズでしっかり利益を確保していく……。現場を守るためには必要な戦略でしょう。ただ、その“少し待つ期間”をファンがどう過ごすかというのが、今後ますます大きなテーマになってきます。

ネット上では「早く続きが見たい」「推しが恋しい」という声が聞こえる一方、ファン同士で「じゃあ勝手に続きを考えて語り合おうぜ！」とノリノリで盛り上がる傾向も濃厚。すでに海外ファンを巻き込んで原作の展開を予想したり、二次創作の小説やイラストがバズったりするのは当たり前になりました。アニメが正式に復帰する頃には、ネットで勝手に考察された設定がファンの間で“既成事実”的に扱われることもあり、それを逆手にとって本編が公式にネタを回収したりする面白いシナジーが生まれる可能性もあるでしょう。

ネタ切れしないワクワクを求めて

アニメの放送が終わったとき、感じるあの“アニメ喪失感”は本当に強烈です。でも、それをきっかけにファン同士がSNSで集まり、勝手に話数を付け足したり、妄想のシナリオを交換したりと、まるで作品が止まらずに続いているかのような熱気が絶えません。正直、全員が同じ“幻の回”を見ているなら、それはもう“放送”と呼んでもいいんじゃないかと思うほど。

もちろん公式にしてみれば「そんな勝手な続編、ウチは許可していません！」という考え方もあるかもしれません。しかし、一方で集団幻覚のような現象は、ファンが作品を心から愛している証拠ともいえます。放送クールの終わりによってできた空白を、ファンが創作とコミュニケーションによって埋める――これはもう、ネット時代ならではのオタク文化の深みでしょう。

働き方改革や原作追いつき問題、収益構造の変化でアニメ界はさらに多様化していきそうですが、ファンの創造力は無限大。いつまた“新しい幻覚”がSNSで大盛り上がりするか分かりません。それならいっそ、その“幻覚”もまとめて楽しんでしまうのがオタク流ですよね。今日も世界のどこかで「いや実は14話も見たんだけど」なんてツイートが投下されているに違いありません。そうした混沌の未来こそ、アニメファンにとってワクワクし続けられる大きな理由になりそうです。