This cross-blogging game was even more successful last year, so it is back again!
Here: Just in case someone does not know what traditional Secret Santa is.
The idea of this project is for everyone who participates to be reviewing a show that they might not normally watch or might have overlooked. Everyone will get someone else in the project to review a series of their choice and in return review something picked by one of their fellow bloggers. The goal is threefold for everyone involved:
- Mixing up what you watch and review on your blog.
- Getting other people to watch things you feel deserve more attention.
- A way to interact with other bloggers thus creating possibilities for cross blog readership, also it fosters an environment to try other cross blog experiments.
Here is how this little experiment will work: If you want to participate send us your Name, Blog, and My Anime List (or some other equivalent listing) page via e-mail (secretsanta.rt [at] gmail [dot] com) with subject: Secret Santa Participant. Due by Wednesday, October 12th. Make sure that your MAL (or whatever!) is updated as much as possible before you submit it. Also, if you will not watch fan-subs mention that in the e-mail, too.
We will then make a circular list of everyone involved in the project that only we will know the order of. The order of the list will be made completely at random. Everyone will then receive the name, blog, and list of the person they are the Secret Santa for. You will then suggest three shows for the person all of which must be 26 episodes or less (yes, you can suggest movies, too). The shows must be subtitled in some fashion. Remember that you are picking shows that you hope the other person will like and give an honest chance. Look over their list and whether they watch fan-subs then try to pick out something good but unexpected.
Once we get everyone’s picks we will then pass on the shows to the recipients. No one except us will know the names of the person who gave you your choices. You then pick the show your are going to watch. Everyone is responsible for getting their own material for the review. If for some reason you absolutely cannot abide any of the shows you are given, we will allow 1 and only 1 mulligan.
You then have until late December to watch the show you were assigned and write a review. On the week of Christmas everyone will post their reviews for the Secret Santa Project. We would prefer you to post your review on Christmas Eve but you can alter it as to the schedule of your blog. On Christmas Day we will reveal the name of who had who as a Secret Santa along with a small post about the project.
Again: If you want to participate send us your Name, Blog, and My Anime List (or some other equivalent listing) page via e-mail (secretsanta.rt [at] gmail [dot] com) with subject: Secret Santa Participant. Due by Wednesday, October 12th.
Reverse Thieves 
If I had any writing capabilities, or wrote more articles to make it look like my anime club’s website was more active, I would’ve participated in this. Instead, I’ll just look in at this, and read the articles as they come out.
That is fine. I am sure that the people participating are glad to know that people outside the project are excited to see what they review.
– Hisui
I was wondering last year if we can do shows that are on their dropped or on hold list? I guess not but sometimes it seems like they would enjoy a show if they continued watching.
I would prefer you not dig into their hold list or dropped list unless you absolutely have to. Usually shows are there for a reason.
– Hisui
Sounds like a fun idea! About how long do you guys think it will take to have everything sorted out and all the e-mails sent?
We’ll have everything out by November, meaning everyone will have their 3 show list to choose from by then so you’ll have almost 2 months to watch and write about it.
-Narutaki