Regarding trying to watch something again and trying to watch it for the first time, it’s kind of a mixed bag for me and really depends on how long between 1st and 2nd viewings. Usually when I have watched a series through subs and then watch it again when it comes on DVD or on cable, I end up unconsciously comparing the different voice actors.

But to stray away from sub/dub and back to the topic of experiencing the story, my sense of a series’ plot timeline gets screwed up the longer I have finished a show. For example, there are two of the anime being shown in my anime club I have previously in their entirety (Honey and Clover and Mahoraba) and I’m now watching them a second time with people who haven’t seen it at all before. What pains me is that I’m expecting certain things to come up like Morita’s cherry blossom singing much earlier than they actually do. It’s strange but a plus is that I pick up foreshadowing quicker the second go-around because I know what it’s leading up to.