Bowling for soup - 1985 (Azumanga Daioh... mainly;)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: suberunker

AMVs most of the time are a tribute to a show, mostly they follow the plot and sense of the anime. Sometimes they create something new, but generally in the mood and concept of the original. Not this time. Today's video is what I call an ultimate parody.

It redefines Azumanga and laughs at several other show, and at the same time is an amazingly cut and edited video. The visualisation of the lyrics make me collect my jaws from the floor every now and then. Not only 'cause of the joke, but the concept. The excessive covers parody is a work of a genius - the idea of 'Nervana' owns, they are even similarly emo-ish ;] Not to mention 'Blondie' and the FMA - when they were making this series they definitely spit too much yellow paint. The author did an unbelievable job in making up the plot that has nothing to do with the actual show. Respect.

In terms of effects I especially like the short moments when the almost frame-by-frame animation kicks in. This semi blinking to the soundtrack is neat. The whole video looks a bit sharp and raw with the block design, but on the other hand it somehow fits the general mood. Like the repainted SUV. It's all a laugh. Well balanced parody is not something you see every day. Let me put it this way - 'Scary Movie' is very unbalanced...

On the side note, 3 series which AMVs I plan never to present here rolled along, but lets consider a joke on me. Finally, a bit of homework. Can you find more ?

Nightwish - Moondance (Sailor Moon)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Sierra Lorna

Sailor Moon was actually my first series while being aware of its anime genre. Before that everything was simple and a cartoon was just a cartoon. Luckily it also was the last one seen on a regular TV - whatever that means... ;] Therefore I am quite attached to Sailors, however I probably would not be able to withstand watching the series today. Unless I had no choice of course. But I do like to watch a good Sailor AMV, which this video certainly is.

From the calm beginning the story builds up along with the music. Notice the amazing scene just after the prologue, when all the instruments enter at full throttle, and so animation speeds up - and how it does that! This scene fits here like it was made for it. At this moment we see a burst of the very essence of the Sailor Moon series - the girls, the diadems, and the transformations. This video won me there. And as the calm prelude to the rest of the clip slowly animates just to explode again - it wins me even more. Just till the very end.

Moreover, the amazing factor of this video is the perfect match of music and plot. If you look closely you should see that whenever something happens it has an exact reflection in the style and speed of the soundtrack. This effect is even more visible in the second half of this animation. Obviously the author made it up the other way around, attaching various scenes to a continuity of sound, but that's not the point. The result is pretty stunning, and if you asked me what a perfect AMV should have I'd say that this feature is essential.

Of course, maybe the synchronization could've been better at some moments, maybe some scenes could've been edited differently, but again that's not the point. Feel this video, feel its story and its variable pace. Feel its music and its power. Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me* - that's what Sailor Moon is all about. And to combine it into a single AMV is an amazing achievement. Will I ever see a better Sailors' music video, I wonder...

*) song by U2

Frou Frou - Must Be Dreaming (RahXephon)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Koopiskeva

This one is special in its very Top way - it's a No 1 of the Top 10% Rated Videos at AnimeMusicVideos.org, with 1461 opinions and an average score of almost 9.75 out of 10. It's a No 1 of the Top 30 Favourite Videos and one of the few clips that exceeded 21,000 starts in the Top All-Time Star Scale. It was uploaded to YouTube tenths of times and who knows how many times deleted, accumulative view count is about 100,000 and that's just 3 times less than an hour-long colossus AMV Hell 3. Simple calculation gives an amazing 1,600,000 views if just the author made these 4 minutes last an hour. OK, I'm not serious here. But the point is - this is probably one of the most popular AMVs ever. And I mean ever.

However, there is a problem. As promised I will rant about special effects, thus lets focus on these. Surely, this clip is packed with quite amazing editing not only in terms of quality and synchronization but the idea itself. But that's where the glitch lies also. Not only I am a bit overdoes with effects, but some of them fit not that well. Not at all in fact. The first time I watched this video I was amazed with the choice of scenes, angles, zooms and of course - the song - the background music is as perfect as it can get. But I just could not stand these lines, blocks and stuff that was flying all around. It's just distracting. It just does not fit.

I respect the author in the same way I respect the creators of the Bugatti Veyron - they made something amazing to prove it can be done, but honestly there are so much better looking cars out there. Same is with this clip - the effects are great and innovative, but I can point out other just much better looking and fitting. In fact, I think if the author had cut half of the effects and focused on smoothing the general AMV experience it would have been even better. An all-time absolute AMV maybe. Unfortunately (?) it remains just one of the best AMVs ever. Not bad if you ask me. ;]

Benassi Bros - Light (Ghost in the Shell)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Nostromo_vx

It's difficult to apply good special effects onto an AMV. Most of the times they distract from the main footage, seem a bit on top and rather unnecessary. However with today's case it's completely different - the effects are not only amazing, but perfectly inserted into the clip. The overlays of the GitS interface suit well, especially with the constant flicker. However what amazed me the most was the transition of Major into the green wire of Tachikomas' dive process - this is in a class of its own. Also notice a very neat MTV-like strip with the music information at the beginning, and the way it fades away. There are other effects too, some more subtle, some more visible, but all in all they fit exactly into the moment. I won't say much about the choice of the scenes nor the way they were cut 'cause they are top-notch and just up there.

Though I have to say a word about lip-syncing. As you may know I am not a fan of that in serious AMVs and consider them a comedy-only trick. Here however the lip-sync is as sweet as it is appropriate. Yes, I do mean sweet. Have you ever seen Major singing? Just how cute is that. Luckily there's not much of it in the AMV, enough to feel satisfied but not overdosed with sugar.

And so, the author showed perfect editing skills. I really wished more AMV creators would apply neat effects, this really enhances the experience by new levels. On the other hand one has to be very cautious with these, as they can spoil the video. Sometimes a bit, sometimes a lot. I'll rant about it next time, with the best ever and most 'top' AMV of them all. Stay tuned.

Gary Jules - Mad World (FLCL)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Nightowl, gambitt

Let us calm down a bit. This particular AMV is an interesting one. You won't find much action here, nor much excitement, yet it gets into to the very deepest parts of you. Each and every second of this video is an artistic masterpiece combined of several key factors. Firstly, the choice of the music is perfect, the vocal sounds smooth and sincere, a bit sad too. Secondly, the choice of the source material, namely FLCL - a very mad anime indeed, but as artistic and conceptual as this clip. Thirdly, the choice of scenes. Usually Furi Kuri is used in fast-paced videos with heavy music, here however the author made up not a usual AMV 'mix', but a 'flow' of scenes that smoothly changes from one to another.

Thus this video is a compilation of perfect choices. But not only that - there are several very difficult yet delicate special effects, starting from the implementation of the original Gary Jules video, followed by the TV effect you can see on the flying clouds which in fact is a real TV ;] ending with some neat variances of presentation.

And there's something more. You can find a bit of the author's soul in this video. That's probably the most important part which creators shouldn't forget to include in their works, but actually that's often not the case. This one is mad in it's own, peaceful way. Just like the rest of our mad World...

Metallica - Breadfan (Various Anime)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Der Kommissar

Today we try it the hardcore way. You know all these 'Nothing Else Matters' and 'Unforgiven's that were around in great quantities and probably will come in even bigger numbers in the future. I am personally a bit sick with these ballads, hence I felt a bit relieved to see and hear this video. Fast-paced is not a good word here at all. In fact the speed is so high that the flash player just can't keep up refreshing the frames and you clearly see half-screen blinks (there's a good reason to download the original from animemusicvideos.org).

And there's the authors concept on focusing mainly on gunshots. And sorry, but I just can't imagine a better view than a gun synchronized to music. Like the Hall Scene from the first Matrix - for me it's like a future ballet. For the most of the time there is a loose syncing but that only increases the impact of the almost perfectly synced part where drums are hit hard. Not to mention the vocal which somehow burns everything up into a kind of fireball. Occasionally everything is interrupted by a dynamic guitar solo riff each time accompanied by an effect so good that could make a tiny video of its own.

Somewhere past the half of the clip we slow down. Reload the guns. And strike again even harder. Just to die at an instant with a big bang. Like a proper Gun for Hire would.

Some days it just doesn't pay to be nice.

Hell yeah...

Elvis Presley vs. JXL - A Little Less Conversation (Various Anime)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Sierra Lorna

Now this is an absolute killer. What would you say about taking a normal music video and replacing each human character with an anime one? Words just cannot describe what the author has achieved. Compare it with the original Elvis vs. JXL music video that you can find here, and be amazed. Be really amazed 'cause you don't see such things often... In fact it's a very old AMV and if you're in the subject you should have seen it already... several times at least ;].

What I especially like in this clip are the 'moments'. Like the Excel Saga double chorus, or the Spike's 'Burce Lee' dance. Gunsmith Cats look sweet too. And of course the general feel or parody yet perfection in the execution. But what would you expect after the author, I mean just listen to this quote.

So, yes, this entire video is edited frame-by-frame. You might even call this a Photoshop project rather than a Premiere project, though I still did quite a bit of editing in Premiere as well. It's entirely made up of .BMP images that were in some way edited in Photoshop. I did it all just to see if I could do it. ;)

I exactly understand the author. I once did a ridiculous vectoring project just to see if it can be done, but this clip is way in a different league. But the effort did pay off, the result is absolutely amazing. 'Pushing the Sky' is what comes to my mind here. Yes, that's a good motivation to create things. Exceed the limits. And I say this clip just did.

YouTube hunts down AMVs

Maybe you have noticed earlier, I haven't until now (thanks Muz for the point out) that the very first AMV I reviewed was removed from YouTube with a nice notice ' This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by TV TOKYO Corporation'. Reuters has a story on the matter. Copyright claims again... yeah, right.

I find it quite ridiculous as such clips generally create a huge hype around the anime (as seen in the comments) and this particular video was a great example of such advertisement as the bits were short and appealing. But the current state of copyright laws is a bit of a nonsense, so in fact I am not surprised at all.

Nevertheless it's not a problem and later today I plan to switch to another, more independent video hosting site, bringing back the awesome Roxette AMV, securing the others and adding another X factored clip for the VVeekend. See you soon.

Update:
I've found something called Blip.TV and as for now it looks very promising and actually more slick than YouTube. The missing Roxette AMV is now up again, and without an unnecessary upscale. I'll probably switch the others too later this week.

Thrice - All That's Left (Black Lagoon)

OLink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFgWwOXw2qU
Author: Kakuo7

Here is a nice example of what Black Lagoon would be like if the creators attached a proper rock music instead of Engrish. Not that I don't like 'Red Fraction', but maybe, just maybe the true rock is more proper? Putting aside that Thrice ain't so proper really, and some of them look emo too... However, just watch the intro. Just how much better it is than the original. The ammo mag, the cigarette spit and the flying shell. And then the hard rock you should have heard when Revy turned trigger-happy. But you didn't. Instead the original creators served us something that maybe wanted to imitate the Rob Zombie 'Electric Head Pt. 1' from the manga.

I like to claim that Black Lagoon is very Tarantino-ish. Very Kill Bill. Or Pulp Fiction. Not that great as the creations of Mr. Quentin, but certainly there is this feeling around. And some episodes are really almost on that level. Now both Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction had amazing soundtracks, in every way. Black Lagoon could have come a bit closer to that just by using some more hardcore rock music instead of relying on Japanese creators only. Something like the Thrice here.

This AMV ain't perfect, I admit. Balalaika walk seems like lip-synced and I really do hope it's not what the author wanted. And after such a great start it gets less amazing, not what you would really expect. But it still is solid and good. The rapid end is neat, in the Black Lagoon's somehow hardcore way. And the epilogue serves as a nice, finishing touch. But damn me, the beginning is just so good. That's where the X factor lies. Thus this AMV lies here too.

The Veronicas - 4ever (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: Bakadeshi

Just like I said yesterday, another Melancholy AMV. But it's actually not melancholy at all. It's 'fast paced', as the author suggests. And it really is. The performance of the original song, 'God Knows', was turned into a live TV-like feed with a perfect lip and beat syncing that occasionally interrupts the main show. Which has a pretty good choice of the scenes by the way, and generally develops well with this new song by The Veronicas.

Moreover the show itself has a nice plot that the author sure thought about. I mean, seeing Kyon at the beginning on live feed, then in the story, and finally in the end makes it a neat, closed novel (which in fact the original Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is). Summarizing we have got a great video with amazing synchronization and cool effects on top. Splendid. I'm done. Erm... No.

Turning into rant mode, I start again ;]. When I saw this clip for the first time, what turned me back a bit was that Haruhi is mumbling silently most of the time. Moreover, in the beginning it's synced - so then, when it's not you get a bit confused. I happen to found that the author did not mean to synchronize these story parts, just the TV-like one, but well... intentionally or not he did a bit, and that's the first glitch. The second is when the actually synced live feed comes, and again for the first time I watched I heard The Veronicas, I saw Haruhi singing, and I felt nothing in between. You maybe felt that when watching the series, when she started singing 'God Knows' that there was something in the back of your head saying 'Oh no, it's just not right'. Lip sync made by the author is really amazing, I admit it, but it's a bit like telling of jokes on a funeral - they still may be funny, but not quite appropriate. I say lip syncing is great, but not serious - for comedy it's OK, but the rest? Well, I'd be careful. I may be wrong, but who cares anyway.

This video is almost perfect. And 'almost' makes a difference. That's what I dislike. But still, the X factor is in it. Thus it's on the AMV Weekend Blog. Now I go watch some more of the yesterday ;p

Skye Sweetnam - Sharada (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: silver_moon

I have stumbled upon this one while browsing and it was an insta-love. It's perfect as usual but moreover perfect in the not so obvious department of choice and taste. 'Cause you see, the author's choice of the song is exactly what you have always wanted but could not ask yourself. And then, to make things even better, the tasteful match of the animated scenes bring you to an orgasm every now and then during the clip ;]. I mean, just look at the synchronization when it comes to the 'definition of cool' - I bet Skye would do that 'finger thing' in her clip if she just knew about it (on the other hand she looks like posing as a bad girl, like an Avril syndrome, but whatever). And then all the words of the song are visualised in such a delicate, not vulgar, yet perfect way. Amazing!

Another thing is a great redefinition of the ending theme dance, matched to the chorus of Sharada. I actually like it more the author's way than the original - I dig dynamics ;]. Finally, the fast paced scene switching at the grand finale concluded with a slow farewell is like a strawberry on top of an ice cream. A very delicious, sweet ice cream served at the best Cafe in town. Amazing again.

On the side note I have to say that The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is a very good AMV material. The number of frames per second in this series is unbelievable, especially in the intro and outro. The drawings are detailed and clean, with good colours and shadows. Therefore tomorrow I will show you another Suzumiya Haruhi AMV - as an example of what I dislike in AMVs ;].

Roxette - The Look (Various Anime)

OLink: video information (animemusicvideos.org)
Author: lockeout

This is what the fuss is all about. This is the AMV that started this Weekend Blog. And what's the worse I can describe it in one word - a.m.a.z.i.n.g ! But it's a review so I'll spill some more words.

You won't find any fancy special movie maker after effects here. No mad lasers, blinks and colour inversions etc. And that's what the best about it. It's value is not in the show, but the go - the perfect fit of sound and scene. Do you know this feeling when you watch an AMV of a particular show and think 'how much better the original would be if they'd put that music in' ? Well, I get this feeling repeatedly for each of the shows included. And that's just insane. Insanely great. Combine it with the fact that this Roxette piece is my childhood memory you get one of a hell inspiring package of music video. And I haven't even get to the best part...

The synchronization. The author had a devil's own job to combine the beat with 10 series and guess what? He succeeded at 0:22 already! Hammer time. Afterwards was just more of it. 2:19 - a perfect choice - slow motion beat vs. slow motion vid is just what I dig in AMVs. And 3:10 - when the most of the video is revealed the author comes up with this and then you just know that he is a genius.

This is my benchmark of AMVs. I notice it's flaws, but actually I yet am to come across a flawless one. This one is perfectly balanced and is The AMV.

Quest for Glory 3

Hello and Welcome! Thank you for stopping by as 1) you must be new here. and 2) you really must be bored ;p. But but, don't worry, 'cause you won't find any boring stuff here, I hope.

Welcome again to the AMV Weekend Blog that is about not so ordinary anime music videos. Actually - not ordinary at all. Because the best. At least that's what I think of them. And if you disagree, please take your complaint and... keep it to yourself ;]. Or post a comment. Not that I will consider it, but an exchange of opinions is always positive.

So... here we go!