Tesla - Heaven Nine Eleven (Various Anime)

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

I won't say anything about the choice of effects or scenes. I won't tell you about synchronization. Nor about editing. There is just no point when you have a video like that. I mean, it's so serious that the usual stuff I take into consideration have really no meaning. In fact I get goose bumps while watching the clip. Like on that 11th of September when the news on TV felt so unreal. Or the 11th of March when Madrid trains split open. Just like the London double deckers on the 7th of July. Would you believe it's been 6 years since the first of these events and still not much has changed with both my local perception and the global conclusion of it?

In fact, we can't feel cool at all. It's not getting any better, now is it? And this video is screaming, yes, screaming about it all over. The thrill it delivers is one of those existential ones - you just know, watching this clip, that the World is going to and end if we keep on living like this. However it's also one of those videos that don't just bring you down but also give a bit hope through this pain. At least that's how I feel about this AMV.

The meaningless in this case things, like synchro, soundtrack, scenes, editing etc. are top notch. How could they not be? I mean, this is not just an anime music video - it's a statement, a roar against the human race and how it lives. A call to change the ways of the World. And on this basis I claim - it's epic.

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 ?

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.