Battle lines are being drawn, and darkness looms ever closer.
When empires fall.
This music video reflects these themes perfectly in my opinion. Each scene is perfectly timed with the music’s mostly relentless pace.
Warning: Contains Code Geass spoilers.
Few anime music videos make an impression on me. Yes, a lot of works goes into them, but ultimately it’s often just a ton of clips with a standard fade with a song playing in the background. They often rely on the viewer having seen the anime or heard/like the song (preferably both) in question to really make any meaningful impact.
To be honest the only anime music video I can even remember off the top of my head is Euphoria from Koopiskeva. Made in 2003, it was arguably ahead of its time in terms of anime music video editing. It’s not without flaws, but I still find it remarkable from a technical viewpoint even today.
Contains Rahxephon spoilers
On a side note, rachxephon features Maaya Sakamoto (she voices a key character, and also sings several of the anime’s songs).
That’s beautiful. I mean it’s both beautiful and beautifully edited, from the vibrating camera to the expanding and moving frames of different shapes.
The song speaks to me too. There’s more I can say but it would take up several pages.
Can we make sure that music video is never lost to the passages of time? More people need to see that in my opinion.
You’re right: I shouldn’t presume that people would share my vision of the world. What I would do is create something that reflects the world around us while seeing through the eyes of those who struggle and love and hope, and let the audience decide if it’s a reflection of themselves.
So maybe it’s not for everyone.
Euphoria is hard for me to define sometimes because it goes beyond mere chemical reactions for me. I haven’t heard Imogen Heap in a long time, but the video ebbs and flows with the music perfectly. It’s a work of genius.
Dreaming wide awake.
Edit: You’re right that for a music video to have an impact people need to be familiar with the source material. Code Geass was fairly popular so it has a great deal of familiarity. Music, though, can always be new, I find. The song in the video I linked was also popular, but it fits the theme of the anime perfectly in my opinion. So the way I see it, the music video is great for fans. I need to relearn how to be more specific and thorough.
The problem with music videos is that you’re using footage and music that you didn’t create. Because of that, adding enough input of your own to make it something more than the sum of its parts is not an easy task. Even the Euphoria video I linked still falls short of adding any meaningful value to the source material it uses. But admittedly, I probably wouldn’t have heard about Imogen Heap if it hadn’t been for that video.
As for the Code Geass anime music video you linked to: it’s basically what I described earlier on, just a lot of clips with music that sort of matches what’s being shown. It’s as basic as it gets from a technical point of view so it’s not difficult to create, it just takes a a lot of time. It just doesn’t strike me as something that would really improve your skill at video editing, or editing in general.
It’s quite popular, so I doubt it’ll ever be lost. I should have a high-quality version of the video archived somewhere. Making a remaster would prove to be very difficult, however.
While not actually an AMV, the “Touhou - Bad Apple!!” PV is definitely worth a watch:
Nostromo has as few impressive music videos such as this one:
Music that matches what is being shown. Isn’t that the whole point? I fear subjectivity applies here.
The pacing requires a keen eye. Of course, I would have to prove that. I’d have to show you that only a handful of people could time the music with the action so well. The only way I could really do that without a huge survey is by comparing this to other videos. I’ve seen a lot. Plus the viewcount is fairly high. It stands out from the crowd in my eyes. Perhaps the theme isn’t for everyone.
Code Geass was awesome IMO. You will rarely see a noble villain like Lelouch. I find that male heroes are allowed to thrive much more in Japanese anime, whereas in western cinematic fiction, male characters tend to be overshadowed all the time in some way (take the new Star Wars for example), or at least they always have equals. Men can’t be the heroes of their own stories. See Game of Thrones. I will never forgive the creators for what they did to Stannis. Jon is now being manipulated by Sansa.
Etc etc.
So the AMV I linked all comes together as an epic tale of futuristic knights fighting against the darkness, and winning.
Music can play on heartstrings. It can evoke themes and even memories with reflective instrumentation that takes you there because those instruments come from those places.
I’d have to research Imogen to see how she feels about her music. It’s a beautiful song and a beautiful AMV, IMO. “I must be dreaming”. It’s set to the backdrop of the warmth, pain and distance of love.
That music video certainly appears to be popular, no question there. It’s just not the kind of video that I find impressive. To be fair, both the anime and music used didn’t make much of an impression on me, so that combined with the fact that the video uses very basic editing probably explains why I don’t find it particularly memorable.
Lelouch was certainly an entertaining character though. The rest of the show was… not quite at the same level. I have no idea what you mean about men being unable to be the heroes of their own stories? What gave you that impression? Though that may be a topic for a different thread.
That’s certainly true.
Many of the scenes are timed well with the ebb and flow of the music, regardless of editing techniques. I will argue that that is not easy to do. The song fits the theme of total war. This anime holds a special place in my heart because I love watching empires go down in flames. There is a lot of heartfelt character interaction as well.
[quote=“Draikin, post:6, topic:7721”]I have no idea what you mean about men being unable to be the heroes of their own stories? What gave you that impression? Though that may be a topic for a different thread.
[/quote]
Indeed, that’s a topic for another day. I’d have to compare what would seem like endless amounts of fiction to make my case, which I feel is legitimate. But I would rather maintain a friendly informal discussion for now.
I think this song and editing goes along well with the themes found in Escaflowne. Like you’re being swooped off you feet to another world; as well as the tension of battle.
That’s fair, it’s not my intention to claim that the video was easy to make. I’ve spend enough time video editing to know just how much time goes into it. I was just offering my perspective on what I think makes a good AMV. Opinions will obviously differ on that.
Given Legaiaflame’s post, can we also include anime OP/ED in this thread?
Feel free.
One of my personal favorites would probably be the first opening for Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood:
It’s a great song, combined with some very meaningful visuals (specifically made for the opening).
A new AMV from Nostromo:
I like Nostromo’s style. The 60fps is probably achieved via frame interpolation, but anime typically doesn’t fare well for such a conversion. I’d have to examine it in more detail to see how Nostromo achieves it, but together with all the added effects makes for some visually very impressive videos.
I love how the animation moves with the music.
I believe there are themes that resonate with many people. Themes that pull heart strings. Resolutions, frame rates and colors are secondary to a soul that sings.
So I saw this a while back and I wanted to posted a video that I thought was very fitting for this thread, but unfortunately at that time the video had been muted do to copyright. However, I have found out that the video is available again and wanted to share it now.
This is an AMV of Attack on Titan by Disturbo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub5iP0GQ5QA
Sometimes the wisest among us are the greatest fools.
I am ahead of all others in 0s.
Mushishi is my fav anime. And I never was a fan of amvs but this one is something else.
