AMV of the Day: Otaku Paradise

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Arleigh

It’s the 4th of July Weekend and one of the things I’ve gotten used to these past couple years is that it means Anime Expo has come around once more. While I don’t have the anime convention experience as pantsukudasai56 it is still a event that I’ve gotten used to attending once a year when possible.

The latest “AMV of the Day” arrives just in time for the largest North American anime convention held every 4th of July weekend in Los Angeles. Not to say that the other anime conventions around the country are nothing to sneeze at, but Anime Expo is a whole different animal that every otaku in North America needs to experience at least once in their life. It’s a video that comes courtesy by the very talented video editor who goes by the handle of BecauseImBored1.

A video that combines scenes from anime and real-life footage of cosplayers and anime con-goers into one timely video that celebrates the positive nature of the word “otaku”. It’s a word that has a negative reputation in Japan, but one that’s seen as a celebration of anime and Japanese pop-culture fandom worldwide. It’s a label taken on proudly.

“Otaku Paradise” has such a huge number of anime referenced yet barely scratches the surface of what “otaku” watches and follows year in and year out. I love the fact that the video intersperses these anime scenes with real-life people in cosplay of those very same anime characters. Not everyone cosplays, but every otaku appreciates and admires those who do. Yet, cosplayers and non-cosplayer otaku both have one thing in common and that is their acceptance of the label of “otaku”.

One thing this video made me do while I watched it for the first time and the many times since was put such a huge, happy smile on my face. It’s small consolation for having to miss this weekend’s Anime Expo 2014.

Anime: Another, Attack On Titan, Baccano!, Baka And Test – Summon The Beasts, Bakuman, Black Lagoon, CANAAN, Clannad, Code Geass – Lelouch Of The Rebellion, D.Gray-Man, DragonBall Z, Durarara!!, Fate/Stay Night, Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club, Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Genshiken, Genshiken Nidaime, Haikyuu, Hellsing Ultimate, Howl’s Moving Castle, Idolmaster, K, K-ON!, Kampfer, Kanon, Kara No Kyoukai – The Garden Of Sinners, Kill La Kill, Kuroko’s Basketball, Kyoukai No Kanata, Kyousougiga, Little Witch Academia, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Lucky Star, Macross Frontier MUSIC CLIP Collection – Nyankuri, Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya, MM!, Munto, My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute, My Neighbor Totoro, Naruto, Ookami-San To Shichinin No Nakama-Tachi, Ore No Kanojo To Osananajimi Ga Shuraba Sugiru, Ouran High School Host Club, Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt, Persona 4: The Animation, Pokemon : White, Pokémon: Movie 2, Pokemon 2000, The Power Of One, Princess Jellyfish, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Romeo × Juliet, Sailor Moon, Sakura Trick, School Rumble, School Rumble 2, Shugo Chara!, Soul Eater, Soul Eater Not, Summer Wars, Super Smash Bros, Sword Art Online, Tales Of Xillia, Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, Toradora!, Trigun, Uta No Prince Sama, Welcome To The NHK, Yu Yu Hakusho

Song: “Raging Fire” by Phillip Phillips

Creator: BecauseImBored1

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: The Breath of Spring (Bakemonogatari)

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Arleigh

Harem anime tend to be very popular with fans of anime and manga. One such series that has become a huge favorite with anime fans has been the Monogatari anime series. It’s from this that we get the latest “AMV of the Day”.

“The Breath of Spring” by VovanKoperativ uses the first installment in this series, Bakemonogatari, to help highlight why this series is an great example of a harem anime. The video take the song “Opportunity Nox” by Roxette and shows the series protagonist, Koyomi Araragi, in different situations with the many girls of Bakemonogatari. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Hitagi Senjougahara, Suruga Kanbaru or Tsubasa Hanekawa, our male lead will become enamored with all of them at some point during the series. While he inevitably will pick just one girl in the end it doesn’t stop him from becoming the perv that fans have grown to love.

Fellow site and anime contributor pantsukudasai will agree that this is also one of his favorite anime series of recent times though will mostly likely say that this particular video is lacking in Mayoi.

Anime: Bakemonogatari

Song: “Opportunity Nox” by Roxette

Creator: VovanKoperativ

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Spiral Ascension (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Arleigh

I still have a couple more winning AMV’s from this past Anime Boston 2014, but for now I think the latest entry to the “AMV of the Day” comes courtesy of Sakura-Con 2014. It’s another AMV using the time tested 30 Second To Mars song, “This Is War”.

For some reason this song remains a steadfast favorite amongst people who make anime music videos and it’s not hard to see why. It’s got a nice tempo and beat that goes well with many shounen anime. This time around it’s used for the video that won “Best Action” in this year’s Sakura-Con AMV contest. The creator of the video is one TheMFJuggernaut. With the popularity of the anime series Kill la Kill it’s always great to see people continue to take interest in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which was animated by Gainax animators who would later form the animation studio Trigger. The animation studio which gives Kill la Kill it’s look that reminded many people of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

One fun thing about this video is how it shows how over-the-top the series got when it came to it’s mecha design. They didn’t know the meaning off “too big”.

Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Song: “This Is War” by 30 Second To Mars

Creator: TheMFJuggernaut

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Strangers Like Us (Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet)

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Arleigh

It’s been a month since Anime Boston 2014 and I’ve decided to put up the third AMV to win one of the categories from the con.

This particular AMV won the Romance category and for once it uses an anime that I’m not familiar with, but after watching the video I’m definitely looking forward to checking it out once the blu-ray comes out sometime this year.

The AMV in question is “Strangers Like Us” by davenfonet who uses the Phil Collins song of the same title and the mecha series Gargantia on the Verdorous Planet. The video itself doesn’t go for the usual ballad-like tone, but instead goes for a much more fun romance vibe that doesn’t seem to win many Romance category contests. This time this type of romance AMV wins and the fact that it makes me want to watch the series after never having heard of it til Anime Boston means the creator succeeded.

Anime: Gargantia on the Verdorous Planet

Song: “Strangers Like Us” by Phil Collins

Creator: davenfonet

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: The Gore Never Bothered Me Anyway (Elfen Lied)

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Arleigh

The latest “AMV of the Day” doesn’t come courtesy of this past spring’s Anime Boston, but it caught my eye since it was the latest creation from one of my favorite AMV creators: IleiaAMVs.

“RadioAkshun” was her very popular and excellent AMV from last year’s anime con season and her latest offering for this weekend’s Sakura-Con 2014 may just be another hit.

This latest anime music video from IleiaAMVs combines one of the more mature-oriented anime one can get into without venturing into the truly extreme anime with one of the most popular songs of the past year with “Let It Go” from Frozen. One wouldn’t think that Elfen Lied and Frozen would go together like peanut butter and jelly but in this one instance they’re perfect together.

Anime: Elfen Lied

Song: “Let It Go” from Frozen (feat. Idina Menzel)

Creator: IleiaAMVs

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Valor (Kill la Kill)

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Arleigh

The second AMV winner to come out of last weekend’s Anime Boston 2014 was for Best Action.

“Valor” by MycathatesyouAMV pretty much a montage of the hyper-fast battle scenes from the current anime of the moment, Kill la Kill. The editor uses Celldweller’s “Tough Guy” track and just goes with the tempo and speed of the song to focus on the insane action this anime series has become quite well-known for.

Definitely a better Best Action winner than last year’s Anime Boston action winner.

Anime: Kill la Kill

Song: “Tough Guy (Tim Ismag Remix)” Celldweller

Creator: MycathatesyouAMV

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Time Falls Away

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Arleigh

This year’s Anime Boston actually had quite the line-up of AMV winners. Most of the time a con may have a couple of great winners, some good ones and the rest the usual meh. This wasn’t the case with Anime Boston 2014.

The latest AMV of the Day comes courtesy of AMV editor AdventLostKaichou who entered the anime music video “Time Falls Away” which promptly won in two categories: Judges’ Choice and Best Drama. Winning in one category is celebration enough, but winning in another means this particular video struck a chord with the judges and audience alike.

I haven’t seen the anime used for the video. It’s an 11-episode series from 2009 titled Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 and after watching this video I’m more than likely going to hunt this series down and watch it in one marathon sitting.

Anime: Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

Song: “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas

Creator: AdventLostKaichou

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Don’t Stop (Nichijou)

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Arleigh

Today, will be Day Zero for Anime Boston 2014 which I shall be attending (pantsukudasai56 will be arriving later tonight). So, while I am attending all things otaku here in Boston here’s the latest AMV of the Day.

It’s another Nichijou anime music video and this one is just as good and funny as the previous ones before it. The song used this time around by amv editor xNekoAMV is “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)” by Foster the People. Like other featured Nichijou videos this one is just as hilarious and irreverent. The image of Hakase and Sakamoto above is not in the video but was chosen just because it’s damn hilarious.

Anime: Nichijou

Song: “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)” by Foster the People

Creator: xNekoAMV

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Left Us Falling (Clannad & Clannad: After Story)

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Arleigh

It’s now February and that means there just might an influx of Valentines-related postings popping up until the 14th. The first one comes courtesy of our latest “AMV of the Day”. This new AMV is both romantic and more than a bit melancholy.

“Left Us Falling” is an AMV based on scenes from the anime series Clannad and, it’s follow-up, Clannad: After Story. The video focuses on the character of Tomoya Okazaki and the changes to his life from the inclusion of two pivotal ladies into his wayward life. The first part of the video shows how much he realizes that Nagisa is the one for him. This is quite a life-changing event for Tomoya since the game and anime the series is based on is of the harem variety. The second person to enter his life that truly upends his life in a good way would be his young daughter Ushio.

To say anymore would be a total spoiler for those who haven’t seen the series and will leave it at that. I will say that the two series plays off quite differently with the first season coming off as being more of the romantic-comedy while the second season turns on a more serious note.

I know I’ve recommended that people watch this series in the past and I will repeat myself and point out that people should watch this series at least once in their life.

Anime: Clannad and Clannad: After Story

Song: “It Can’t Be Over” by Melody Fall

Creator: LucioleAMV

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Devil’s Game 2.0

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Arleigh

I think it’s not a secret that the anime series (and now the three films) Puella Magi Madoka Magica is one of my favorite anime. It’s not just me who has a major fondness for this anime. Site anime editor pantsukudasai56 also shares my passion for this series. Over a couple years ago I profiled several AMVs featuring this series. One of them was Chiikaboom’s Devil’s Game.

That very same editor decided to go back and re-edit the AMV using scenes from the series and the three films and what we get is a vast improvement over a video that was already a classic in the AMV scene. The animation from the films are much more crisp and the detail shows from the increased budget.

This “Devil’s Game 2.0” has now become one of my top AMVs ever and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Anime: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 1: Beginnings, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 2: Eternal, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 3: Rebellion

Song: “A Demon’s Fate” by Within Temptation

Creator: Chiikaboom

Past AMVs of the Day