AMV of the Day: Means to an Endgame (Code Geass)

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Arleigh

I was going to pick something lighthearted for the next “AMV of the Day” but decided to save Mr. Satan for a later date when I return to posting more Anime Expo 2012 stuff. So, I chose an AMV that I would categorize as the opposite of lighthearted and could be considered as very dark, indeed.

“Means to an Endgame” is the latest from AMV producer extraordinaire tehninjarox. He picks one of my favorite Florence + The Machine songs in “Seven Devils” and uses it to musically score and highlight just how much of a devil the main protagonist of the anime series really turns out to be. This is not to say that Lelouch is a bad guy. He’s just very focused on taking down his enemies to make the world a better place for his crippled sister. How he goes about this includes committing what he calls evil actions for the greater good.

The video itself does a great job in matching up with the song that one would almost think that Lelouch (the man in the black armor and cape) was the villain of this piece. While I’m not like fellow anime contributor pantsukudasai in that mecha doesn’t do it for him, I myself don’t mind mecha anime and it was mecha that first brought me back to the artform during the mid-80’s. This video just shows just how far mecha anime has gone from just being about pilots in giant fighting robots fighting it out. Code Geass has it’s share of mech fighting but it also has a strong, dramatic narrative that blurs the distinction of who the good guys and bad guys are.

Just like another great AMV producer in Chiikaboom, one tehninjarox has become a favorite of mine with each new video he releases. This one definitely make’s my favorite list.

Anime: Code Geass

Song: “Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine

Creator: tehninjarox

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: And Now, A Word From Our Sponsors

Posted on January 1, 2011 by Arleigh

It took awhile but finally an official Youtube version of the AMV which won three awards during Anime Expo 2010. Scintilla’s very excellent “And Now, A Word From Out Sponsors” is the latest entry to be AMV of the Day.

This AMV is pretty brief but what’s shown gives enough proof as to why it was voted by the Anime Expo attendees to win three categories. It won the Staff Favorite and Best Comedy categories, but it was winning the top prize for Best In Show which cemented this amv as top in a field that had some very good entries.

The video edits together several scenes from different anime to match the lyrics of the song. A song aptly titled “Burger Dance” by DJ Ötzi. Some effects work such as putting the KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds logos into the scenes were made, but in the end the song is just a laugh riot from start to end. It had everyone singing along to the chorus. That is just how great and fun an amv it was.

Now, if the creator of the amv “Alchanum” just follows suit and also uploads to Youtube that Best Drama amv winner.

Anime: Code Geass, Azumnaga Daioh, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Fruit Basket, K-On, Axis Power Hetalia, Lunar Legend Tsukihime, Naruto, Princess Tutu, Revolutionary Girl Utena, serial experiements lain, Sgt. Frog, Soul Eater

Song: “Burger Dance: International Remix” by DJ Ötzi

Creator: Scintilla

Anime You Should Be Watching: Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Arleigh

GAKUEN UTOPIA MANABI STRAIGHT!

Anime has been a particular form of entertainment that I have been watching and enjoying for over twenty years, but my exposure to them were kept at older series and OVA’s (Original Video Animation) that were licensed by American companies for U.S. public consumption. I’m talking about series like Voltron and Robotech plus even older ones like Starblazers, Captain Harlock and G-Force. It wasn’t until four-five years ago that I really got into anime that wasn’t made age-appropriate for U.S. public viewing.

I was literally hoarding as much anime series both new and old on dvd and adding them to my collection. It didn’t matter if the series or OVAs were mecha, horror, action, romance, comedy and-or slice-of-life, if someone recommended it to me then I would go out, find it, buy it and then watch it. With my past experiences on mecha, space opera and action anime I thought I would pick up where I left off and gravitate towards similar kinds of anime. To my surprise I actually didn’t like them as much as I thought I would. The sort of anime that I began to really enjoy and want more of were the slice-of-life dramas and comedies like Azumanga Daioh, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star and Kanon. While they didn’t have the non-stop kinetic action of series like Code Geass and the umpteenth version of Gundam and Macross, they more than made up for it with some witty and hilarious writing.

My favorite anime falls in the slice-of-life genre. I am talking about Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! from animation studio Ufotable. The series takes place in a future Tokyo where the birth-rate has slowed and there’s less and less children attending schools. Within this basic premise we have the character of Manami Amamiya who transfers into the all-girl Seioh Private High School where her vibrant and infectious personality quickly makes her one of the popular girls. She gains a small close-knit of friends from the shy and clumsy Mika Inamori, the athletic tomboy in Mutsuki Uehara, the smart, but emotionally withdrawn Mei Etoh and the eccentric Momoha Odori. Manami (or Manabi as she likes to be called) becomes the impetus for all the adventures these girls go through together as they forge a lasting friendship through good times and bad times.

One doesn’t have to be a girl to enjoy this series. Guys who like it do so because of how it reminds them of their own time in high school with their own buddies and how those bonds of friendships seems to last forever. While some have not the memories of those times will always be fond ones for both men and women who reminisce about them while watching this series. It also has some of the cutest animation with a catchy intro song. The girls’ school anthem is one that just has to be listened to.