Have AMVs ruined anime?

[CorpseGoddess]

Very true, and yes, a large part of it is entertainment, but it's also the desire to create and interpret.

Of course, but the entertainment angle I was getting at was simply watching anime and how those members that have been here pretty much from the beginning are still active in the general fandom, not the AMV-related aspects of it. As far as I'm concerned, AMVs exist only because of the creative desire, and entertainment garnered from them is simply a pleasant result that acts as a motivator to not give up. Watching anime in and of itself, isn't really all that creative unless one starts pontificating over it like people have been doing with Evangelion for the last 12 years - but that's just a natural part of any fandom, it isn't exclusive to anime.

Bringing AMVs into it gives creativity an outlet, but I still don't feel that placing it above personal relationships and the means of making ends meet is a wise decision by any stretch of the imagination.

I agree completely. And I've been guilty of editing a bit much---in between monster bouts of EverQuest II, that is.

Like I said, choose your poison. Balance is important. Of course, now that I think about it, I really should be editing with some MEP deadlines coming up...

[Bakadeshi]

kinda like what Jaddzia said, Rather than editing amvs ruining my enjoyment of anime, I think it has more ruined my enjoyment of some amvs ;p Since I tend to also be more critical and analytical of amvs when I see them now that I am an editor rather than just sitting back and enjoying it, like I used to do before I edited. As far as it ruining anime for me, not realy, Rather I have seen some amvs that interested me into checking out the anime. I usually watch a series completely through before editing an amv to it anyway though. The only sense that an amv has ruined a series for me is when it blatantly spoiled the ending or something like that.

[CorpseGoddess]

Of course, the flip side is that since I've been editing, I actually *notice* editing choices made by the creators of anime, let alone appreciate them. And not just anime, but live-action movies and even game cutscenes, too. I'll watch something and think, "Wow, that was a really interesting editing choice they made there", which I had never done before. So in a sense editing has also enhanced how I watch stuff now.

[OmniStrata]

There's an easy solution...
Stop amv editing...

To say that anime is all cliche is usually what happens when a fake-love dies...

I see it in my martial arts class. The people that become black belts have to train the same qucking moves for years. Most people never make it out of sheer boredom... But I stuck it through, even came up with some of my own weapon forms... out of boredom ^_^

One trick I learned is to behave as if you've never seen it or just don't expect anything more... Cliche? Geezus, EVERYTHING is copied from something these days... Even the very very first anime are based off of some myth and legend to a degree...

Watch anime cause u want to imagine new stories and witness new 'event's. If you're tired, stop watching...

If you think watching anime is only for editing amvs, then uh, stop editing so u can enjoy the anime? ^_^

[OropherZero]

No. Because the rate in which I watch good and entertaining new anime is > the rate in which I watch good and entertaining newly announced AMVs.

That being said I only really consider an anime as potential AMV source after I finish watching the series through and skim back on parts or during a rewatch of the series. First time I see a series is just me enjoying the anime and not giving a damn about AMVs.

[[Mike of the Desert]]

I have the same feeling.. Always.

But I absolutely don't think that this means what you said, having this different 'way' to look at anime doesn't ruin them.

A Programmer will play Fps thinking "Shit, how in the hell they made this scrypt possible?" or similiar.
A Critic will never completely enjoy a movie for what it is.
A Writer will read Books in the same way we see series.

I don't think this means that we're losing something, I think the opposite.

[ZephyrStar]

Yeah, there is that whole bit of working on something so long and so hard that you really get sick of it and don't want to see it again. I'm sure we've all been there to some extent, but the reference I most like to think of is not really related to AMV's, but lies on the special features discs of some of Pixar's films....they talk about looking at the movie from the director's viewpoint, and it ceases to become a movie for them, because all they can see are the errors and flaws in the film. Ultimately though (which always amazes me) they are able to overlook that and turn out an amazing bit of cinema, and not only that, but move on into a new project immediately.

I guess with AMV's it's the same...our senses might be forever warped when watching an anime series with a critical eye, and maybe we ignore the story a little more than most people since we're scoping the thing out for footage. I think in my case though, I can put that down often enough and watch things for what they are and get my enjoyment out of them. Even some kinda crappy ones.

But I think what Michelle said is very true, we have gained a sense that not many people have, and even fewer have well. So be proud of it

[lister007]

Well there is two reasons why I think that anime fails to meet my expectations thesase days,

1) because I spend more time editing than actually watching it. There is never enough time to do both and if trying to work on a piece becomes frustrating you begin to hate it.

2) is that only one REALLY good series comes out about every four years, and good movies even less frequently. Otherwise like others have said, its the same stuff in a new form, don't get me wrong it works, but that original, good quality, intriguing, stylised piece that will hold your attention for 23 - to however many hundred they can churnout episodes really takes more work than some stupid fox tail n*b saying 'believe it' every other second! I apologise to all naruto fans.

[EvaFan]

I think its just a matter of something not being "New" anymore. Like when you watched that first anime you ever saw and it made you want to watch more. Over time your expectations for anime shows grow higher cause you've seen more. After a while the small shows that offer little artwork and/or storyline don't appeal as much to you even though they are probably unique in their own way.

As to whether being an editor is killing it... Well your the one actually making edits in the anime now and have your own ways of making the anime look better through your eyes. If your watching an anime and constantly analyzing the video as to whether it could of been done better then that's more of a personality trait problem if you ask me, either that or the anime just isn't interesting enough to keep your mind from analyzing it.

When I watch anime, I don't compare them to others or think of the ways it could of been done better. I just look at it as watching events unfold and feeling what the characters are feeling. Then again I watch way to many drama / romance animes so I opinion is biased.

[Sukunai]

It's called burn out people, if you do something too much too often and you DON'T get burn out, be more concerned than if you DO get burn out.

Because that would mean you're obsessed

I have experienced burn out in ALL of my hobbies at some point, it's natural.

Want to cure it? find something else to do for a few months, drop the amv editing, and get a defacto breath of fresh air. The longer you fight burn out, the more likely you are to ruin the fun for yourself.