The Annual AWA 2017 "I <explative> your AMV" Pro Contest Review!

[MaboroshiStudio]

And now I will assign each video a LUCKY CHARM

Quoted Image converted to link:
https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/ri ... 0315145242

haha nice reply

[Warlike Cygnet]

Here are my reviews of the AWA Pro vids. I might have been quite harsh and mean in my reviews. You have been warned.

Please read this first for some clarification on the scoring of the videos.

Spoiler :

I'm totally kidding about being mean. Instead of reviews every video gets a puppy that in someway captures the spirit of each video. Enjoy!

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[The Wired Knight]

Overall these were fun to watch. I love how the AWA Pros has this modest yet boastful “American style” overtone to it.

Never thought about it that way, but yeah. You're totally right

What does that even mean?

That we all missed our opportunity to edit a video of to Pink Floyd's "The Wall."

[PieandBeer]

I PUT THESE OFF UNTIL NOW all that matters is i got mine out before redeem
very good videos overall! things to keep in mind with these reviews: i'm a total freaking softie and have a marked bias towards sentimental, drama, and vids with clear storytelling. i'm not super big on tech, so most my advice will be "hey here are some basics" or "this transition ruined flow." also all my reviews are basically stream of consciousness and probably full of run-ons and typos. i promise i'm not a drunk, i just have a lot of feelings and WORDS GET IN THE WAY.

= my fave vids
= THIS VIDEO MADE ME CRY SO DAMN HARD i tear up every time i think of it like not even joking
= my top vid pls teach me editing

004 -

Spoiler :

cute combo, i think the sync was pretty good but the scenes were super overused so it's hard to pretend like it fits what the musical is trying to convey yknow? the lip sync was loose at points too but i enjoyed the vid O:

017 -

Spoiler :

i'm surprised you got armin's real voice actor to help you with this. editing is super solid and the concept funny af. the food show font is waaaaay too modern and clean for this vid. some of the lip sync felt a bit loose as well. super enjoyable vid though! can't wait to see this dominate every US contest tho xD

029 -

Spoiler :

i really want to like this vid more than i do. the editing is so solid and it's so different from other videos with this source. i just can't get past the song mood disconnect. this video reads like a normal peppy romance vid which is great on its own but feels forced when comparing it to previous shinkai amvs and the other your name vid in this competition. it's super freaking enjoyable though, like the editing is on point. and like so many people i've spoken to love it too xD so i'm probs in the wrong i just wanted more atmosphere/world building and less normal romance amv yknow? super nice vid regardless of my old stodgy ways tho

035 -

Spoiler :

interesting sources! i think the cuts could have been shorter to add a bit of interest and better connect the visuals to the sounds in the song. some of the literal sync with the girl entering the room was a bit too on the nose to the point of being cheesy. i think i would appreciate this a lot more if i saw the film first, but nice edit!

044 -

Spoiler :

solid edit, combo was played a bit too straight imo. at this point, i feel like this song has to be done in a funny or ironic way. there are a ton of claps and other smaller sounds in the sound that could have been synced to that would vary the pacing. your sync and flow are solid though, i think it was just was just an issue of taking the sources too literally and seriously. good vid though!

099 -

Spoiler :

i think the source combo in this vid distracts me, i can see youre going for lyric sync and action sync but theyre all really different styles and popular anime that are going to stick out. the scenes, especially the naruto frog scene, were way too slow for the dubstep section imo. i think there was a good contrast between the action and slower parts. if you cut the song, you would able to do a lot more in the action sections. i do like how you structured the video with the armies preparing before action sections.

114 -

Spoiler :

solid edit, unexpected concept that works real well. i liked the text but the capitalization bothered me. some of the lipsync had a few extra syllables but overall it was super strong overall.

115-

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really cool atmosphere. matches the retro style of the anime. cool imagery. i respect what this video was trying to do and can see there is skill and effort put into this. it probably won't be for everyone given the long ambient nature of this vid, but i enjoyed it! it feels like i'm drifting in space and its super serene. this would be a great vid to just put into the background while working on something else yknow?

138 -

Spoiler :

the imagery is really nice and its an interesting concept that is a lot diff from other vids ive seen with the same anime. i felt like the filter/border was too strong as it became distracting, though i loved how it was synced with the camera sound at the end. overall, this felt a bit too style over substance, a lot of characters looking at each other but not really doing anything but walking. that might be the show though. pretty solid work tho!

162 -

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real nice mood and sync, the lyric sync was nice too. only real complaints are the abrupt ending and the piano still playing after the kid stopped banging on it. great job!

167 -

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i want akira to step on me. great mood, great moments of internal sync. i wish the "certified lean" lyrics hit on the words. additionally the first section felt a bit slow/stiff compared to the second, nothing some slight zooms cant fix tho. real nice lyric sync and song choice O: overall solid just like my hard-on for akira.

168 -

Spoiler :

cute af but im not sure if the intro needed to be that long. the lyric and internal sync is cute. i think it could benefit from some more motion added. the transitions were pretty +A+ and i loved how you jump back and forth between the cute and action sequences, feels representative of the show. i think overall the video could be a bit faster for the song, especially the last instrumental section, but it was cute and i look forward to seeing more from you!

188 -

Spoiler :

great combo, solid editing. some of the crossfades were a bit too long and the lip sync could be tightened. the card at the end with the actors could have been removed as well. i loved how you set up world building shots though and how you assigned characters. good job

201-

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YOU PEOPLE NEED HOBBIES very well done. unlike these NAYSAYERS i loved the live action it was great. this is super enjoyable even ignoring the parody aspect, the editing is super solid and you had your own great lyric sync. overall v nice

234 -

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aw this was cute! i think some of the transitions and lip sync could use some cleaning up. i'd rather this version of the couple than the version in the series ahaha, makes the characters seem likable. nice scene selection and general sync.

267 -

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real nice work, i think the text was a bit too large and weirdly spaced at times. awesome work though! i was told this really fits the series so i'm gonna just gonna accept that xD the dolphin chick and the old lady at 1:20 are weirdly poor quality compared to the rest. nice work nonetheless

280 -

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ah yes vintage memes. the sync and lipsync were good regardless of how old and randomly put the memes were.

302 -

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this is nicely edited, very smooth. i thought the text was unneeded but if thats your style no worries. i loved how you followed the ups and downs the song. if the film grain is added, i think the grain is just a bit too large as it becomes a distraction instead of an atmosphere thing for me. the ending clip was held waaaaaaay too long imo, you could have faded out the song faster and still kept the same idea. overall really solid!

313 -

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i love this. it shouldn't work this well. goddamn. felt like the homura lip sync was a bit loose, like there is one syllable that is a bit off, but it was tight overall

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i really liked the intro. overall this was a really clean and well made video. i think the lyric sync at the beginning was a bit too on the nose but i'm not sure what else you could do with the song. loved the kid section in the middle and how you came back to them in the second half. the crossfades were really nice too. overall super nice!

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cute and had nice sync. interesting contrast to the captain america vid from last year. i don't think the atmosphere as on point as the previous vid, but it makes up for it in humor. the special effects/draft section made me laugh. overally a nice parody.

381 -

Spoiler :

this was cute! i think the sync and flow can be improved a bit but i love the idea in relation to this series. really nice scene selection and cute storytelling. feels very heartfelt, just needs a bit more motion to keep up with the song and maybe to not hold on scenes as long but i get what you were trying to do with the couples. there were cute moments of internal sync throughout and the instrumental section was great.

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why wasnt this whole video zefron? entertaining af i think the sync could be cleaned up along with the lip flap, but i like the lyric sync. HE WAS HIDING A BIRD UNDERNEATH

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SADLY STARES AT MY OLD SAAB this was exciting and smooth. super cool idea and a refreshing vid in this contest. amazing sync and approach to slower parts of the song. great job!

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i think u had some cool visuals but a lot of the effects were hit or miss and the the flashes jesus christ they hurt my head. you seem to have a good eye for action sync, so don't rely on effects. the source quality is all over the place. i like the idea of having the dramatic scenes fitting the lyrics but the action underneath is too intense for it to really stand out.

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absolutely adored this one. so many great match cuts and great sync. amazing mood and interesting visuals. my biggest peeve is the half fades can be a bit too strong in the faster scenes. the song has such a whimsical and adventurous feel that matches the visuals. still one of my faves in this contest!

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TALK TO ME ABOUT MOB PSYCHO cute sync and nice flow. some of the verses were a bit stiff compared to the choruses and not all the snare rolls hit as well but super enjoyable regardless! this show has some dark themes but you kept it light

433 -

Spoiler :

i think this video has a real cool mood and areas of sync, it's just too long. it holds on some scenes for too long imo. if you shortened the song, you wouldnt have to stretch the footage as much. i loved the focus on the girl i absolutely adore the sword tapping on the wall sync and the scenes at 1:51, gave me chills.

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Spoiler :

i think you have a good eye for dramatic tension and internal sync. i disagree with the other reviewers, i think combining these source series is find because they have similar themes and color schemes. i think the main issue is just getting better quality sources. i look forward to seeing more from you!

455 -

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the flow in the action parts was decent, that ending tho

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cool mood and storytelling. some cuts and scenes felt a bit too fast for the song. the video also felt a bit long. felt like a good vid for fans, but not knowing the series i think there were a ton of shots that didn't add to the story. there were several shots after the music faded out as well that i think can be removed. still a solid vid!

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Spoiler :

cool scene selection, but the flashy transitions are distracting. i like the source combo because it feels heart felt. the action in the faster section is nice but could benefit from some added motion. the laughter sync is really cool and inspired. the lip sync was a cool idea, i just think the execution can be cleaned up a bit. the dubbed section at the end feels heartfelt, but not needed in this video. feels like a nice tribute to the pairing though!

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ahhhh that fire pinching sync. nice fades and atmosphere. sometimes it felt a bit too stiff but the quick internal syncs make up for it. not knowing the series, i'm not quite sure on the story being told but the atmosphere makes it enjoyable nonetheless. the gun sound and the effect on the eye (not sure if native) is distracting at 2:19 and the ending feels a bit anticlimatic in the beach scenes.

494 -

Spoiler :

cool sync and avoidance of talking scenes in the intro. loved the pickup at the beginning but the dubstep section sync was a bit too slow as it really didn't differentiate from the slower drama sections. overall cool mood, just felt a bit one note. nice dramatic build ups and use of series audio.

516 -

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tom and jerry source quality distracted and the ending went a bit long but the concept was real cute and better than the last one

517 -

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loved the source combo. it had an excellent mood. knowing the manga, some of the dramatic scene selection confused me a bit but i may be misunderstanding the lyrics. the action and dance sequence sync were A+. i liked how you avoided the ending of the first season also the YELLING SYNC SO GOOD really liked this +A+

538-

Spoiler :

real nice atmosphere and happy mood. i feel like it was a bit too much of an drama style edit during the actiony parts of the song but not enough to ruin my enjoyment. the jump cut right before hanzo shoots at 3:30 ruined flow. i really liked how you approached the lore of the game. the mei parts were gorgeous and in the perfect places. i agree with the kireblue, the doomfist short was a bit too diff from the other sources and were distracting. additionally, you might want a fade out sooner or get rid of the titles all together. great job nonetheless!

539 -

Spoiler :

cool combo, lip sync is a bit messy at the beginning, but it seems like a hard source to use. loved the dramatic moments and internal sync. felt like the wolf section wasn't quite fast enough but the pig part was really nice and creepy. overally real good job.

542 -

Spoiler :

this is smooth and neat looking af. i think this is my fave vid for this source just because you really focused on aesthetics and mood instead of the actual story imo. gorgeous sync. i think some of the effects were a bit cheesy, like the fade to black/white at the beginning and the masked girl sliding in from the left at 2:05, but really those are my only gripes.

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super enjoyable! i felt like the the action editing was just a bit too slow and loose and some scenes were a bit too static, but i'm a bit more lenient on that since it's live action. really nice scene selection and lyric sync. overall, this felt like a great tribute to the film. nice job!

563-

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nice transitions and internal sync. flowed pretty well. felt the source combo was a bit too silly for it to be taken seriously, like it was cute but the scene selection felt too serious. lesbian bears tho are always a fave tho the actual editing was nice, i woulda enjoyed less zoom transitions and more motion added to scenes but that's just me.

567 -

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i was told that this song really fit the anime and that the letters were from the characters future self so i'm just gonna trust that the actual editing is pretty nice but a bit stiff and some scenes were held for too long. the complete fade to white transitions broke flow imo, if you just go to like 50% white the scenes won't be halted. cute vid though! it had a nice atmosphere and i felt the love for the series. the dramatic instrumental section was really nice too.

587-

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this is a super cool combo. editing and dramatic set up is great. the character assignments were a bit distracting. i thought the little girl was singing the male voice. just having her be the brother is fine, but i would make it a bit more clear in the first few shots. overall very nicely done!

591 -

Spoiler :

cool combo and the lip sync is crazy good, i think this video just needed a bit less of talking and more establishing shots between/during the talking to keep the interest yknow? like real trailers don't just have talking and showing what the characters are talking about, they have b roll in between to give a feel of the movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAfbp3YX9F0 like here's the original trailer, even if there is a ton of talking, there's cuts to reactions, to airplanes while characters are still talking. great tech work tho.

600 -

Spoiler :

neat source combo, i just feel like the editing in the action sections were not fast enough for the song and the video was a bit too long for my liking. if you cut the song more, youd have more flexibility and scenes to use in the faster sections. even though the song is pretty modern, it has a cool retro feel. i liked the falling section it had a cool mood that matched the song at that point and the pick up to when he was in control was great too.

609 -

Spoiler :

source quality ! but the actual sync is really nice and it has a cool mood. love the giant sand guy yelling sync. thought some of the transitions were really cool but the flash and zoom ones were a bit too strong. not knowing the series, i think you did a good job with showing who the characters are with the lyrics and scene selection. thought the pull me out sync at 2:37 was a bit slow but loved the scenes. really enjoyable, just fix that source quality

617 -

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jesus christ you people need a hobby. loved it loved it probs one of the best amv parody ive seen. you made some really clever clip choices. i wish the text blendeded a bit more with the video because to me that was one of the defining features of siny's vid, but that's really my only complaint. the titty beautiful montage and the clap this is legit genius. made me laugh a lot xD

618 -

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this is gorgeous! nice flow and use of imagery that follows the song beautifully. makes me feel nostalgic. you don't overpower either sources with your editing, you let them flow together which is great. really no complaints here it feels like a painting +A+ i havent seen the movie but the montages at the end made me tear up ;-;

653-

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loved the internal sync, i just wish there was a bit of motion added to really carry the energy because it feels really abrupt imo. nice retro feel though and interesting source combo. makes me want to watch the series to understand the characters and story! i loved the way you kept up with the song's ups and downs. the elevator scene at the ending section felt a bit too smooth than the scenes around it and the last clip was a bit of a let down. but overall really good!

656-

Spoiler :

loved this. the drama sections alone make this a stand out vid against all the other boku no my hero vids. i didn't hate the light leaks in this vid, which is rare for me they fit the movie trailer feel to this vid yknow. the build up and the sync in it is absolutely amazing. i think the action scenes fit what i have gathered from the series, they just felt a bit off sync or too fast for the song at that point? i cant quite pinpoint what is off to me, it might just be the drums being quiet in that section. the ending was a nice bookend though a bit abrupt. really feels like a great trailer type intro to the series. nice job!

670-

Spoiler :

aww visual quality the aspect ratio looks a bit off too in some scenes. i loved how you showed the characters emotions. i felt like the choruses could have picked up a bit more in the beginning. the second chorus is nice though! nice source combo and internal sync too!

675-

Spoiler :

PIKACHU WINS!!!!!!!!!!! this video feels like taking two benadryls feels like

688-

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the flow, sync, and how you structured this vid is A+. to me, the light overlays and blurs are too strong. i think there is a lot of them just staring at each other too in this vid but like the lyrics explain what the characters are feeling so it's not too big of a deal. i would have just liked a bit more character development before the shiny pretty scenes. nice job!

690-

Spoiler :

loved loved loved the sync and flow in this. couldn't really follow the story but the execution was entertaining enough that it didn't matter. loved the rap section and the mood overall.

725-

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this feels like two vids together xD loved the first half. the second half the audio was like too loud but i dunno if that's in the original. thought it was funny and unexpected though! i wish the title on the school shot in the beginning was changed to fit what the audio was saying instead of the japanese.

727-

Spoiler :

this video scares me it has such an eery vibe to it that leads up to the knife. it reads like a propaganda film and i can't look away. solid editing makes me want to join the army.

766-

Spoiler :

this video is too moist. great added humor and editing. the grandma is the greatest thing. what you did with the gurgling throughout the vid is such a great combo compared to what it was in the original audio. i think the color on the emperors new groove clips are a bit too dark but jesus christ this video is genius in the jokes you added and put together ahhhhhh

769-

Spoiler :

i think the sync is really cool! the ramps were A+, but the rest of the vid felt a bit stiff to me. i think it made the ramps more dramatic, but the songs reads a bit smoother and fluid than the visuals. really nice video though! it managed to differentiate itself from all the other vids with this source and had a solid execution! i have no idea about the characters or the story, but like i feel like i don't need to with this vid yknow? nice mood +A+

773-

Spoiler :

the mood is so cute especially with the dancing scenes. I am a bit confused on the lips moving, because sometimes it looks like the characters are singing the lyrics but then it switches characters. additionally, i think this vid would flow a bit better if you applied a bit of motion to the still clips. the vid is super refreshing and cute though!

774 -

Spoiler :

this has some really cool moments in it! it feels pretty different from other videos with this anime because the song mood. not knowing the source, some of the dramatic scenes i could not quite understand but thats not your fault i just refuse to watch popular anime >> i liked how the action scenes were a bit understated because it helped with the cool chill atmosphere. i felt like the speed was kinda disjointed in the action scenes, with the flow halting at some points but solid job!

789 -

Spoiler :

really liked the atmosphere and the sync is real nice, especially with the tiny moments like grins. i think that there could have been within the paint splotch effects but overall a real solid video! the best ive seen so far with this source because its not just the crazy action and the little girl being psycho, theres actual world building

790 -

Spoiler :

really like the source combo and atmosphere but i think the execution can be cleaned up a lot. the intro was a lot weaker with sync than the rest of the vid and there were some issues with zooms being all different strengths. i really liked the visuals though, there were parts that were pretty dang dramatic but in between them were some weaker scenes.

800 -

Spoiler :

smooth af and gorgeous. i didnt really like how prevalent the light leaks are, like the rolling scene at 1:25 would have been fine by itself but i could barely focus on that sync because the light overlay on it. really nice internal sync. it has a real cute and sentimental atmosphere. if i knew the show, i feel like i would enjoy this a lot more knowing the characters but it was really nice regardless. i just wish i saw the characters do more than stare at each other haha.

802 -

Spoiler :

i thought this was with the show modern marvels for a second and was A BIT DISAPPOINTED that im not learning about science but the editing is super nice i felt like the mood was a bit disjointed. i understand you were going for the silly thing but i think the literal sync caused the vid to really jump around with how serious it was. i appreciate how different it was from other marvel vids though!

806 -

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HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO WELL MADE and thought out and the flute sync and the credits its like professional quality holy crap. like its like literally perfect jfc great job dude

850 -

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THIS MADE ME FEEL A LOT OF FEELINGS gorgeous atmosphere really solid eating i really enjoyed this ;A; i need to see this movie yo the way you switched between the two worlds was seamless af and oh my god im crying so freaking hard the pick up at the end the emotional flow jesus christ please win best vid with this i need everyone to appreciate how well this video is ;AAAA; LET ME LOVE YOU

862 -

Spoiler :

cute af and solid editing, the lip sync at the beginning was a bit loose but the vid really picked up after that. i felt like this vid presented a different atmosphere than most vids with this anime and i really appreciate it.

869 -

Spoiler :

really nice transitions, felt like the running at the beginning was too sped up but the rest of the video polished af. the nidoran transition was my fave. i liked how you captured the darker sides of the series which i feel like most pokemon mix vids ignore for nostalgia but you show more depth yknow. THE YOU AND I WERE MEANT TO BE LYRIC WITH RAYQUAZA makes it seem like its rayquaza x ash and i want everyone to see this and agree with me. overally really really really nice job

882-

Spoiler :

super smooth! i felt like some of the tiger action sequences felt a bit repetitive and not strong enough for the song. really nice lyric sync tho and the hunk part was cute af but i think the audio in that section was a bit too loud. i really liked how you highlighted each of the characters and it felt incredibly heartfelt. super super polished nice job!!!

910-

Spoiler :

THIS CONCEPT WORKS SO WELL old man what i love it. i felt like there were a bit of times the lip sync did not quite connect on words that needed a fully closed mouth syllable or there was an extra syllable thrown in, but overall is was tight THIS IS INCREDIBLY ENJOYABLE and oh my god the ending. magnificent job!

916 -

Spoiler :

my vote for best technical no question. the titles, the transitions, the sync GODDAMN THAT MONITOR SYNC AFTER THAT ASUKA FACE TRANSITION it felt super super fresh despite the video from last year, like you approached it from a more suspense/action standpoint than pure creepy atmosphere. i wish there was someone sitting next to asuka in the beginning or with shinji in the hospital but i can understand if you were limited in clips and worked around it pretty damn well. also jesus christ that the sound effect syncs i want to rub this video on my body

940 -

Spoiler :

this is super cute and heartfelt ;-; great source combo. i think the flashes and light leaks were a bit too strong imo, especially in the middle of clips, but that's definitely just my taste. i really really liked the instrumental section. sync and flow were nice and cute (that chipmunk thing!).

978-

Spoiler :

i absolutely freaking loved this please be my friend. lyric sync, transitions and flow were super nice. really captured the feeling of the show and sent me on a total nostalgia trip. ALSO THE TINY CANTI HEAD POP AT 1:39 IS SUPERB this video is pretty much flawless jfc

984 -

Spoiler :

I love your sync and flow and i really feel the emotions and drama. there are a few settings that you should be able to change on your editing program to make the image quality better. if you're using vegas/premiere, select progressive scan when rendering out your video (or use l33tmeatwads crazy good amvtool/amvpack.

989 -

Spoiler :

it's super quiet ! i really like the mood and sync though. i feel like the lip flap in some of the scenes in the beginning was a bit distracting and the choruses would have benefited from some added motion but i really appreciate how this madoka vid feels fresh while still achieving lyric sync. it completely changes the feeling of overused scenes and really allows for me to appreciate the imagery yknow? i felt like the last clip with homura could have been omitted since the music stopped but overall nice job!

[Mr. Fuzzyflippers]

Overall these were fun to watch. I love how the AWA Pros has this modest yet boastful “American style” overtone to it.

Never thought about it that way, but yeah. You're totally right

What does that even mean?

That we all missed our opportunity to edit a video of to Pink Floyd's "The Wall."

Not even the song; the entire album.

[King Redeem]

hello everyone! its my first time reviewing in pro... dont take anything i say too seriously, these are just random thoughts. I end up being super biased towards certain types of videos, but wanted to be constructive and/or praising as much as i could. Also i like to whine about tech

If i LOVED your video, play it over and over, etc im giving you the DAN SEAL OF APPROVAL


truly the highest form of praise your video can achieve

keep in mind that Dan status is NOT the line between good and bad, just meant to point out the ones i personally enjoy most

Spoiler :

17R-004 - Defying Entropy - Christopher Fitzgerald - March of the Witch Hunters - Madoka Magica
awesome start to the contest. The sync and lip sync is ON POINT. Feels a bit on the short side (aka i want MORE). The marching soldiers visual is just one example of how well the audio meshes with the source. Some slick transitions too. Editing is so peppy i love it

17R-017 - Sausage Corps - Sausage Party - Trailer - Shingeki No Kyojin
HILARIOUS. The action sync blew my flippin mind. No joke. The first of many EXCELLENT trailers this year. I love your custom green screen at the intro. The other text work feels out of place... why not just mimic the original trailer text? Not a fan of the stock footage. now the lip sync to me is really peeving because it's just plain off for a lot of it. I mean, its like ALMOST there so its superrrr frustrating to see. Regardless, I expect this as finalist in trailer and comedy

17R-029 - Golden Days - Panic at the Disco - Golden Days - Kimi No Na Wa
my new favorite “your name” AMV. great song and great editing. You really pushed this source to its absolute limit as far as footage goes. That being said, the song is pretty long so i feel like it spread out the footage a little thin. A little song cut would help to “beef” it up imo. The use of dream sequence footage was perfect for the moment in the song. Shows great understanding of scene selection

17R-035 - Resting Place - Vertical Horizon - Prayer For an Innocent Man - The Book of Eli
hell yea, sweet start for live action. Story is really coherent and the song anime combo is great. Never seen the movie but i was feeling it. Source quality seemed a tad low? Not that it was super distracting or anything but felt like it was missing that extra sharpness. Good job on this, really solid edit

17R-044 - Our Swim Team is too Sexy - Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy - Free
man the editing is freaking SOLID on this. Like, from a pure editing standpoint, you killed it. The lyric sync was super amusing too. The CAT and HAT were just two of the highlights. It seems like it goes on a bit too long though? I feel like this would benefit from a song cut, because the concept of the video is established pretty quickly and doesnt really “evolve” if that makes sense.

17R-099 - Sacrifice - Jetta
i get the feeling that this is a newer editor that shows a lot of promise, but there were some tech issues that sorta hindered my enjoyment. The source quality seems low for some footage. Watermarks on BRS, thats a no no. exported at the wrong frame rate (29fps vs 23.976). The song switches were sweet though, and felt fun and creative. They hit at the right times too. Editing itself was good and worked well for the high energy track. Just keep at it, because you got the talent!!

17R-114 - Magic Seiya XXL - Warner Brothers - Trailer - Sailor Moon Stars
hell yeah i love me a good retro edit. Working with older footage like this is not easy, so props to the editor. Just gonna say your text work is freaking DOPE. the lip sync is a bit rough, but i get its tough with old footage. Maybe a bit heavy on the lip sync? All the action was spot on though, and i loved it. This was a really creative, unexpected combo. Deserving of trailer finals

17R-115 - Leeway - To Rococo Rot - Die Dinge des Lebens - Pilot Candidate
man this is chill and mellow. I can get behind the vibe you’re laying down. Tech issues hindered my chillaxing though, source quality seems low and you exported at the wrong framerate. 29fps is going to have stuttering on playback. Make sure you’re at 23.976 for the final version.

17R-138 - Support Story - Lily Chou-Chou - Kaifuku Suru Kizu - Kizumonogatari
oh hot damn the A E S T H E T I C. the film reel effect was hella tasteful and i really enjoyed the audio track. Id expect this as a finalist for best artistic. I havent seen the source so i didnt really feel anything for this couple, if that makes sense. But it looked pretty +__+ nice tight editing, freakin sweet

17R-162 - Inky Indica - Johnny Hollow - Bloodsuckers - Over the Garden Wall
still havent seen over the garden wall but this video makes me want to watch it. I loved the lyric sync. Sweet editing, internal sync all that jazz. Creepy and atmospheric. Nice nice job on this i really dig it. The last real quick scene change at the end seemed a bit wonky. Good contender for drama finals

17R-167 - Best Protag - Killers, the - The Man - Persona 5
awesome song choice. Love the killers. Havent played this game but the editing on this is sweet. That 4th wall break was funny and charming. Some of the footage seemed to stutter a bit on playback? Maybe that was just my player though. Regardless i dug this a lot, as would fans of the series i imagine.

17R-168 - Pastime Fantasy - Nano - Hysteria - Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai
yeaaa some nano, niceeee. Pretty footage and great editing chops. Those transitions are slick too. I really enjoyed this, thought you did a great job. Didnt seem like there was a strong concept behind this video but hey it was a fun ride.

17R-188 - Heartpiercer - Snowpiercer - Trailer - Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
the perfect trailer audio for kabaneri. Genius concept. Came out really dope!!! I like that title at the end too. The lip sync is just okay. Not perfect but acceptable. That watermark on a couple of the end shots though… thats a big no no. ignoring that though, you did a great job. Another easy contender for trailer finals

17R-201 - Toy That Killed, the - Disturbed - Sound of Silence, the - Lego Batman
when i saw the title in the list of pro videos i laughed out loud. Genius parody idea. Execution wise it wasn’t perfect but i like how you matched scenes when you could. Still a great job though, and im jealous i didnt think of an idea as clever as this. Good example of why we need a parody category this year.

17R-234 - That One Small Things - Sutton Foster, John Hickock - Small Umbrella in the Rain
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - oh man this was simply adorable. sweet lip sync, and i like the clear romance concept. A musical category would be really interesting this year. Id expect this as a romance finalist at least

17R-267 - A CB - Yoko Kanno - Tank - Archer
i dont watch archer but i have mad respect for the tech work here. NICE homage to the classic bebop opening. Another reason we need a parody category

17R-280 - Dio's Memestravaganza - Lazy Town (feat. The Living Tombstone)
We Are Number One - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - “is this a jojo’s video?” “NO. THIS IS PATRICK” patrick was easily my favorite part of this. I love me a good meme but some of these feel a bit dated?? For a “memestraveganza”, id expect a whole heapton of memes. This just feels like a jojo’s video with a light sprinkling of memes. Woulda liked to see some more memes thrown in to really put this over the top. Regardless, nice job, this was a lot of fun.

17R-302 - I'll Be Good - Jaymes Young - I'll Be Good - Koe no Katachi
i like the song anime combo and the editing is solid. The text overlay is distracting and not necessary imo. You dont need em, the feelings will come through with your editing/scene selection

17R-313 - Kyuzoo - Mike Diva - Kazoo Kid Trap (Original Mix) - Madoka Magica
KUZOOBEY. I love the original mike diva vid and i love this. I just wish you had taken this edit EVEN FURTHER to really push it over the top. Like, i would love to see an attempt to mimic the iconic buttshot/golden uzi scene from the original video. Maybe with some masked keijo butts??? I expect this as a comedy finalist

17R-360 - (The Right To) Bare Arms - Sabaton - The Ballad of Bull - Hacksaw Ridge
Saboten HELL YEA. manly. I like the dialogue intro. This is just a solid live action edit, great job. Concept wise its a great pairing. Thank you for the true story explanation at the end. Really ties it all together. I want to see this in live action finals

17R-380 - (hashtag)TeamCap - Sabaton - To Hell and Back - Various
another sweet AMV parody. One punch man head was hilarious. Im positive an editor named rider took great joy in this. I also liked the little added in doodles and the ending shot is perfect. Execution isnt perfect but this looks like a really nice homage to the original. Cool!

17R-381 - Multifaceted Romance, a - Walk The Moon - Shut Up and Dance - Steven Universe
extra cute. The concept was great. Pacing was a little slow for my taste, but i cant deny that the scene selection is on point for the lyrics. It was very coherent and easy for me to follow along… which is nice considering i havent seen the show

17R-387 - Peacock - Katy Perry - Peacock - Various
best intro clip ever. This was a lot of fun. I wish it had been even more absurd to really put it over the edge… maybe with some inserted peacock images or footage. Also kinda short but hey it gets in, tells the joke, and doesnt linger too long.

17R-397 - Chase - Linkin Park - Until It Breaks (Datsik Remix) - Various
this is a personal favorite of mine. Very unexpected and freaking COOL. the editing is flippin SWEET. I love the build up and selection of footage up to the drop. Like goddamn, i love rewatching this one. Makes me nostalgia for some burnout. Great job!!!

17R-401 - Somewhere I Belong - Linkin Park - Somewhere I Belong (Tyler Clark Remix) - Various
seizure warning please. Footage quality is terrible. Im sorry, it’s hard for me to write much else just because of the tech issues in this video.

17R-412 - Fallen Tree - Paper Kites, the - Willow Tree March - The Fall
so flipping beautiful. One of the strongest live action this year. Sync is dope af and its got this cool ethereal vibe. I will say that the partial fades to black felt overused at times for those fast cuts… and made it hard for me to see what was happening… but its not a dealbreaker or anything

17R-430 - 100% Salt - Cold War Kids - Miracle Mile - Mob Psycho 100
my new favorite mob psycho AMV. as someone who has seen (and loves) the source, this is the video that best captures the overall spirit of the show. It showcases not only the dazzling action visuals, but also the endearing wackiness that helps foster those feelings of attachment to the characters. The sync and flow is top tier, and i love the song. THOSE SNARE ROLLS you flippin’ nailed it. One of the best action/upbeat videos this year

17R-433 - Samurai Jack-Rainbow in the Dark - Dio - Rainbow in the Dark - Samurai Jack
GET YOUR HORNS UP FOR DIOOOOOO. Great flippin’ song choice. The editing itself was pretty good, although the cuts lingered too long for my taste with some potential sync missed. Still, this video put hair on my chest. Nice job my friend, keep it up

17R-452 - Land of Confusion - Hidden Citizens - Land of Confusion - Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist
source quality is low, gotta fix that. Looking past the tech, i see great potential in you. The sync is cool and i can feel the mood you were going for. Keep it up, clean up the tech, and you’ll be killin it in no time

17R-455 - Linkin Park DBZ - Linkin Park - In the End - Dragonball Z
i get the joke, but its not particularly funny??? The setup looked so promising (sweet editing) but the punchline fell flat. Needs a more absurd ending to really solidify this as a troll

17R-467 - What a Wicked Game - Ursine Vulpine (feat. Annaca) - Wicked Game - Sankarea - Undying Love
yooo this has a crazy twist ending, i dug it a lot. Well edited but you overdid it on those short crossfades.. A lot of em would probably be better suited as hard cuts… still i cant deny that the story/relationship is easily understood and it has a cool creepy unsettling mood. Nice job!

17R-469 - [ LOVE ] - Martin Garrix (feat. Bebe Rhexa) - In The Name of Love - Puella Magi Madoka Magica
i see the potential in this editor. Its hard for me to excited about this video cause it feels like a pretty typical dramatic suffering madoka vid. Go easier on the zooms, they feel too artificial as is. However, you got an editing “eye” for sync and i can appreciate that this is a good anime/song combo. Keep it up!!

17R-479 - Bottom of the River - Delta Rae - Bottom of the River - 91 Days
oooo this has a cool suspenseful mood. Sync is neat too. Nice anime/song combo. Maybe cut a bit too slow for my taste. But hey i still dug it.

17R-494 - Butterfly, the - Nova - Kyabe Knights - 100, the
no idea what this source is and not a big fan of the song… but it was definitely well edited. I assume this video just isnt quite for me…

17R-516 - One Trick Pony 3 (Outstaged) - Tom and Jerry - Soundtrack - Your Lie in April, Tom and Jerry
best troll this year.

17R-517 - Halharl Aihtikak - Imagine Dragons - Friction - Various
sync is good, nice source/song combo. Random faces in the middle were fun for that quirky part of the song. You definitely know how to pull the feel of the song with your scene selection, so props. Sometimes it felt like scenes lingered a bit too long. But they’re pretty scenes so not so bad.

17R-538 - We Are Overwatch - One OK Rock - We Are - Overwatch
i mean i like overwatch and i like this, but it doesnt really *feel* like overwatch, if that makes sense. The song seems kinda bland. The editing is sweet but not wowed by the source/song combo. All the editor fundamentals are there though, so keep it up

17R-539 - Night Walker - Black Panther - Trailer - Princess Mononoke
awww yea i love me a good trailer. This is a sweet combo. The execution is lacking for me though. Lip sync is off sometimes, and i would have liked to see more titles (like the marvel logo). The end text is bleh. But im picky about that kinda stuff, the overall sync is cool.

17R-542 - Diegesis - Duologue - Machine Stop - Erased
this has some really slick transitions. Sweet job editing wise. Only issue is that the video doesnt really make me “feel” anything like other erased videos ive seen. So i cant say its my favorite erased vid out there. But again, great editing eye

17R-558 - Playing Dead - Royal Republic - People Say That I'm Over The Top - Deadpool
i was a fan of this vid as soon as i saw the literal “up” lyric sync. All the literal lyric sync is really entertaining and endearing. Good candidate for live action finalist. Not a whole of substance here, but its a fun ride

17R-563 - Never Back Down - NSYNC - It's Gonna Be Me - Yuri Kuma Arashi
im transported back to 2000. I think this is a smart song/anime combo. The editing is a tad underpaced for me tho. But hey, the sync stays consistent so its nothing too bad to complain about… just something to improve on for the future. U did a solid job here. Deserves romance finals spot

17R-567 - Dear Future Me - Echosmith - Future Me - Orange
i see good potential, just gotta work on the execution. underpaced editing and has some stiff scene selection. But i understand the emotions youre trying to get across. Not bad!

17R-587 - Shadows of Vanity - Ralph Fiennes, Amick Byram - Plagues, the - Koutetsujou no Kabaneri
another good reason to have a musical category. I loved the prince of egypt as a kid (on VHS!!!!) so im biased toward this song. This anime works great concept wise. Super smart combo. Solid editing. Really enjoyed it, thanks for the nostalgia

17R-591 - Top Gun - Top Gun - Trailer - Macross Plus
the tech work in this trailer is fantastic. Its not easy working with old footage, and you flippin’ NAIL the lip sync. Plus that end title is SWEET. All the action sync is nailed too. I guess my only issue is that it feels a bit heavy on lip sync, making it a tad “floaty heady”. The action sync is so good, woulda loved to see more of it. Awesome job, easy trailer finalist

17R-600 - Supersonic Rush - Pendulum - Granite - Firefox
im not familiar with the source. The editing feels underpaced with such a fast paced song. But its still a solid effort. Editor has good fundamentals. Not bad at all.

17R-609 - Finally Breaking - RED - Buried Beneath - Naruto
dont export at 60fps. It makes all the zooms feel artificial and out of place. Source quality seems a bit low. Looking past the tech issues, i see good potential in this editor. The editing itself is solid, so just fix the tech and youll be well on your way!!

17R-617 - Maiming Something Beautiful - NeedToBreathe - Something Beautiful - Friday The 13th, Crystal Lake Memories
oh my god this video brings me so much joy. I wasnt familiar with the original AMV, but once i got wind of it i recognize the genius. I love this parody because the execution is just as great as the concept. FLAMING KNIFE IN CHEST SYNC. easily one of the best live action and one of the best parodies this year. I was super amused/laughing the whole way through. AWESOME JOB.

17R-618 - Awakening - Mae - Awakening - Kimi no Na wa
the editing is very well done, and the song/anime combo is good. I guess its just not the video for me... i get kinda bored watching it. I think im just not a fan of the song… but thats not the editor’s fault at all. Execution wise, this is very very well done. Good work!

17R-653 - 2006 AD - Incubus - Rogues - Iria-Zeiram the Animation
ok i have to give you major props for using such a fast song with an old anime like this. Ambitious combo. I mean, the mass appeal of this video is probably not great, but i recognize that the editor has great finesse and technique. Good work!!

17R-656 - Plus Ultra - J2, Chroma Music - Heroes Will Rise - My Hero Academia
oh hell yes. The sync in this video is freaking SPOT ON. i love the build up to the action packed second half. DRUM SYNC :Q extremely tight and the song pairs perfectly with the source, easy action/drama finalist imo. Makes me want to continue watching the series.

17R-670 - This Musical Saved My Life - Simple Plan - This Song Saved My Life - Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda
AWA pro 2017 has editor potential like crazy. Tech wise, the source quality is too low and the fades to white are too harsh, but i can look past that to see that this editor has a great eye for sync. Clean up the tech and get your hands on higher quality footage, youll be making awesome things!!

17R-675 - Emerald Hill Zone-Act 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog - Various - Various
SANIC. This video melted my brain in the best way possible. IVYSAURRRRR. Love how it gets more and more absurd as time goes on

17R-688 - Apricity - Revive - Blink - Hyouka
oooo look at all that prettiness. Pretty song, pretty anime, pretty editing. A video where i actually enjoyed the light leak aesthetic, it just suits the source so well. The editing is great, the emotions are there too. A really lovely end product. I dont feel a particularly strong connection to these characters, but thats just me

17R-690 - Combat Harness - NF (feat. Britt Nicole) - Can You Hold Me - Gundam
i want to marry the sync in this video. Editing technique is top tier. A personal favorite. Love love love, im shocked how much this video makes me care about gundam, a show ive never seen or been interested in.

17R-725 - thirsty - Pepsi - Commercial - Yurikuma Arashi
im getting thirstier by the second.

17R-727 - Reveille - Irving Berlin - Oh How I Hate To Get Up In the Morning - Momotaro
thank you, ill never sleep again. The combo and editing is so good, its unsettling. Why am i so terrified.

17R-766 - Goop Troop - Jaboody Dubs - Sticky Buddy - Various (ADULT)
the only adult entry this year, and it doesnt disappoint. This video is delightfully sinful, with tight editing. THE GRANDMA LOL. i love that u spent the effort on editing in your own gags, it would be easy to use the audio as a humor crutch. Easily a contender in comedy. Missed opportunity to call it the emperor’s new goop tho

17R-769 - Pending... - Lorde - Sober - Death Parade…
Man, i love a well edited death parade video. The song anime combo feels really cool and the editing is really polished and tight. Light leaks felt kinda weird to me with the source, but thats more of a personal preference thing

17R-773 - Stop Your Crying, Banri - Lake Street Dive - Stop Your Crying - Golden Time
this video has a sweet retro vibe. Love the dancing intro. Lip flap is distracting tho. And the scene selection feels a bit stiff. But the heart is there, i get the feeling that the editor loves the source. Pleasant song too! Overall, this was cute.

17R-774 - Don't Trust Me - Direct (feat. Mr. FijiWiji, Holly Drummond) - Trust In Me - Fate Stay Night
ooooo a pretty fate video. It doesnt feel particularly inspired, but the editing and mood are spot on. Guess im just a bit tired of the standard dramatic fate video, but i cant deny this is very well put together. Well done!!

17R-789 - The Devil of Fate - Woodkid - Iron - Saga of Tanya the Evil
alright so i love the overall mood and editing of this video. Probably my favorite tanya the evil AMV thus far. HOWEVER, i have to voice my complaint on the whole watercolor effect thing. It felt really forced and aesthetically clashed with the video. It felt more like an effect dick waving than an effect with thematic purpose, if that makes sense. For example, something like pages with burning edges would have fit the dark dramatic mood a whole lot better. Still a bomb ass video though

17R-790 - False Shepherd - Astronautalis - The River, The Woods - Bioshock Infinite
i love bioshock infinite and i love this. A fantastic tribute to the game. Working with game footage is very difficult, so i have to give the editor mad props. I adore this song. “Follow this river back home” scene selection hits me every time. Scene selection is spot on and follows the ups and downs of the song perfectly. Ending is perfect too. FUCK theres a lot of perfect things here. Only real downside is that the game footage gets kinda choppy/lower framerate at times. But i understand thats just the reality of capturing game footage. This is why im happy Pro allows video game edits.

17R-800 - Twin Blades - Regina Spektor - While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Katanagatari
pffffff hot damn the sync though +__+ so so tight. The aesthetic and transitions of this video are on point. Light leaks are tasteful and compliment the source aesthetic. Editor is very technically skilled. I cant say i “feel” too much from the relationship between these two, but the editing makes up for it

17R-802 - Modern Marvels - Rascal Flatts - Me and My Gang - Various
this video has a great concept. I love the idea of a marvel bloopers montage. U really get that “marvel family” vibe, so great execution on the editor’s part. Felt a bit too long for me tho. Really wanted the bonfire lyric to be an explosion lol. Having the “real” movie stuff alongside the blooper stuff was less fun. Woulda prefered a shorter, blooper-centric video. Great job regardless.

17R-806 - Samurai Jack Fury Road - Fury Road - Trailer - Samurai Jack
GODDAMN. This video blew my fudging mind. very professionally done. Love the textwork, although the final title doesnt have quite the “wow” factor. Sync is on point, never would have thought this combo works as well as it does. Prime example why trailer category is so strong this year.

17R-850 - Salvation - Gabrielle Aplin - Salvation - The Little Prince
this video reminds me i can still feel feelings. When i mention being able to “feel” something, this is what im talking about. Great editing and great story telling. Now i want to watch this movie

17R-862 - Clover by Clover - Kevin Chamberlin, Janine LaManna - Notice Me, Horton - Princess Tutu
theres a lot of ambitious lip sync, but its a bit hit or miss. The concept is really really cute. Very competently edited too. Overall, adorable!

17R-869 - Toy Pokemon - Marianas Trench - Toy Soldiers - Pokemon
just look at that flowwwwwww. Smooth and buttery editing. Id spread it onto a bagel and eat it. Very pleasant to watch. Not much substance story wise, but i get that the editor intended this as more of a mood piece. A very enjoyable ride throughout

17R-882 - QUIZNAK - Queen - Don't Stop Me Now - Voltron Legendary Defender
when i see a queen video i have very high expectations. And this vid didnt disappoint. Goofy literal sync and tight editing made this a whole lot of fun. Props to the editor, this is now my new favorite voltron AMV.

17R-910 - Hero of Spiral - Star Bomb - Hero of Rhyme - Gurren Lagann
D A N N Y S E X B A N G. seeing this video made me so so happy. I love starbomb and this was a great concept. The execution wasn’t perfect, but there’s a lot of great moments. The lipsync could be tighter but its nothing too bad. Ending was perfect, wish you didnt cut the audio so soon, i woulda liked for it to linger for a couple more seconds for max effect.

17R-916 - Stranger Impact 2 - Stranger Things 2 - Trailer - Neon Genesis Evangelion
son of a bitch. The text work is perfect. Love how you used eva game footage / retro eva at the beginning. Very professionally done. The final nail in the “trailer is fuckin amazing this year” coffin.

17R-940 - Solar Blush - Axwell Ingrosso - Something New - Yona of the Dawn
cute pairing. Some light leaks feel too strong / distracting, but the editing itself is a treat. Overall, the editor did a good job. Dont “feel” a whole lot about their relationship but its pretty to look at.

17R-978 - Baseless - Cage the Elephant - Back Against the Wall - FLCL
man now this is some swag level editing. Really made the source work for you with meticulous sync and super slick transitions. Love FLCL and really loved this. Kept the energy level up throughout which i thought was really impressive given the small amount of footage available.

17R-984 - Our Gospel - Panic at the Disco - This Is Gospel - Adolescence of Utena
unfortunate that theres footage quality issues, because the editing itself is lovely. I liked that you used footage that i typically dont see in utena AMVs. overall this was enjoyable. The emotion came through too.

17R-989 - Under a Paper Moon - All Time Low - Under a Paper Moon - Madoka Magica
the audio levels feel really low??? The song feels disjointed from the source, but the editing itself was pretty decent. Just didnt have much impact to it, if that makes sense.

[neko kitkat]

I am going to use gifs and just write a short snippet what I thought or feel about the amv.

Spoiler :

17R-004 - Defying Entropy - Christopher Fitzgerald - March of the Witch Hunters - Madoka Magica

I love Musicals! This was an excellent concept and you did a great job!

17R-017 - Sausage Corps - Sausage Party - Trailer - Shingeki No Kyojin

Seriously great trailer but I am now oddly hungry and disturbed

17R-029 - Golden Days - Panic at the Disco - Golden Days - Kimi No Na Wa

I really like this combination. It was an unexpected song choice that I felt you really pulled it off!

17R-035 - Resting Place - Vertical Horizon - Prayer For an Innocent Man - The Book of Eli

Live action is really hard to edit and You did such a great job! Can I barrow your editing skills?

17R-044 - Our Swim Team is too Sexy - Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy – Free

Lol video might be too sexy for me XD But really fun idea and it was executed very well!

17R-099 - Sacrifice - Jetta, K Drew - I'd Love To Change the World, Circles – Various

Some transtions to the other anime could use a little work. Other than that it was a cool action vid!

17R-114 - Magic Seiya XXL - Warner Brothers - Trailer - Sailor Moon Stars

That was AWESOME

17R-115 - Leeway - To Rococo Rot - Die Dinge des Lebens - Pilot Candidate

OMG I loved this manga XD I love the techno kinda song you chose it gives of the right atmosphere with the concept of literal space and isolation from earth.

17R-138 - Support Story - Lily Chou-Chou - Kaifuku Suru Kizu – Kizumonogatari

Nailed it! I don't know much about the series but I dunno the tone and the atmosphere worked really well around these characters. It just worked

17R-162 - Inky Indica - Johnny Hollow - Bloodsuckers - Over the Garden Wall

I love the tone and atmosphere the timing is perfect and this just screams Halloween to me X3

17R-167 - Best Protag - Killers, the - The Man - Persona 5

I thought the song and mood suited the series quite well! Great job!

17R-168 - Pastime Fantasy - Nano - Hysteria - Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai

I found this amv to be very fun. could use a bit of work on some transitions but it was good!

17R-188 - Heartpiercer - Snowpiercer - Trailer - Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

That was an Awesome trailer! I'm blown away!

17R-201 - Toy That Killed, the - Disturbed - Sound of Silence, the - Lego Batman

just OMG

17R-234 - That One Small Things - Sutton Foster, John Hickock - Small Umbrella in the Rain - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

I loved this and it was prefect

17R-267 - A CB - Yoko Kanno - Tank – Archer

MY JAM! lol honestly though epic recreation

17R-280 - Dio's Memestravaganza - Lazy Town (feat. The Living Tombstone) - We Are Number One - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

EXTREMELY well edited but man am I confused XD

17R-302 - I'll Be Good - Jaymes Young - I'll Be Good - Koe no Katachi

I am experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. This was SOO good.

17R-313 - Kyuzoo - Mike Diva - Kazoo Kid Trap (Original Mix) - Madoka Magica

Kybey is scary! but man I really liked this amv . Right amount of psychedelic with fear. Amazing timing

17R-360 - (The Right To) Bare Arms - Sabaton - The Ballad of Bull - Hacksaw Ridge

Never saw this movie but man did you hit the right war vibes with the music. Just awesome!

17R-380 - (hashtag)TeamCap - Sabaton - To Hell and Back – Various

A good live action amv! Was quite intense and jam packed with action

17R-381 - Multifaceted Romance, a - Walk The Moon - Shut Up and Dance - Steven Universe

Such a happy fun vid! Fits Steven universe so well! Its has raw emotion but need some touching up here and there with the flow and timing which makes it seem a little clumsy. But thats what makes it charming.

17R-387 - Peacock - Katy Perry - Peacock – Various

I didn't realize what this video was referencing too till it got close to the end... well it was very well edited at least XD

17R-397 - Chase - Linkin Park - Until It Breaks (Datsik Remix) – Various

This video was so cool!

17R-401 - Somewhere I Belong - Linkin Park - Somewhere I Belong (Tyler Clark Remix) – Various

I am overwhelmed with effects but the timing is soooo good! It was a fun amv but a bit much in the effect department for myself XD

17R-412 - Fallen Tree - Paper Kites, the - Willow Tree March - The Fall

This video was weird but the visuals are nice. Looks like a interesting movie to watch

17R-430 - 100% Salt - Cold War Kids - Miracle Mile - Mob Psycho 100

I haven't seen the series so I don't quite understand this video but its really well edited

17R-433 - Samurai Jack-Rainbow in the Dark - Dio - Rainbow in the Dark - Samurai Jack

A great tribute to samurai Jack! It was really good!

17R-452 - Land of Confusion - Hidden Citizens - Land of Confusion - Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist

A good concept. a little clumsy in execution. I feel it needed a bit more sources to balance it out. But was a great at showing emotion and depth of both series.

17R-455 - Linkin Park DBZ - Linkin Park - In the End - Dragonball Z

Not gonna lie. I was really scared at the beginning of this but ended up loving it. I feel this is my guilty pleasure amv

17R-467 - What a Wicked Game - Ursine Vulpine (feat. Annaca) - Wicked Game - Sankarea - Undying Love

Well that was intense. Ending went on a little past audio. Aside from that minor detail wow this one strong drama amv!

17R-469 - [ LOVE ] - Martin Garrix (feat. Bebe Rhexa) - In The Name of Love - Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Good Romance vid! I feel it just needs a little work on transitions. Other than that its flows so well!

17R-479 - Bottom of the River - Delta Rae - Bottom of the River - 91 Days

Really dig the beat of the song and the overall tone of the series. This might be one of my top favorite drama entries.

17R-494 - Butterfly, the - Nova - Kyabe Knights

No idea on the source but man that was trip. Great timing and flow though!

17R-516 - One Trick Pony 3 (Outstaged) - Tom and Jerry - Soundtrack - Your Lie in April, Tom and Jerry

I'm so conflicted what did I just watch and why was it good?!

17R-517 - Halharl Aihtikak - Imagine Dragons - Friction – Various

I haven't seen season 2 but man does this amv make me pumped up. Its a good take on action!

17R-538 - We Are Overwatch - One OK Rock - We Are – Overwatch

I don't play overwatch or know what its about but man did I love this amv! Im a sucker for good animation and action

17R-539 - Night Walker - Black Panther - Trailer - Princess Mononoke

This is the perfect combo! Everything just worked soo well!!!

17R-542 - Diegesis - Duologue - Machine Stop – Erased

Those Transitions and effects. Just jaw dropping. Great job!

17R-558 - Playing Dead - Royal Republic - People Say That I'm Over The Top – Deadpool

Haven't seen Deadpol but man I feel for the villains getting hurt so bad XD Great job with the live action though and nice syncing!

17R-563 - Never Back Down - NSYNC - It's Gonna Be Me - Yuri Kuma Arashi

was transported back to the 90's and I am loving the transitions and the flow! I love this!

17R-567 - Dear Future Me - Echosmith - Future Me – Orange

I loved the love story here! a few areas could use a little work but I loved this! matched the scenes with the song really well!

17R-587 - Shadows of Vanity - Ralph Fiennes, Amick Byram - Plagues, the - Koutetsujou no Kabaneri

LOVE THIS MOVIE AND SONGS. The pairing of the this anime and prince of Eygpt was great!

17R-591 - Top Gun - Top Gun - Trailer - Macross Plus

Just Perfect!

17R-600 - Supersonic Rush - Pendulum - Granite – Firefox

I haven't seen this movie but a solid live action entry! The timing and flow were really good!

17R-609 - Finally Breaking - RED - Buried Beneath – Naruto

This was a really good Naruto amv. I haven't watched Naruto in ages but I can tell the story and emotions were strong. Great job!

17R-617 - Maiming Something Beautiful - NeedToBreathe - Something Beautiful - Friday The 13th, Crystal Lake Memories

I haven't seen these movies, I don't do horror. But I loved the aspect of seeing things from behind the scenes and how you incorporated the two. It was such a lovely tribute the movie and the people involved.

17R-618 - Awakening - Mae - Awakening - Kimi no Na wa

I love the simplistic editing and the flow is spot on. Really built up the mood and the visuals matched the tone and lyrics so well!

17R-653 - 2006 AD - Incubus - Rogues - Iria-Zeiram the Animation

I really loved this! Just pure awesoemness!

17R-656 - Plus Ultra - J2, Chroma Music - Heroes Will Rise - My Hero Academia

This is epic and I love the flow and the mood Just so much awesomeness packed into one video!

17R-670 - This Musical Saved My Life - Simple Plan - This Song Saved My Life - Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda

really strong story telling and I can tell there was a lot of heart put into this. Some areas could use a little panning and smoother transitions. But I really liked it! It made me happy!

17R-675 - Emerald Hill Zone-Act 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog - Various – Various

What is this

17R-688 - Apricity - Revive - Blink – Hyouka

I haven't seen this anime but man those edits are superb! I loved this and I dunno I just loved hte flow and transitions a lot.

17R-690 - Combat Harness - NF (feat. Britt Nicole) - Can You Hold Me – Gundam

LOVE instrumental amvs they are so hard to execute and you did so wonderfully.

17R-725 - thirsty - Pepsi - Commercial - Yurikuma Arashi

Some Top Tier Advertisement there

17R-727 - Reveille - Irving Berlin - Oh How I Hate To Get Up In the Morning – Momotaro

YOU TROLLED ME. I thought this was just an upload of an official Old anime. YOU GOT ME GOOD. It was so good I was tricked into believing this was a real animated short and it was unedited. I'm so happy and mad That I didn't catch it sooner.

17R-766 - Goop Troop - Jaboody Dubs - Sticky Buddy - Various (ADULT)

Run away! I don't watch adult vids! good luck though sure bet its as entertaining as this Giant Cat.

17R-769 - Pending... - Lorde - Sober - Death Parade

The editing is delicious and the flow and timing is just outstanding. Narrative is pretty strong and makes me interested in the series. It was such a treat to watch!

17R-773 - Stop Your Crying, Banri - Lake Street Dive - Stop Your Crying - Golden Time

Its simple but I rather like it. You can definitely tell what the narrative is and the build up in the relationship is great. Needs some work. Practice makes perfect. Just need to work on timing . Scene choices where excellent though!

17R-774 - Don't Trust Me - Direct (feat. Mr. FijiWiji, Holly Drummond) - Trust In Me - Fate Stay Night

I love the song choice the mood and atmosphere you built up. The narrative was a bit confusing but i think it works for this piece. You can tell there was a lot of effort put into this. Keep up the good work!

17R-789 - The Devil of Fate - Woodkid - Iron - Saga of Tanya the Evil

The transitions and the atmosphere with the visuals was just spot on! I actually liked the watercolor effects a lot and made it stand out.

17R-790 - False Shepherd - Astronautalis - The River, The Woods - Bioshock Infinite

Wasn't sure about this at first but ended up a wonderful surprise. I know how hard videogame amvs can be. It was really well done!

17R-800 - Twin Blades - Regina Spektor - While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Katanagatari

I am both extremely Jealous and ecstatic over this video.

17R-802 - Modern Marvels - Rascal Flatts - Me and My Gang – Various

Makes me want to dance and such a fun tribute to the marvel series. just needs a better flow between bloopers and movies scenes other than that its great!

17R-806 - Samurai Jack Fury Road - Fury Road - Trailer - Samurai Jack

I am both confused by the pairing but love it all the same. Its flawless.

17R-850 - Salvation - Gabrielle Aplin - Salvation - The Little Prince

Take these feelings and enjoy this bitter sweet cookie!

17R-862 - Clover by Clover - Kevin Chamberlin, Janine LaManna - Notice Me, Horton - Princess Tutu

I love this! Its so cute and makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Definitely one of my favorites this year.

17R-869 - Toy Pokemon - Marianas Trench - Toy Soldiers – Pokemon

Just PURE LOVE!! X3 I can't help but smile at this video everytime I see it!

17R-882 - QUIZNAK - Queen - Don't Stop Me Now - Voltron Legendary Defender

The editing is great and the combo is just such a awesome unexpected treat! give me more

17R-910 - Hero of Spiral - Star Bomb - Hero of Rhyme - Gurren Lagann

This was so fun! it was so unexpected but it was fun all the same! Great lip sync!

17R-916 - Stranger Impact 2 - Stranger Things 2 - Trailer - Neon Genesis Evangelion

I hate this but I love it. Its so well done but stay away from me cause I'm going to have nightmares for a week.

17R-940 - Solar Blush - Axwell Ingrosso - Something New - Yona of the Dawn
Its lovely take on Yona and her love interest, I forgot his name XD. You have the right mood and tone. Its a tad rough but there is quite a bit of potential. I am rooting for you!

17R-978 - Baseless - Cage the Elephant - Back Against the Wall – FLCL

I'm not a fan of the series and kinda meh about it. But this video was well done and makes me want to give it second chance, even though I don't want to. Such good timing and flow!

17R-984 - Our Gospel - Panic at the Disco - This Is Gospel - Adolescence of Utena

Its raining flowers and love! This is a nice take on Utena, even though I haven't seen the movie, but the song suits the series and the pairing well. Real strong editing needs some cleaning up with timing but great job!

17R-989 - Under a Paper Moon - All Time Low - Under a Paper Moon - Madoka Magica

a refreshing song and amv take on Madoka. It was such a pleasant surprise.

[Kireblue - Added a spoiler tag to your review do to its length]

[Kireblue]

Overall these were fun to watch. I love how the AWA Pros has this modest yet boastful “American style” overtone to it.

Never thought about it that way, but yeah. You're totally right

What does that even mean?

Think about what Pro would be if it was a primarily Russian or French competition. As evident by contests like Akross and Big Contest, a large number of entrants would use the competition to primarily showcase their technical prowess. They'd also specifically pick the songs and anime that help show off their skill the most. I just can't imagine seeing 5 musicals, 7 trailers, a anime that premiered in the 1940's (Momotaro) and so many almost completely raw videos being made for in Akross.

In this competition, the entrants prioritized concept and interesting source combinations (Which are traits that I feel American editors try to cultivate more than others). And because of this, we see videos that use all types of anime (old and new), and extremely wide ranges of music. When reviewing the other videos, people are even willing to look beyond the technical flaws in videos and judge them almost exclusively on parts of their concept and structure. IMO, 2 of the best edited videos in the competition (412 & 653) used almost no effects and showcased more of a understanding fundamental sync and video editing than technical prowess (not that their technicals weren't on point as well).

[EnQuatre]

Here are my reviews!

BOLD videos are videos that were personal favorites from this year's crop. Favoritism is based just as much on personal taste as on how well-edited a video is, so don't take the bold/not bold too seriously (for example, I really enjoy watching trailers but rarely consider them 'favorites')--read the text for a vid if you want to know how much I enjoyed it! There are also a couple videos that were great if a little rough in points, and I could totally see myself adding them to the list of faves once they get cleaned up a tiny bit!

Spoiler :

17R-004 - Defying Entropy - Madoka
Very tight lip sync! Interesting concept, but I felt that in some ways the pairing made it difficult to find opportunities to make the most of sync, etc… Not sure how long the original song is either, but this video felt somewhat short too. Overall, though, it was well-executed.

17R-017 - Sausage Corps - SnK
Great concept! Lip sync and character assignments were on point! Strong scene choice as well. The trailer sound intensity didn’t always lend itself to the action taking place on screen, though. Made me chuckle--well done!

17R-029 - Golden Days - Kimi no na wa
Oh wow, this was well done. Really evocative and efficient scene choice, especially when it came to simplifying the story for the purposes of the video. As a result, the storytelling was very strong. I particularly enjoyed the use of the dream segment’s slightly different visual aesthetic for the song’s B-section. This video was extremely cohesive, with a tight, structured narrative arc and well-planned pacing. Very nice work!

17R-035 - Resting Place - Book of Eli
Very laid-back piece. The pacing is slow, but appropriate given the music choice. I thought the video had a very strong introduction and conclusion overall, but narratively I felt that the storytelling in the middle of the video was a little disjointed. Unless you were familiar with the source, it might well be unclear what the story is. The editing style fit the music well, and apart from some of the scene choice in the heart of the video, it was a well put-together video as a whole.

17R-044 - Our Swim Team is too sexy - Free
Funny concept! Amusing lyric sync. Great ending too. I do feel though that this concept would have been even better if executed with a bit of lip sync, but that would be going the extra mile! Also, I thought that in terms of editing there was some missed potential with the sync opportunities presented by the percussion. Solid, though.

17R-099 - Sacrifice - Various
There were some basic issues with this video, including bad frame rate on some slowed-down clips, varying video quality depending on the source, and clashing styles of animation placed back-to-back. In addition, for such an action-packed musical track, the editing and sync were fairly sparse. While this was clearly meant to be an action piece, a little more narrative or thematic structure would also have strengthened the video.

17R-114 - Magic Seiya XXL - Sailor Moon Stars
I’m not familiar with either the source of the footage or the original trailer, so this one is difficult for me to comment on… The scenario is pretty simple and clear, though. I feel like I’m missing a pop culture reference or something?

17R-115 - Leeway - Pilot Candidate
A very artistic, patient video! Some creative work with transparency and overlay. I felt as though I never really quite understood the setting--whether or not the imagery was taking place in reality or in a dream, but that didn’t impact my enjoyment of the video particularly. I enjoyed the tone that the video consistently established. Very tranquil.

17R-138 - Support Story - Kuzumonogatari
Nicely-edited piece, with a strong atmosphere and a well-developed relationship between the characters! I did feel that the strongest parts of the video were the portions devoted to the character drama, and so the portion towards the end where Kiss-shot makes an appearance is a little disjointed from the rest of the AMV. Nice video!

17R-162 - Inky Indica - Over the Garden Wall
A very snappy video! I felt as though the editing and song choice were very appropriate for the visual style of the source (which I’m not familiar with!). I appreciated some of the lyric sync as well. At times, it was a tad bit unclear whether an effort was being made to lip sync or not, with the result being that the lip flap felt inconsistent. I found the ending a tad abrupt, but that may well have been forced by the available music. Overall enjoyed this one though!

167 - Best Protag - Persona 5
With a video game, this seemed like a very challenging source to tackle, and I was impressed at how well the anime, 3D animation, and OP footage worked together. Transitioning between source types at points when the musical tone shifted was very effective. The editing was very crisp as well. A really nice character study!

168 - Pastime Fantasy - Chuunibyou demo koi ga shitai
I liked this video overall, and I think that it had a stronger second half in particular! The first quarter relied a little too much on OP footage, I thought, which given the popularity of the source for AMVs is a particularly dangerous decision. A couple of the masks were also a little awkward, likely due to the choice of using a quick mask instead of a motion mask--but this could be resolved with just a little effort. The action editing was very dynamic, and the scene choice was a good mix of the amusing, the dramatic, and of the fantastical.

188 - Heartpiercer - Kabaneri
Hard to imagine finding a more fitting trailer source for a Kabaneri video. I thought that the introduction to this trailer was quite strong, but that the scene choice became a little less consistent later. This is partly given that the trailer audio hinted at more of an internal conflict within the train, while the footage showed mostly fighting vs the zombies. Also, I was intrigued by some of the character assignments shown in the intro and had hoped to see them carried through to the end. Lots of potential to this video. A little more effort put into appropriate scene choice and lip syncing more of the dialogue in the second half would make this much stronger.

201 - Toy That Killed - Lego Batman
A very funny parody concept, fairly well-executed. The pacing was well thought out! I thought the storytelling was a little inconsistent, doing a good job introducing lego Batman and his backstory, but never making his relationship with the lego Joker quite clear to me.

234 - That One Small Things - Haruhi
I would not have guessed that this concept would work so well, but it did! Well done, particularly with the scene choice. Some of the lip sync was spot on, but at other points there was lip flap that did not match the lyrics, resulting in a bit of inconsistency. A couple parts of the video also moved a little slowly. That said, there were many parts of the video that worked extremely well, and with a little polishing I could see this being pretty amazing.

267 - A CB - Archer
Wow, this must have been quite the labor to put together! Sadly I’m only incidentally familiar with Archer and thus might not have laughed as much as I should have, but this was well done! My only comment might have been that some of the shots seemed much more slow-paced than in the original OP, but that’s just a nitpick.

280 - Dio’s Memestravaganza - Jojo
A dynamic video that was amusing at points, but it felt like it was just scratching the surface in terms of what one could do with the concept? I was expecting somewhat more in terms of memes, and I wasn’t a huge fan of how the memes that did show up were integrated and used. I can’t tell for sure so I may be wrong, but it feels like the the video is interlaced or something as well.

302 - I’ll be Good - Koe no Kotachi
Hmm, this video has some potential, with some powerful scene choice and good beat sync in places. That said, there are a couple recurring faults. The text effects were a little detrimental, and some of the fade to blacks lingered a little too long. Most notably, the last shot in the video is held for far too long. Kind of has the feeling of a beta at the moment. The storytelling is well-executed, though, and by cleaning up the few points above the video would become quite strong!

313 - Kyuzoo - Madoka
Now that is a Madoka concept I have not seen before. Made me laugh a lot! Well-executed and pretty well-edited too! A trollish vid for a trollish character. You have my applause.

360 - The Right to (Bare Arms) - Hacksaw Ridge
This was very well done! The only comment I can think of is that it was a little unclear to me where the scenes of childhood fit in with the rest of the story, but otherwise the storytelling was very good.

380 - (hashtag)TeamCap - Various
Honestly, not a fan. Scene choice was very incoherent, and the various cheesy effects were distracting. Just because the source is Deadpool doesn’t mean that fourth wall breaks are necessary or beneficial. Mixing footage from a game and from behind-the-scenes footage only in a single part of the video was also off-putting.

381 - Multifaceted Romance - Steven Universe
This video started off with a strong intro! I did feel that it started dragging a bit, however, with scenes lingering a little long and with a lot of static shots. The conclusion was also strong, once again, with good sync and more dynamic editing. Overall, however, the meandering middle didn’t have the necessary oomph to keep pace with the song, I felt.

387 - Peacock - Various
Nice video! Very snappy sync and good use of the song. It is a little short though, with the song substantially cut. I feel that if a longer cut of the song was used, the video would have a more complete feel to it, and given what was shown I think that there may have been some missed potential.

397 - Chase - Various
Wow, this was a strong, action-packed GMV! Nicely paced, with some cool beat and internal syncs. For a video without a central “character”, there’s only so much story possible, but even so this vid managed to have a well-defined opening and conclusion. Enjoyable!

401 - Somewhere I belong - Various
Promising, but flawed. Major video quality control issues and indiscriminatory use of overlays without regard to the visual focal point of the action were the two biggest problems with this video. In addition, I felt that despite being a multi-source video, the Chuunibyou footage was too heavily relied upon, with the rest of the sources only intermittently included without much thought. Some of the shutter-like effects were also a little rough. In terms of its foundation, though, the video had some good use of sync and edited the action well. A more raw video less ambitious in terms of technicals might have been much stronger, particularly if the source footage distribution was more equal!

412 - Fallen Tree - The Fall
Wow. Drugs. And wow. Great job! That was so eccentric, with what I can only imagine was a very challenging source, yet it worked so well! Really nice editing and fantastic pacing… I really can’t think of anything to criticize. I was really mad at the invalid at the end though--hope he thoroughly regrets his poor decisions, grr (not familiar with the source, so sorry if he’s actually a decent fellow). Enjoyed this one a lot! One of my favorites among this year’s submissions.

430 - 100% salt - Mob Psycho
Interesting…! It took me a while on the first watch to just sit back and stop trying to figure out what the concept was exactly (comedy…? Upbeat…? action…?), but once I did that this was pretty enjoyable. Nice editing, especially during and following the song’s B-section. Perhaps a little more organization might help viewers grasp what the video is going for, but it’s a nice watch even as it is.

433 - Rainbow in the dark - Samurai Jack
I liked this video for a number of reasons. The storytelling was very compact and effective, and the action editing was strong. There were however a number of shots that were held somewhat long--in some scenes this worked great due to a gradual change in the background or holding tension or something, but in other scenes it was just a little too slow. Overall though this was well put together.

452 - Land of Confusion - SnK, FMA
I liked the sync in parts of this video, and I felt that the music was very appropriate as well. That said, the video quality was really, really poor, and the lip flap was a little too prevalent. More importantly, I wasn’t entirely sold on the combination of sources--or at least, the effort made to tie Attack on Titan and FMA together thematically wasn’t very effective, and the animation styles are a little too distinct. Nice ideas, though!

455 - Linkin Park DBZ - DBZ
At first, I was like… okay…! This gonna be a 21st century take on a stale AMV concept, decent action editing I guess… huh the animation has gotten better since the old days... oh wait. Ha. Haha. Well played.

467 - What a Wicked Game - Undying Love
Wow. Impressively atmospheric and oppressively suspenseful. Powerful narrative and editing, and that twist ending too… I’m really impressed by this one. Some might complain that it looked static and could have used more motion, but I personally think that the stillness worked great here. Bravo. One of my favorites.

469 - [LOVE] - Madoka
Mmm, this video has some nice potential! Good character relationship piece. Lip flap is a frequent critique that I don’t like to hand out left and right, but in this case when you’re using lip sync sometimes but not all the time, it ends up being inconsistent. I was also unsure about the inclusion of the scream/laugh effects, which would have been better left out in my opinion. The very last scene with the dubbed anime audio is also meaningful, but too removed from the rest of the AMV to add anything.

479 - Bottom of the River - 91 Days
Really liked the punctuating beat and internal sync to the percussion in this video. The AMV builds up a nice sense of drama throughout. Wasn’t a huge fan of the gunshot SFX in the middle, and I felt that sometimes the visual flow was a little stiff, but overall still a pretty solid video.

494 - Butterfly, the - 100, the
I have to say, this video is engaging. Despite the fact that I think that the premise of the source is silly, it still managed to grab and keep my attention. The live-action editing was solid, and I liked the uses of visual callbacks for some of the dramatic moments.

516 - One Trick Pony 3 (Outstaged) - YLIA, Tom and Jerry INSTRUMENTAL
Really wanted to love this one. Clever idea, but marred by the poor Tom and Jerry video quality.

517 - Halharl Aihtikak - Various
Liked this one! That one comedy moment in the middle felt a little out of place tonally with the rest of the video (although it is very representative of Magi, haha). Nice, dynamic action editing, with some cool internal sync. The AMV flowed very well too, regulating the intensity nicely with the music. Great work!

538 - We are Overwatch - Overwatch
Really nice GMV (If you can call it a GMV with Blizzard’s level of animation…?) Snappy editing, nice pacing, and a well-executed integration of a lot of sources with differing visual styles. Really nice visual flow as well. Awesome stuff!

549 - Night Walker - Mononoke Hime
Cool idea! Never would have thought of this pairing, or that it would work so well. It is a challenging combination to integrate, and some of the sound fx didn’t translate over super well, but the introductory sequence and the ending were both quite strong. The middle section was not as good of a sell in terms of the fit though.

542 - Diegesis - Erased
Super cool use of ramping in this video, with some impressive results in terms of sync. Strong pacing as well. I would say that the story was not entirely conclusive, with a lot of the action remaining unresolved at the end of the video, but at the same time the AMV almost seems like more of an artistic piece for which the story didn’t matter as much. This one takes the viewer on a great visual ride.

558 - Playing Dead - Deadpool
This video was well done, although as someone who is not a huge fan of Deadpool I can’t say it really managed to pull me in. The execution was solid, and I liked the lyrical sync. Liked the ending in particular as well.

563 - Never Back Down - Yuri Kuma Arashi
It’s the 90s again, but with all the social progressivism of the modern day! Loved the sync in this one, both beat and internal. Nice character relationship building as well. Overall, thought the video hit it out of the park in terms of matching the feel of the song. Really nice job!

567 - Dear Future Me - Orange
Rough around the edges, but with a really strong scene choice and storytelling foundation. Not every video needs Ken Burns necessarily, but this one was static enough in certain shots that it would have benefited from it in places. The lip flap was also a little excessive. Some shots were also held a little too long. As I said though, the basic concept was clearly well thought through, and I could see this being the base for a very good video with a little work on simple things!

587 - Shadows of Vanity - Kabaneri
An idea well-executed, but thrown off a bit by the pairing--perhaps setting up the glasses protagonist dude as the rival to Bibi would have worked better in this instance? Mumei as the central character just didn’t quite seem to fit the voice of the singer. That said, the editing was really good, with consistently strong lyrical sync and a very coherent story.

591 - Top Gun - Macross Plus
Thought with this one that in some cases, a little too much lip sync was used when the dialogue could actually have been superimposed over action. The excessive talking took away a bit from the video in places. That said, the pairing is a natural one and the audio was matched very well with the editing.

600 - Supersonic Rush - Firefox
Nicely edited! Compact story, well-paced. Managed to keep the video pretty full of adrenaline despite the fairly antique source!

609 - Finally Breaking - Naruto
Not being familiar with anything beyond the basics of Naruto, I had trouble understanding the story to this one in more than the most general terms. That said, the editing was pretty strong for the most part. Some of the swish pans were pretty rough around the edges, but overall this was a dynamic video even if the story significance was lost on me.

617 - Maiming something beautiful - Friday the 13th
(note to self - watch sinycath’s original vid) This was pretty hilarious on the meta level, but also a really well-executed tribute to the horror series in its own right! Well done!

618 - Awakening - Kimi no na wa
Excellent. Really, really excellent. Wonderful tone, and huge props for editing an emotionally compelling video without significant spoilers. This was phenomenal work on all fronts--sync, story, pacing, flow… Without a doubt, this will be going on my playlist of favorites for good. Outstanding.

653 - 2006 AD - Iria Zeiram the Animation
Very cool video! Any AMV that immediately sparks my interest in a series I haven’t seen before is appreciated, and this one grabbed my attention beyond a doubt. Snappy action editing, truly impressive internal sync, and great character development. Extremely liked this one. Another favorite of this year!

656 - Plus Ultra - MHA
I agree wholeheartedly with the universal reaction I’ve seen to this video so far--sooooo short, but soooo sweet. Amazing sync and mood. I wouldn’t have thought before that a drama video with this level of intensity would be possible to edit with My Hero Academia, but you just proved me completely wrong. Great use of match cuts. Really excellent work--I want to learn what made this video work so damn well, so rest assured that I will study it in detail, haha. Favorite.

670 - This musical saved my life - Kokoro ga sakebitagatterunda
Another super strong vid… what is it with the 600s?? Well done! Really nice storytelling, editing, pacing, and character dev. I did feel that a little bit of cleanup would make this even more flawless--a few of the cuts seemed a little jarring, sometimes occurring in the middle of lip flap. Overall though, that’s just a nitpick--I thoroughly enjoyed this!

675 - Emerald Hill Zone 1 Act 1 - various
Sonic was one of the arcade games available on the machine in my childhood dentist’s office. I was terrible at it.

688 - Apricity - Hyouka
Really, really great visual storytelling--great eye for body language to construct several implied kiss scenes. Thank you. Now, even if Kyoani never animates any more Hyouka, I will still be able to die happy. Impeccably executed. Thank you again for an instant favorite.

690 - Combat Harness - Gundam
Another great AMV. I appreciated the transition from quiet drama to a crescendo of action editing, filled with rich sync. The character drama was also really compelling, with a nice buildup to the final confrontation. I wish the ending had provided a little closure for the two female characters introduced earlier, but really that’s the only critique I can think of after watching this a couple times. Bravo! Another favorite.

725 - thirsty - Yurikuma Arashi
Very worth a laugh. Well played. The combo was great, and the execution even more so!

727 - Reveille - Momotaro
Interesting concept! Easily takes the record for the oldest source footage, I think? Mildly ominous as well if you’re familiar with the historical context, haha.

766 - Goop Troop - Various
Oh my.

769 - Pending… - Death Parade
This was very well edited! The effects were very nicely used to complement the texture of the song, and the scene choice was strong within each given part! I did think that the storytelling was just a little inconsistent--since the opening entire third was devoted to just two characters, with the rest of the video transitioning more rapidly between points of view, I was initially deceived that the married couple would be the focus of the whole video.

773 - Stop your crying, Banri - Golden Time
A little too much lip flap, slow pacing, and too many static shots in this video. Really had a lot of trouble getting through even a couple watches. Much more dynamic editing and a steep cut to the quantity of lip flap are needed in order to keep the audience’s attention.

774 - Don’t Trust Me - FSN
Mmmm as a Fate fan I really wanted to like this one, and the editing was generally strong… That said, the scene choice was just a little haphazard. I understand what the AMV was trying to accomplish in terms of story, but even to someone who is familiar with all the plots of the sources used, the narrative wasn’t quiite coherent enough. To someone unfamiliar with the story, it would probably be quite confusing. The mood was really nice though, and the editing and pace were pretty appropriate to the music! It is also super refreshing to watch a more reflective drama Fate AMV!

789 - Iron - The Devil of Fate
I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s very pretty editing. I think this video establishes the setting very well and the main character very well, but as someone completely unfamiliar with the source I had difficulty seeing how the character fits into the story. Are they a leader? A supersoldier? A rebel? A well-executed video, though.

790 - False Shepard - Bioshock Infinite
I liked this one! A nice GMV that really emphasized the game’s visuals, setting, and mood. The first-person perspective is also more rare for a GMV and interacts in an interesting way with the viewer. Good pacing and nice use of the game’s imagery and themes.

800 - Twin Blades - Katanagatari
Wow, really nice video. Makes beautiful usage of Katanagatari’s art style, and tells a really nice relationship story. Is it just me, or is this meant to be a what-if of sorts, if their journey had ended happily? Great stuff!

802 - Modern Marvels - Various
I guess behind-the-scenes footage is the new thing now, haha. Well done, made me smile! Liked the lyrical sync, and the amusing making-of footage was well-integrated with the movie footage in terms of the humor.

806 - Samurai Jack Fury Road - Samurai Jack
A fresh take on a well-used trailer source! Nice sync, scene choice, and editing. In many ways it's a difficult source to use--multiple changes of tone, very distinctive sound fx, but this was pretty well-executed.

850 - Salvation - The Little Prince
Beautiful. Really great story and perfectly paced. Another favorite of the bunch.

862 - Clover by Clover - Princess Tutu
Cute! Nice combination here. There was so much lip sync used (and well done for the most part) that it almost feels unfair to critique, but a couple of the lip syncs could be cleaned up slightly.

869 - Toy Pokemon - Pokemon
Wow this really has been another series of great videos back to back. Fantastically well done. Admirable visual flow, great scene choice, and really skilled editing. To keep up such a level of quality editing for a 4 minute video is also a huge achievement. Mad props. Immediate favorite.

882 - QUIZNAK - Voltron
Nice lyrical sync and editing in general. Also respect the bravery involved with using a source that combines 3D and 2D animation so frequently. Pretty dynamite video for the most part! I liked the comedy moment in the middle, but the ending was a little too abrupt, I thought.

910 - Hero of Spiral - TTGL
Hah, this was pretty great. Pretty rocking lyrical sync, lip sync, and scene selection that really sold this as a concept. Funny ending as well (even if associated with trauma ). Short and sweet!

916 - Stranger Impact 2 -NGE
Perfect pairing and really appropriate scene choice. Nailed the mood and pacing, and even the lip sync was on the spot as far as I could tell. A really cool, different interpretation of the original trailer for sure. I was a little skeptical of the one dark corridor mask into Gendo’s face, though--that transition was just a tad jarring. Enjoyable video though!

940 - Solar Blush - Yona of the Dawn
Aw, this was a sweet vid. At the same time, the action editing was pretty snappy too! The number of emotional embraces does approach over-repetition, but only barely… perhaps a little substitution of other scenes might resolve that easily! Overall though, a very strong video.

978 - Baseless - FLCL
Another favorite of this year! Really nice editing, intensity, and sync. Really brings out the character of the show, and I must say that now I’m more motivated to finally check out FLCL. Awesome job!

984 - Our Gospel - Utena
Nice! I was skeptical at first with the slow start, but my doubts were wiped away pretty quickly. Some really cool internal sync throughout the video. Yet another favorite!

989 - Under a Paper Moon - Madoka
Ah, this was really good in parts but a little rough around the edges in others! Great opening sequence with some nice sync, but at parts some shots were a little too static. Lip flap also intruded in certain scenes. I liked the concept though--limiting the video to only cover Rebellion--and the story was told very well. Could see this being the basis for a really amazing video with some cleanup and polish.

[Rider4Z]

Overall these were fun to watch. I love how the AWA Pros has this modest yet boastful “American style” overtone to it.

Never thought about it that way, but yeah. You're totally right

What does that even mean?

Think about what Pro would be if it was a primarily Russian or French competition. As evident by contests like Akross and Big Contest, a large number of entrants would use the competition to primarily showcase their technical prowess. They'd also specifically pick the songs and anime that help show off their skill the most. I just can't imagine seeing 5 musicals, 7 trailers, a anime that premiered in the 1940's (Momotaro) and so many almost completely raw videos being made for in Akross.

In this competition, the entrants prioritized concept and interesting source combinations (Which are traits that I feel American editors try to cultivate more than others). And because of this, we see videos that use all types of anime (old and new), and extremely wide ranges of music. When reviewing the other videos, people are even willing to look beyond the technical flaws in videos and judge them almost exclusively on parts of their concept and structure. IMO, 2 of the best edited videos in the competition (412 & 653) used almost no effects and showcased more of a understanding fundamental sync and video editing than technical prowess (not that their technicals weren't on point as well).

OOHHHH haha you could have just said "as opposed to French or Russian contests". Got it now. And yep i agree.