MutiretnI

[Elcalavero]

[PieandBeer]

+A+ the atmosphere yo holy crap nice job

[CrackTheSky]

This video reminded me a lot of Mysterious Universe -- super moody and cold and vaguely tense, and the atmosphere was just so tangible. But it had the same problems, in that it just kind of meanders without too much regard for the rhythm of the music or the sync cues that could be used. I wish it was more tightly synced and had a more logical progression in terms of its scene selection, because I feel like something's there it's just not accessible as-is. It's a great mood piece, and I'll return to it periodically, it's just it could have been a lot more if just a little more work/thought had gone into it.

[seasons]

Being pretty new to watching anime, watching Serial Experiments Lain was like stepping into the deep end of the swimming pool for the first time. It left a big impression on me, wasn't like anything I'd seen before, and was the kind of experience that I never really got out of watching anything else in all the years since then. I'm only able to relive that experience, if only for a few minutes, through a really good Lain AMV. And this was a really good Lain AMV. It definitely does capture the atmosphere of the series and magnifies that ineffable feeling in it that got under my skin so long ago. It's unnerving but not creepy. It's dark and tense and all that but I don't feel like it's feeding us those qualities in the boilerplate form we usually get. What sets this AMV apart? Well that's simply a totally subjective judgment on my part but I hope I'm not alone in feeling that!

This song is a perfect match for the tone of the series, and yet, while it absolutely nails the mood, there's very little literal connection between the lyrics and the scenes on display, aside from whatever tenuous and/or personal connection that viewers might find in their own interpretations. That's a minor shortcoming (imo) but I suppose it'll keep the casual fans at an arm's length from really loving this. But what about me? I don't know. I think this is beautiful, weirdly soothing, and there's just enough moments of subtle brilliance in this to keep me coming back, even though I do kinda sorta feel like this is a somewhat random assortment of scenes coaxed into something that could've taken any number of similar forms and still come out working on the same level. But this absolutely, definitely works for me, and while it's not a masterpiece, in my book it's still somehow, quite possibly, the ideal Lain AMV.

Terrific pacing, which is also what I thought of Mysterious Universe, but this feels a little more cohesive and less (that dreaded criticism, here it comes again) random. How? Why? I wonder that myself. Anyway, this is the kind of easygoing flow that I've always wanted to capture, which never lapses into anything boring or predictable but where nothing ever feels forced or hurried, punctuated by little moments of really cool internal sync (0:21, 1:13, 3:20... come to think of it, I actually wish that there had been more of this kind of thing) and not really building up to a good ending but simply delivering that because that's what the video deserves and that's what the viewer deserves for sticking with it to the end.

This AMV should be approached on its own terms, with an open mind and no expectations, so writing as much as I have about it has likely done it a disservice. Everyone forget what you just read. Just be sure to celebrate Casimir Pulaski Day by watching this AMV.