The playlist, results, and play-by-play of the AMV Cage Match panel at ACen 2014, which took place Sunday at 11am in Panel Room 13.
PANEL DESCRIPTION: Classic, or fresh? Retro, or shiny new? Which AMVs reign supreme??? Come watch some awesome AMVs in head-to-head battles and vote for the winners! Will nostalgia win out, or the bright lure of newer releases??? Only one way to find out! Ready ... FIGHT!
CRITERIA: “Retro” AMVs used footage from 2001 or older. “Shiny” AMVs used footage from 2012 or newer. (The date the AMV was created didn’t matter.)
AMV Cage Match – “Retro” vs. “Shiny” (ACen 2014)
NOTE #1: If you see that I have made any errors, please alert me to them. All links are valid as of the time of this posting.
NOTE #2: The commentary is tongue-in-cheek and exaggerated – all in good fun!
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Despite the early hour and inevitable hotel checkout conflicts, a line of fans formed outside the door of Panel Room 13 as much as half an hour early, eager for the AMV battle violence they knew awaited them inside. Knowing the crowd would not be patient for long, the Cage Match Coordinator jumped to poll the audience: Which side did they think would win? Retro or Shiny???
Despite definite applause from the nostalgic faction, those who thought Shiny would reign supreme easily beat them in volume and enthusiasm. Always with a soft spot for the perceived underdog, the Cage Match Coordinator decided to let Retro make the first attack …
… and with that, the battle was on!
Match #1 – “Fighting in Heels … And Other Impractical Battle Clothing”
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: Perfection
Creator: sportsgirl1391 (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Sailor Moon
Song: Violated (Blue Stahli ULTRAnumb Remix)
Artist: Neon Sky
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: Warpaint
Creator: xIkunax (YouTube channel)
Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Kill la Kill
Song: The Phoenix
Artist: Fall Out Boy
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Both AMVs received applause and cheering after each had finished, but when it came time to decide which should win the match, a cry went up for Warpaint on the Shiny side! Though they enjoyed Perfection, it seems the outfits in Kill la Kill are just that much more impractical. Sorry, Sailor Moon – but perhaps you should be grateful for the clothing you do have?
WINNER: SHINY
SCORE: Retro – 0 | Shiny – 1
Match #2 – “Angsty Action”
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: The Monster In Me
Creator: Rider4Z (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Attack on Titan
Song: Monster
Artist: Imagine Dragons
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: Evolution
Creator: dwchang (a-m-v.org profile)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Anime: Rurouni Kenshin
Song: Evolution
Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Having drawn first blood, Shiny was given first go at the second match. As before, each AMV received a hearty round of applause – but when asked which should win the battle, the response was nearly equal! The Cage Match Coordinator (and assistants) perceived a tie, yet could not leave the match at an unsatisfying draw. The Cage Match Coordinator thus declared Evolution to be the victor! Yes, The Monster In Me had garnered a great response, but the Rurouni Kenshin AMV edged it out; perhaps it was that one nostalgic fan in the back – who cheered just a bit louder and higher than the rest – who caused the Cage Match Coordinator to lean that way?
Regardless, any accusations that the Cage Match Coordinator might be slightly biased against Attack on Titan because she couldn’t eat chicken wings for weeks after watching it are ludicrous, I tell you, LUDICROUS.
WINNER: RETRO
SCORE: Retro – 1 | Shiny – 1
Match #3 – “So Many Muscles”
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: DBZ - Always Hardcore [Nostromo Parody]
Creator: Rider4Z (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball Kai
Song: One (Always Hardcore)
Artist: Scooter
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: Pillar Man, Pillar Man
Creator: LC_Lapen (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012)
Song: Super-Charger Heaven
Artist: White Zombie
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Neck in neck now, Retro was given the first attack in the next round. After assuring (apologizing to?) the audience that, despite the match’s name, there would be no swimming boys showing up in these two AMVs, the Cage Match Coordinator began the battle. The Dragonball Z video made the audience very happy … but though Pillar Man, Pillar Man had a few fervent fans, the applause that followed it could best be called “enthusiastic, yet confused.” (And indeed, this is the expected reaction of the uninitiated upon first exposure to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.) Alas, this was its downfall, and the match went handily to Always Hardcore. It seems the audience was ready for muscles – but, on a con Sunday morning, perhaps not that many.
WINNER: RETRO
SCORE: Retro – 2 | Shiny – 1
Match #4 – “OMG Teh Feels”
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: With Every Light
Creator: Kusoyaro (a-m-v.org profile)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Anime: Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell, etc. (22 more)
Song: With Every Light
Artist: Smashing Pumpkins
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: Fidelity
Creator: Xophilarus (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Wolf Children
Song: King
Artist: Lauren Aquilina
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Retro aimed to keep its lead with a multifandom AMV about never giving up hope, eliciting a nice reaction from the audience, despite its over-fifteen-years-old source material. Unfortunately for it, With Every Light simply could not compete with the “aww” factor of the puppy-kids of Wolf Children, and Fidelity scored another point for Shiny.
WINNER: SHINY
SCORE: Retro – 2 | Shiny – 2
Match #5 – “Short & Sweet (And Somewhat Silly)”
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: Haru’s Sexy And He Knows It
Creator: x8xAnimeOtakux8x (YouTube channel)
Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Free!
Song: Sexy and I Know It
Artist: LMFAO
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: Mmmboppin!
Creator: Hagaren Viper (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Pokemon
Song: MMMBop
Artist: Hanson
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
With both sides evenly matched so far, the Cage Match Coordinator disclaimed that the next pair of videos didn’t really have much in common, yet a) she really, really wanted to show one of them, b) she would have been remiss had she not included an AMV from the other fandom in the panel, and c) she’s not going to say which is which.
The battle began with Haru’s Sexy And He Knows It, eliciting laughter and applause from the audience. Mmmboppin! came back swinging with a visual and aural trip down memory lane, featuring Pokemon, a catchy song that most people who lived through the 90s pretend they don’t like, and several feel good friendship moments. The nostalgia factor was just too high in this one, and Free! found itself pushed aside for the Retro victor.
WINNER: RETRO
SCORE: Retro – 3 | Shiny – 2
Match #6 – “Much Drama Very Action”
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: Moonfall
Creator: Shin-AMV (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: The Vision of Escaflowne
Song: Rabbit Heart
Artist: Florence and the Machine
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: LegenD
Creator: xDieguitoAMV (a-m-v.org profile) (YouTube channel)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Alternate Link: (YouTube)
Anime: Sword Art Online
Song: Wanderer
Artist: Ensiferum
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Coming up on the final match, both AMVs in this category battled bravely and received hearty applause from the audience. The room had slowly been gaining attendees as the matches progressed and was now mostly full; who knows how these matches would have turned out had the room been so the entire time, or kept the same audience from the start? None can tell, but on this day, at this time, the Sword Art Online fans in the crowd spoke up, and LegenD narrowly beat out Moonfall and its Escaflowne contingent.
And with that, the score was even, sending the panel hurtling toward its conclusion and the final, tie-breaking match …
WINNER: SHINY
SCORE: Retro – 3 | Shiny – 3
Match #7 – “Meta Much?”
THE RETRO CONTENDER
Title: Right Now Someone Is Reading This Title
Creator: dokidoki (a-m-v.org profile)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Anime: Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku, Outlaw Star, etc. (45 more)
Song: Right Now
Artist: Van Halen
THE SHINY CONTENDER
Title: Animegraphy 2013
Creator: qyll (a-m-v.org profile)
Link: (a-m-v.org)
Anime: A Certain Scientific Railgun S, Cuticle Detective Inaba, Golden Time, Silver Spoon, Infinite Stratos 2, Blue Exorcist (Movie), etc. (199 more)
Song: Love Lost, If You Wanna, Intro
Artist: The Temper Trap, The Vaccines, The XX
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Breaking from the “winner goes first” pattern, the Cage Match Coordinator decided to let the Retro contender make the first hit this round, simply because the Shiny contender of this match was particularly well-suited to finish the entire panel off.
As Right Now Someone Is Reading This Title began to play, there were murmurs of approval from the audience, as the video is well-known in AMV circles as a classic; would the Shiny opponent be able to compete against this heavyweight contender??? When the dust settled, though both videos were well appreciated, there was only one winner … Animegraphy 2013 took the match, charming the audience with a callback to a truly retro show and a massive library of brand new footage.
WINNER: SHINY
SCORE: Retro – 3 | Shiny – 4
FINAL RESULT
SCORE: Retro – 3 | Shiny – 4
WINNER: SHINY
In the aftermath, as the crowd dispersed, the Cage Match Coordinator assured them all the match information would be available online after the convention; many stayed behind to make special note of this so they would be able to find the contenders/creators and enjoy their favorites again later.
And thus, the battle ended, leaving Shiny victorious over Retro … for now.
From the Cage Match Coordinator: Thank you to all the editors who created these AMVs and let me use them in this panel! It was a lot of fun for everyone.
