Cosmic Love

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme: Rue/Kraehe & Mytho, focus on Rue/Kraehe
Spoilers: Yes

Review: This song is wonderful, and it really just fits fantastically with this couple!
I love how it emphasizes the fact that Rue loved Mytho enough to follow him anywhere, or take him with her, as was sometimes the case in the first season. Even when he was in the darkness, no matter how deep, she stayed with him. Even if she was scared, she would never leave. This obsession sometimes frequently altered her viewpoint, so she would do awful things to ensure his safety and continuance with her. But it was always for him. (yes, with selfish desires fueling that, but she always was thinking first of him) Now, he doesn't always think of her first; actually quite frequently he doesn't (he focuses on his feelings and then getting a heart more). But she doesn't let that stop her.
The lyrical match-up is pretty good with this video. It's not always emphasized, but when it is, it's done quite well. Ex: "in the dark" = dancing with Raven!Mytho. Also, "but then [your heart] stopped, and I was in the darkness, so darkness I became" = Kraehe holding Mytho hostage, back to his doll-like state. She coos at him to smile once more, but when he can't respond, she accepts that it is probably for the better and embraces what she has turned him into. And then it segues immediately to evil!Mytho accepting a heart sacrifice, switching the perspective to Mytho becoming darkness. (although less willingly) Very nice use there, although the transition is a little abrupt.
Also: "in the shadow of your heart" = The first time, it's a reflection of Kraehe in Mytho's eyes, disappearing into shadows. The second time, she's dancing with the heart shard of Love, literally a shadow of Mytho's heart. Third time is when Mytho's angry and yelling at her in the classroom, only a shadow of his former self in some ways, of what she wanted. The last time is when Mytho's embracing her and telling her to kiss his heart before feeding it to the Raven, her shadow on the floor. (that one's not quite as straightforward, but still there)
Sometimes, it does feel like the creator is fishing for footage, though. What they used isn't bad, but doesn't have the same fluidity with the video that other clips do. Perhaps somewhat during the first chorus of 'ooo's. (Maybe I'm just being picky. :/ )
While I like the ending, I thought it felt a bit abrupt. All the angst and tension, and then suddenly it's all fixed at the end! The clips fit well, but it just felt... a bit rushed into. On closer looking, I do like that the 'wedding' scene was used before the finale's kiss, which slipped my notice for quite a while. But I still feel like it could be a bit smoother.

Overall Rating: 7/10

Blinding

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Blinding" by Florence + The Machine
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme: lies and fairytails; focus on Rue/Kraehe and Tutu
Spoilers: Yes (minor)

Review: This song. I can't believe I never made the connection. But it's so perfect for this series! I love the relationship betwixt the lyrics and both girls, their situations... Rue tries to fool herself about her identity to keep everything the way it's supposed to be, to preserve the fairytale she's used to and wants. Tutu was never really part of the story to begin with, but tries to make a place in the fairytale. Both are delusional and eventually realize that they are just puppets in the story (figuratively and not). Rue recognizes that fairytales won't help her, and she accepts her identity in order to take what she wants. She will no longer deceive herself about trying to keep things the same - she has woken from her reverie and will attack to stake her claims in the broken fairytale. With Tutu, she sees the framework. She begins to understand that the fairytale will work its own strings, regardless of her desires. As she acknowledges this idea, she loses belief in herself or that she can make any changes for herself. The ending of a limp marionette accentuates both the loss of control Tutu feels, and the taking of control Kraehe commands. Both have had their visions of the world changed, and it affects not only their whole bodies, but their actions therein.
Note: I especially love the use of the marionette illustrations from some of the opening sequences! They are used beautifully, effectively, and poignantly.
The effects are also wonderful. Emphasis on points in the tune are aptly placed, and the lyrics emphasized in lettering are fantastic. Not only are the words themselves chosen well, but even the font fits perfectly! I really like the use of sepia, black and white, and color alternating. It's varied enough to be noticeable, and very effective, but not so much as to seem too haphazard or random. Especially balancing with the marionette illustrations, which are more or less monotone to begin with.
Honestly, the biggest disappointment for me is the fact that it's not the entire song. But it ends in such a way that if you didn't already know the song, you wouldn't know there was more to it. Definitely kudos there. But I still want more~

Note: I think this would be a pretty good intro AMV for Princess Tutu if you want to give someone something without tons of major spoilers. This captures the overall tone of the series strikingly well, and I think will create intrigue if nothing else.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Fakir Will Try

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "I'll Try" by Jonatha Brooke (from the movie 'Return to Neverland')
Lyrics: stlyrics
Theme: Fakir and his struggles with himself (and others somewhat)
Spoilers: Yes

Review: I loved this song since I first heard it with Peter Pan 2: Return to Neverland. In fact, since we had the DVD, I went to the special features and played the song over and over and over again while my parents were at work. (though I'm sure they heard it enough too XD) I had kind-of forgotten about it again until this video popped up. And it fits perfectly. The pacing of the song, the smoothness of the clips, the lyrics... Just everything. I'm pretty sure I cried when I first watched this video. If not the first, then at least the second time. Just... YES.
Ok, more analytically, why exactly do I love it so much?
Well, for one thing, the lyrics fit Fakir's situation to a T. He was too good to believe in stupid things like faith or trust, too mature; he knew better. The world is not that simple or kind. But he saw people who still believed. He thought them foolish. Over time, though, that changed. And so did he.
For another thing, the tune of the song goes really well with Princess Tutu as a series. The slower ballad or waltz-type songs I feel lend themselves more to the anime's atmosphere in general than a lot of the faster-pace AMVs. Why, exactly, I'm still figuring out. Perhaps it's the grace of ballet, perhaps it's the deeper emotions I feel with some of them. Either way, it works for me.
Then there's the video editing/matching. I don't even know how to best praise it. If I really need to explain, go watch it again! It's right there! Not only do the lyrics fit, but the scenes chosen illustrate much of it perfectly! And some effects are used frequently, but not overwhelmingly, and to specific purpose! Highlighting who he is thinking about or referring to, what exactly his problem is or isn't... Even the simple (ha) dance scenes fit in great! In series, dancing is his thinking time, his forget-the-world or focus-on-something time. The musings of the chorus fit wonderfully with that. And then there's the final chorus. And then there's the last few words. With a major turning point for Fakir in the clips. I just... *flaps hands* I love this.
About the only reason I think someone might not like this would be because of the style of music. I'm not going to get into people's preferences of styles, or try to assume too much, but even if you don't like the rhythm or tune, you cannot ignore the powerful message the lyrics and clips send out. It resonates beautifully, and it will hit your heart every time you watch it.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Erutan Sally's Song

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Sally's Song" by Danny Elfman; sung/arranged by Erutan (katethegreat19) (originally from the movie 'The Nightmare Before Christmas')
Lyrics: stlyrics
Theme: Duck/Tutu and Mytho (mostly Tutu)
Spoilers: No

Discovery: I love The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Princess Tutu. It was only a matter of time before I found a version of this I liked a lot.

Review: Sally's Song is the perfect one-sided ballad for a character like Princess Tutu/Duck, in terms of forlorn fatalism as well as a moderate waltz-like tempo. However, the while I love the original song, it doesn't quite fit with the atmosphere of Princess Tutu. But this version completely changes that. Erutan's arrangement with ethereal chimes and haunting echos just fits perfectly with this anime. It's beautiful to see them paired so well together!
The editing is great, though. The work with the clips chosen is wonderful. There's not a lot of flashiness or unneeded breaks/blinks. The simplicity of  the song and the clips themselves are left to do the communicating, with effects simply acting as enunciations.
The choices of clips varies in quality. Sometimes, it's really nice to see the lyrics and clips match up. Other times, they just don't mesh all that well. Now if the singing wasn't as obvious or central to the overall tune and tone, I think not aligning them would work better. Or even if the feeling of randomness simply happened less frequently with the current version, I would like it better. As it is, though, the video varied just a bit too much to connect as much with the song as I thought it was capable of. So while very pretty and nice, it didn't resonate with any deep chords.
I do like that the video focused on the first 'season' though (up til episode 13). Especially with the very last bit. That could have gone so many ways, but the clip chosen was very fitting for the atmosphere already established.

Overall Rating: 6/10

Hold Me Now

Gather round, all you who love stories...

Song:  "Hall om Mig" by Nanne Gronvall (English: "Hold Me Now")
Lyrics: lyricstranslate
Theme: Summary of the show (as the creator says)
Awards: Best Action and Best in Show at Anime Boston 2006, Best Free Form at Fanime 2006
Spoilers: Yes

Discovery: Another AMV a friend showed me to get me interested in Princess Tutu. Very, very influential in convincing me to give it a shot. Because it's just that epic.

Review: This has pretty much become the classic 'No really it's awesome!' promo video that people show their friends to get them interested in the show. And there's a reason. Despite having some huge spoilers all over the place (or maybe it's because it does), the video is gripping, and fantastic, and wonderful, and shares enough of the show's craziness to get you intrigued without scaring you away! Albeit, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Especially if listening to songs in other languages bothers you. (not I, but that's me) But it's generally a good bet if you want to showcase the series.
Right, back to the video itself.
I've not looked up the lyrics before now, and while I will say that the song overall could apply to the series, I don't think that the translation and clips necessarily match up all the time. But what's interesting is that the tempo and lyrical nature are so epic that they go fine with the clips even if you don't know what they're saying! Or despite what sentences they may be forming! (note: nothing bad, and some of the match-ups are really awesome; just generally not as epic as the video itself)
The editing here is fantastical. There are overlaps I didn't know could happen, and as mentioned before, the matching of the tempo with the clips is simply epic~! The video clips keep up with the energy of the song without either one getting repetitive, or feeling overdone.
And otherwise... I'm not really sure what to say. There are plenty of fan cosplay performances using this song, and a number of them are quite good. (especially considering the tempo - ballet is difficult enough when you have a slower tempo!) This video is the root of that. And this video will be, if not amazingtastical for all, at least one of the main sparks of interest for getting into the show for most. That, along with the epic editing skills and catchy tune, make this a true Tutu classic.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Beyond

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Fairyland" by Angelzoom
Lyrics: lyricsmania
Theme: series tribute of sorts; life within a story crumbling around the characters
Awards: Best Romance/Sentimental at Anime Evolution 2007
Spoilers: Yes

1) Discovery:
One of the first Princess Tutu videos I saw, a friend showed it to me to get me interested in the series. I thought it was fantastic even before seeing the show. After dithering around and finally getting to watching it all, it'd been long enough that I'd forgotten the obvious spoilers seen in here. Going back to the video after watching the series, I love the video even more. Each time I watch it, I can't help but smile and be captivated by it.

2) Review:
I love this video a lot. The opening is beautiful. I was worried about the lettering at first, but it's just fanciful enough for a fairytale and still legible. The 'opening' is also brief enough not to encroach on the video as whole. Each time I watch this video, all of it just seems to resonate more and more, as I see the connections everywhere. First of all, the choice of song is perfect. Even if you can't understand all of the words, the tune and suggested subject matter just match up so well. Once you know the lyrics, it's even better! Second of all, the video editing is excellent. Fast-paced, but fluid. The effects aren't overdone, and give just enough pop to emphasize important points and scenes, and there are some pretty important pieces used! But not overused, even when overlapped. Actually, the overlapping is what gave the poignancy to some places. The smoothness of the music really helps even out some of the drama, or at least connect it all more smoothly, while also giving the grandeur due to such a production. I also love the fact that the video uses scenes from the pre-show mini-stories. The artwork from those bits is so lovely and stylized, and it really gets so little attention or use from in videos. In this video, it's a bit hard to see sometimes, but there are pieces used in faded background in a few important places, and then more obviously some other places. I really appreciate their use, and they are used quite well~
I will say that the ending is a tiny bit rushed, but that makes up such a small portion of the actual video that I can easily overlook it. Once Mytho/Siegfried comes to Rue, it's a bit like 'hey just wrapping things up here.' The pacing of the song tapers off a bit too much to support the pace of the clips, even if they're similarly timed as earlier sequences. But if anything, it gives you a bit of time to go through a reality check and remember 'oh, right - that was a single video that was made by a human.' XD
But I also really love how they did the credits. The piano music really fits wonderfully, and having Duck there... Just lovely~

Overall Rating: 9/10
(disclaimer: I'm not sure how good I am at rating things, especially when I haven't set up an overall standard, so ratings may get more critical as I go on with this)

Akt 1: IntroDucktion

Haha, yes, I'm so clever. Now, aren't you curious as to what you're actually delving into?

Gather round, all you who love stories...

I have an intense love for Princess Tutu. Since I do not have many skills of my own to convey that love, I indulge in others' talents. As a result, I have accumulated quite a collection of Princess Tutu videos on Youtube. I have a specific playlist for it, but I want to share all the wonderful videos I have found! So I'm going to try to update at least once a day with a new video and some commentary on it.

That being said, there will undoubtedly be spoilers if you haven't seen the entire series. Since the series is around 10 years old now, though, I don't feel the need to put WARNINGS on every single one of them. Because really, having seen quite a number of Princess Tutu videos, I can count the non-spoilery ones on one hand. I will note them in my posts, of course, so if you wish to share a video that won't completely give everything away, there will be some of those. But mostly it will be for those who already know what has happened, although that's not to say those who don't know won't enjoy the videos. There are quite a few that, even without context, are quite beautiful (or fun or what-have-you). But things carry more meaning when in context, so if you haven't finished, maybe these videos will give you incentive! And then you can go back and enjoy them even more!

The variety of videos I'll be posting range from the deep and heart-rending, to the silly and hilarious. I'll be posting my personal opinion/take on them as I post them, and you can comment on your take in the comments! That'll make it more fun for everyone.
And, of course, don't forget to go to the actual Youtube page and let the original creator know your thoughts, or at least favorite it! They appreciate all feedback, because it shows that the fandom is not dead, and their work is still appreciated.


"May those who accept their fate be granted happiness. May those who defy it be granted glory."

Princess Tutu is created by Ikukoh Itoh, Junichi Sato, and Shogo Koumoto, produced by Hal Film Maker