Reflection

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Reflection" (from Mulan) sung by Lea Salonga
Lyrics: metrolyrics
Theme: Rue/Kraehe Tribute
Spoilers: Yes

Review:  First of all, props for song choice. I've loved this song since... well, I can't really remember when exactly, but in all its forms this song has resonated with me, and it is a perfect song choice for Rue. It really is a wonderful look into herself, her thoughts, her fears. And it fits with her.
That we begin with a view of Rue as Kraehe, reflected in Mytho's eyes, is great, and very telling. Not only is this a time when she is not who she thought she always was, in front of her beloved Prince, but she is realizing it. She realizes that her own self is not who she expected, who she wanted. She is forced to look, though, despite her hesitancy and worries.
I thought it was clever to use the 'wedding' scene with the lyrics about a bride, with her forcing Mytho back to her. The following scene with her as a child similarly fits nicely. The next few bits are done well, too; there's plenty of fearful moments for her later in the series to pull from, and the chosen pieces are good. (the little ballerina bit from 0:19-21 did kind-of feel like filler though)
I will say that the brief flash of 'recognition/sight' from 0:31-34, doesn't quite fit. The next line talks about her being herself, but the flash is of Mytho's hand/arm. Given the ample video to pull from if lyric matching was as important as the rest of the video seems to suggest, then this was not the best choice. It's slightly distracting.
I really like the interlude of Rue and Mytho dancing after the festival, though, especially with the lyrics about her being herself.
However, there are times when it would be good to not follow the lyrics so closely. 0:39-42 is a good example. It fits the lyrics, in a way, but so literally and ironically, I actually find it rather humorous. XD And that would be fine! If this were that type of video. But the rest of it is so serious and sincere, that this brief burst of humor makes me unsure if I should be laughing at it, even though I can't see it any other way. So that kind-of breaks the mood a bit.
Although, the immediately following bit with Kraehe is good - a question of Rue's identity faced with the overbearing presence of Kraehe. The next while does a very nice job showing the uncertainty of Rue/Kraehe, her frustration, her fear. It's interesting that Kraehe is who is defined as her true self, although really from Rue's view that is true. I love the bit at 1:15-18. Juxtaposition of cool and composed Kraehe against a wavering and wobbly Rue, in the Giselle episode. One, the allusion to the episode at that time, "though I've tried" [to hide who I am] is fantastic, because that's really when Rue starts to realize that maybe she isn't all she thought she was. She's starting seeing through her own self-deception, at least a little. And also the fact that the hiding is a futile effort. She's wobbling on her certainty of self, and she is going to fall, no matter how hard she tries not to. It's rather heartbreaking, actually. ;w;
And then we have adorable little Rue, crying out to be accepted... And possibly her visions for what she wants for her future, who she believes she really and truly is! A princess for her Prince!
And then, the Depths of Despair as she concedes to herself that it will never be..... ;_;
But then we get an awesome look at what she truly becomes, her true self inside, a ballerina princess with her prince! <3 ... Although with the ending feeling, it's more like another hopeless dream that won't come to be... ;w;
That is one thing. That ending clarity is rather rough, so I'm not sure exactly what the ending feeling was supposed to be - heartrendingly hopeless, or beautifully fulfilling? Still not entirely sure. :/
Quality-wise, the video was very nicely done. Most of the clips chosen were done quite well, and they flowed fairly well throughout the video. There were no effects really, that I could see, and while that didn't take away from the video, I do feel like at least a few smoother transitions would have added something more.
Overall, I really like this video. However, I don't feel like it's anything crazy-specialtacular. With a little bit more refining, perhaps, and getting rid of that ambiguity regarding atmosphere, I think it could be a better video. Mostly that scene with the Raven exploding. Because as humorous as I still find it, it doesn't fit the video's tone.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Caged Devotion

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Prisoner of Love" by Utada Hikaru
Lyrics: animelyrics & metrolyrics (also in video)
Theme: Rue/Mytho, Rue's POV
Spoilers: Yes
Source: animemusicvideos  (note: better quality video if you watch it in 'preview,' if you have an account there)

Review: ;w; Rueeeeee....
*ahem*
This is a very well made video. It... it fits with Rue, so well, so... practically perfectly! The music is a steady beat that I can see her dancing to (metaphorically and not), the words share her heart's fears and strains... It's beautiful.
"Feeling loneliness, being in pain, it's not so bad; I'm just a prisoner of love." Rue deals with this. Every. Day. Especially after Mytho starts regaining his heart. It only gets worse, but she stays. She fights to stay, even though it hurts her. "I've chosen an unforseeably painful path/ and you came to support me." ... I don't even know how to list all the ways this works. There are just so many.
And... and then there's the "Since you came into my life..." and "I've loved you since that day" with little Rue! The parts are beautifully aligned, and so true...
"Don't you ever leave me."
If that doesn't scream "Rue," then I don't know what does. She's had to deal with her 'Father' threatening to abandon her or eat her at every corner, his placid soothings of love only used as a reward system to get her to do what he wants. Mytho's the only one she's been able to count on, consistently, for practically her entire life. And she tries desperately to hang onto him when his emotions start tearing him away.
"Loneliness and Pain/ I thought I could deal with them..."
Those lines, in conjunction with the horror and realization that she can't handle this, but she also can't control it...  And that Mytho is practically beyond her help...! Gah! Heartstrings!
"Stay with me./ Say you love me."
Rue uses those last words, in so many scenarios. But by this point, it's a desperate cry. It's a plea, through tears and grief and agony as she sees him moving beyond her grasp...
And then ending with her dance in the Depths of Despair, thinking on Tutu & Mytho, losing so much... ;_;
Ok, I think it's established that I love this video for its concept. And execution. But I also have to praise the editing work! It's fantastic! The clips always fit together so well, and the transitions are wonderful! Sometimes the blackout-flashes do become a bit much, though. It's a nice theme to repeat throughout with the beat, but there were times when I couldn't quite fit them with much of anything musically, and it almost felt distracting. But the rest of the video and content pretty much made up for it.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Hero

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Hero" by Skillet
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme: Autor/Duck, Fakir/Rue
Spoilers: No

Review: This is a very interesting video, mostly for me because I'd never heard of the Autor & Duck pairing before finding this video. Now I will have to say that, even with the video, it's not really something I can see very easily. Nor is Fakir & Rue for me, but it's at least more plausible. Although that's mostly because of a personal headcannon of mine that they're actually related... But that doesn't talk for the quality of the video.
I love this song. And it's actually rather good for the series, too. For the topic of pairings, I think it fits with Fakir & Rue fairly well - both of them are desperately trying to be their own heroes, superhumans (and sometimes partially succeeding), but never are quite enough. The need another person, they need help. I really love the overlays with Fakir and the knight symbolism, how he tries to be that but he's not. The parts with the oak tree are aptly placed, too. And then Rue, who just tries everything within her power... and it's still not enough.
With Autor and Duck, I can see the saving on Duck's side a little bit, but it's not as nicely fitted. There is a bit of a nice piece near the middle where it seems Fakir's about to get onto Autor regarding Duck, but then she (or Autor?) convinces him otherwise... It took me a few times to catch it, though.
I also kind-of like the ending. I have to say kind-of, because it also confuses me. I don't really know what's happening, or being conveyed. But it's put together well enough that I still like it.
That brings me to the overall video compilation. Tis very well put together! Despite my hesitancy regarding the theme, I still enjoy this video. The timing is great, and the effects are generally used very well. There does seem to be an abundance of effects, though, like the creator was almost having too much fun with them, but it still works pretty well overall.
I enjoy this video. It puts forth some different pairings pretty well, and it makes the clips work for the song/vise versa.
Sorry, but I'm running short on time so that' all I can say!

Overall Rating: 6/10

Still Doll

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Still Doll" (Vampire Knight ending theme) by Wakeshima Kanon & Mana
Lyrics: animelyrics  (also in Youtube description)
Theme: Kraehe/Rue and Duck and their love of Mytho (mainly how it causes problems)
Spoilers: No

Review: This is a really pretty video, and the song has just enough elegance and off-kilter-ness/creepiness to fit both Rue's and Duck's situations.
I love the opening with the fairytale pieces, monocromicity with the pointed cello and violin accents... Really fits well. And then the chimes come in with the girls~ Fantastic alignment!
I really like that the creator interspersed both girls throughout, but there were times when I thought maybe there could have been more focus on just one of them, like for an entire verse or something. It would have felt more composed/coherent, I believe. Still flows nice as is, though.
The lyrics go rather nicely, "my heart is torn and bleeding/ I mend it but/ the memories pierce the openings." But while this fits both girls, Rue and her memories of Kraehe (or Tutu), Tutu/Duck and her memories of the curse and her being a duck, the lack of focus on a single point kind-of detracts from the awesomeness.
I will say that I really like the violin going all crazy when Rue's accepting herself as Kraehe. Also, as it gets into the last verse, the song talks about how "I can't sing songs of love anymore," which coincides with Kraehe crying and Tutu falling. Then the poignant "Still you do not answer..." while they both cry out. The ending with Rue doing her Macabre Dance is beautiful, as well.
I feel I have to say that this piece as a whole lacks coherency, though. Even if you're not watching it for the lyrics, or don't care how those match, it seems to not quite hold together. It's beautiful, and very nice to watch, but I feel like it could've been more.

Overall Rating: 6/10

HOWL

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Howl" by Florence + The Machine
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme: Rue/Mytho
Spoilers: Yes

Review: Florence + The Machine is generally an awesome choice for a PT AMV. This video is no exception~
The symbolism of searching for a beating heart plays wonderfully into Rue and Mytho's relationship, although also almost ironically. Blood, chasing, needing... all fantastic thematic overlays. And the constant switching of lyrical matching between Rue and Mytho is really interesting, showing that they both are a part of this overpowering need for each other in their times.
That said, the constant switch also felt a bit confusing at times. Maybe I have a personal bias because I think there are more clips that seem to focus on Rue's POV so I feel like changing that POV should be more obvious or consistent, but I can also see where I might be overanalyzing it. (Perhaps I'm just partial to Rue. XD' )
One thing I cannot simply pass off though is the crazy ambiance/light/glowing. I understand the black and white theme, some flashes or a little glare on occasion for emphasis. But the overwhelming usage of it just gets distracting for me.
Alright, back to a more thematic part. I really like "Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers/ Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters." The clips used were mostly pertinent, and certainly effective. I would have liked to see a bit more played with that, though, perhaps with Rue's struggles. Which could have happened, if more verses later were used.
That's my final 'mreh' point: this doesn't use the full song! But the creator does acknowledge this and it's actually one of their first longer videos, so I feel I should cut a bit of a break there. despite frustration...
So overall this is a nice video, with a great theme/song choice. I just would have liked it to be longer, and gotten rid of the overarching glare effect.

Overall Rating: 7/10

A Raven's Pride

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Need To Be Proud" by Echo Image
Lyrics: lyricsmania and more fully on the amv.org page
Theme: Rue/Kraehe character profile
Awards: Drama category winner at AnimeNEXT 2008, Best Character Profile in Anime Weekend Atlanta 14's Expo (2008), finalist at Japan Expo International 2008,  finalist at Otakon 2008
Spoilers: Yes (mild)

Review: Gives me chills to watch this, and it's always so entrancing! The slightly ominous yet dramatic feel really matches well with Rue.
The lyrics also match beautifully, and the accentuation of Rue's POV through the clips is excellently done. Before the words even start, you know that Rue is angry with Tutu for changing things, for changing her Prince. Then lyrics begin telling how her world is crumbling around her, how she can't seem to do anything about it, how things are beyond her control. And then there's the reminder: "Need to be proud of what you are." She is reminded who she is, what she is: the Raven's daughter. And she can change things to her advantage, take back her Prince. But even then, even once accepting her role as the villain, she is powerless to stop her Prince from changing, from growing distant from her. Despite her eventual recognition that she had done wrong things, and her wish to fix them all, "shadows drags her/ to another black place." Learning of her past only makes things more complicated, and she questions herself mercilessly. But overall, her main concerns remain the same: being a prima ballerina, lover of the Prince, who will do anything for him, and will never stop loving him.
I have to say, I really love the brief flashes of Drosselmeyer at the end, too. Just throws in another level of questioning that I find fun~ (also, it's nice to see a video that doesn't feel the need to end with the iconic kiss or any sort of 'resolution' that's out of context for the video. Not that the ending scenes can't be used appropriately, but there are times when it feels simply thrown in for an 'end.')
The effects for this video are used stunningly. The amount of flashing and quick clips, if thought about out of context, seems like it would be a bit much - but within the video, it is beautiful. It flows wonderfully, makes epic accents, and doesn't make you feel like you can't keep up.
This is a gorgeous video, and an excellent profile of Rue/Kraehe. It's one you can watch numerous times and still find new things of interest. I'm really happy that this was shared online, because it's truly a great video.

Overall Rating: 10/10

The Crow, The Owl And The Dove

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: 'The Crow, The Owl, and The Dove" by Nightwish
Lyrics: nightwish.com
Theme: series analogy with the song
Spoilers: Yes

Review: This was an excellent song choice. I really loved the symbolism, the song tune, and overall theme.
Kraehe, Drosselmeyer, Adel/Uzura, Tutu... wonderful matches to their associated bird. And I love that they're all 'extra' - they have things to share, to give, but Duck and Fakir need none of it. They have their own paths to create, their ways to make, without taking from anyone else. (albeit it's kind-of an incomplete metaphor, since they give to the others, and all of them are technically 'needed', but you know what, it's poetic. :3)
There were some clips where it felt like they were simply put in for singular shots of the character, rather than any other particular purpose, which was a bit at odds with other clip choices. But it wasn't a huge detriment to the video.
The effects were used quite nicely. The layering is done well, although sometimes it felt like a bit much for the scene/clip/context. Other times, you really had to look hard for the layering, and it was almost distracting, but still worked well enough.
Overall this was a great video, although there were some places not necessarily rough, but could have been better. I think it's a great montage put together for the series with the song~

Overall Rating: 8/10

Carol of the Bells

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: Carol of the Bells (piano version) - EDIT: likely the version by George Winston (as per the creator)
Theme: dance throughout the series/series teaser
Spoilers: No (no context given)

Review: I love this song, and this version is especially well chosen for this series. The focus on dance is exquisitely executed, and flows gorgeously throughout~
Ballet and instrumental music like this just go well together; Princess Tutu just goes right along with it. The piano music highlights a simplicity that the show puts forth, like a fairytale. Sweet and innocent, simple to identify. But then there are background flourishes, accents of emotion, tunes twirling together. It's a blend of all these things, so that something supposedly simple becomes intricate, complex, and even more beautiful.
The scenes chosen are never 'filler'; they all have a purpose, they all say something. One of my favorite parts is from 1:19-1:24, where parallels between Rue and Duck are just striking. There are many other dance parallels pointed out as well, such as in some of the clips before with Mytho/Rue and Fakir/Duck (1:07-1:18 specifically). I love the overlays, the poignancies with the piano's rhythm... And the beginning/ending flourishes with the shoes from the opening narrations just set it all off perfectly.
I feel like the video will probably mean more to those who have already seen the show, but this is a pretty good video to show friends who are (or will be) interested in watching. There isn't any real context given, other than a lot of ballet and that certain characters dance together at some point. While it isn't the most exciting video, and so may not be the best for those who want a flurry of action and suspense, it is a good exhibition of the beautiful dancing involved, and the amount of dedication the creators put into the show. It also shows different sides of all the characters without really attributing anything permanent to them. For those of us who have watched it all, specifics will be quick to recall and enchanting to watch again. For those who haven't, this is a great introduction to the possible intricacies awaiting~

Overall Rating:10/10

Call of the Sirens: Dark AU

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Siren" by Theatre of Tragedy
Lyrics: songmeanings (there are some 'translations' in the comments on the page)
Theme: Alternate storyline of Princess Tutu: Rue and Duck are written as sirens by Drosselmeyer, and lure Mytho and Fakir to their fates through dance as Kraehe and Tutu, against their own wills. (creator description in Youtube description)
Spoilers: Yes (mild)

Review: This is a very intriguing story that is shared quite effectively! As an alternate universe, it is portrayed excellently. I like how the song's words just flow into its music, aiding to weave the story yet still being mysterious and almost indistinguishable. The almost waltz-like tempo mixed with a ballad of sorts contributes nicely to both the dance and fairytale elements.
Rue and Duck are written into crow/raven and swan sirens by Drosselmeyer. The girls aren't aware of their natures at first, but eventually find out; however, they fail to overcome their author.  Mytho and Fakir are haunted by Kraehe and Tutu in their dreams, eventually pushing the 'real' counterparts away in their obsession. The girls want to fight against their written nature, but find it impossible to do so, and lose the ones they love. (meahwhile Drosselmeyer sits back and laughs... fine, have your tragedy!)
While the overall idea of can't-fight-the-author is the same as the series, the character roles are slightly different, as are the execution and final result. These are shown very elegantly with the clips. It can be difficult to properly put forth an AU via a video, especially when the words/lyrics are such a small part of the experience. The lyrics do go well, don't get me wrong, words-wise and as part of the song - but they are rather difficult to understand, not only because of the melodic voices but because they're in some form of old English. It's beautiful, but the meaning behind them is conveyed through the clips used more than the words themselves. And that was done very well.
My only quibble with it is the length of the song at such a slow tempo. It is gorgeous song, but when paired with video, 6 minutes is a long time with no climax. Now there are visual climaxes, in the storyline given, but you kind-of have to be aware to catch them.
I really love that the theme of this AU keeps in mind the original author-character dynamic, as well as takes advantage of fairytales. The clips used are very well chosen and placed, and I get entranced whenever I watch it. I keep thinking that the effect isn't really that great, but then I watch it and become fascinated once again. Maybe this video has more in common with sirens than I thought~

Overall Rating: 9/10

Don't Cry Out

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Don't Cry Out" by Shiny Toy Guns
Lyrics: metrolyrics
Theme: Duck/Mytho/Rue
Spoilers: Yes

Review: I am fascinated with this song, and it really fits the 'main' struggle between Rue and Duck over Mytho nicely~ (I say 'main' because that's the way it's supposedly/perceived to be, even by the characters at times, but there are waaaay more and deeper things going on than that. But I won't get into that now~)
The opening is a great segue for the show's fairytale setting and the modern tone of the music. The lyrics really speak for both Duck and Rue, as the clips show. I find it really intriguing that the first line is so accurate: "I don't get you." Duck doesn't know what is wrong with Mytho, but she can sense that something is missing. And she wants to help. Then there's the second verse concerning pretending. Both Duck and Rue are guilty of this; Duck wants to believe that she can dance with Mytho, help him without problems, and Rue thinks that Mytho will always be hers and hers alone without any hindrances. While Duck engages in this rather naively, she recognizes that it's a bit out there but still want to believe anyway. With Rue, she is acutely aware that her pretending is just that, but she still fights it every step of the way.
The editing is done really very well. Accents are mostly on time, which is saying a lot for this music, and the clips used for them are relevant. Overlays are used very appropriately, and there aren't too many other effects except for the accents. Nothing distracts from the video, and it all builds together very nicely.
The most poignant part I think was around 2:35-3:20. I know the scenes in and of themselves are also pretty amazing, so that helps, but they are placed wonderfully. With all the crazy action and back-and-forth that's been going on, and constant music with a heavy beat, the dramatic silence is perfectly accented by Rue's lonely despair. And then the yell with her rescue(r) is great~
The ending is also fairly emotionally charged, but it throws me off a bit. It could be read as Duck  'losing' to Rue for Mytho, and smiling because she's alright with that. But still, the emotional charge of that particular scene overpowers the 'ending' given to the video and leaves me almost on a cliffhanger. Maybe it's just me, because in context of the video it's perfectly fine - but I can't separate that scene from the anime's context enough to leave it alone at that collapse and be happy. (although if that was the point, then they were successful)
Also, while the boy's part of "Don't cry out/Cease fire" is a constant part, as is Mytho, the only place I really saw the two meld well together was during the yelling around 2:51-3:10. I know the focus of the video was more on Rue and Duck, but I feel like Mytho could have gotten more interaction. He is paired with them repeatedly and effectively when making points about the girls, but things don't generally seem to match up as well with him by himself as they do with the girls except at that one part. So I would have liked to see a bit more work with that.

Overall Rating: 7/10

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Note: Sorry about missing the past two days. Ended up working more than anticipated, and then an old injury with my arms decided to act up. XP

All you who love stories, gather round...

Song: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Glee cast (originally by Bonnie Tyler)
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme Rue and Mytho, Rue's POV
Awards: 2nd place at Anime Oasis 2011 AMV contest
Spoilers: Yes

Review: I had never heard of this song before watching this video, so I may be somewhat biased in my evaluation. But seriously, I thought the song was made for Rue! I mean - "Once upon a time I was falling in love, / now I'm only falling apart..." Can you get more accurate? (ok, it's possible, but this is still pretty dang awesome!)
First of all, I really like how Mytho is there the entire time, an echo that repeats the same thing over and over, but she always gets different messages from it. Near the beginning, it's like he's telling her to look away while he goes after Tutu, that he doesn't need her anymore. She doesn't know what's going on, and she can't do much about it. Then, he tells her to turn and look at him in his monstrous state, the state she brought him to. She did this to him, and she can't forgive herself for it. (whether that was his intended message or not) And then at the very end, he tells her to turn around, look at him, and see that he's still there. He wants to be there for her, and he always will! He rescues her, and will never leave her alone again. And she finally recognizes that. <3
Then there's Rue. She can't control what's happening, even though she's trying so very hard. She wants to keep Mytho close to her, but he seems to be pulling farther and farther away. So she accepts her inner demon, her more powerful self, in order to try and steal him back. "Now there's only love in the dark." But it doesn't not work. She still can't keep him from thinking constantly about Tutu, from being mentally distant from her. So she ends up in tears, again and again. Then she sees what her love has done to him, and blames herself, letting herself fall into the depths of Despair inside the Raven. But Mytho/Siegfried comes for her, embraces her. She sees that he finally loves her, fully, despite everything.
(ok, maybe I went into a bit of a ramble about the series in general instead of the video itself, but it fits~!)
Ok, back to mechanics. The effects are actually used more frequently than I'd expect, but they're still very successful. The song lends itself to brief bursts of poignancy, which happens a lot with these two. The flashing with white wasn't overused, and the changing of scene/angle fit well with the tempo.
Also, the scenes picked were awesome. I mean, yes, a lot of them are awesome in and of themselves, but they are paired wonderfully with the lyrics, song atmosphere, and in context with surrounding clips. There were no abrupt changes that threw off the groove of the video, and it all fit seamlessly together.
I really love this video, and it's a great tribute to Rue and Mytho, from Rue's POV.

Overall Rating: 10/10

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