Sagara West

Ciao, Amore by turquoisetumult (Only Lovers Left Alive)
This builds its mood so beautifully. Gorgeous vid ♥

Dynamite by findmeinthealps (The Heroic Trio)
Maggie Cheung on a motorbike and some classic child endangerment, what else do you need? Maybe some Michelle Yeoh and Anita Mui? This film’s got it all. A delight.

Geoscience by pi (Ruri Rocks)
I know nothing of this anime, but as a former geology major, I laughed so hard watching this vid.

Here by serrico (Labyrinth)
Great pace and editing on this vid :D Also good timing for me as I just rewatched the movie!

nothing and everything by hartknyx (Hamlet)
Featuring the ridiculous sort of song choice that works perfectly, and an impressive array of Hamlets!

Touch by naye (Phantom)
Beautiful short vid with an excellent tight focus!

I’m following The Summer Hikaru Died as the manga is released in English, and I’d heard good things about the anime but I hadn’t intended to watch it because I generally feel that anime adaptations won’t give me anything I don’t get out of the manga. I only changed my mind after I watched the AMV IMPOSTEЯ (by Bauzi) courtesy of katranat’s 2025 reclist. Which I guess was visually striking enough to convince me otherwise!

So I watched the anime over my summer break and I enjoyed it a lot! I like the manga but the anime definitely made me feel more obsessive – although that could be in part the more compressed experience and I should try rereading the manga straight through. Hikaru is an endearing cosmic horror, but Yoshiki is my fave. I just want that boy to be happy!! So much angst but in a very understandable way.

There were four AMVs for it in Festivids this year. I particularly enjoyed winterevanesce’s MONSTER! and pi’s TMI ♥