Legacy MAD Resources (Archive)
Archive note
This is the complete legacy MAD resource page retained before MAD DOC's expansion. It includes Wikipedia-derived definitions, older historical material, and the full classification article by Wuyi无疑. Some definitions, links, and time-sensitive statements may be outdated. For the current editorial treatment, see Definitions and Scope and Classification.
English wording in this archive follows the historical English edition published by MAD Producer. The archive preserves the original authors' framing; inclusion does not make every historical claim a current MAD DOC conclusion.
Explanation
*Due to copyright and political sensitivity, the traditional Chinese parts of this article will not be converted to simplified Chinese. Additionally, since this article is outdated, it does not guarantee that the mentioned competitions and events still exist today.
This section is quoted fromhttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAD片Thank you to the original author!
MAD
MAD(MAD Movie／マッドムービー）；（English：Videos of Madness）[1]refers to the act of taking existingsound,game,image,animationand other elements that are edited and compiled by individuals to create a new work.gameculture,animationculture,fanworkswithin the cultural categoriesmultimediaworks. Typically, a work consists of a segment of related video.editing, accompanied by the author's favorite music, similar tofan-made MVthe existence of this form. The key difference is that MAD videos focus on the visuals, particularly related to animation or video games.tribute; in contrast, fan-made MVs focus more on the music. Of course, there are also some MAD videos that consist solely of audio editing or visual editing, which can strictly be considered as MAD as well.
Origin of MAD
The history of the term "MADMOVIE" begins with MADtape: around 1978[2], "Mr. MAD Shimakawa" and "Mr. Y," founding members of a club at Osaka University of Arts, while playing anime songs orguitar fortokusatsu, tried playing music with a different melody than the main theme (for example, playing a melody different from the original arrangement during the verse, and then perfectly matching the original melody when transitioning to the chorus, and so on, with each section of the song being treated in this way). This resulted in a somewhat hilarious and fun effect, and before they knew it, this way of playing became the norm in the club.
The Rise and Fall of the MAD Community
Several factors influence the number of MAD creators (referring to Japan):
- With the development of computer technology, the production of Flash short films became easier, the file sizes were smaller, and the circulation greatly increased.
- In the early years, many MAD creators were invited by video game companies or animation studios to become professional producers.
- Many video game titles produced promotional shorts similar to MAD videos, paired with the game's theme song and made available for interested users to download on the game's official website. Notably, many of these promotional shorts were created by early MAD producers.
- The general trend of younger demographics using home computers, coupled with a decrease in individuals possessing significant computer skills who are also passionate about *nijigen* (2D) culture, has led to a talent gap in production and a lack of new, younger creators.[Citation needed]
- Due to the popularity of video-sharing websites such as NICONICO Douga and YouTube, MAD videos have become more diverse and accessible to a wider audience.
The following are all quoted from https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv3472588/ and the documents provided by the original author. Thanks to the original author!
MAD Categories
Feel free to discuss and point out any shortcomings after reading. Due to my personal experiences and abilities, the text may not be 100% accurate, and the classifications/tags listed may not be exhaustive. There are certainly omissions and errors. If you find any mistakes, please point them out in the comments and tag me, and I will make corrections (I’m not sure if the column can be edited; if not, I will re-post).
The purpose of this article is primarily to provide a simple introduction to the topic. The classification methods listed are, **objectively speaking**, **more aligned with Western perspectives**.
I fully understand that what I write tends to lean toward Western perspectives, but I have made many corrections to ensure that I included all the classifications/tags I am aware of. In my view, this makes the text more neutral, incorporating various classification methods and type tags from different regions.
I will also list all the references at the end of the article to demonstrate that everything is not just based on my personal opinions.
Thank you for reading.
Part 1: Classification
- VFX
- FX
Still-image MAD
- MMV (Multimedia Music Video)
- Still-image M@D
- Mixed Media MAD
Next, let’s briefly familiarize ourselves with these broad categories. Each category will include a brief description and one or two example links for you to explore and experience.
Action: Intense and exhilarating, with smooth rhythms.
[AMV] - Warm Up ! / Warm-up Complete !
[JE 2019] Indestructible IRON BEAST
Dance: Smooth rhythms and comfortable camera work.
[Dance-Style AMV] Into the Dream
Fun: Aiming to make the audience laugh and feel entertained.
AMV - Live in the Moment [JE2016]
Drama: Clever editing and flow can give new meaning to the storyboards.
[AMV] Reality and Virtuality - RE0
[The Magician's Bride] Reprisal
Romance: Immersed in romantic emotions.
[TOS Idol General Election / Multiple Clips] Shizen Tone | Please Do It This Way
Psyche: Enchanting and creative visuals.
[60 fps/AMV] The Voice of a Ghost // Ghost Audition
Horror: The fear of what is to come is the most terrifying.
[Horror AMV] Creepy Rose // Creepy Perfume - IC Soul's Team XIII
[Multi-Source AMV] Paranormal Experiment
VFX: Focused on special effects, with extensive re-composition that utilizes effects to create scenes distinct from the original visuals.
The Art of Dreaming [Steins;Gate AMV]
[RE0] Be with me... Stay with me
FX: Focused on special effects, where the editing serves the effects, utilizing a large number of solid color layers and text blocks that scale and cut to match the rhythm.
[AMV] Good Times // Good Life [MDS CONTEST 2018]
MMV: An AMV (Manga MV) primarily made using manga as the main material. Essentially, it is a manga-based AMV focused on rhythm, originating from Western influences.
[Pandora's Heart Music Video] Unchained
Still-image M@D: Primarily focused on the arrangement of text, showcasing the meaning of individual frames and the connections between two frames, with greater emphasis on the narrative. This style originates from Japan.
[Original MAD] The Purpose of Existence Is to Perish [The Lying Boy and the Broken Girl]
[MAD] Three “Goodbyes” [Shaman King]
Mixed Media: Works that edit materials from a combination of ACGN (Anime, Comic, Game, Novel) sources.
[2017 Nanjing MAD Contest] A Tale of Time [Please Call Me Yuanxiao]
[Plastic Memories] Forever Dreamland
PartⅡ Tag
Other classifications I encounter, I prefer to refer to as tags.
Here are some common tags, each accompanied by a brief description and example videos. This way, when searching for tutorials, you can improve your focus and effectiveness.
Please note that the example videos under each tag are not necessarily the best ones for that tag, nor do they belong exclusively to it. Since these are referred to as tags, a video will often fall under multiple tags.
ASMV: The "S" stands for Story, usually referring to narrative-driven AMVs that include vocals.
[Shokugeki no Souma AMV] - Survivor
Alt-Opening: Refers to recreating the opening of anime B using materials from anime A. It can involve different elements and may also use materials from anime B itself.
BGA: Background Animation, referring to the rhythmic backgrounds in music games. They can stand alone beautifully and have a strong visual impact.
[BOFU2017] Brave My Soul [BGA]
Character Profile: Character creation, where a character can be developed either following the original anime or redefined through editing flow.
[Character Profile/Table Tennis] Legends
Cross-Over: Refers to characters from different anime appearing in the same scene.
[AMV] F.Y.C / I Just Wanted to Make an AMV About Love
Collab: Refers to collaborative works created by two individuals.
[Pink and Black Temptation] Dressin'Up
Candy: A sweet style commonly found in FX.
CM: Commercial, referring to advertisements, often seen in competition trailers and Japanese commercials.
A World Without AMVs—D-Contest Registration Is Now Open!
Cinematic: Created using epic music, film soundtracks, and other atmospheric sound effects to evoke a cinematic feel. Sound effects or anime dialogue can be incorporated.
AMV Videos: Flying Through War
Dark: A dark-themed style commonly found in VFX/MEP.
N E ✖ U S - PROJEKT - Resonance [ STYLIZE IC 9th Edition ]
Ecchi: The romanization of a Japanese term referring to H content.
FMV (Fan-made MV): A more general version of AMV, including those not based on anime.
FMV (Fan-made MV): A more general version of AMV, including those not based on anime.
[AMV] Bend Hard, Play Hard [AWA Pro 2015 AMV - Avatar]
GFX: Graphics FX refers to the visual effects applied to video covers or posters, often characterized by a strong, stylized appearance. It can also refer to the person responsible for creating these effects, commonly used in the context of design or video production.
[PS/Repost] Cover-GFX Cover Design
Humor: Refers to a humorous style, similar to Comedy, aimed at making the audience laugh or feel entertained through clever editing and funny moments.
[Bento] Only hungry wolves get half-price bento!
Instrumental: Refers to a type of AMV or MAD that uses background music without vocals (No Vocal), focusing purely on the instrumental elements to complement the visual content.
INS(ig): A shorthand for the platform Instagram, typically referring to short, loopable, and stream-of-consciousness works. These videos emphasize design and rhythm, often tailored for Instagram's format.
"AMV"—Sagumi's Expression Showcase!!
iMADs: Also known as im@ds, referring to MAD works based on The Idolmaster.
[MAD] THE 765PRODUCTION [The Idolmaster]
Kinetic Typography: Refers to text arranged in motion, typically characterized by a strong sense of rhythm and design.
[The Art of Writing] Some Unconventional “Paper MADs”
MEP: Refers to a collaborative project involving multiple editors.
Manga: The Romanized form of the Japanese word for "comic," referring to MMV or AMV that utilizes manga materials.
[It Will Eventually Become Your Music Video] Ref:rain (Reposted with permission)
MG: Motion Graphic, referring to a type that utilizes a large number of shape layer animations (of course, Baishiya is also quite famous; feel free to search for it yourself).
[Static-Style MAD] Art Club ~Monster World~ [There's Something Very Wrong with This Art Club]
MTV: MTV is a type of music video, officially produced and referred to as MTV; otherwise (not officially produced), it is considered a music-related AMV.
The New Force of Movement—"Heart-Pounding MTV" Episodes 1–15
Non-Anime: Since Anime specifically refers to Japanese animation, Non-Anime refers to materials that do not include any Japanese animation (overlapping with the concepts of FMV and GMV).
[Drama/World of Warcraft] My Curse
Original Animation refers to original animations or storyboards created by the author for use in AMV/MAD.
The Girl Who Crosses Dimensions /There Are No Walls Between the Second and Third Dimensions!/
Over-Sync refers to all kinds of synchronization, including lip-syncing.
Parody refers to mashups of animated movie trailers, clever modifications of animated scenes, and spoofs of popular videos.
[Inui-chan feat. Attack on Titan] Attack on Inui-chan [MAD]
Play (Fun) shouldn't be mistaken for Comedy-Lite. The difference from comedy is that this type of work features whimsical and imaginative ideas.
[AMV] SAY WTF: Look at the Silhouettes and Guess the Anime!
PV stands for Promotion Video, also known as Promo, which is a video used for music promotion.
[Awesome PV] Babylon [Arrange]
PV stands for Preview, often used interchangeably with CM, referring to trailers or promotional videos for competitions.
Souls Team IC XIII Three-Day Burn Tournament Promotional PV
Rhythm & Beat: If a video makes you want to dance, tap your feet, or nod your head, this is the type. These videos typically feature catchy rhythms and beats that match the dynamic screen actions (Dance).
[Dance/Zombieland Saga] MiracleWhip
Sentimental refers to works that use editing to evoke emotions, drawing the audience into the emotional flow of the creator.
[AMV] A World Within a Painting Under the Bright Sun
SFX stands for Sound FX, where FX refers to special effects. This type uses a variety of sound effects to create an atmosphere.
[Literary Masters & Wild Dogs] AMV - la bastille [by pingvi]
Story refers to a narrative, meaning an AMV that tells a storyline without completely distorting the original plot.
[Studio Ghibli / Story AMV] A Brush That Depicts Secrets // Secret Drawing
Sync-Lip (Lip Sync) refers to lip synchronization, meaning the synchronization of the vocal parts of a song with the lip movements of characters on screen. There are two approaches: one is to create a preview type, and the other is to enhance synchronization using lip sync.
[AMV] [Steins;Gate] The Butterfly Effect
RAP refers to a song type that uses rap, and this type typically involves lip synchronization.
Trap refers to a music genre, but to align with the music's synchronization rate, the production method may resemble INS style. The Trap genre was originally also featured on INS.
Upbeat refers to a lively and cheerful feeling, generally associated with Fun/Dance.
[Little Witch Academy] A Colorful Dreamer
Trailer refers to the preview type.
[Monogatari AMV] Blood and Tears // BLOODY TEARS
Vine is a short video platform similar to INS, with a similar style. It often uses scaling and layering techniques to create its content.
Frame interpolation refers to using AE plugins like Twixtor to increase the frame rate of the original material to a higher frame rate (48/60), creating effects of speeding up or slowing down, or achieving slow-motion effects.
[Re-upload/60 FPS] Pseudo-Cat || Into.The.Labyrinth
Composite MAD, also known as a combo chart, often uses controller move patterns as titles. It features similar materials to create coherent actions, paired with dynamic BGM, resulting in an impressive sense of synchronization.
パロ (Paro) refers to imitation, specifically the type that mimics a certain work.
[Still Image MAD] SAO III Commercial [Tokyo Ghoul Commercial Parody]
Reference sources: amvnews.ru Akross.ru AMV-Japan.com AMV-France.com anime-expo.org acen.org animemusicvideos.org dic.nicovideo.jp page.renren.com/601005971/note/845460717 saraba1st.com/2b/forum xiii.by urbandictionary.com I'm not very knowledgeable about still images, and I can't find much information in various places, so I can't provide a more detailed breakdown of the still image category. If anyone knows more, feel free to message me. Thank you. This article was first published on the KissACG forum (kissacg.org/forum.php) and is the first chapter of the second edition of my MAD tutorial guide. The main content I plan to write will not differ much from the first edition posted in the forum (approximately). Due to my growing experience, this edition mainly corrects many errors from the first version. My energy, abilities, and experience are limited (especially in the area of still images), and I don't know when this complete version will be finished. If anyone wants to help, feel free to message me. Finally, thank you for reading. I hope this can be helpful to you. For a more detailed classification of IG, you can refer to this article, which summarizes it very well, so I won’t reiterate it here. NEW EDITORS CON The IG style is indeed a category with excellent visual appeal. Some of the FX/VFX works I mentioned earlier also fall under the IG style tag.