Game:

Harvest Moon: Magical Melody (2005)

Duration: 1:32

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101

Parody of the first-season opening sequence of the anime "Negima!"...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=I_x_45Xwnkk
...using characters from the game "Harvest Moon: Magical Melody."
...in my fanserviciest video ever! Whoo! ;D


♪MP3 download♪ ~ http://mediafire.com/?5urbbt5aofbm337


I just recently finished collecting this anime series (and hadn't actually even finished watching it by the time I finished making this video!), but I'd seen the OP before and had this parody idea in mind for quite a while. ^^

My original inspiration came from this cute coincidence: There are 31 students in Negi's class, and so there are 31 kisses in the original opening, yes?
In HM:MM...
...(main character × bachelor) = 10...
+ (MC × bachelorette) = 20...
+ 10 potential rival couples = 30...
+ (MC × Jamie) = 31 total possible couples in the game.
I was going to save Jamie for last, with both player characters in the left panel, and our gender-confused bachelor/ette not knowing who to kiss (though, of course, not really wanting to kiss either xD).

In the end, I didn't feel like including rival couples, so I just went for the MC pairings, and made Jamie's parts longer 'cause he/she deserves it 'cause he/she is special like that. (Oh, how I've missed the opportunity to use the term "he/she." I seriously need to do more HM:MM projects. =P Working on this was such an interesting feeling. I haven't drawn any of these people in SO long! It's like going back to my roots, or something.


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-It was so much fun designing everyone's swimwear! Though some could've been more creative. Dia's was ripped almost exactly from Evangeline's original; it just looked so good on her. x3 I'm proudest of Katie's, Lyla's, and...Basil's... (his trunks are made out of recycled material, see? xD)

-In my personal headcanon, Louis never, ever takes off that watch.

-My excuse for the kisses being so far apart is... ...Just look at the kisses in the game, okay!?

-Perhaps I exaggerate Carl's shortness, but Bob's tallness is the absolute truth. In the game, he seriously is only able to kiss your forehead.

-Lastly, fun fact: Katie's head-bang kiss is a shout-out to her adorable ending in Save the Homeland: http://youtube.com/watch?v=egeBEV3MBJg


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I was partly inspired by the (unfortunately incomplete!) Ace Attorney parody of the same OP:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_x4SPRkHPTk
You can see I used their fade-y presentation of the beach scenes to avoid full-on animation. ^^;
Even so, oh man, SO MUCH DRAWING, SO MANY PEOPLE, ARGH...
Sorry about the style switch halfway through... I started to try to imitate the Negima art style a bit, though I don't think I succeeded. I should've just kept it going how it started, because most of the sketches looked much better on paper... -_-
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/RayofHope3579/hmnegisketch.png
...Really, this whole project was like a big messy test of different styles and techniques, if you couldn't already tell. I was hoping for it to be a super nice, super smooth showcase of all my progress, but it mostly turned out as a mix-up of random new things I wanted to try. I got lucky with my attempt at frame-by-frame fluidity at 0:47, but when I tried it for other parts I failed and turned to transitions and stuff... Ack, whatever, no use complaining now... The point is that I'm not quite where I want to be, but I'll keep trying with some other pretty challenging projects I have in the works. =D ...I can only hope that this right now isn't TOO jarring as to ruin the overall effect. D=


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...Hey. Look. Just LOOK at these original lyrics. Seriously.
http://animelyrics.com/anime/negimagi/happymaterial.htm
They worked perfectly for HM parody purposes. =D The real translation of the Japanese is so sugary-sweet and in so many ways lends itself extremely well to MM life.


LYRICS:

Whatever I may do, wherever I may be
I'm sure I'll find you there next to me
We'll sing this new song as one in happy harmony!

Wake up early, run out the door with such exciting plans in store~
And all the tools I think I may need carefully tucked in my sack
And yet my one most valuable tool is this bright smile I'll show to you~
Originally I worked alone, but now I'm on a new track

The seasons that continue passing by me, the memories deep in my heart
Are sweet sheet music for the future we'll share together

On every bridge I cross, and every road I take
I'll find new things to do and friends to make
I don't even mind rainshowers; I know flowers follow soon
And all along this colorful and happy ride
I'm sure I'll find you right by my side
To sing this magic melody by the harvest moon.


Programs used: Paint.NET, Windows Movie Maker.
(official character art at the beginning and end taken from Ushi no Tane ~ http://fogu.com/hm)
I have no ownership of the original music, characters, or game depicted.
Harvest Moon is a registered trademark of Natsume Inc. ©1997-2010 Natsume Inc.

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