Daicon Opening Animations

Otaku no Video was in part inspired by Gainax's early days, and contains references to their first animated shorts: Daicon III + IV. 

Short works by Gainax studio filled with technically impressive animation, creative direction and designs. Both series contain fantastic music and pop-culture references and allusions that indicate personal labors of love by the directors during a period of innovative freedom that we may never see replicated again. 

These are short films from the 80ties, which both look like they were filmed with a camcorder, and copied several times. They feature lots of flashy scenes, explosions and destruction, and catchy music. The contents are polar opposites though. One is about the exciting journey of the protagonist into a bright future, the other about the hopeless life of the protagonist in a cruel and decaying society. I couldn't take my eyes of both. 

If you need a short reason to fall in love with anime and animation again, then I can recommend these two. Their biggest similarities are, that they're rather short, have some rather nice music and that they celebrate their respective thing. The Daicon Opening Animations are two short OVAs...that are just giant celebrations of anime and animation and everything related to that. Especially the second one just is filled with love for the medium and with so many references. Plus, if you're into oldschool animation, then this one is definitely something you have to check out. Gotcha! is more of a music video...but one, that celebrates the Pokemon franchise, from the first generations from way back to the games on the Switch and everything between those two. Add an amazing song, some pretty good modern animation and just a love for the franchise coming from every frame and you have a pretty amazing music video. read more 

These titles have all the elements of a great Gainax/Trigger creation: The oomph, the boom, and the special something. 

Both feature an ordinary-looking schoolgirl who nevertheless possesses some superpowers and fights evil. Besides, both are quite old works that have action with a hint of comedy. 

Both are short anime from ´80s that served as an opening for a convention. Both have very similar art styles andd both have cute girls and mechas. Awake was clearly inspired by Daicon Opening Animations. If you liked one, try the other one.