16-Bit Arthouse

July 28, 2009 9:00 PM

I know from playing the video games of that era that tiny sprites can be very powerful. Maybe it’s because we can project a lot of emotion onto them, or maybe because they’re small and they have big eyes and big heads like children. I don’t know. The Adventures of Ledo & Ix, along with an interview with the filmmaker. (via)
posted by The Devil Tesla (16 comments total)

Sprites can be more than powerful, they can be KINGS OF POWER!
posted by billyfleetwood at 9:27 PM on July 28 [16 favorites]

So simple, but something about the characters is compelling.
posted by Xoebe at 9:37 PM on July 28

Tiny sprites may be powerful (hey, I did machine language on the Atari 400 with a kick ass sprite system), but no where near as powerful as delicate, tiny, very talented celebrity starlets.
posted by Bovine Love at 9:42 PM on July 28

Pixel art is still very much around, by the way.
posted by archagon at 10:29 PM on July 28

That Kings of Power video was wild. Way cooler then the FPP video. Like a TRILLION times cooler.
posted by delmoi at 10:44 PM on July 28

King of Power just completely kicked my ass. I had an urge to go link it to everybody about four minutes in and then I realized it was only 1/3 of the way through. Insane.
posted by Mizu at 12:02 AM on July 29

We're gonna need more bong hits.
posted by fleacircus at 12:02 AM on July 29

The FPP video was good. I enjoyed it, and am intrigued enough to want more.

Kings of Power is easily the craziest thing I've ever seen. What the holy fucking hell, yo?
posted by Caduceus at 12:30 AM on July 29

Kings of Power is the followup to Pirate Baby's Cabana Street Fight 2006 by Paul Robertson, who may be best known for creating the video for Architecture in Helsinki's Do the Whirlwind. Anyway, he's amazing, and I love how a lot of his work has been directly funded by government arts programs in Australia/New Zealand. I don't think this kind of stuff would be so readily backed in America.
posted by themadjuggler at 1:10 AM on July 29

Kings of Power. Watch it. Just...wow.
posted by sixswitch at 5:18 AM on July 29

Anyone who has played Final Fantasy Tactics with the original translation is no stranger to this kind of rambling, existential sprite-talk.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:32 AM on July 29

I hate to continue the derail, but...Kings of Power? I thought it had gone off the rails, but then Jesus showed up. And some kind of rainbow road, followed by lots of death, and a girl with half her brain hanging out holding a knife. I want an FPP about this video so I can get some context. I mean, WTF?
posted by This Guy at 6:25 AM on July 29

Anyone who has played Final Fantasy Tactics with the original translation is no stranger to this kind of rambling, existential sprite-talk.

Sorry, can't hear you over the sound of my reed flute.
posted by MidAtlantic at 6:46 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]

Current tally: 7 comments about Kings of Power, 6 actually about the post :p.

I want an FPP about this video so I can get some context.

Here you go. Unfortunately there is very little context to be had. Paul Robertson has a crazy imagination and that is why we love him so.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 6:56 AM on July 29

OK, fair enough. I found flatluigi's earlier FPP concerning Kings of Power, but I still don't actually have any context. Beyond both being throw-backs to videogames of a bygone era, does the Kings of Power have an relationship to the Adventures of Ledo and Ix? This is really just pure curiosity on my part.

I'm excited to know that something like the Adventures exist, since it seems like an interesting project, plus a fun series and story to follow. Thanks for alerting me to it.
posted by This Guy at 5:35 AM on July 30

Beyond both being throw-backs to videogames of a bygone era, does the Kings of Power have an relationship to the Adventures of Ledo and Ix?

Haha, no. Billyfleetwood was just playing off the part of the quote that said "tiny sprites can be very powerful."
posted by The Devil Tesla at 7:06 PM on July 30