Japanese Youtube ?

As we all know, Youtube has been a great innovation which allows users to upload their videos to the internet, making a big bloom in the internet world. Recently I have discovered a variation of the service, which becomes another innovation. Do you think of a bulletin board can appear right on the video you can watching? Give you some time to imagine what it may be, and then see below.


"Nicovideo" in Japan is a "Youtube-like" website which can also allow users to upload their videos. However, it have a revolutionary function - audience can leave a "message" into the screen. It is a real-time process. The message will move from the right to the left in default, within the specific short time period. Sometimes when watching a clip of a cartoon, the density of comment rapidly increases as it reaches the climax. (e.g. when an important character is killed)

Here is an example (from a similar website, http://tw.keytalks.com/ , in Chinese):

a clip of a famous cartoon - you may have watched it

Audience can express there feelings, with different font size and colours. Sometimes it can create a special effect. Even some users can "draw" something called "comment arts" in the screen. (However, it also requires technique. If a person is good at drawing such pictures, he is said to be a "professional person".)




When many audience leave messages, they can feel that they are watching videos along, creating a special atmosphere. If a lot of repeated messages appear in the screen, it is called "fire curtain (弾幕)". It usually appears in videos with popular songs. The curtain can cover the whole screen. It becomes a special tradition in "nicovideo". Some users appreciate the curtain rather than the video itself.

Now "nicovideo" become famous in Japan so some commercials cooperate with it. You can find advertisements there. Some animation and music firms consider there as a platform to increase the popularity of their franchise. They put commercial clips in the website. Even there had been broadcast animations and even live concerts.

"Nicovideo" is also a place for people to show their creativity. Hence, this innovation is valuable. Funny clips can be made using different TV clips and musics, and then mixing then together. It is called parody clips of simply "MAD". All of you must have a look of the MAD of the Japanese Mcdonald commercials.