Its technically not animated, but I’m highly amused by this stick-puppet anime music video by Masakazu Amahisa for the Japanese techno-pop group Denki Groove.

The video tells the story of a couple who crash their car on a dark forest road and encounter a Konaki-jiji (a monster baby with the face of an old man) who leads them deep into the woods to a wild party for yokai (a klatsch of traditional Japanese monsters). The music comes from Denki Groove’s theme for the current anime horror series Hakaba Kitaro. This video, by manga artist and animator Amahisa (check out his previous animated video for the same group), has nothing to do with the TV series.

(Thanks, Seth Sherwood)

Just when you think everything that could possibly be done with old-school flipbooks has been done, along comes a refreshing example of the technique’s versatility. The new Kraak & Smack music video, “Squeeze Me”, is directed by Dutch filmmakers André Maat and Superelectric.

Bill Plympton just wrapped a new music video for Dutch musician Parson Brown. The video, “Mexican Standoff (Falling Into You)”, intercuts Plympton’s monochromatic animated scenes with live-action of the singer. Animation credits for the vid here.

Björk’s new music video for the song “Wanderlust” is AMAZING! It’s a staggeringly original mix of live-action, stop motion, CG and puppetry directed by San Francisco-based Encyclopedia Pictura (aka Sean Hellfritsch and Isaiah Saxon). The “regular” version debuted today, but they’ve also produced a stereoscopic 3D version that requires special glasses. This would definitely be something special to see on the big screen.

UPDATE I’ve removed the YouTube link because the directors of the video emailed to tell us that they’ve put up a beautiful hi-res Quicktime version of “Wanderlust” on their website, and they’d prefer if people could see this version. I think you’ll prefer seeing this version too.

Below is a ‘making of’ video and here is an interview with the directors about the challenges of producing the video in 3D. And these are the complete production credits.

In this day and age of slick and mostly overwrought CG visuals, it’s refreshing to see some lo-fi cutout animation, especially when it’s as beautifully done as the latest Spoon music video “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb.” The video is directed by Double Triple and Ryan Junell (Junell animated the Obama campaign spots we wrote about last month). Be sure and also check out this terrific Flickr photoset offering a look at the video’s production process.

I just had to share. I’m really enjoying these recently posted animated spots which adapt songs from the They Might Be Giants-Disney CD, Here Come the 123s.

Pascal Campion directed this little treat (via yesterday’s No Fat Clips blog): 813-Mile Car Trip; and today Cold Hard Flash previewed I Can Add by Adam Sacks and David Cowles. Disney is posting a new one each week on itunes. Collect them all!

This music video, by Latin American group Kumbia All-Stars, has been around for several months but I just got around to watching it. Anyone know who did the character animation?

(Thanks to Jake Friedman for pointing me toward it and a nod to Misce-looney-ous for beating me to it)