Awesome Videos

(PG-13: Language) Six years in the making, the latest anime short from Paul “OtaKing” Johnson, creator of TIE Fighter and Game Master: R-TYPE, is a must-watch for fans of Alien. It follows the story of a lone crew member aboard a mining ship who stumbles onto a terrifying hive of Xenomorphs. Co-directed by Claudia Montealegre with sound by Scary Good Studio.

Japanese automaker Mazda spent its first hundred years making gas-powered vehicles. The Mazda MX30 R-EV is different, combining an electric drivetrain with a tiny rotary engine that operates as a generator. Process X takes us inside the Hiroshima factory that produces the fuel-efficient crossover to see how they build these cars from start to finish.

Sculptor Oscar Yaquian shows off a really cool variation on stop-motion animation that combines claymation with a time-lapse effect. The trick is how he shows his clay sculpture coming together by hand, interspersed with bits of footage where the head comes to life on its own. Be sure to check out his TikTok channel to see more of his awesome clay monsters.

Inspired by Disney’s Aladdin, this daredevil took to the skies on a flying carpet. Over the past two decades, alladin_skylab has flown with all sorts of gear, from wingsuits to hang gliders, but this was his first time flying on an actual magic carpet. MLT Drone Pilots followed along and recorded the journey. Here’s a different angle of the flight.

Modern airplanes generally have two wings. But there was a time when biplanes and triplanes took to the skies regularly. Peter Sripol and his pals built a scale R/C model of the Caproni Ca.60, a wild-looking passenger aircraft with nine wings, arranged into three sets of three. The real version of the seaplane broke apart on landing. Will Peter’s plane fare any better?

Can’t get enough of Weird Al? His track Polkamania features upbeat oompah versions of songs from Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and more, all packed into four minutes. The accompanying rapid-fire music video features animations and vignettes from filmmakers including Cyriak, Liam Lynch, and Bill Plympton.

When we were kids, we built our share of models. All Process of World takes us on a tour of Korea’s Academy Plastic Model Co. for a look at how they manufacture model airplane kits. They start by creating a 3D computer design used to machine a precise metal mold, then use those parts to injection mold plastic for the models.

James from The Action Lab got his hands on the current world champion for the brightest flashlight, the Imalent MS32. After using the 200,000-lumen flashlight to brighten the night, he put it through a series of experiments, including aiming it through a magnifying lens to see if that could concentrate its beam into a death ray.

We’ve seen some pretty fast and powerful NERF blasters, but as far as we know, none could shoot darts faster than the speed of sound. That’s what maker Mike Shake set out to do with his supersonic blaster. It took a lot of time, money, and experimentation to create a high-speed NERF gun that runs on compressed air and rapidly releases its pressure.

Driving an old Ford Pinto is risky enough, but driving one with its tires replaced with stone is downright stupid. The guys from the Waterjet Channel downgraded the ride quality of this vintage deathtrap with prehistoric wheels that would be better suited to Fred Flintstone’s car. They also tested out some wheels made from asphalt and concrete.

An orrery is one of those mechanical models that simulate how planets move in the solar system. A tellurion is the same concept but only includes the Earth, its moon, and the sun. Chronova Engineering made an incredibly small tellurion and posted this video of the build process. The finished model has six gears, and is smaller than a fingernail.

Ever wondered how they shoot those super smooth videos that circle around a fast-moving car? This clip from the crew at motionstate shows how technology and talent come together to work cinematic magic. Director Corey Koniniec is running the show from behind the controls of a Nodofilm remote camera rig in their Porsche Cayenne Turbo arm car.

Process X introduces us to artist Hiroyuki Yamamoto, a master craftsman who makes traditional Japanese masks. Each mask starts as a solid block of wood, which he carves away with a saw, chisel, and other hand tools. He then creates eyes out of copper, applies gold leaf, and paints the mask in vibrant colors to bring his characters to life.

More than eight years ago, The Backyard Scientist conducted an experiment to see what would happen when molten salt is poured into an aquarium. The results were quite explosive. Now, The Slow Mo Guys have revisited the classic experiment and revealed much greater detail in the explosions thanks to newer, more sophisticated high-speed camera tech.

After seeing Cody from WhistlinDiesel ride his jet-powered merry-go-round, model maker Boylei Hobby Time wanted to commemorate the stunt in miniature form. He 3D printed a tiny jet engine, then built a Lexan base for its motor drive, and fabricated a turntable from foam board. The finishing touch was a mini version of Cody holding on for dear life.

Mountain biker Dean Tennant takes us for a ride along an unusual trail. The defunct Sooke Flowline was used to deliver water into Victoria, British Columbia. The 27-mile-long, moss-covered concrete pipeline winds through a thick forest and has become an impromptu course for skilled and daring riders. There’s one stretch that’s particularly sketchy.