Luna's Reply Animatic

Edit: Thank you so much for all of your kind feedback! Since many of you asked about it in the comments, I'd like to clarify that I won't make a fluid animation of this.
This project has been a big part of my life. I really liked working on this animatic, but it's time for me to let it go. Instead, I'd like to focus more on timelapse art and other small animatics.

——— Story ———————

Years after the banishment of Nightmare Moon, the days on the moon are still dark, cold and lonely. Luna’s anger has passed and she slowly feels regret and sorrow for her crimes, but the shadow in her heart remains. One day, a song reaches her, a sweet lullaby sung by her sister, the one pony she once swore to destroy. Travelling through long abandoned places of her own mind, she tries to reach her sister again, apologising and begging for forgiveness.

——— Description —————

I know it’s been a while, and I am very happy to finally present my animatic of „Luna’s Reply“. Since I have been thinking about it for the past three years it has grown to become quite a personal project for me. I went through a lot of things and changed my style many times before I was actually satisfied with the results, which is in fact the reason why it took me so long.
I also had to deal with a lot of work in-between, and I was very close to quitting the project. However, I wouldn’t dare to just leave everything and forget about it. That’s why I started anew in 2019 and spent the whole year drawing, editing and (kind of) animating the idea that has been stuck in my head since 2016. I thought it deserved it.
I wanted to put more effort in every single picture to create that atmosphere around it and to underline the weight and beauty of the song. „Lullaby for a Princess“ has been one of my favourite MLP songs ever, and WarpOuts animation inspired me to make this video.

I would like to thank all of you for staying with me and supporting me with your kind words and feedback. It means a lot to me, and it was also one of the main reasons I didn’t abandon the project.
The MLP series may have ended, but the fandom shall rise again.

Enjoy!

——— Credits ———————

written, directed and producted by
Zhyreb

artwork by
Zhyreb

“Lullaby for a Princess“ by
Dane Larson „Ponyphonic“

„Lullaby for a Princess“ originally performed by
Christina Ellis

Credits song “Hate“ by
Lucas King

Luna’s vocals by
Crystal Bell

Lyrics written by
Swords-and-Bandages

„Luna’s Reply“ first performed by
mslkarishipper

based on the beautiful animation “Lullaby for a Princess“ by Hanssen Steven (WarpOut):

Luna’s Reply additional violin by
Zhyreb (inspired by Seth Willey)

Special thanks to my family for supporting and giving me advice!

Support me on deviantart:

Important note: You are not allowed to re-upload or use the video/audio without permission!

This is a MLP fan animation, MLP:FiM belongs to Hasbro®.

[zhyreb]

I know that there are two versions of this song written for Luna.
To explain a bit why I chose this particular one, Luna’s Reply, I would like to quote the author of the lyrics, Swords-and-Bandages:



_„Another clarification I should perhaps add is my thoughts on how Luna's corruption works. She was obviously in Nightmare Moon mode when she was first released from banishment, though she would have been lucid and repentant when she made her reply to Celestia. Drawing from real-life experiences with depression, I interpret her as being in a constant internal struggle: some days, resentment and anger drive her mad, and the darker side of her dominates her. On days like these she stares with baleful eyes onto Equestria, wishing for destruction. Some days, she understands why everything is the way it is, and rationalizes her situation while remaining emotionally distant from it. Some days, she just wants to go home, but she knows she can't because she must be punished--which makes her mind spiral between guilt, repentance, and despair. Her state of mind was a mix of the last two when she composed this reply._


_When the magic enforcing her banishment broke, some of Luna's emotional restraint may have broken as well, leading to her going Nightmare Moon mode. I suspect, though, that Luna did not lose all of her mind to resentment, and may have been sabotaging herself from the inside in her second attempt to bring the world to eternal night, ending with the Elements giving her a jolt out of her negative emotional cycle in addition to purging her of any external dark influences. Much of her subsequent absence from the show was spent in catching up to the times (to a degree) and getting much-needed emotional healing. All of this, though, is neither here nor there."_



Of course, everybody favours one version and that’s fine. I just personally agree with this quote and therefore chose to stick with it.

[kefamily]

The addition of the demon soldiers gave a lot more context to the battle which was so cool. I always thought that the show just skimmed over it like “oh here you go” like they didn’t care. This adds more context and I love it. The jewelry Luna wears on her dream realm is so pretty. I also like that you made this whole video seem like she was dreaming this whole video until the very end. Nice touch.

[nielle]

5:30 I was really confused like, wait.... OHHH luna is watching the Earth disappear because SHE is in the moon and Celestia is the one lowering it. THIS IS SUCH AN AWESOME AND UNIQUE I FREAKING CRIED

[raijyn]

Why is YouTube only showing me this NOW and not SOONER?!

[TeraunceFoaloke]

This was beautiful. personally I like both versions because both tell different stories as each reflects half of her.

[ShiningVioletStarr]

This was absolutely amazing. The details within the artwork, how you blended colors, and brought forth our night princess is absolutely outstanding. This is such a heartwrenching song and you certainly did it justice.

[allispwn]

I can't believe I found this so late. The visuals are astounding, the way you told the story, everything- breathtaking!
This deserves more love!

[Orca]

This seems a most worthy successor to WarpOut's "Lullaby for a Princess" animation. Very well done indeed and just as powerful as the aforementioned video.

[IceKyuubi]

2:03 those armors on Celestia and Luna!!!! those are just wow!! Why is Youtube only showing me this in 2021???

[maxbaker]

I love your depiction of their armor. It makes Nightmare look so menacing, like an actual foe. And putting Celrstia in similar colors really highlights this grey area I think everyone just kind glosses over. Fantastic.

[georgewolf]

This was such a perfect compliment to the "Lullaby" that it literally had me in tears throughout most of it. If Hasbro or one of their partners ever decides to make a movie or episode dedicated to the life stories of the Sisters, I hope they find a way to sneak at least a hint of this melody into it. That would make it perfect, too. ^.^

[Akami_Exe]

I'm not a MLP fan but I came across the Lullaby for a princess song, which lead to Luna's reply and I saw a link for this in that videos comments. I'm so glad I followed it. That was a fantastic animation! Great job!

[inudbz]

I always tear up at 4:36. "I..i love you. I miss you" the way her voice cracks like that. Damn that is talent 👏

[thunderriderva]

This is amazing the artwork is awesome and Crystal bell did wonderful singing that song

[krampus]

I love your designs for Nightmare’s armor and Celestia’s look, it really makes them closer to their “elements, ” Celestia being a fair and beautiful ruler while Nightmare being a “Nightmare”

[wolfbloodalite]

I literally cried. I truly, genuinely cried.
There was just so much emotion in your singing voice and it was just so beautiful.
Truly, you have an amazing voice and fantastic artistic talent. (The wings were so DETAILED, I love it!)

[gailasprey]

This song is just as brilliant as Celestia’s lullaby. She felt so guilty as well as Celestia because she believed that she was to blame for this and she didn’t feel any actual anger towards her sister. It’s amazing how they’re not furious at each other but rather devastated that this was the outcome of a tragedy which both of them couldn’t forgive themselves for. This could have gone too ways but I believe that out of both of the brilliant outcomes whether they were angry or not at each other I believe them just holding guilt to themselves is the best of the two although they’re all certainly brilliant and interesting. And Luna actually admired her sister for being brave enough to banish her sister which is an interesting choice but it makes sense that she wouldn’t be mad because she knew how horrible her actions were. I also noticed that Luna was on the brink of tears as she sang. But when she came out of the moon the tantapus took control of her mind again and forced her to do the horrible things she did.

[modus_ponens]

Whoah! The quality of drawings is stunning! This really shows where animatics can shine: each individual frame can be crafted and refined to such amazing level of polish, that like half of frames could be easily hanged on wall. Like wow!
(Also love the style, and props / royal clothing is really damn fancy. Ah! This just pleases my eyes.)

[spoiled_birthday_cake]

no cuz the singer sounds like shes in the verge of tears, so much care have been put here OMFG

[sapphirethealpha]

When she said
"Please sister, take me back"
I felt that🥺