Heart D. Lucy is a German Twitch streamer who specializes in creating AMVs (Anime Music Videos). We did not miss the opportunity to conduct this detailed interview with her.
Personal Background and Inspiration
What inspired you to start creating AMVs (Anime Music Videos), and how did your passion for it develop?
I grew up in a very abusive family and when I got my first PC, my father regularly punished me by unplugging the LAN cable so I would have no internet access. Still, I kept sitting down at the PC regularly, just to play cards or click around, and eventually, I discovered the program Windows Movie Maker. That was Microsoft’s own version of a video editing program, and I started by putting together pictures that, in my mind, would create a story. I then added music to match the story, and that’s how my first videos were created.
Over the years, I kept developing this concept. Through various anime series, I discovered characters for myself and for people in my private life that reminded me of them, and I incorporated those characters into my videos to represent these people. That’s why my videos show many different characters from a wide variety of anime. With suitable music, whose lyrics provide additional context to the whole video, I began portraying and processing traumatic or very significant events for myself. Over the years, my representations became more precise and clearer, as my experience, especially in editing, improved significantly.
This eventually developed not just into a passion but also into a form of self-therapy for me, which has not changed to this day. That’s why every video is something very personal to me and incredibly unique in its own way.
How did you come up with your artist name “Heart D. Lucy”? Is there a special meaning or story behind it?
There actually is, because my name is made up of different words that have great meaning to me. The word “Heart” is a nod to my best friend. The heart has always had a deep meaning for both of us and has been a symbol that has accompanied me throughout my life. The “D” is, among other things, a reference to the anime “One Piece” and is meant to express my love for anime. And the name Lucy is the short form of my middle name Lucia, which my brothers chose for me. It means “light” or “the shining one.”
Which anime and music genres do you prefer for your AMVs, and how do you select the right combinations?
It always varies a lot. My favorite singer is Taylor Swift because many of her lyrics resonate with me and thematically fit well with the topics I want to process in my videos. But there are also many other artists who inspire me through their music or lyrics. When it comes to anime, it strongly depends on the character traits or visual characteristics of the anime character. If I notice similarities to someone from my life, I assign that character to that person and work with them in a video. The anime itself plays a lesser role for me, as it’s really about the depiction and emotional processing within my video.
Content Creation and Creative Process
Can you walk us through your typical creative process, from the initial idea to the finished AMV?
That’s a good question. It always varies. Sometimes I hear a song, and images pop up in my head. It looks like an unfinished movie, with many black spots, but a rough storyline is already recognizable. This depends a lot on my current emotional state and what the music or lyrics trigger emotionally in me. Other times, I watch an anime and think, “Hey, this scene reminds me of this song, and I could create a story like this.”
Once I have the rough idea, it often changes during the process — I might add more details or simplify the visual language a bit. When the story is relatively fleshed out, I begin to add the effects. Most of the time, I try to reflect the mood of the song through effects and colors. If the song is, for example, a bit darker, I often work with dark colors, sometimes with black-and-white filters or a vignette that darkens towards the edges. For cheerful songs, I use bright colors, fun or bold fonts, or even humorous scenes from the anime.
It is important to me to create an atmosphere that emotionally draws the viewer in and conveys the mood of the lyrics and the music. When the video is finished, I watch it several times to correct editing mistakes or replace certain scenes with others that fit better. This is roughly how the process works. Depending on the video, editing can take anywhere from one to two months.
Which software or tools do you use to create your videos, and do you have any tips for aspiring AMV creators?
I started out for about one or two years with Windows Movie Maker, but I quickly reached its limits. Later, I switched to the Vegas Pro series and have stayed with it ever since. My tip for aspiring AMV creators is to make videos because they enjoy it. Especially in the German-speaking scene, AMVs don’t receive much recognition, and success isn’t guaranteed because there are many AMV creators out there.
If you want to stand out, you mostly need a lot of luck. That’s why my advice for creators is first and foremost to have fun with their work and their creations. Success might come eventually on its own.
Was there a specific AMV project that was particularly challenging or meaningful to you?
I honestly love all my videos because each one tells a story from my life — from good or bad times, but all of them are part of my story and show how the person I am today has developed. From an editing and workload perspective, I’d say my latest video “Casualty” was the most demanding.
I worked on it for over two months, sometimes for hours until late at night, because I had especially high expectations for this project. In the end, the effort really paid off. Not only am I incredibly proud of this piece, but it also received very positive feedback. As of now, it’s even the best video I’ve worked on so far.
Interaction with the Community
How do you interact with your community on YouTube and Twitch, and what influence does your audience’s feedback have on your content?
Our main interaction takes place on my Discord server because it’s simply easier to have relaxed and meaningful conversations there compared to Twitch or YouTube. On Twitch, many different people are chatting at once, and it can be very difficult to have a proper conversation. On YouTube, the comment section often makes it difficult too, as comments can easily get lost or you simply forget to reply.
On Discord, this problem is less common, and it’s also easier to follow or participate in private discussions. We even have a dedicated channel for community feedback because I try to reflect on both positive and negative criticism and, if possible, apply it to myself.
What role does live interaction on Twitch play for you compared to pre-produced content on YouTube?
A very big one. I believe live interaction is the heart of Twitch and actually the reason why I decided to start live streaming in the first place. It’s a completely different feeling and brings a different kind of fun when you can interact live with your viewers, see their reactions directly in the chat, or even have discussions with them, instead of waiting for replies over longer periods like on YouTube. It creates a completely different dynamic, which is very important to me.
You announced that you will be getting married on April 16th, 2025, and even set up a GoFundMe page. How did your community react to this personal news?
My fiancé and I have been engaged since the very beginning of my Twitch journey, and people often asked when the wedding would finally happen. When we finally announced the date, the feedback was overwhelming. It felt like my community was more excited about the wedding than I was, as many people asked about live streams or whether there would be a big celebration. It was incredibly beautiful to receive so much support and encouragement. I even wore my wedding dress on stream once because many viewers asked to see me in it.
Challenges and Experiences
What challenges have you faced as a content creator, especially regarding copyright and the monetization of AMVs?
Copyright and monetization are minor issues when it comes to reaction content. Among streamers, there is an unwritten rule that content shouldn’t be reported without a valid reason, especially if you are reacting to another creator’s content. Of course, there are people who report content anyway, but without a proper reason, it is generally frowned upon in the streamer community. However, when it comes to AMVs, both copyright and monetization become much more complicated.
Since I use music for which I hold no rights, I am allowed to upload and publish my content, but monetization is not possible. There are cases where music rights holders approach large AMV creators to make an agreement allowing their music to be used in a project. This basically turns the AMV into paid promotion for a new song or even a new album, allowing AMV creators to earn money this way.
How do you deal with criticism or controversial topics that may come up in your streams or videos?
When it comes to controversial topics, I am very open to different perspectives and opinions, as long as they remain within the boundaries of respectful discussion. Unfortunately, it occasionally happens that attacks or verbal abuse are disguised as “opinions.” My moderators remove such comments immediately. The person is then informed that what they wrote is not considered a valid opinion, and usually, it was just a slip in their tone. However, if the person continues this behavior, such as insulting or calling for violence, they are excluded from the stream and chat.
I handle criticism of myself or my opinions similarly. I reflect on what the viewer said and whether I can apply this criticism to myself, although it always depends on the content of the critique. It’s important to find a healthy balance for oneself and to make viewers aware that not every piece of criticism needs to be accepted.
Are there any special moments or experiences with your viewers that you particularly remember?
It’s hard to name a specific moment. Every day with my viewers is unique in its own way. My community always manages to create moments where we laugh and have fun together.
Future Plans and Development
What goals do you have for the future as a content creator, and are there any new projects or formats you would like to try?
I have many ideas for what I want to do in my streams in the future. My main focus is to make the stream much more varied. I am currently planning various formats for the stream that I want to surprise my community with at the right time. One goal I am currently working on is getting more people excited about my AMVs.
I am currently working on a format that will make it easier for viewers to better understand and grasp the context of my videos, as many viewers still struggle with this. This video series will deal with the original idea of the video, the story, the visual representation, and the actual editing process in Vegas Pro.
How do you see the development of the AMV community and streaming culture in general in the coming years?
In my opinion, the AMV community is shifting more and more to the TikTok platform. Many people now use mobile apps with as many effects as possible to make the video visually appealing while keeping it very short. It feels like the least possible effort is made to gain a lot of reach, which I personally find to be a very sad development.
What advice would you give to new content creators who want to get started in the AMV scene or streaming?
The most important thing for any creator, regardless of the field, is to keep going. We live in a very fast-paced world, and especially on social media, people forget very quickly. It can be discouraging when the desired success doesn’t happen immediately, and many small creators give up quickly for this reason. Often, people forget that many big streamers took years to achieve success. That’s why my advice would be not to work for reach or potential success, but because you genuinely enjoy your content. Everything else will develop sooner or later, but until then, remember: consistency is everything!
Reactions on Twitch – The New Content Focus
Nowadays, you mainly do reaction streams — what made you focus more on this format?
Before I started streaming on Twitch, I used to watch all kinds of videos on YouTube with my boyfriend. Every now and then, I would just grab the remote, pause the video, and start a discussion with him, sometimes for hours. Eventually, he came up with the idea that my very talkative nature would be a perfect fit for Twitch, and after much back and forth, I finally dared to start my first streams with reactions. Since then, I’ve had so much fun with this format, and that hasn’t changed much to this day.
What kind of content do you prefer to react to? Are there specific YouTube videos, anime scenes, or trends that particularly interest you?
I would say I mainly react to gossip topics related to YouTube Germany, but lately, it has also shifted a bit towards political topics. Occasionally, I also react to anime and gaming content, although that seems to interest my community less. I try to show a mix of content in my streams that is interesting for most people in the community and for me as well. That’s relatively easy for me because I have many areas I’m interested in or want to learn more about. My community and I usually come together very well on these topics.
How do you prepare for your reaction streams? Do you specifically search for videos, or do you let your community surprise you?
It varies a lot. Sometimes I find interesting content recommended on my YouTube homepage, and sometimes I let the community decide. Usually, there is a discussion about a topic in our Discord community, and if it sounds interesting, videos related to it are posted in a designated channel on Discord.
Was there a video you reacted to that particularly surprised or emotionally touched you?
Not so much emotionally touched, but I remember that in the past there were many small creators where I thought, “Wow, that’s a really good video, and they just started on YouTube?” The sad part is that many of these creators quit relatively quickly because, compared to the hard work behind the videos, success usually fails to materialize.
How is creating reaction content different from your AMV videos or other creative formats?
My reaction content feels more like a discussion to me. A topic is brought up, I share my opinion, and people in the chat give me their views. Opinions are shared, corrected, or supplemented. There isn’t much room to overthink or develop deep thoughts because the pace is much faster. Sometimes, it’s quite nice to just say what you think without having to overanalyze it.
With my AMV content, it’s different. I spend a lot of time thinking about a topic, reflecting deeply, and sometimes even drifting into philosophical thoughts, imagining different scenarios, wondering how a situation or reaction could be, and asking myself what others might think. These are very personal thoughts that I can’t just share openly, as they go deep into my inner world and are then expressed through my AMVs. My videos often show my thoughts while allowing me to express myself creatively.
What makes a good reaction for you? Is it more about authenticity, entertainment, or analysis?
I think it’s a good mix of all three. Judging by my YouTube comments, the feedback is very mixed. Some focus more on the content, others emotionally connect with me when it comes to certain topics, and others find my personal reactions, for example, when someone drops their pants in a video, very amusing.
That’s also why I find reaction content so exciting, because you never know how you will actually react in the end.
How important is interaction with your chat during your reaction streams? Do comments influence your reactions?
Very important. My chat and my community were one of the main reasons why I started on Twitch. Especially when dealing with different topics, I wanted people to share their opinions and perspectives with me. It is very interesting to see how your own opinion can be influenced or complemented by the chat because people often show completely new perspectives. Or vice versa.
Sometimes it’s like an online classroom where we are all both teachers and students, sharing knowledge, laughing together, or pointing out mistakes. Honestly, without my chat, streaming wouldn’t be fun for me at all.
Do you have favorite creators or channels whose videos you particularly enjoy reacting to?
Yes, although it always depends on the topic. When it comes to current gossip topics, there are many good opinion bloggers whose content I can react to and who gather information very reliably. When it comes to topics like politics, it becomes much more difficult, and I often let the community advise me on those.
Have you ever watched a video live and afterward thought: “Oh no, I probably shouldn’t have watched that”?
That has happened quite often. Some videos make you very emotional, sometimes even very angry. Especially when statements are made that you can neither comprehend nor accept, you often feel attacked and misunderstood. And you notice that in the chat too, because some people get very carried away. Those are the moments when I think it might not have been such a good idea since my goal for the stream is actually for us all to have fun together and disconnect from everyday life a bit.
Do you have plans to further develop your reaction format, for example, with guest streamers or interactive elements for your community?
Actually, I have a lot of plans. I want to create a mix of many different types of content so that everyone who watches the stream finds something that interests them. Basically, I’ve envisioned a mix of gaming, including community games, reactions, talks with guests — meaning other streamers — cooking streams, music, and also a bit more AMV content.
I am currently working out how well the individual content types can be planned and integrated into the stream and, of course, what equipment I will need to implement them in the best way possible. The planning will still take some time, but it’s definitely something my community can already look forward to.
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