The Greatest Experiment in YouTube History | The Story of Unus Annus

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Unus Annus was a joint KZbin channel created by Markiplier and Ethan Nestor-Darling of the channel CrankGamePlays. The channel was created on November 13, 2019 as a way of giving their viewers a once in a life time experience with the end-goal being to remove all of its content from KZbin after one year. This tied into the channels name 'Unus Annus' which translates from latin to: One year. As we approach the one year anniversary of the channel being deleted its time to document the journey of what happened.
It was arguably the greatest creative experiment/idea we have seen on youtube since its inception. So in todays video we are going to look at a brief history of what Unus Annus was and the story behind the channel.
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[@Z_Foundation_Inc.]

The Unus Annus chant gives me chills now, mainly because I never thought I'd hear it again. Memento Mori.

[@DeanSteel04]

I have a complete archive of every Unus Annus video including the entire final live stream on a google drive. I can send you the link if you want

[@kittynado758]

@@DeanSteel04 link please?

[@anothername2557]

Memento vivire

[@Zer0_Time_EXE]

It still does to this day

[@Zer0_Time_EXE]

@@DeanSteel04 How large is the file?

[@mk_the_maniac2091]

I saw someone wearing a unus Annus sweatshirt the other day. I said “nice sweatshirt” they gave me a knowing mod and we shared a ✨moment✨

[@realsandwichjones]

i noticed someone wearing an Unus Annus hoodie today, but I didn't say anything unfortunately

[@lisachiappetti6092]

That is the exact reason why I'm never changing my profile pic ever again I love it when I comment something on a yt video and then someone will go "memento mori". It really is like we're part of a cult and I'm HERE FOR IT

[@Moonmoon-ws6jo]

i couldnt get a shirt because covid, money was scarce so i made a promise to myself that once i saved enough money im gonna have a tattoo dedicated to the channel. I hope i get that shared moment too. its been almost three years now and my goal is almost accomplished.

[@treestumpisland5586]

I saw someone with the UA lanyard hanging out of their pocket. I told him I liked his lanyard and showed him my own lanyard. He smiled. We exchanged lots of memories without saying anything at all.

[@cheezeebutter452]

_And then they fucked_

[@jeremiahw3170]

I managed to get a hoodie before the deletion. Due to covid it took several months to actually get to me but when it did it was like a gift from an old friend.

[@NoName-wv9je]

I gotta say, that's a real blessing.

[@mattisloading]

That’s exactly what happened with my hoodie, it was pretty surreal to get it and feel that way

[@doppler6533]

Good for you, i unfortunately completely missed Unus Annus but i still miss it terribly bad. At least you have a memory of it. Memento Mori

[@markimoojr5161]

Happened to me but with a unus annus flag haha

[@tiffanypimentel9389]

Exact same thing happened to me. I told me sister about it on the day of the live steam and she knew just how much I loved Unus Annus and how sad I was gonna be when it was gone. So she bought me a hoodie and due to covid and the most likely backup from last day orders it arrived a couple months later

[@armashhhh]

Unus Annus will forever be the most brilliant and unique KZbin project of all time.

[@big_sea]

yes

[@slash1dot1dash]

I can't believe it's been 3 years now. The memories that flooded back after watching this, wonderful 😊

[@Tingyunsnumberonefan]

Crying

[@DezAmmySel]

;-;

[@Lee-wh3ht]

@@Tingyunsnumberonefanweeping

[@Squishy_Bob]

I am very grateful that there is an archive because I missed it b/c of my great aunts 99th birthday and then the pandemic. I have to say I will follow the idea. 1 video per day and then never again.

[@chanceenglish7769]

3 years… goodness it’s hard to believe it’s been so long, so much has happened in these years, yet it feels like just a few months ago I said goodbye to Unus Annus, the memories truly will never die

[@Cavi587]

That line. "You cannot fully understand something until it ends" is really genius. Most things on KZbin are still going on, are open ended, and change every so often to the point we forget how they looked years back. Unus Annus was one of a kind COMPLETE experience that can be looked back at by those who had the chance to experience it. It can be judged and understoon. Because it can't change. What happened then is firmly set in stone.

[@work90]

But the same thing will happen to all channels. Eventually every KZbin creators will die and their channel ends. Then they'd have their unnus annus moment

[@Cavi587]

@@work90 Well yes and no. Most channels will probably be abandoned before the creators die. And if they die suddenly, it's not gonna feel complete because there wasn't any "ending", it just stops. Some channels might get taken over by family members or friends and completely change their content. And to those who will not abandon their channels and live long and happy lives and upload their entire life, it will take years and years. So many in fact that probably most people watching them by that point won't be able to look back at the beginning because they probably got there somewhere in the middle. Unnus Annus just happend, ended, and nobody can change that anymore. I still think there's a difference.

[@lullsbaby9321]

I'm going to admit, I've forgotten about the lessons Unus Annus taught. I've been taking life for granted. Doomscrolling. Playing games all day. Watching YT channels. Just wasting my moments until death comes. This video reminded me to remember death, and is something special. Thank you for making this! It's fking awesome to see

[@triggerhappy4199]

Literally me

[@avy1111]

Man, I’m so incredibly sad that I missed Unus Annus. I had only heard stories about the god of FNaF, Markiplier himself, but I’d never watched him. When security breach came out, I decided to watch his play-throughs. I suddenly realized how funny this man was. I started getting into his channel more. I went back to old videos and I realized he is so much more than just some FNaF god or horror-game player. I wish I’d watched him sooner. I missed Unus Annus. I missed old lore videos. I missed so much in what seems to be a short amount of time. I watch videos from years and years back that look so new to me, but so old in the eyes of other Mark fans. As sad as it is, and as much as I can’t go into the past, I know that I’ll be here, watching, for everything that comes. Love ya legend.

[@DeanSteel04]

I have a complete archive of every Unus Annus video including the entire final live stream on a google drive. I can send you the link if you want

[@gabrielaestelaestela2129]

@@DeanSteel04 if you have this please send it my way

[@namesarehard668]

If you still have this could you send it my way?@@DeanSteel04

[@7Nine7]

​@@DeanSteel04hey i have the vids but not the stream. You think you can send it my way? Watched it live, but since it included an all nigther i can remember much xD

[@outij4207]

@@DeanSteel04 would it be fine if you can also send the link my way also? tysm either way

[@scottjameson5358]

This is such a cool look back at the "channel". What's crazy is that it's like explaining a historical figures or location. Of course, people at the time wouldn't really think on how big and important the history was or the extend of the experiment. But what you need to realize is the idea of longing and the feeling of reexperiencing it. Just like this quote that has been changed or told in many ways. “You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.”

[@StrewthSeeker]

I really don’t get the hype. It seems cool. Fun. Original even. But it’s not some massive deal tbh.

[@scottjameson5358]

@@StrewthSeeker Perhaps it's because we aren't aware or wasn't fully apart of the experience. Sure, you can still find snippets or edits from their videos but it's only that. Parts of things that you will never see the full content. It's like reading a book with several of its pages missing and no other copies were available.

[@JumpOverYourShadow]

@@scottjameson5358 Tbh it is just two rich guys doing some "experiment" as an eccentric hobby... It even tastes like arrogance like: "Look we can do something so ridiculous, but we still get our money from other sources" They just close a side project, so what?

[@scottjameson5358]

@@JumpOverYourShadow Well, that's because it was never about the money to begin with. For a side project like that, they could have monetize the shit out of it. And sure, they're rich, but if we're really being petty here and thinking that it's just an eccentric hobby then we're just ignorant at the experiment at all. One full leap year of content that was entertaining and enjoyable that's only available for a limited time for certain people, something that sounds pretentious af but was easily accessible and open to the public that wanted to watch it. That's what makes it interesting.

[@mikethegoo]

@@JumpOverYourShadow I'm not sure if you watch either of them. I don't really watch Ethan, but I do know Mark. If there is one thing he absolutely is not, it's arrogant. He definitely does an eccentric act and an arrogant one, but I have seen him be himself too. When it comes down to it, he is a very humble and grateful man. If you want an example. When someone pointed out that KZbin deleted a video of a pretty small creator for a clip, and people found out that the clip it was deleted for was just fine, as well as being in one of Mark's videos, which was also fine and even monetized, Mark, without even being asked to, made a video and a tweet telling KZbin "Well if you delete that video for it, then delete mine too! That's not fair!" KZbin didn't delete his video, but they did fix the video of the small creator. If Mark was arrogant or out for money and fame, he wouldn't have done that, I'm pretty sure

[@VOLAIRE]

The fact that its already been a year since it ended and that it’s passed by this fast…

[@Storm-qr2xf]

its 2 now 😢😢

[@burningwolf_9641]

It’s been a year since you’ve posted this comment. Let that sink in…

[@StrewthSeeker]

@@burningwolf_9641 No. It can come open the door itself

[@JustForReference]

The end of Unus Annus actually made me super distraught.. pulled a 48 hour without even realizing it. Truly a lucky time to be alive. Always remember... memento mori

[@saigey]

NO WAY HE JUST CALLED JAMES CHARLES "YOUNG BOY LOVER"

[@JayLaw]

😋

[@_eIIa_]

NAH BC IT TOOK A SECOND FOR THAT TO CLOCK IN MY BRAIN AND MY JAW DROPPED

[@StrewthSeeker]

@@_eIIa_ NAH BECAUSE WHY BWE TALK ALL THE SAME? Hshshehshejs

[@_eIIa_]

@@StrewthSeeker 💀

[@grayhacer]

"I like them fresh"

[@SpookyTanukiGaming]

I could've never imagined mourning a youtube channel, but here I am wishing I could rewatch those videos but knowing I can't.

[@DeanSteel04]

I have a complete archive of every Unus Annus video including the entire final live stream on a google drive. I can send you the link if you want.

[@triggerhappy4199]

Sure I’d love that

[@shayf400]

That ticking at the start gave me a healthy dose of F E A R

[@viviecremers221]

i still remember finding this channel like it was yesterday. probably could have started on something better than “too many pickles” but it still made my day

[@erin8050]

What matters is that you were there for the end. MM my friend.

[@Moonmoon-ws6jo]

mine was the first video, and then waking up early in the morning to witness the glory of breakfast with sex toys. i couldnt forget how the video made me laugh so hard my whole body became sore, it made waking up early so worth it.

[@verstamech]

@@Moonmoon-ws6jo One of my absolute favorite things about that first video followed by Cooking With Sex Toys is just the extreme tonal whiplash. I still remember watching that first video two days into the channel's life cycle, and then went, "Huh, mysterious, ominous, thought-provoking and actually kinda philosophical. It's Day 2, I wonder what they've done for their first proper video" and just having trouble breathing because I was laughing so hard at how much a tonal shift it was

[@avashapava1528]

You never knew how much Unus Annus mattered, *once it ended.*

[@palomaroggeri8680]

i wish I knew about it when it was still happening, but I only heard about the channel when it ended. I really regret that I didn’t see a single video of it, feels like this moment in history I lost without knowing anything about, and I’ll never be able to see it.

[@somenoob105]

I regret only watching a single video of that channel. I could have watched way more

[@iamacatperson7226]

Same, only heard about it after it was over

[@allenxdthesixth777]

Same, i know when the channel has been deleted and matpat made a theory about it

[@robinl4975]

Well…. If you are like me, who understand and accept the concept of Unus Annus, buuut… sometimes i really need to watch a video to cheer me up, and nothing does that better than a Unus Annus video… there is always the Internet Archive, where a lot of the UA videos are saved 🙄😬😅

[@DeanSteel04]

I have a complete archive of every Unus Annus video including the entire final live stream on a google drive. I can send you the link if you want

[@KT-PYRO]

I never watched Unus Annus when the channel was live but I remember how much of a big deal it was when they finally ended it, everyone was talking about it. Definitely a very intriguing concept and it’s cool seeing what kind of content they had on the channel since I never got to experience it. Thanks for teaching me more about the experiment and channel

[@ARCHIVED9610]

same here, i never knew it was but there for the deletion..

[@Lexxy-dq5ck]

It's kinda sad how I missed on something so important...mostly because I was young and I never knew the internet existed at the time. I wish I could go back and go through each and every video that was released during that one year

[@Sirdeathvids]

Nicely done! Unus Annus certainly was unique, and would be difficult to replicate with the same emotional impact. I'm not sure if you're aware or not, but there have been some clone channels attempting a similar experiment with varying degrees of success. Two very consistent ones are Et Duobus Annis and Unus Annus 2. I'm in the process of documenting these channels so that once their 1 year is finished they too will be remembered at least in some capacity.

[@bva8251]

Isnt the guy from unus annus 2 extremely antisemetic and racist, even calling people who dislike him slurs?

[@Sirdeathvids]

@@bva8251 I just looked it up and that appears to be the case. I’m not sure whether that’s supposed to be edginess, or whether he actually believes in that. Either way, looking further into it he seems sketchy with a ton of banned Reddit accounts. The other thing that I saw in a screenshot was how he thinks his channel is better than other Unus Annus inspired channels just because he has more than 200 subscribers (despite only having ~50 more than that at the moment).

[@JustForReference]

It's not just the concept of the channel itself but Mark, Ethan the whole team, the guests they had that made it what it truly was. Even if two other big yt people did it.. it would never be the same and always feel slightly off-putting in a way. This is just a personal opinion tho

[@Sirdeathvids]

@@JustForReference You are correct there, and that's actually something that Ethan brought up in his 1 year "memento mori" video. As a creator myself, I agree with him that viewers don't get to see the full story and that those off-camera moments were unique to the crew involved with Unus Annus.

[@anarchyvixyn]

910 days later... It still hurts. It feels like a family member died. Not your great aunt you see once a year, but your brothers that you eat dinner with everyday. I wish more people had the chance to see it.

[@OneJey]

The phrase "You'll understand when it ends" ended up being so unimaginably true. A whole year later and the clips you played made me remember it fondly. I was upset when it ended but seeing it being remembered a year later as something great as a concept as well as execution makes me happy I got the chance to see pee sauna lol

[@averywho6430]

I don't think anyone at all could ever recreate the moments and love we had on Unus Annus, even Mark and Ethan themselves have said that they couldn't do it again the same way. Anything that happens now will just be a cheap copycat, no matter how hard the creators try.

[@plushiesaurp2068]

I'm proud and happy to say that I was one of the people that were there to witness this marvel of an experience - and I am not exaggerating when I say it has changed my life. Probably much like many, Unus Annus found me during the hardest time: the pandemic. A time filled with fear, loss and helplessness. The goofy videos kept me company and made me smile, but as time went on I began to truly embrace and understand the message Mark and Ethan wanted to send. Most of the videos had a comedic theme, but there were some really profound or unexpected ones there - ones like the comet, shopping for a coffin and learning of ways one can be buried, the "we need more time" short film in the haunted house, just to name a few. They familiarized us with the terrifying concept of death; and opened up reflection, discussion about life. The video that was personally most impactful for me, was Mark's challenge to swim in the open ocean. For those who don't know - Mark is terrified of deep water; and for someone who has the same fear and has nearly drowned once, seeing Mark go against his fear was the single most inspiring thing I've ever seen. You say that Unus Annus cannot ever be replicated, and to a certain extent that is true - but I believe it's important to bring up something that Ethan and Mark said themselves: Anyone CAN do Unus Annus. It's not about posting every day for a year to then delete it, not about making only funny out of the box stuff or wearing black and white suits. It never was. It's about challenging yourself to be better every day and use every day to the fullest. Unus Annus taught me that this means going at your own pace, but never losing sight of what's important to you; redefining what is important to you, if you need to. I never want to forget the lessons that channel has given me - and so I have commemorated it in a way I found most fitting. I've wanted a tattoo ever since I can remember, but was far too afraid to do it for many reasons. Now there's a dragon on my arm, holding tightly an hourglass with two skulls inside. Thank you to all who have read this far down; and let me leave you with two of my favorite Unus Annus quotes: "If any other creator out there feels like they're stuck in a rut - learn to let go. If you feel like you're trapped - you're never stuck in doing what you're doing. If at any point you decide you want to do something else - fucking go for it! There's no reason that you should feel locked into creating things you don't wanna make; and KZbin is your opportunity to show who you are and it changes every year - so just take the leap and if it's good - or even if its bad - at least you'll make yourself happy." "Keep the best, dump the rest and realize you matter more than you have ever given yourself permission." Memento Mori Unus Annus

[@mewnaversalstarkid7799]

I think an idea like unus annus could theoretically be recreated. However it would take a significant amount of time before it could get its special touch for that new generation again.

[@mewnaversalstarkid7799]

I'm essentially agreeing that it'll never happen again unless you wait long enough for people to forget that it ever did happen or wait long enough for the charm to replenish.

[@piratewolf9805]

You have no idea what kind of weird feeling it was once the channel got deleted. Like the closer you got to that last day, the more value all those memories got. Which sounds so stupid to say about a KZbin channel! But when that day eventually came, i was like "oh.. wait... its seriously gone" and it was all about death and grieve. And it did give that feeling! It was so strange!! Yet super strong and i was very impressed by it. What an amazing experience that was! Many people i know have never ever watched it and dont know what it is, if i tell them they dont understand why its so special. Just like everyone else should say "you should have been there". Its hard to explain on what was happening in my head. It was so strange!

[@treestumpisland5586]

I'll never forget watching the stream end and not believing it was actually gone. So I reloaded my KZbin and it all just disappeared. Absolutely wild moment.

[@ladydelulu]

right? like how do i even begin to describe how much this meant to me, to people who've never even heard of it? you'll never be able to really understand what this channel did for people if you weren't there to see it yourself. atp I just don't mention it because I know you just had to be there

[@treestumpisland5586]

@ladydelulu I have an unus annus tattoo. I don't explain it's meaning to people. I just smile and say "it's too much to get into, but it's important to me"

[@TheDJPoulsen]

How have i never heard of this? 😅 Feels like hearing about the greatest party after it ended 😥

[@DeanSteel04]

I have a complete archive of every Unus Annus video including the entire final live stream on a google drive. I can send you the link if you want

[@Nobody-vf5nu]

@@DeanSteel04 Hey can you tell me where to find them without a shady Google drive link?

[@Nobody-vf5nu]

@@DeanSteel04 Like a channel on youtube

[@marie-ellita333]

@@Nobody-vf5nuThose usually get taken down pretty quickly cuz archiving the full videos is against the rules of Unus Annus, so I doubt there is any channels like that at this point

[@SomeoneTookMyOldName]

@@Nobody-vf5nuthere’s an entire archive on the wayback machine I think

[@Z_E_B_O]

I remember recording the final livestream, refreshing the page at the end and seeing the channel has been gone. But I was still subscribed and will always be. It was such a great time, waiting for each video to come out, and the timing was also perfect in my opinion. it helped alot at the beginning of the Pandemic.

[@backbeatben]

I think the great thing about it was giving an audience an experience that you have to remember just from memories without having video or pics of it (for the most part). Taking in a moment knowing it will be gone forever makes for fond memories; something that’s lost these days with social media

[@EtamirTheDemiDeer]

Y’know what? I think I want to finish my unus annus animatic. I stopped because I kept staying up late to work on it and got yelled at so it just… killed my enthusiasm. But that’s a good lesson. Gotta pace myself. I can do a little every day until it’s done

[@Moonmoon-ws6jo]

honestly, me too. There is a lot of things ive learned from unus annus but one of them is dedication.

[@DarkestDawnZK]

I only started watching the channel towards the end, literally like the last 3 months of it, and once they deleted the channel I almost felt like losing a best friend I never got to truly know. Which drives Mark's point home even further, even without even experiencing the full year, I still had an incredible appreciation for it that was significantly amplified once it was deleted.

[@matthewjalovick]

Thank you for this. Unus Annus was something wholly unique and special while it was around. I was lucky enough to happen upon the Intro video on Trending and subscribing immediately… watching their shenanigans throughout the entire year that followed. As it’s nearly been one year since the livestream I’ve been thinking about UA more and more. It really stands out to me that there couldn’t have been a better time during which they could’ve made that channel. 2020 and its uncertainty underpinned the entire point Unus Annus was trying to make: remember death. And in remembering death we’re able to confidently live within the present. Cheers :)

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

Unus Annus was really creative I was a casual viewer for the most part but I absolutely love Unus Annus and that ending live stream was great

[@zombie_slik3811]

One of the best things to happen during a very troubling time. Memento Mori... I was there for Unus Annus. I miss Unus Annus. Such a good message as well

[@e.n.strowd1949]

The sad little boy that I was just 2 years ago has grown, and this channel helped to keep him around. It was a small light in the sea of darkness-ending in quite possible the final part of a hard journey. The me that was then has died for the better and worse. And I exist now reborn in some way…

[@d3faultgh0st]

“The night is always darkest before the dawn, and time always seems to move faster when it’s running out”

[@bloomfilms]

Amazing presentation. Great way to describe something that we can’t see anymore. I used to look forward to UA videos

[@Al-ix5qq]

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr Seuss

[@WerdFTW]

They say you die twice. Once, when you stop breathing, and a second time, later on, when someone says your name for the last time.

[@anothername2557]

Personally I believe in other universes- and the song from Rebecca sugar "time adventure" encapsulates how I feel about it very well. I will take my last breath, but, there's a universe where I've just been born, or at the lagoon with my family, I will live forever--- not here, but in countless other universes, I'm alive, or my name is being said after my death. So I worry not about being remembered forever.. Unnus Annus is happening right now in another universe. Along with quarentine, of course. And it'll be legendary for a long time. Here and in all other universes where it has, will, or is, happening.

[@markpetersen1738]

My birthday is on November 13. It will always be a constant reminder of the "loss" I felt that day, I remember legitimately crying at the end of the livestream when they were saying goodbye. So much fun, so much entertainment, so much history, so many jokes.... All gone and all I have left is the memories, I'm still stunned by how much emotion there was in it that day, I was legitimately grieving.

[@cablefellow5315]

It’s still like i lost a family member. I still get teary-eyed and feel like I can cry when talking about it.

[@Waligug]

Interesting to see the history of it, as I only heard about it as it was getting deleted

[@Sweetie.21]

Annusly it still hurts that it was deleted. The day the live stream went to black is a memory that has been burned into my brain. I still remember sitting there at the parents’ house, in my pyjamas in my bedroom chair, staring at my laptop screen, watching the seconds tick away as I can hear my family move around downstairs. I think what hurt the most was the disbelief/denial of it ending, desperately pleading in my head for it to not end as cry welled up in my eyes (just as they are now). And then to see that screen go to black and being confronted full force with reality. It really felt like an old and close friend had died. All happiness was taken away from me at once and I was back to facing the reality of my (then) not so ideal life. In the end I’m glad I tuned in just before halfway through the year because of a post I saw somewhere (I think it was Twitter? Not 100% sure). I’m happy I got to watch everything. I didn’t want to watch it when they announced it at first, I wanted to save myself for the inevitable heartbreak, but curiosity got the better of me and I’m glad I was a part of our cult in the end. My friend didn’t get to watch them, luckily I managed to save them all for her (and admittedly myself too, I have a hard time letting go of things/people), and we’ve recently picked up watching them again. We’re currently at video number 49 (2nd of January 2020), so we’ve got a long way to go still. And to everyone I say: Memento Mori, Unus Annus

[@mechrogaige2259]

"Why would you make a channel and putting so much effort into it just to delete it?" I mean, why do you still alive if you know that you're going to die one day?

[@Ahmed-ry8lg]

this was so interesting unfortunately i didn't see their videos but this video definitely made me realize how good their videos were and as always love your videos and glad to see you makin business moves haha gotta get that bread

[@Lively_1185]

This legacy is totally NOT dead, because the entire channel content was reuploaded to the internet archive, and you can download any video from there to your heart's content. Markiplier has no control of the internet archive, and the only person who can take them down, is the uploader himself.

[@christopherbragalone2895]

I was really happy to be there for the full year and to see the ending when the channel was deleted and what they did was truly something special, Momento Mori, Unas…..Annus

[@themisfitowl2595]

It's a commentary about Art as well. Every artist, no matter what they make or what medium they use, eventually every artist knows that the moment they die, that is when their work will seriously appreciate in value. Paintings that may have sold for hundreds when a person is alive, may sell for hundreds of thousands after the artist is gone. And make no mistake, KZbin videos are works and expressions of Art. But in this case, the work was deleted, erased. And only those who were there for the journey when the channel was alive, will understand how special it was. Now that the channel has died, those that missed out cannot go back and look at the work and understand it's value. If you missed it, you missed your chance.

[@DanyGonzalezzzz]

Wow this is fascinating. Im sad I missed it.

[@awolgamming7793]

it was amazing to be there through the whole thing in person

[@MehluliMoyo477]

JayLaw dropping gems again. Major respect my man.

[@tomby6627]

I almost cried when he showed the livestream 🥺 Unus Anne’s was truly my life during COVID 🥹❤️

[@voxistaken]

I can't believe it's been two years since Unus Annus began. I was immediately hooked when I saw the trailer and I knew I was in for something good when they did the cooking with sex toys video. I can proudly say I was there from beginning to end. I scrounged enough money to get a t-shirt before its deletion. It's this basic black shirt with details on the sleeves and a shirt pocket but it means so much to me that it's a reminder of the time I spent watching every single video everyday, of dedicating an entire year of my life to a channel that would inevitably be deleted. The only regret I have is not participating in the community back when it was still in its prime. Unus Annus was truly unique.

[@solayssa]

One thing many people don't talk about but I think was a huge part in its success, was the lore. Unus and annus were characters and there was actual attempt to stop the clock and stop the deletion of the videos. And it gave us hope, hope that the channel won't be deleted. I can't describe the rollercoaster of emotions I went through thinking there was a chance of the channel not being deleted and then realizing they will in fact do it.

[@will300180]

I look at it this way... the reason it was so good because it's reminiscent of a time before you could make money on youtube and had to follow guidelines and crap, it just pure,raw and unfiltered glory. And yet I miss it.... i am proud of what was left as a memory.

[@etienneporras7252]

I think another small point that MatPat touched on before the end of Unus Annus was toward the end where editors and Mark and Ethan themselves started dropping hints of "attempting" to delay the inevitable end. Much as people toward the end of their lives may desperately attempt to go on, so these little hints were a way for the fanbase to "hope" that an ending could be avoided. Unus Annus remains one of the highlights of the Covid pandemic, while so many dealt with so much pain and sorrow, Unus Annus was right there to remind that death and loss need not be tragic. It can also be beautiful.

[@CrushedAsian255]

"you can't go back and watch it", the 185.84 GB folder on my NAS says otherwise

[@CalebT_RC]

I miss that channel so much, it’s hard to go back and watch them without looking for the deleted channel

[@Its_too_hot_in_here]

I can’t believe this was two years ago… I was so lucky to be able to be there and also get a hoodie and poster from them lol

[@zandyknope2907]

I was in high school during the lifespan of Unus Annus. Now I'm a freshman in college and I see a substantial amount of people who still wear the merch. I realize the unique impact that this channel had on everyone who watched it unfold. Everybody had their favorite moments, birthday video, merch from a different era, etc. It was a unique experience for all of us. We were all touched by this project and even though we may have forgotten the little details, we remember how it made us feel.

[@stupidbroad]

unus annus was incredible. i'll miss it forever, nothing was better than just rewatching the videos during that year

[@Pr0phetless]

During it's life, I took Unus Annus for granted. I watched about the first 100 days, but even though I was subscribed since day 1, I became complacent, forgetting the channel would be deleted. I watched about 3 times a week, until 56 days were left. That's when it hit me. I watched the remaining 56 days and all 12 hours of the stream up until it ended. I'll never forget Unus Annus, even though I never saw all 365 videos. It'll always remain in my heart (plus, I got the final merch hoodie with 365:00:00:00 on one sleeve and 00:00:00:00 on the other. I wear it every chilly day)

[@lunaeve9024]

I called in to watch the entire 12 hr stream. None of us knew what was gonna happen when they deleted it live. And when that screen went black… and all I could see was my own reflection. I cried. It really kept me going during 2020.

[@AngryCaesCorporation]

I was on board for the whole journey, from day 1 to the end of the stream. I didn't watch nor store any reupload, I stay true to their wish. What a masterpiece.

[@nawafmostafa4924]

Thank you JawLaw, for reminding me of Unus Annus. I had strayed from the way of the cult.

[@rQuilln]

When popular KZbinrs start to quit their channels, It reminds me of Unus Annus.

[@MatheusB.SdeFreitas-sn3pj]

i watched this Channel end it was the best thing i've watched it made my day better but Mark end Ethan were the real Stars , RIP UNUS ANNUS.

[@bella_daze3092]

I know the Unus Annus channel is gone, but it will still live on in our memories. Momento Mori. Unus Annus.

[@zoinksscoob5077]

I only found out about Unus Annus about a week or so before the channel went down, I remember binging it until midnight on the night they deleted the channel, and then watching a few reuploads before going to bed. The next morning most of the reuploads were gone, its truly wonderfully executed and the point about something being only appreciated fully after it's nolonger around is so true. Thanks for revitalizing this memory and congrats on 100k.

[@Power_Plant]

Unus Annus was probably the happiest I ever was, and after that year ended.. most of me went with it, sorry if that was corny but it's true, I don't think that it will be my one and only high point because my crush asked me out a month after and that was another high point, but it was definitely my first :)

[@tylerallison9735]

What I find was so BRILLIANT about this channel was how far away the end felt the whole time. Up until the last two or three weeks the end felt like it was, well, a year away. And then suddenly, it was only days away. And then it was gone. Such a message, such a beautiful story, and such an inspiring event for so many people and it simply vanished. I will never forget the feeling of watching it leave, and then waking up the next day fully expecting a video out of habit, and remembering that it was gone. Such a great idea. Such a wonderful memory

[@ruarstergaming1695]

loved the video! nice looking back on it, only thing is Amy was much more than the camera operator! she helped produce a majority of the videos!

[@azadielspace1897]

I was in the middle of my first shifty job when it was ending. I bought a hoodie, and listened to the last 12 hours the whole day. I didn't watch aaaallll the videos, but my favorites were Ethan learning to spell and learning to fake fight like in the movies. Great times

[@spongeboymebob771]

I like how the entire point of UA was that it was only ever supposed to exist in the public mind for as long as it existed. They even explicitly said "don't save and reupload our videos", so that when it was finally deleted, it would only ever exist beyond that in people's memories, no trace of it would ever remain on the internet, and eventually people would wonder if it was even real. Hence, the motto, Memento Mori, "Remember that you must die," meaning live in the moment and cherish the time you have and all that. Enjoy UA while it lasts because it was never to be seen again once it was gone. You either saw it as it happened, or you never saw it at all. That was the whole purpose of Unnus Annus, One Year, so of course, naturally, the first thing nearly all of KZbin did was save and reupload basically everything. Good job, guys. No, really. Outstanding work. 👏

[@RishikeshTV]

This was a really interesting and a well made video man. I love watching whatever you make. I hope your content will get more reach and the channel will hit 100k soon.

[@JayLaw]

Thanks for always watching dude 👍

[@tel780]

Amazing how this completely passed me by...

[@TransGothTalia]

My youngest brother died in a car accident in July 2020, two days before my then-wife and I were leaving for our 3-year anniversary. Unus Annus, through its focus on death as a natural next step in life and on memories being all we have left of loved ones after their passing, helped me process and cope with this loss in a much healthier way than I would have been able to without the channel. Even before it happened, Mark and Ethan were preparing me to deal with it, with absolutely no way of knowing they were doing so. To me, while the concept is extremely creative and took an incredible, mind-boggling amount of work, passion, and dedication to pull off, *that* is the most beautiful thing about this channel and this experience.

[@kay9621]

Finally someone’s talking about how important Ethan was. So many people such as myself didn’t know him. But he’s so remarkable he’s impossible to forget.

[@S6xNflesh]

Made me cry. we all miss Unus & Annus so very much, it got me and my cousin through the pandemic. even during quarantine, brought me and my cousin so close together. We experienced the beginning and the end and cried so many tears over such a well deserved loss. Ethan & Mark should be proud of such a moment in time till their true death. They made change and even after the channel has been deleted they still continue to make change within their channels and selves. Momento Mori, Unus Annus. “You just had to be there” .. and I am so fuckin proud to say “I was there”

[@mikethegoo]

What's even more amazing (and probably also only possible because of this being exactly the point of Unus Annus) is that it would have completely stopped working if they didn't go through with the end, as well as the fact that this will never be something that can be done again by Mark, Ethan or anyone else with the same effect. Maybe if the history of the channel gets forgotten and the people who were there have all passed, but that would only make it work because it has been "deleted" from history and it could just as well have never happened. But still... As long as even anyone remembers this and the existence of the channel is recorded ANYWHERE... This will never have the same effect if someone tries to do it (again) That just makes it so special...

[@whoami2455]

I aspire to create something as entertaining, thought provoking, and meaning full as Unus Annus.

[@Kazantha]

Memento Mori.... The "experiment" that was Unus Annus will live with me for the rest of my life. It was absolutely amazing. I started my editing career when Unus Annus started cause I was so inspired by them to try something new and out of my comfort zone. I will admit that I'm still not good at it and using a crappy editing software, but I couldn't be happier -^_^- I've had my ups and downs, but I always think to myself and remind myself of what they did during that year and it gets me fired up. Unus Annus also holds a special place in my heart due to my "birthday video" being the live stream where it all ended. Considering that I had been there from day one and stayed there until the last second of the clock... It honestly felt like I lost a friend but that was part of the point... it helped me realize several things... We won't be here forever.... we can only do so much in our lifetime... so why not make the most of it while you can?

[@hereiamkillme0131]

"Hopefully this video reminded you of your experience" its been over 3 years now since i watched that livestream, and seeing this nearly made me cry agan. The memories, the laughs, the amazement at such an amazing journey. It truly sucks to say that your absolute favorite youtube channel, and the content that makes it your favorite, doesnt exist. I loved the channel so much that, even though it died 3 years ago as of the posting of this comment, my pfp has ever remained the Annus spiral. Of course, I don't cry that it ended. Not completely. I cry because it happened. I was here, 365:00:00:00 Memento Mori, my friends.

[@_pan-tastic_28]

The fact that it has now been three entire years since this channel's deletion is... just mind-numbing. It's always good to look back and remember because memories are all we have left now. Memento Mori, friends.

[@donklee2260]

I remember I watched the whole livestream as much as I could. It had like 30 minutes left. I had just come off of a mental breakdown and missed the last 30 minutes because I fell asleep. Really hate that I did but the channel really got me through some of the toughest times ever

[@smashleymcbashley6250]

"young boy lover, James Charles" holy shit lmao

[@JayLaw]

😋

[@smellytoad666]

LMAOIO

[@Dluxe]

I remember last year I wore my coffin shirt and someone recognized it. We sat down and chatted a bit about our favorite memories. I dont regret a single moment. Every night binging every episode, and being there from day 0 to the last final moment of the channel

[@alicehazelprescott7651]

Holy shi, even just the clip of the deletion gave me the same chills and emotions all over again

[@sarcasticat6979]

I'll never forget the weight of sitting in front of a black screen, alone in my room at 3am, the world silent. I was there for every video and the entire 12 hour final livestream, and then the next day I had to meet my friend for coffee as if everything was normal; as if I didn't have one of the most bizarre, unique experiences of my life just hours earlier. It's incredibly strange to mourn something that... isn't gone. I knew people would reupload the episodes. I knew Mark and Ethan would still make videos together, just under a different context. But it's not the same. It really felt like something died that day. And knowing only 1.5 million people were there for the final moments... SO many when you try to envision them in one place, but so FEW in the grand scheme of things.... I'll probably never meet an Unus Annus fan in the wild- and if I ever do, there's a good chance they only heard about it after it was gone. And it's nearly impossible to recreate, too. A HUGE factor of this project was the fact that Covid isolation happened right in the middle of it; sure, you can hunt down the video reuploads and watch them in order once a day, but you'll be missing a crucial part of the overall experience, the isolation, the fear, the cabin fever, and the doubling down on their core message: make the most of what life throws at you. Like, people will certainly replicate something similar to this project in the future, but will it be unexpectedly paired with a global crisis that heavily accentuates the message of the project itself? "Make the most of the time you have left" feels much heavier when you're suddenly stuck in isolation and unable to actually go out and "make the most" of anything, because everything is shut down. That type of mourning is unique, mourning a life you didn't live, alone in your room, unable to visit your friends, wishing you'd said yes to just a few more party invites, wishing you'd been more open minded to that thing you were invited to, because suddenly you wonder if the chance will ever come up again. Things you might usually mourn on your deathbed but... for most viewers they still have 60+ years to live. I don't think anything will come close ever again, at least not in our lifetime. It was a perfect storm of circumstances.

[@simpelgames645]

I just learned recently that this was a thing, and I hate myself that I wasn't a part of it. Memento Mori

[@microd0se]

at the time i had just lost my grandpa. the video came up and i was interested cause i love just weird new videos, and when they explained the concept i bawled my eyes out. they were speaking to me and how i needed to handle his death. i watched every video no matter what, that whole year was a hellhole but everyday i came back to hear that clock to remind me there’s not much time left and to enjoy the memories i can create now. the day it ended a little piece of me left and i went through a grieving period. i process what i was feeling and i was able to process his tramatic death when they uploaded a year later taking to each other i grab my dads phone and ran to watch them in sink. they have forever helped me through a time that with out it i don’t know where id be. the lesson they teach about death will forever be a gift to me. they helped me so much. i’m sure lots of other feel this way but for me it was so much more than the concept, it was accepting that into my life

[@seiru_ryu]

Unus Annus really was something else out of any videos I watch and I always love every intro/outro they made. It's a fun memories everytime I think about it so seeing this really reminds me that I was there when it happen and it wasn't just a dream.

[@Aeveir1311]

The thing is, Mark and Ethan likely both understood that this series wouldn't be completely erased. One only has to look as far as the Internet Archive to find the full series of Unus Annus. It's a rule of the internet - once you post/upload it, it will always exist in some functional form, *especially* if you're two big content creators like Mark and Ethan. So, no, Unus Annus isn't gone in a content sense, one can find the entire series easily. But what Unus Annus truly encapsulating, at least for me, was the experience of being there when the videos were uploaded, when the channel was active, when Mark and Ethan were *at that time, in the moment* making those videos. It felt like those of us who watched Unus Annus were actively along for the ride, and we could experience the excitement/anticipation of the next video every, single, day, for an entire year. Again, Mark and Ethan are aware that nothing is deleted entirely, and anyone here can find the full series, but it will never feel the same. And those who weren't there, won't get to experience it the way it was meant to be experienced. Watching the series now feels like you're watching a corpse slowly deteroriate and return to the Earth.

[@ThAt0n31D10T]

I remember seeing unus annus as a reason to wake up back in quarantine. I'd used to sleep till 4 pm, but god damn would i be upset if I missed that 2 pm upload

[@lords_gamer1829]

Unus Annus helped me get through senior year of high school after it got wrecked by COVID, as well as the first half of freshman year of college, when I had no friends and no life outside of class and work. It was truly a special thing to be a part of. And I still love going back and watching fan compilations after Mark and Ethan said those were perfectly fine. So many amazing videos that are nothing more than memories

[@respectfulevil9022]

Watching unus annus reuploads is probably like looking at photos of dead family members, you remember how things are but it will never be the same

[@samuelbrandon4832]

Having never seen one episode, I see this is an absolute win

[@TheGameBest7]

They tried to escape the end, but ultimately all we have is the memories we made. As one who watched it all I can say it helped me through tough times. Remember Death. #WeWereHere #MementoMori

[@liamcolotti6824]

I spent too much money on their merch and I don't regret it at all.

[@mikethegoo]

Actually, I decided to "celebrate" the death day of Unus Annus every year on the date the memorial video gets out by remembering it, watching the video of both Mark and Ethan and wearing the clothes I bought as a memory, as well as some other things to fit the theme. I hope I can expand on rituals, especially if I find other people who were there or weren't but want to celebrate it too. Maybe we can make it into some kind of unofficial holiday with its own customs and traditions, as well as some customs and traditions that depend on who is celebrating it in their own way. I myself noted it in my agenda as "Memento Mori day". I feel like that indicates what it is fine, but I can also see if I can think of a more accurate day, because "Remember death day"/"Remember, you will die day" is not that catchy... I accept suggestions, but for now, I call it that and we'll see if it sticks.

[@Hint0Lime]

I think I will forever wish that I had caught Unus Annus when it was around. Somehow that period of time came and went without my ever knowing, and I'll never get to experience what those 800 million viewers did. I actually teared up watching this. I think, in it's own way, that was part of the point of the channel. It wasn't just for the people to watch the rise and experience the loss, it was for a legend to pass around. It was for people like me to hear about in awe, but never get to see firsthand. Like hearing about old family members who passed before I was born. The glint in my friend's eyes when they recount what Unus Annus meant to them, especially in an awful time like 2020, is tangible, and it's beautiful. Memento Mori.

[@astedroid]

Can gladly say that I was there seeing it born and die. Memento mori, Unus Annus