GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class – music palette – Original Soundtrack – Review

Album Title: GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class – music palette
Anime Title: GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
Artist: Jun Abe; Ai Tokunaga; Haruka Tomatsu; Kaori Nazuka;
Miyuki Sawashiro; Yui Horie
Catalog Number: AVCA-29463
Release Type: Soundtrack
Release Date: October 28, 2009
Purchase at: CDJapan, Play-Asia


Disc 1
[spoiler]

Track Title Artist Time
1. Osaki ni S’il Vous Plait Ai Tokunaga; Haruka Tomatsu;
Kaori Nazuka; Miyuki Sawashiro; Yui Horie
4:00
2. Coloring palettes Tomokane iro Miyuki Sawashiro 3:45
3. Coloring palettes Kisaragi iro Haruka Tomatsu 4:14
4. Coloring palettes Nodamiki iro Ai Tokunaga 4:03
5. Coloring palettes Kyoju iro Kaori Nazuka 4:48
6. Coloring palettes Namiko iro Yui Horie 3:51
7. Kokoro iro Palettes Ai Tokunaga; Haruka Tomatsu;
Kaori Nazuka; Miyuki Sawashiro; Yui Horie
4:04
8. Shikisai Sentai Irodorunjaa Ai Tokunaga; Haruka Tomatsu;
Kaori Nazuka; Miyuki Sawashiro; Yui Horie
3:40
9. Egaite A So Bo! Jun Abe 0:41
10. Irodorunjaa no Theme Jun Abe 1:10
11. Osaki ni S’il Vous Plait (piano ver.) Jun Abe 1:56

[/spoiler]
Disc 2
[spoiler]

Track Title Artist Time
1. GA ~ art design class Jun Abe 3:54
2. Kisaragi (forget me not blue) Jun Abe 4:04
3. Nodamiki (Sunflower) Jun Abe 3:40
4. Kyoju (Silver Lining) Jun Abe 3:04
5. Tomokane (Funky Strawberry) Jun Abe 3:32
6. Namiko-san (evergreen) Jun Abe 4:11
7. Aa-san (Chocolate Street) Jun Abe 2:12
8. Same-chan-sensei (Dandelion) Jun Abe 3:29
9. Tomokane Ani (lapis lazuli) Jun Abe 2:57
10. Eyecatch 1 Jun Abe 0:08
11. Subtitle 1 Jun Abe 0:08
12. Sakura Blossoms Jun Abe 1:44
13. DTBT Jun Abe 1:30
14. Spring Greens Jun Abe 1:36
15. What Color Do You Like? Jun Abe 2:03
16. Lemonade Seranade Jun Abe 3:03
17. Eyecatch 2 Jun Abe 0:09
18. Cloud Nine Jun Abe 2:13
19. dozy dozy Jun Abe 1:59
20. Subtitle 2 Jun Abe 0:09
21. Poster Color Jun Abe 1:29
22. So many minds Jun Abe 1:19
23. 4989 Jun Abe 1:55
24. Sandman Jun Abe 2:24
25. The Stranger from India Jun Abe 1:22
26. Heliotrope Jun Abe 1:36
27. raspberry dreams Jun Abe 3:02
28. Rainbow Chaser Jun Abe 2:10
29. Indigo Sky Jun Abe 3:36
30. Talkin’ Bass Jun Abe 1:24
31. Sunset Smile Jun Abe 1:51
32. Here We Go Jun Abe 1:47
33. Fog Jun Abe 1:56
34. Suneko Jun Abe 1:41
35. Tale of Colors Jun Abe 1:08
36. Yokoku Jun Abe 0:18

[/spoiler]
Review: A snap judgement of G.A. Geijutsuka Art Design Class would be to label it a poor man’s Hidamari Sketch. Both focus upon the day to day lives of a group of girls in a special art program, both feature an OP sequence sung by the show’s seiyuu, and both make use of a soundtrack that is relaxing, employing light jazzy melodies to depict its scenes. In each of these instances, Hidamari Sketch comes out ahead, but the gap in the quality of the soundtracks is much smaller. This bodes well because those who liked Tomoki Kikuya’s compositions for Hidamari Sketch will feel perfectly at home with Jun Abe’s score for GA.

Before we actually descend into the nuts and bolts of the score itself, I’ll just briefly go through the first disc which contains the OP, ED, a few insert songs, a nonsensical ditty, a super sentai theme parody, and a soft piano version of the OP. The OP itself is enjoyable enough, but doesn’t really leave a lasting impression like Hidamari Sketch x365’sHatena de Wasshoi” simply because it doesn’t come with a catchy segment to draw me in. On the other hand, the piano version is pretty in the way it captures the light-hearted, gentle mood of the series, thereby preparing me for the actual score.

[spoiler show=”GA OP – Osaki ni S’il Vous Plait”]

[/spoiler]

As for the EDs, those are a mix batch. I do like the soft accordion in Haruka Tomatsu’s rendition even if the vocals feel off since I’m more familiar with her energetic pieces like “motto☆Hade ni ne!” Of the five, Kaori Nazuka’s mature-sounding version backed by the gentle, soothing swing melody is the most enjoyable and the result is what you’d get if marble decided to add a dab of jazz to their music. The others do not catch my fancy and of those, Yui Horie’s performance is the most obnoxious since it insists on injecting a heavy pop beat which ends up overshadowing her singing completely.

[spoiler show=”GA ED – Coloring palettes Kyoju iro”]

[/spoiler]

While the vocal tracks vary in quality, it’s the score itself that wins me over. Up to this point, I haven’t heard enough of Jun Abe’s compositions to form an opinion, but I was enthralled with his offerings here. The main theme catches your attention through an upbeat, jazzy keyboard that makes way for a rhythm and light melody that draws forth the undercurrent of energy and enthusiasm from each scene as the characters move from one art genre to another. I loved the way the many instruments transitioned in and out of the melody, making it a perfect depiction of the characters’ creative, playful exploration into the world of art.

GA ~ art design class
[audio:01 GA.mp3]

That it’s really catchy doesn’t hurt either and Abe takes advantage of this to arrange several variations, doing it in a way so that the theme never outlasts its welcome. For example, “Sakura Blossoms” offers a slow, wistful melody that conveys a wonderful spring morning through its light touches on the piano. “Sunset Smile” has the flute playing a slow air as its purpose is to bring the day to a close while retaining the optimism that tomorrow will give rise to new adventures and new discoveries. Every variation adds a different perspective, allowing the main theme to encompass all aspects of the girls’ lives.

Sakura Blossoms
[audio:12 GA.mp3]

As we move away from the theme, we find that the soundtrack delivers on the other aspects of the show such as the character depictions. Kisaragi’s theme is sweet and mellow as it moves at that slow tempo to match her easygoing nature while Noda’s is more energetic. Though I’m not fond of that heavy accent that precedes each section in the latter, the way the piece jumps around captures Noda’s eccentricities and ADD tendencies perfectly. Like with the EDs, Kyouju’s theme is my favorite since it’s more dignified and even a bit mysterious. But probing deeper, one can hear a playful aura that shows how she’s able to have fun in her own way while exuding calmness in spite of her occasionally chaotic surroundings. As for the rest, Tomokane’s is more energetic, employing a funky style that nails her tomboyish attitude while Namiko’s normal personality is reflected through a piece that doesn’t stand out a whole lot. Ironically, it’s all too fitting because that is how she is presented in the show as well.

Kisaragi (forget me not blue)
[audio:02 GA.mp3]

Kyoju (Silver Lining)
[audio:04 GA.mp3]

Tomokane (Funky Strawberry)
[audio:05 GA.mp3]

Jun Abe also incorporates other sounds and experiments around so as to cover the myriad situations that the girls find themselves in. “So Many Minds'” synth and sound effects create the feeling of vastness of space before introducing a fast, electronic melody that feels like an explosion of life coming forth from the void as various new life forms parade out. As far as experiments go, I enjoyed “Talkin’ Bass” because the dissonant notes come together to create a monologue replete with moans and groans amidst the murmuring from the background instrumentals. It’s off the beaten path musically, but the execution is cleverly done. Moreso than Natsume Yuujinchou’s soundtrack anyhow.

So Many Minds
[audio:22 GA.mp3]

Talkin’ Bass
[audio:30 GA.mp3]

Though the remainder of the album is diverse, GA’s focus on smooth jazz music and the way variations on the main theme help tie it all together makes this soundtrack an enjoyable listen. Compared to shows of the same genre that use a similar style of music (Sketchbook and Hidamari Sketch), GA’s is the weakest offering, but not by much. Its use of jazz still feels fresh, instilling within you the joy and energy that the characters experience in their daily lives and making this album a good recommendation if you’re looking for relaxing fare.

Rating: Very Good

Added Note: For those who don’t know, Kyoju is the one in the upper left corner eating paint. No, I don’t know what this means when I say I enjoy her character themes the best. Maybe I need to get myself psychoanalyzed. orz

zzeroparticle

Anime Instrumentality's Founder and Editor-in-Chief. As you can probably guess, I'm a big anime music junkie with a special love for composers who've put out some beautiful melodies to accompany some of my favorite anime series. I tend to gravitate towards music in the classical style with Joe Hisaishi and Yoko Kanno being a few of my favorite composers, but I've come to appreciate jazz and rock as anime music has widened my tastes.

10 thoughts on “GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class – music palette – Original Soundtrack – Review

  • March 12, 2010 at 6:38 pm
    Permalink

    If you look carefully, her mouth’s above the brush and thus she isn’t eating paint.

    An eccentric character but i enjoy her character themes the best as well, probably from the calming vibes exhuming from her version of the ending song.

    Hitotsu~Hitotsu~Hitotsu~Hitotsu~
    Hitotsu~Hitotsu~Hitotsu~Hitotsu~

    Reply
  • March 12, 2010 at 9:19 pm
    Permalink

    The tracks didn’t really do it for me. I guess I’m just not in the mood for such upbeat music right now.

    Reply
  • March 12, 2010 at 10:16 pm
    Permalink

    This isn’t my favorite type of music I’ll admit but I couldn’t help not love Noda’s being a Noda fanboy. I think it fits her well. Though I think Tomokane’s “Funky Strawberry” is my favorite of the the “color themes”. I like how Horie yui breaks character for her ED while the others all stay in character.

    “So many minds” was definitely one of my favorite tracks. I love how it turns into a waltz. If the first part of the song sounded like the vastness of space then the 2nd half made me think the planets started dancing.

    I like the less jazzy atmospheric pieces best. “Tale of Colors” with it’s meandering harpsichord. “Rainbow Chaser” with some lovely violin…puts me in mind of when Kisaragi was drawing her cats. A lovely daydream piece. And others. Most of the latter half of disc 2 because it is so eclectic.

    Reply
  • March 13, 2010 at 3:49 am
    Permalink

    @Mia
    Looks like you’re right on that count since I didn’t see that line in the image that represents her mouth. But yeah, her calming vibe is what really endears her to me and you can hear a slight dab of eccentricity lurking underneath.

    @Yi
    All good since I might be alone in liking this optimistic swing-y jazzy flavor that the soundtrack loads up upon. The samples are fairly representative of the music, so this might be one you’ll just pass up on.

    @Taka
    I really liked that jazz segment in the middle of Noda’s track and would probably have put it in as a sample if I didn’t think it was overkill. But yeah, despite that heavy accent, it jumps around quite nicely.

    I guess my whole “blooming with life” might be a bit off from your interpretation of the musical context, but we do know that the increase tempo does signal some activity and it’s a pleasant experience all around.

    Reply
  • March 15, 2010 at 2:41 pm
    Permalink

    Nothing much for me to comment on since this type of music isn’t really my cup of tea.

    Reply
  • March 16, 2010 at 1:45 am
    Permalink

    @Reltair
    Yeah, as I’m discovering, I might have a taste for stuff that others might not fancy so much, especially in the easy-listening jazz department. But it’s all good though. I’d be annoyed if people agreed with me all the time :p

    I think you said that you’re not a huge fan of slice of life-style tracks, and GA’s OST is filled with it. Might be best to look elsewhere.

    Reply
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  • April 23, 2011 at 4:44 am
    Permalink

    Oh yes! And I thought I was the only one who liked this soundtrack from a fairly popular title.

    This album does not leave you short on groove and melody, yet it fits nicely in the slice-of-life theme. Rather than compare it with Hidamari’s and Sketchbook’s OST, it’s better to see this one as a whole unique musical experience.

    Reply
    • April 24, 2011 at 9:22 am
      Permalink

      @roy
      I don’t recall GA being that popular since for most people, it seemed to fall into the 4-koma mold and for some, that kind of comedy doesn’t work. The music does however and it brings out the unique quirks of each character and the bizarre moments that crop up.

      Reply

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