Monday Melodic Musings: Mouryou no Hako – Mouryou no Hako ~main theme~

The convoluted chronology. The discussion of spirits that lasted one and a half episodes. And, of course, Kyougokudou’s (Akihiko Chuuzenji) dramatic reveal at the end as the disparate components of the mystery finally flow together into a coherent, engrossing narrative. Those were the three things that stood out to me most when I watched Mouryou no Hako, one of the more underrated anime series out there for mystery/horror fans.

Mouryo no Hako ~main theme~

[audio:Mouryo no Hako – Mouryo no Hako ~main theme~.mp3]
Not surprisingly, the music plays a strong role in making Mouryo no Hako’s storytelling an immersive experience. “Mouryo no Hako ~main theme~’s” quiet piano introduction brings out the undercurrent of tragedy and the sense of resignation that runs throughout the anime, as the characters find themselves drawn into a circle of fate forged by the past that none can escape from.

The melody, which starts after the introduction, features a slow tempo that reflects the speed at which critical information is unveiled. Nothing about the melody is complex, but it’s nevertheless captivating, drawing you further into the mystery and preparing you for the inevitable sorrow that materializes during the resolution. The sadness the melody depicts lingers, though there is a glimmer of hope that shines in to clear out the dust that obscures the skeletons in each characters’ closet. As their secrets come out into the open, the experience that unfolds is a cathartic one, as the weight of the past is lifted from each person’s shoulders, allowing them to move on with life.

That’s the redemption that the snippet of optimism in the main theme promises, and I assure you the scene itself is well-executed. Definitely not something I’ll ever be able to forget.

For those who do find this show’s premise combining a murder mystery along with Japanese supernatural elements to be an intriguing one and want to give this show a try, here’s some advice: make sure you keep the chronologies straight. The series does try to obscure things by messing around with the order in which they present events, and being able to figure out what happens when goes a long way in making this mystery/horror anime a little more enjoyable.

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.

8 thoughts on “Monday Melodic Musings: Mouryou no Hako – Mouryou no Hako ~main theme~

    • March 14, 2012 at 6:00 pm
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      @Baka-Raptor
      A very good catch. Definitely fitting given just how much of Mouryou no Hako talked about spirits and the whole religious aspect with the fake priest and that ringing brings out that sense of mysticism that the show is shrouded in.

      Reply
  • March 12, 2012 at 5:39 pm
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    Mouryou no Hako is my favourite horror anime. I never realized how quiet and wistful this theme music was, given the dramatic tension building up in those scenes, but now you’ve elucidated on how it worked, I find myself wanting to rewatch those parts again.

    Reply
    • March 14, 2012 at 6:03 pm
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      @Zyl
      I’ve yet to give it a rewatch though I probably should because of the advice I’m giving out here. Would be nice to see exactly where the foreshadowing lies just from the scenes and seeing whether I can connect the dots if I keep track of the chronology correctly.

      From the musical standpoint, there’s certainly a dreamy, resigned aura of tragedy that hangs over the work as a whole, and I find that Murai Shurai brings out that sorrow quite well. It’s as if fate has other plans in mind for the main characters.

      Reply
  • March 14, 2012 at 2:11 pm
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    Some people encourage us to watch anime through favourable previews, screenshots, trailers, walls of incoherent consonants strung together, what have you. Only here can I find a post telling us to watch an anime because of its music, lol.

    Reply
  • July 31, 2013 at 6:11 am
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    listening to the theme and especially that bell now—months after seeing the anime—makes me feel so incredibly strange. powerful theme, more intriguing than expected.

    Reply
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