It took me the better part of the year to get all the way to 2009, but getting that chance to revisit all the music from shows that I’ve watched and those that I only know of through the music feels like a long, but rewarding journey. I’ll express more of that joy and nostalgia in an afterthoughts post consisting of what I’ve learned, new stuff to check out, etc; this one is reserved solely for 2009′s shows, the year that brought us the divisive, but popular K-ON!, an end to the enthralling Kara no Kyoukai movies, and, of course, the excitement and mystery embodied in Eden of the East. Musically, this year saw names like Masaru Yokoyama and Akihiko Matsumoto put their stamp down while video game composers I’ve enjoyed have made ventures into the realm of anime music. There’s a lot to talk about, that’s for sure.

So as usual, full clips are delivered here, Youtube ones are spoilered. I’ll be cheating a bit and linking to reviews when warranted to save time else I’ll be repeating myself a bit too much. Beyond that, just sit back, and enjoy the bevy of tunes from the recent past!

Queen’s Blade
Let’s start with a surprise. Yes, Queen’s Blade’s reputation has preceded it because of the multitude of T&A on display in every episode. It’s understandable why that might make Queen’s Blade so off-putting for many, but there’s a not insignificant number of writers who can vouch that underneath the fanservice is a solid story. And though I can’t personally vouch for the show’s content, I can vouch for its music. Masaru Yokoyama’s contributions to the soundtrack have been solid, and I’d definitely put his name on my radar since he looks like to be a very strong up-and-coming anime composer. I especially like the way the main theme for the series turned out. The first does have a strong, adventurous spirit behind it in the vein of the type of music you’d expect out of medieval fantasy epics while the second conveys the end of a long, victorious, heroic journey.

Main Theme A

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Main Theme B

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Guin Saga
And while we’re dwelling on fantasy epics, Guin Saga certainly fits the bill given its roots as a series of fantasy novels penned by Kaoru Kurimoto that served as a major influence in Kentaro Miura’s work on the popular Berserk manga. From all the reports I got, the Guin Saga anime is found wanting, and that’s not too much of a surprise since adapting a 100+ volume novel series into 26 episodes and expect some sort of finality is sheer folly even in the best circumstances. I did catch bits of it early on and that was mostly because of Nobuo Uematsu’s involvement with the score. If you’ve listened through the Final Fantasy series where Uematsu serves as the composer, Guin Saga’s music should sound familiar since his style from the FF games does carry over to the anime. “Grand Opening – The Thread of Fate” draws forth the anime’s epic scope and makes for an appropriate opener for the soundtrack. The entire “Mongaul Suite” is also worth giving a listen, but of the four tracks that comprise the suite, it’s the “2nd Movement (Sortie)” that reminds me the most of Uematsu’s FF scores somehow.

Grand Opening – The Thread of Fate

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Mongaul Suite – 2nd Movement (Sortie)

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Kemono no Souja Erin
Here, we have another fantasy anime. This one isn’t as action-oriented, but from all the screenshots and summaries that I’ve seen and read, the story looks to be compelling, filled with plenty of drama brought about by solid writing. The setting is also one of its other strengths. If you’ll recall the review I wrote of Kemono no Souja Erin’s soundtrack, one of the points I made was that composer Masayuki Sakamoto brings out the “long time ago in a fantasy world different from our own” tones through good use of traditional instruments, evidenced in tracks like “Kodai no Kamigami” and “Ashita,” with its upbeat flute melody.

Kodai no Kamigami

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Ashita

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Bounen no Xam’d
You really can’t go wrong with Michiru Ooshima since the orchestral delights that she’s been serving up continue to persist along with the addition of a vocal work from the chorus that sounds suspiciously like the one used to sing FMA’s “Brothers.” It’s a series packed with action, making it a good match with Ooshima’s musical tendencies and I really hope that I can find the time to actually watch the whole thing since I’ve heard nothing but good reports flying in (well, except for the ending).

堕夢人のテーマ～現に一添えの想い～

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Kara no Kyoukai
Kara no Kyoukai’s atmosphere is downright heavy. There’s just so much darkness enshrouding the characters and setting that it’s a big part of why the movies are so immersive. And when it comes to sculpting that dark atmosphere, I can think of very few composers who can match the outstanding work that Yuki Kajiura has done. The tracks in the first movie are the most memorable ones and I wish I could give them names other than the generic tags like “M01″ which draws forth the mystical, haunting aura of the setup through Kalafina (who perform some excellent theme songs which I’ll cover later) or “M12+13′s” discordant opening that takes us into a heavy rhythmic section before dispensing with an utterly glorious section that combines grace and power in one awesome package.

M01

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M12+M13

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Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
While I did not watch this show, the reports from people who have been watching suggest that it gets better and it all ties together rather well, which means patience is the key to enjoying this one. And while you’re trying to make out all of the religious/mythological elements or whatever it is this show throws at you, hopefully you do pay attention to Yoshihisa Hirano’s score. Of all the anime composers that come to mind, Hirano is probably one of the few who works the most in the classical style with his channeling of Mozart in Ouran High School Host Club and Orff in Death Note. I’m not quite able to identify the composer whose influence Hirano works off of in Bantorra (though Orff might not be a bad bet), but the work he does is compelling if you enjoy the heavy dose of ominous choral pieces that he scatters in this score.

Magic

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Antagonism

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Umi Monogatari
What is a Ken Muramatsu soundtrack that doesn’t carry the relaxing tones that he’s used from his previous works? If you’re going into Umi Monogatari expecting anything new from him, there really isn’t much to speak of. His music is still soothing as he, once again, employs that combination of traditional Japanese music with the light jazz that dominates his earlier works. It’s still a good listen, though the same can’t be said for the anime series, which didn’t really have that solid of an execution because one character in particular wasn’t too sympathetic. Good for doing homework since it blends right in without being distracting, yet still holds up even if you do focus on the music.

Eikyuu no Nagisa ~a dream in beach~ (Umi Monogatari Theme) – Shinrabanshou

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

“Teidanuhikyari” (Shima Uta) – Aragaenu mono

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
I’ve always been partial to slice of life music with an upbeat tone to it, and I suppose that’s a major reason why GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class’s soundtrack jibes with me so well. Its music stirs you with its energy that pushes you to expand your horizons by consuming a broad swath of enriching experiences and accumulate a storehouse’s worth of insights to help you think outside the boundaries of what you thought was possible. The characters’ approach to art lessons has an irresistible amount of gusto, captured in tracks like “GA ~ art design class.” Yes, I’m aware that this soundtrack isn’t for everyone, but it meshes well with my outlook, and so, it’s one that I’ll put on whenever I need that extra bit of energy to see me through whatever it is I’m doing.

GA ~ art design class

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

So many minds

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Summer Wars
The fantastic adventure that Summer Wars brings to light is captured through Akihiko Matsumoto’s score, which combines glorious orchestral pieces along with heavier synth tracks in its depiction of the virtual world. As I commented in my review of the Summer Wars soundtrack, it does tend towards experimental music in the middle, making it less appealing to me since the tracks that I enjoyed the most were the orchestral tracks. That said, “Kasou Toshi Oz” certainly has its place since it unveils the bustling virtual world bit by bit, and the alarm-y nature of the track feels like a wonder revelation. Still, nothing beats the excitement that the “Overture” summons. Listening to that, you feel like you’re about to embark upon a grand adventure of a lifetime!

Kasou Toshi Oz

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Overture to the Summer Wars

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Aoi Hana
This yuri anime offers up Takefumi Haketa and with that, a clear sign of what to expect: good melodies that have this tendency to reuse 2-3 thematic components. In Aoi Hana’s soundtrack, he doesn’t abuse this to the extent that he does with Someday’s Dreamer’s soundtrack, but it’s worth mentioning for people who are looking for greater melodic differentiation within a disc. For the rest of us who enjoy sweet orchestral and/or piano airs, this is a wonderful soundtrack to relax to.

Komorebi wo Kakeorite

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Date

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
That was more than what I meant to cover and is indicative of how much my anime viewing habits along with my penchant for musical delving has come. But it’s not quite over yet! So take up that last remaining storehouse of energy and let’s rip through the OP/ED/Insert songs on page 2!

Review: Nagi’s crisp and soothing voice beckons me forward, luring me into a most wonderful trap. In composing “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari,” Ryo seems to know my musical weaknesses all too well, and once the piano began to play, I was completely enthralled.

Prior to watching Bakemonogatari, my only exposure to supercell had been through “Black Rock Shooter,” a song that I thought was merely okay (and I’m sure I’m in the minority on this). “Love and War” was better; I liked it well enough but beyond that, I wasn’t about to go out of my way to check out more of their music.

Nagi’s voice makes all the difference here. Miku, being the piece of software she is, cannot express the beauty of the lyrics quite like Nagi. In “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari,” Nagi conveys unto us the clumsiness that she feels upon realizing her feelings for another person amidst the beautiful, starry backdrop of the night sky! And as she gazes out into the vastness of the galaxy, the energy from the instrumentals goes up a notch as to reflect her pounding heart resulting from looking at that wondrous sight while coming to terms with her feelings as she compares herself to the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi (see Tanabata).

Altogether, this song is masterfully done. The piano part during the bridge is reminiscent of the energy in Nodame Cantabile’s “Allegro Cantabile,” and Nagi’s quiet voice builds up nicely to a rousing finish, filled with a touch of nostalgia that, when tied in with Bakemonogatari’s last TV episode, makes this song all the sweeter and more satisfying.

With “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari” bringing such a strong impression, it’s a shame that “LOVE & ROLL” doesn’t quite match it in terms of addictiveness. Nagi’s voice does shine once more, but this time, the mixing of soothing vocals amidst a vague feeling of anxiety is marred by the noticeable repetition. That is, all pop songs are going to have it, but here, the melody isn’t catchy enough that would really hold one’s attention and so, ends up dragging on. Other faults abound, ranging from the use of engrish that I find to be distracting, the whispered parts which feel more of a gimmick, and the abrupt way in which this song closes out. The funky rhythms and instrumentals are nice, but the way “LOVE & ROLL” is presented just does not cater to my tastes.

But the single picks right back up with the “theme of ‘CENCOROLL’” which puts its electronica to good use to create a purely instrumental, but engaging track that has a short snippet that sounds almost like a Touhou theme. The beats are pretty nifty and I just wish the song was developed further. Still, I do like what I hear from this track.

I’ll admit a healthy dose of context bias that comes with “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari,” especially with how it all comes together in Bakemonogatari’s last TV episode. But even if you have no knowledge of that, it’s hard not to be taken by Nagi’s vocals, which fit in with supercell/Ryo’s compositions extremely well. Though “LOVE & ROLL” doesn’t make for as strong a followup, it doesn’t diminish what the previous track was able to imprint in the minds of its listeners and looking back at all the OPs and EDs to come out of 2009, “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari” still remains my favorite.

Rating: Very Good

Bakemonogatari ED – Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari

Tracklist:

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Review: After listening through Satoru Kousaki’s compositions for Bakemonogatari, I came out of the experience ambivalent. There are some noticeable tracks, but the vast majority did not have as strong an impact unless you’ve seen the anime. That doesn’t mean it’s bad music, especially for fans of minimalist music (Eric Satie’s compositions for example). The problem is that absent context, it comes down to whether one likes this kind of music and after listening to Bakemonogatari’s score, I conclude that I do not.

Before we dive into the details of the BGM, there is Yui Horie’s OP song for the Tsubasa Cat arc to mull over. Of Bakemonogatari’s OPs, this one would have been the least memorable if they had anyone else singing it, but with Horie at the helm, it’ll get some notice. To her credit, she delivers a passable performance. Like most of Bakemonogatari’s OP themes, “Sugar Sweet Nightmare” is a love song, but one that differs because of the slight edge that suggests she’s trapped in a situation that will ultimately result in the destruction of her loved one if she is forced to reach out to him to seek his aid. For those who have watched the anime, you’ll find that this song mirrors Hanekawa’s (voiced by Horie) situation perfectly. To that end, Horie does a good job of intoning her anxiety-filled feelings to the audience, sharing her innermost thoughts. While unmemorable, in light of her other recent works, “Sugar Sweet Nightmare” deserves a pass.

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

It’s harder to decide whether Kousaki’s compositions meet that standard. Granted, a soundtrack composer’s role is to write music that fits in with the anime’s mood, and if I were to judge solely on that criterion, Kousaki would pass with flying colors. In “Machi Dan Chimata Setsu,” the piece plods along with its purposeful rhythm and you can hear Meme Oshino’s mind moving methodically through the melody, making sure not to leave any stone unturned until he nails down the cause of the supernatural problem. The contextual enjoyment can also be had in “Shugendou,” which gives off the atmosphere of a Shinto ritual through the measured drumbeats, and works to draw you in with its mystical tones.

Machi Dan Chimata Setsu
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Shugendou
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Where they don’t work too well is when you listen to it on a standalone basis. Both tracks employ a repetitive melody and because none of these pieces deviate from the pattern that they set early on, both turn bland quickly. Kousaki does work in some variety through the really repetitive tracks like “Jinchiku” and “Tawagoto” by adding instruments to the main piano or xylophone part. It packs the pieces with more substance and if I knew more about music theory, I could spend time figuring out how the instruments work well to complement the main melody. Unfortunately, my preferences are much more basic than that, and though I recognize both pieces’ musical complexity, as a more casual listener, the repetitiveness is irksome and I oftentimes find my attention wandering elsewhere when listening to it.

Jinchiku
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
But my attention is brought right back through tracks like “Haikyo” and “Kami Iki,” both of which exhibit a country blues melody through the harmonica. Aside from Cowboy Bebop I’d be pretty hard-pressed to come up with other anime series that uses this type of sound, and so, its novel use is very enjoyable. I particularly like the mini-cadenza at the end of “Haikyo” which allows for the performer to show off just a bit with his harmonica skill to engage the listener further. “Kami Iki” is the more mournful of the two and it works along with the bells to intertwine a sense of mystery and tragedy into the piece. What these two tracks demonstrate is Kousaki’s ability to go off in different genres and execute them well and had this soundtrack contained more of these tracks, I would have enjoyed it much more.

Haikyo
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Kami Iki
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
In the end, it all boils down to an issue of taste and how much you like listening to repetitive, minimalist tracks. It doesn’t change the fact that Kousaki is a competent composer. It’s just that in Bakemonogatari, his focus on working the music within the scenes doesn’t make the score a memorable one unless you’re using it as a means to remember the show’s wonderful moments. If that’s precisely what you’re looking for from your soundtracks, you may enjoy it. It might not glue you to your seat, but at least it won’t staple you there either.

Rating: Decent

Review: What makes “Renai Circulation” so catchy? I can’t speak for others, but I’ve had this song on repeat for these last few days and it never seems to get old. But articulating why I like it? Well, that’s harder to pin down.

Maybe I’m just enthralled by this song for non-musical reasons. After all, Sengoku is a very charming character and you cannot divorce her character and personality from this song. As you watch her behavior and listen to her dialogue in the anime, her shyness, earnestness, and honesty already go a long way in making her an appealing character.

But while the association to Sengoku Nadeko is there, “Renai Circulation” derives its enjoyment from the way Kana Hanazawa brings out her character. In the beginning, you can hear Sengoku feeling doubtful and wavering over whether to confess her feelings to Araragi. The soft rapping part that follows captures her anxiety-filled monologue quite well since the thoughts aren’t totally coherent and she jumps around a bit. But through it all, Kana Hanazawa’s speed and tone is light and gentle, fitting Sengoku’s demeanor like a glove. This is especially true of the chorus where the fluffiness and cutesy levels are completely off the charts which result in an endearing performance overall.

The only part that even gave me pause was the bridge from 2:33-3:05, but that’s hardly a deal-breaker since I’m willing to write it off as Sengoku repeating a mantra to herself to summon the courage needed to take action. Also, the instrumentation doesn’t play as strong a role save for maybe the tuba which helps keep up the rhythm and tempo. Since the focus is pretty much on Hanazawa’s performance anyways, that isn’t really a problem either.

Between this song, “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari,” and “staple stable,” Bakemonogatari has a comfortable monopoly on the catchiest themes of 2009. But it should be noted that these songs have the power to endure. Getting me to listen to “Renai Circulation” repeatedly after it airs is one thing. But doing so about 4-5 months afterwards is a testament to it being more than just a fly-by-nighter. I wouldn’t bet against me listening to this song years down the road.

Rating: Very Good

Renai Circulation

Review: Even though a significant amount of time has passed since I’ve seen any Bakemonogatari episodes, there’s something about Chiwa Saito’s “staple stable” that continues to resonate with me on a subconscious level. Maybe I’m also afflicted by this whole “Senjougahara fascination” business as everyone else, but in listening to this song, I just can’t help but fall into a state of bliss as memories of the anime series flood back, especially that of episode 12 where Chiwa Saito/Senjougahara was at her best as she brings us what is quite possibly the most memorable anime moment of the year.

I preface this review with all that because there are a lot of things that this song isn’t. First of all, it’s not one that is ambitious since it’s just a bit too simple. Meg rock’s compositions doesn’t surprise us in any way as “staple stable” uses a guitar playing a steady rhythm to create a backdrop for Chiwa Saito’s voice to work with. So dazzling or complex it isn’t. Secondly, Chiwa Saito isn’t exactly the best singer out there. As you listen to her performance, there are a few notes that just seem a little out of tune either because she’s unable to that low or instances where she comes across a high note and doesn’t hit it straight away, opting instead to glissando into it. Yet, these issues don’t bother me as much here, and I think that a lot of that has to do with the entirety of the presentation, which demonstrates that in some cases, the quality of the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

A lot of what makes “staple stable” so enjoyable is Chiwa Saito’s performance. Up until this point, the only singing I’ve heard her do is when she sings as one of her pre-teen roles (her performance of “Faraway Dream” as Rebecca Miyamoto comes to mind), so to hear Saito bring out her mature, soothing voice into play was a pleasant surprise. Her tone is subtle, delivering deft steps in tandem with the background guitars so that both the vocals and the instruments complement each other perfectly. Furthermore, the lyrics add a lot to the song because they nail down Senjougahara’s awkwardness around Araragi by blending in a dab of anxiety about expressing the extant of her feelings to him atop the current of happiness that she feels as a result of finding someone so selfless. In short, it’s a song that fits Senjougahara’s tsundere personality to a T.

That the melody is also catchy only helps its cause and even when looping this track, somehow, I just don’t get bored of it. The memories of that show is certainly a factor; the offbeat, yet enjoyable animation is part of it too. But even without those elements to back it up, “staple stable” still stands up well in its own right as not only do we come to appreciate Senjougahara all the more, we are exposed to a side of Chiwa Saito that we don’t see often enough. I hope that this is but the start of a new direction for her, both as a seiyuu and a singer.

Rating: Very Good

staple stable

Although Eminence Online is where I submit my anime music previews for upcoming seasons these days, I’ll still be reserving this blog space for the opportunity to look back on the music that’s been presented just to see how my guesses (if I made any) managed to pan out. As far as my summer preview article goes, I wasn’t able to take a peek at some of the shows I mentioned (notably, Toshihiko Sahashi’s work on Elements Hunters, nor was I able to check out Nanase’s work on CANAAN, or Yukari Hashimoto’s double duties on both Kanamemo or Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou. Of course, I wasn’t all too impressed with the music that she had written for Toradora! and the content of the shows themselves weren’t exactly up my alley either. Not that it was a problem since commentators like Sorrow-kun and hashi have declared summer to be one of the better seasons in recent memory (if not the best since Spring 2006). So not only was the content particularly strong, some of the soundtracks were downright fantastic.

In the feature, I mentioned that I wasn’t all too familiar with Takefumi Haketa’s work, but since then, I’ve really come to appreciate the sort of quiet, beautifully-executed piano pieces that Hata uses in his soundtracks. Listening to his compositions from Someday’s Dreamers which I was introduced to through Discovery Week (Week 11) on the MALKeionbu proved to be an enjoyable experience as he uses everything from a light chorus to putting in a section that has Celtic influences in it to top it all off. Though I’m nowhere close to finishing up Aoi Hana, the piano music has been unassuming, but is still beautiful all the same. It’s certainly not the soundtrack I’m looking forwards to most (that goes to the next series I’ll discuss), but the music is pleasant enough and given my love for soft-spoken (some might say boring) piano music, I’ll definitely be all over Aoi Hana’s soundtrack.

Based on what I heard as I followed the series, the prize for best potential soundtrack goes to Taisho Baseball Girls. This series managed to surprise me in so many ways, from its charming moments to the endearing characters, sentiments that I expressed in my upcoming review of the series at your nearest friendly neighborhood Nihon Review. In terms of the music, Taisho was me rediscovering Takayuki Hattori’s music once more since I haven’t listened to any of his works since Martian Successor Nadesico. Needless to say, Taisho’s soundtrack promises to be filled with light, bouncy, orchestral compositions that fit in with the overall atmosphere and that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Bakemonogatari, on the other hand, does not impress me all too much in the music department. The problem I have had with Satoru Kousaki’s work is that they can be enjoyable, but they often play second-fiddle to the content on the screen to the point where it becomes almost unnoticealble. His music was dwarfed by the sheer energy that Haruhi Suzumiya provided and in Bakemonogatari, it’s diminished in the face of the excellent dialogue. The OPs (all of them) and the ED however have stood apart, and all of the songs used have gotten a heavy amount of playtime on my media player or when I jump on youtube to de-stress after a long day. That the OPs/ED have not been reviewed on this site is a travesty and I hope that one of my sporadic contributors will get a review up by next week to correct this grave injustice.

The other potentials that I want to mention are Otani Kou’s work on Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 which managed to take more of a cinematic flavor than the sort of Shana-esque music that have come from him lately. Though I might be reaching just a tad, TM8.0′s melancholy music reminds me of the work he did on Haibane Renmei. I don’t know if anyone feels the same way, but once the soundtrack comes out, I will take the opportunity to compare that and Haibane Renmei’s in terms of stylistic similarities. Umi Monogatari is a show that annoyed me from episode 2 and currently, I’m loath to put more time into that series despite Muramatsu’s usual swing/jazz shtick that has always made for a good change of pace. Of what I’ve seen, Muramatsu does deliver on the summer/beach themes well and the brief snippets of conversation that I’ve caught here and there indicate that his music doesn’t work well during the more intense moments in the series. Spice and Wolf II is more of the same and I still feel disadvantaged at not having Umineko’s tracks at my disposal, but those two are certainly strong and in the case of the latter, brings with it a lot of enthused fanboyish reactions across the places I lurk.

My Fall preview article will hopefully be up at Eminence in a few days. The content of the season doesn’t particularly excite me all that much and I only had about 10 shows to comment about anyways. So while everyone else will be plunging into this new batch, I’ll effectively be dipping my toes in slowly and feeling my way around pretty much in the way that I have done after all these years. Either way, I do hope to see some pleasant surprises roll around.