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

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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

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So many minds

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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

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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

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Date

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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: The second season has come to an end, and the girls have finally graduated. It had some emotional scenes that involve Azusa breaking down at the end and the four girls performing a heartwarming “thank you” song at the end to cheer her up. In comparison to the first season, the second season brought some great insert music such as “Pure Pure Heart,” “Gohan ha Okazu,” “U&I,” and “Tenshi ni Furetayo.” Even though Toyosaki Aki may be the weakest out of the four girls at singing, she does rather well when she performs the insert songs (excluding “Pure Pure Heart”); it seems like the only time you can hear the imperfections in her singing is when she performs the opening themes “Go Go Maniac” and “Utauyo!! MIRACLE.”

“Oh My Gitah!” starts off with a strong, catchy intro. However, that is pretty much undone by Toyosaki Aki’s singing 20 seconds in. Compared to “Guitar ni Kubittake,” a song that also dedicated her “Gitah”, “Oh My Gitah!” feels weak because the former had slightly better singing and the instrumentals were exciting. Here, Toyosaki Aki’s performance lacked clarity and it sounded pretty flat. The flatness from her singing does not go well with the energy that the guitar produced, which leaves the impression that the energy was unused and wasted, causing the song to feel dull and boring. As a result, each subsequent listen is less enjoyable than the last until it becomes rather forgettable.

The second song, “Shiawase Hiyori” has the ability to be calm and catchy, yet Toyosaki Aki’s delivery is dull enough that it treads dangerously close to the point of putting me to sleep since her vocals lacked any energy and it did not feel like she was singing. Thirty five seconds into the song, there is a twenty second section where Toyosaki Aki goes slightly out of tune:

Fukufuku koinu fuwafuwa na kumo purantaa no hana ni mo ne
Egao ga koborechau yo doushite ka na?
Wakannai demo ne… ufufu

In a similar section with slightly different lyrics, it happens again at the two-minute mark and after the small monologue, but it is not nearly as noticeable as it was in the beginning. All in all, it’s more mediocre than terrible, mostly because it has some feeling put into it and not executed in an obnoxious fashion like in “KEEPING SMILE” from Anata Shika Mienai.

Lastly, we have Yui’s version of “Come with Me!!,” which is the second season’s version of “Let’s Go!.” Like its analog, the song is catchy and has good instrumentals, making it the best song out of the three on this single. If you noticed in “Let’s Go!”, the chorus in background says “Come with Me!” in the song and it resembles country music. I have to admit, this was probably the best performance from Toyosaki Aki from the whole single since it had energy. However, towards the end of the song (around 3:07), some of the phrases she was trying to sing are not clear. I am not sure if this is due to her singing or the composition, but hopefully it will not be an issue with the other versions of the song. That’s said, I am still pretty interested in seeing how the other characters will perform their version of “Come with Me!!” in their respective singles.

Overall, this album is a disappointment compared to Yui’s character album in the previous season. Besides “Come with Me!!,” the other two songs are either messy or sounded dull. Even though zzeroparicle finds Toyosaki Aki’s singing “sub-par,” I believe that she is a mixed bag. She can sing decently; her performance of the insert songs and the last character single attest to that. Here though, the greatness did not came and I was let down by her lack of effort. She really needs to put more energy and effort to make the song rise above the feeling of mediocrity it currently gives off.

Rating: So-So

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Tracklist:

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Review: I had plenty of misgivings going into this album. K-ON!’s soundtrack is an utterly dull affair that showcases composer Hajime Hyakkoku’s ability to swamp the listener in an endless flood of aural tedium, but in K-ON!!, you’d hope that he’s learned from the experience. So credit where credit is due: Hyakokku shows signs of promise with this soundtrack, and the result of his hard work is an album that is a marked improvement over the first season’s. The music is livelier and you can actually feel the energy that Hyakokku channels though the rhythm and tempo. These efforts aren’t enough to propel K-ON!!’s score into the upper echelons of music that come from the slice of life genre, but it’s listenable on the whole, and that’s a step in the right direction.

Already, the first couple tracks radiate life. The mundane aura that permeates K-ON!’s OST still remains in its reflection of the show’s seemingly pointless moments, but the tiny dose of energy that Hyakokku fuses in with the score is enough to put it a cut above the first season. This is especially noticeable in tracks like “Asahi wo Abite,” which employs an upbeat synth melody that brings an image of K-ON!’s characters having fun while trying to maintain some semblance of putting effort into practicing their repertoire to mind. The piece is light-hearted and its energy feels like a fresh breeze that blows away the first season’s soundtrack’s stale air.

Asahi wo Abite

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Further on in the album, “Imouta no Asa” is one that stands out in the way it utilizes Japanese instruments in conjunction with the synth backing it up to create a blending of the traditional and the modern in a wonderful fast-paced track that grows as it conveys the zest that the characters have in their pursuit of enjoying high school life to the fullest. Closer towards the end, “Happy rainy day’s” presentation is quaint in that the twinkling harmony and percussion do an excellent job in their depiction of the slow raindrops pitter-pattering upon the streets and sidewalks. The mellow melody exudes the warmth and contentment of being inside, looking out and taking in the scene quietly, surrounded by friends who share in the wonderful experience.

Imouta no Asa

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Happy rainy day

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But if there’s one thing the samples above reveal, it’s that the melodies are incredibly simplistic, and so, I maintain that the reason why I can enjoy them is because of the harmonies that prop them up are implemented well. So woe be to tracks like “Tamamushi Zushi no Sankaku Jougi,” which fares poorly since its xylophonic melody feels bland and empty. Combine that with a drab rhythm backing it up and you have the kind of boring fare that composers should avoid like the plague. I’m also not that fond of “Gatten da!” either since its barrage of synth never supplies a catchy melody to latch onto. While there’s some funky vibes to be had, the track feels emotionally empty, and so, I’m not wont to listen to it outside the context of the anime (if I were to watch this series, that is).

Tamamushi Zushi no Sankaku Jougi

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Gatten da!

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Those tracks might be boring, but they’re harmless in that they don’t leave a painful impression. The same cannot be said for “Usagi to Kame” which is a testament to how terrible Toyosaki can be when she sings. I’m not sure what impression Toyosaki is trying to put forward here. Is she trying to sound like an 8-year old girl? She doesn’t. Is she completely drunk and someone had the misfortune of succeeding in goading her to sing like an 8-year old girl? Or is the idea to come off as an elementary school student who has self-inflicted one too many blows to her head? Either of those are possible. Whatever she’s doing, the screeches, slurring, and off-key singing are bad enough to warrant consideration of being in violation of the 8th Amendment should the U.S. government ever use this song as a tool for punishment. Ending the soundtrack with “Usagi to Kame” is a terrible way to go, spoiling Hyakokku’s otherwise decent efforts, and leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Usagi to Kame

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Composing slice of life music is no easy task, and K-ON! was never known for having particularly good background music. Still, bad Toyosaki vocals aside, this album manages to deliver Hyakokku’s competent efforts that show some improvement over his previous score even if there are still areas that he needs to work on before his work can even compare to some of the more proficient composers out there. That day may come though, and so, I do hope to see incremental improvements down the line as he finally figures out how to compose decent melodies to seamlessly weave in with his harmonies.

Rating: So-so

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Tracklist and miscellaneous album information provided by VGMdb.

Review: I enjoy experimentation and heartily endorse efforts to mix and arrange music just to see how another person’s creativity can breathe new life into a musical work. But the ever present danger is the potential for the effort to backfire, resulting in a travesty.  While that word is too strong of a term in this instance, there are a few tracks in this ANIME HOUSE PROJECT album that are discordant enough to antagonize my eardrums if I listen for too long.

That IOSYS is inconsistent is nothing new. My experience with them comes from their remixes of Touhou music, and each track in any album will vary in quality.  For example, their Touhou Suisuisusu album includes fantastic big band jazz and gothic lolita themes, but those are offset by strange monologues in which the speaker appears to be stuttering or singers who screech horribly. The good generally outweighs the bad, but on the whole, an IOSYS album is like a box of chocolates.  You just never know what you’re gonna get.

Unfortunately, we really must have gotten unlucky with our box since ANIME HOUSE PROJECT vol.2 fails to reach the bar that IOSYS’s previous works have set. The main problem lies in the lack of a truly outstanding, memorable track to compensate for all the terrible ones because the better pieces lack the dynamism and creativity that we have seen from the group in the past.

It doesn’t start off too badly though.  “TOMARE!’s” jazzy flavor mixed with A~YA’s laid-back vocals showcases ARM’s ability to remix the original’s pop rhythms into something new while retaining the original’s energy.  The bass and keyboards that accompany the vocals during the verses and the trumpets that set the tone during the chorus section sculpt out a vibrant atmosphere that makes this arrangement a fun and enjoyable listen.

TOMARE!
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But immediately, “TOMARE!’s” creativity is offset by “Cagayake! GIRLS’s” sheer awfulness.  The background beat is about as bearable as being hit repeatedly by a sledgehammer, leaving one to ponder whether ARM was feeling particularly sadistic when he arranged this piece.  Though the vocals themselves aren’t terrible, it’s difficult to fully judge its quality when that pounding beat overshadows anything else in the song that could have been worth mentioning.  I knew this arrangement was doomed when it took me five tries to even get through this song.

Cagayake! GIRLS
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And just when you thought that “Cagayake! GIRLS” is about as bad as it could possibly get, the album decides to slam “Motteke! Sailor Fuku” in your face.  The song’s guitar groove catches your attention, giving you the false hope that minami’s arrangement will be ROCKIN’.  Unfortunately, the vocalist, Yuko Hirabuki, comes off sounding like some aging has-been rapper whose deep voice has seen better days.  When you keep in mind the shoujo rap origins of the song, this performance is so off-putting that it’s difficult to figure out whether you’re supposed to laugh or cry after listening to this disaster.

Motteke! Sailor Fuku
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The other songs are a bit of a mixed batch, but are decent enough.  “You’s” arrangement adds a techno beat on top of Chata’s calm vocals, but otherwise, the song doesn’t get a major facelift as the original’s poignant atmosphere is preserved well.  On the other hand, “Dango Daikazoku” manages to be a bit more enjoyable than its source and that’s because the techno beat along with a more dominant singer helps carry the song a bit better.  Same goes for “Super Driver.”  In spite of the weird keyboard opening, I found miko’s voice synthesizer-like vocals to provide an engaging experience since it is better than Aya Hirano’s boring rendition in the original.

you
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Dango Daikazoku
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Old school shows also get a nod in “Do You Remember Love” and “Tsuki no Mayu.”  The former song gets dressed up with a techno beat and through anporin’s singing, the song keeps its solitary feel and subdued, yet passionate feelings.  “Tsuki no Mayu’s” arrangement has more of an early presence because of the throbbing beat, but once Misawa’s voice enters, one cannot help but be entranced by the arrangement’s etherealness.  The feeling of loneliness is pervasive throughout this piece, bringing to mind a person drifting out in the far reaches of space without having a traveling companion.

Tsuki no Mayu
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Lest the good arrangements like “Tsuki no Mayu” lull you into a false sense of security, you can always expect ARM to unleash a bit of silliness at the very end in “Fuwa Fuwa Time.”  The opening notes sound like some psychedelic piece from Katamari Damacy as it uses a vast array of synths to grab at your attention along with Ayu’s distorted vocals.  Once more, ARM goes overboard with the synth since it obscures the vocals far too often, making it really hard to enjoy the performance.  The whimsical nature of the original is retained save for the part where the singer has to speak some lines – that part has been changed to a rap – and though this is not usually my kind of music, I think the execution is amusing enough for it to pass by a razor-thin margin.

Fuwa Fuwa Time
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There are a lot of things wrong with this album and I suspect that a part of it is because IOSYS, and ARM in particular, has not been able to draw me in the way the way they used to lately, and this is a problem that plagues this album too.  The variety of tracks to be had range from headache-inducing to enjoyable, but none are truly outstanding.  If there’s one thing that I’ll praise it for, it’s that none of the tracks are boring.  But anyone looking for consistent, quality anime music arrangements are well advised to search elsewhere.

Tracklist:

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Review: K-ON! is destined to fade away into the mists of time since the series offers little in the way of ambition and enjoyment and unfortunately, the soundtrack takes after it distressingly well. While the soundtrack’s lack of ambition is not a huge issue given the show’s scope as a moe slice of life, the soundtrack’s blandness is problematic and completely inexcusable especially when one compares it to other shows that occupy K-ON!’s niche. Hidamari Sketch x365′s music stands out by virtue of its catchiness and generally pleasant melodies. And even a cursory listen just shows how wide the gap is in the quality of Tomoki Kikuya’s compositions versus Hajime Hyakkoku’s. K-ON!’s music is so boring that I’d venture to say that I wish it’d violate my musical sensibilities because that way, I can derive some sort of value from the listening experience. At least that’s better than being put into a catatonic state by this dull affair.

If nothing else, this soundtrack manages to stay true to the concept of light music. Each track is simple to the point of being nothing more than ditties, but Hajime Hyakkoku delivers a consistent effort in sticking to this framework while conveying many different moods and feelings through his music. For example, “Have some tea?” presents a lackadaisical melody that fits in perfectly with the light music club’s slacker tendencies while “Morning dew” has an upbeat tempo that is suggestive of a bright, sunny morning packed to the brim with possibilities. Both tracks also succeed at being fairly nondescript. The former sticks with a repetitive melodic line that becomes grating after about the third listen and the latter has all the flourishes necessary to display its upbeat feeling, except that it’s marred by a feeling of soullessness. These two issues aren’t isolated to these tracks alone. As you go through this album, you’ll recognize that the problems are pervasive and although they will be an annoyance at first, the feeling of boredom will be exacerbated as you move further along.

Have some tea?
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

And it doesn’t even take all that long for that to happen since the succeeding tracks bring forth the same sort of bland inoffensiveness that afflicts the first two tracks. “Kawaii Inbou” and “Virtual love” both attempt to throw funky electronica for a bit of variation, but those efforts fare poorly since both songs focus so much on the beat that it comes at the expense of their melodies which are far too dull in their repetitiveness to be enjoyable. “Genki!” is different in that there’s some effort put into the track, which is fine if it didn’t try so hard to convey that upbeat feeling. By coming across so strongly, the track feels disingenuous as though Hyakkoku were trying to get in your face in his attempt at emphasizing the amount of energy that “Genki!” possesses. As you move further along, “Karui Joudan” will jump out, mostly because this track feels like Hyakkoku’s attempt at channeling Koji Kondo by composing a piece that’s close to Kondo’s compositions for Nintendo’s Mario franchise. Unfortunately for Hyakkoku, “Karui Joudan” demonstrates that he neither possesses Kondo’s skill or execution in composing memorable themes, rendering it completely forgettable.

Genki!
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Karui Joudan
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You still have to give Hyakkoku credit for making an effort to make sure that the rock-oriented aspect of the show isn’t overlooked, even if some of the pieces fall flat. The rock portion starts with “Dead soldiers,” which is an abrasive piece that feels like a cheap attempt at conveying a grim mood because the piece’s blaring approach is excessive to the point of being unconvincing. “Hold on your love” is a slight improvement because it actually puts forth some amount of emotion into the melody, making it a decent listen. The improvement in the rock-ish vibes culminates in “Falling reinforced concrete” which feels really out of pace in the series since the tempo and melody are more suited towards a racing video game (Bowser’s castle came to mind when I first heard it), but at least I can at least enjoy what it has to offer.

Falling reinforced concrete
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

That rock segment is decent enough relative to other tracks on this album though by no means are they the only decent tracks. While the best tracks in this album barely reach the point of being above average, look hard enough and you can find a few. “Ii Yumemite ne” is enjoyable since the keyboard’s slow, meandering, mellow atmosphere feels serene, as though it were depicting a sense of security and tranquility. And as far as piano goes, “Hesitation” isn’t too bad either since it does carry a sort of tension borne from uncertainty as though it were describing someone soul-searching and encountering some difficult obstacles, whether they be physical or mental. The only thing to note though is that while these tracks are decent enough, in a better soundtrack, they wouldn’t really stick out as being particularly remarkable. Given the sorry state of this album, I’ll just have to take what I can get.

Hesitation
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

As you approach the end of the album, you will come across a few arrangements which run the gamut from being noticeably better than the original tracks to being as drab as the originals. “Tea at the night of Christmas” falls into the former category because I enjoyed the way it infuses some energy into the piece, making it a nice picker-upper once the main theme in “Have some tea?” makes its appearance. “Dress ni Crepe wa Niawa nai?’s” execution makes it more enjoyable than “Crepe wa Ikaga,” because the arrangement succeeds in bringing forth a wave of hope tempered by a sense of melancholy while the original sounds muted and boring to begin with. However, “Koneko no Ensou Kai” would fall into the latter category because its simple melody fails to be engaging by sticking to the same uninspired melody that mars the original track. At least the album makes a valiant attempt at ending on a happy note with “Happy End,” even if the generic melody becomes painfully obvious in the first few seconds.

Koneko no Ensou Kai
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

It doesn’t take long for the disparity in the quality of the vocal songs and the soundtrack to become apparent, which just goes to show how much thought and care (or lack thereof) was put into the background music. This soundtrack was an utterly dull, uninspiring state of affairs that amounts to little more than a waste of time. Although an argument can be made that so long as the music manages to fit the series, it has served its purpose, but even if it is looked within the context of the series, K-ON!’s BGM is so generic to the point that it sticks out like a sore thumb. So my message to Hyakkoku, should I ever meet him, is this: Take some risks! Be controversial! Do anything to avoid being boring!

Rating: Not Good

(Added note: It seems to me that Hyakkoku could have had a decent career being a composer for Nintendo since his style isn’t all that different from many of Nintendo’s composers.)

Review: For some reason, the act of listening to “Fuwa Fuwa Time” filled me with trepidation for irrational reasons that come from the cheesiness inherent in the track title as well as the music video which was just bit silly. Putting irrational fears aside, the song does work within the context of the series by reveling in its cheesiness (which isn’t really a bad thing) and when you get Youko Hisaka to carry the vocals, the song manages to sound pleasant overall.

Youko Hisaka’s performances on “Don’t Say ‘Lazy’” and “Sweet Bitter Beauty Song” have already given us some sense as to her versatility as a singer, and “Fuwa Fuwa Time” provides yet another data point to affirm her vocal abilities. The song starts out with a very catchy guitar groove that segues into Hisaka’s light and fluffy entrance rather well. Hisaka’s voice comes off as being pleasantly endearing in the way she toes that fine line between timidity and determinedness as she tries to draw from her spring of courage to talk to the person she really likes. The emotions that she conveys makes for a perfect match with Mio’s personality and it’s a fun song to listen to with the only cheesy part from the first verse being the call and response part that revolves around the phrase “fuwa fuwa time.”

The second verse keeps the listener’s attention through that little pause in the background music at the beginning, giving Hisaka a moment to shine before it continues on its way with its rhythm and energy. Nothing out of the realm of expectations comes along until you hit that brief interlude with the funky guitar part as well as Hisaka’s recitation around 2:56 which stands out from the rest of the song. Hisaka’s tone during the recitation brings out a mix of sultriness with some agonizing as she tries to summon that courage before becoming annoyed and throwing it off completely in a humorous, but endearing display of frustration. It should be noted that Aki Toyosaki’s silly accompanying interjection marks the other cheesy part about this piece before it closes out with the chorus section along with the song’s namesake call and response, leaving you feeling light and somewhat amused.

“Tsubasa wo Kudasai” seems more like a practice song since its laid-back tone doesn’t have quite the stress and urgency of a live performance and the song sounds better this way. The rhythm is enjoyable and the tempo gives me an image of the girls traveling around on a road trip while singing this song in the back of a beat-up old car. The singing rotation also adds diversity to this song in the way they each exude that sense of joy and freedom they get from just exploring the world around them. Overall, “Tsubasa wo Kudasai” is very upbeat and the girls’ performance makes it a very fun song to listen to.

“Fuwa Fuwa Time” is another addition to the soon-to-be-long list of K-ON! songs that are solid even if their longevity is in doubt. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since being able to strike the listener in such a way that the song becomes memorable is no easy task, and given K-ON!’s laid-back plot, it’s hard to determine whether these songs are meant to stand the test of time. So within the context of the series, “Fuwa Fuwa Time” successfully brings out Mio’s cutesy, sentimental side, but to ask for anything more than that is akin to wishing that K-ON! pack its BGM with music from Wagner’s The Ring Cycle. K-ON! isn’t a show that’s meant to be taken seriously, and as such, light-hearted songs like “Fuwa Fuwa Time” fit the bill.

Rating: Good

Fuwa Fuwa Time (hoarse Yui version)

Review: People have been generally favorable with regards to K-ON!’s OP/ED singles with the prevailing opinion being that Don’t Say “Lazy” is far better than Cagayake! Girls. After listening to “Don’t Say ‘Lazy,’” Youko Hisaka’s delivery immediately stands out as being stronger than Aki Toyasaki’s performance on “Cagayake! Girls,” but the caveat here is that while both pieces on this album are enjoyable, there are still lingering questions about their longevity because they do not leave any sort of lasting impact.

Right away, Youko Hisaka’s performance is reminiscent of Aya Hirano’s on “God Knows,” particularly in the way Hisaka’s voice sounds really close to Hirano’s Haruhi voice. Hisaka’s delivery is really what people are concentrating upon because she sounds confident. While a lot of anime OP/EDs are more whimsical or focus on universal themes like lost love, Hisaka exudes a sense of confidence as though to say that she’s unafraid to face failure as she sings her heart out like the way Haruhi did in that school concert episode. Of course, it also helps that Hisaka’s voice fits that edgy rock feel set by the guitar and drum set. I especially liked the way she sang the

mienai koto de BATAashi surundesu

part because its intonation is done rather well and is followed by an intense delivery of the first verse. Hisaka continues with alternating between verse and chorus until 2:52 to 3:20 which gives her a nice break before she comes in again to bring the song to a close. The music itself might not be first-rate, but she certainly knows how to sing rock and her voice is what makes all the difference.

And if you thought “Don’t Say ‘Lazy,’” was packed with confidence, give “Sweet Bitter Beauty Song” a listen. This song comes off as being aggressive because Hisaka’s delivery carries an attitude that seems to care little about how others perceive her, making her come off as being independent-minded. Like with “Don’t Say ‘Lazy,’” the melody isn’t particularly outstanding with most of the focus being placed on Hisaka’s expressive delivery, especially in the way she conveys her confidence. The way she expresses herself is why I find “Sweet Bitter Beauty Song” to be the more enjoyable of the two tracks on this album, even if it’s just a slight preference over “Don’t Say ‘Lazy.’”

Youko Hisaka’s performance on both pieces are pretty solid and while I enjoyed them, a part of me still questions as to how long their lifespan will be since neither of these songs struck me as being particularly memorable. The contrast between the songs on this album and the best-known Kyoto Animation rock song becomes readily apparent: “God Knows” was an absolutely unforgettable experience both in the way it was presented within the anime series and through Hirano’s stirring delivery with most of the impact coming from the latter aspect. While “Don’t Say ‘Lazy’” comes close to it in terms of enjoyability, it’s still a far cry from “God Knows.” “Sweet Bitter Beauty Song,” despite edging out “Don’t Say ‘Lazy’” slightly, doesn’t have quite the same level of flair either. Because of this, I’d say give both pieces a listen and enjoy them for what they’re worth, but like the comment I made in my review of Cagayake! Girls, just don’t expect people to remember this six months down the line.

Rating: Good

Ending – Don’t Say “Lazy”

(Note: While this is totally unrelated to music, does anyone else think that the ending animation is overrated? While I can understand the music grabbing people’s attention, everything else about the ED sequence leaves me feeling indifferent for the same reasons that a certain friendly neighborhood blogosaur points out in his post.)

Review: Let me preface this review by saying that though I highlighted a few major flaws in the songs on this album, I did find them catchy and enjoyable for what they’re worth and that the final rating at the bottom reflects that in general, this album isn’t bad in the least. So with that out of the way, “Cagayake! GIRLS” continues the trend set by other shows in the four schoolgirls, one slice of life comedy anime genre by delivering an upbeat song to bring out the excitement that the characters experience in their day to day lives. In doing so, the first track on this album will invite comparisons to songs like “Sketch Switch” and “Hatena de Wasshoi” from Hidamari Sketch and Hidamari Sketch X365 respectively. By comparing Hidamari Sketch’s OPs to K-ON!’s, it shouldn’t take long for the latter’s faults to become apparent.

“Cagayake! GIRLS” starts out with a harsh-sounding set of chords that help establish a rhythm that the singers can work off of while capturing the listener’s attention. The song’s tone changes quickly as the melody takes a more energetic, genki-filled approach (if I may use the term) once Aki Toyosaki (Yui) makes her entrance. As soon as the song gets under way, the tempo moves quickly and Toyosaki gives off a passable performance since she is able to capture the sort of excitement that her character Yui Hirasawa derives from going to school as she experiences this newfound lifestyle.

The choice of words here was quite deliberate since “passable” is about as good as it gets. Where this song falls short of its potential is in Toyosaki’s performance because it feels just a touch restrained. This song’s sheer energy that one can pick up from the background instruments does demand a similar amount of energy and expressiveness from the singer and Toyosaki doesn’t quite deliver the full range of what this song requires to really become effective. Because of this, when you compare it to a song like “Sketch Switch,” “Cagayake! GIRLS” isn’t quite as effective in conveying the earnestness and excitement found in high school life.

In addition to Toyosaki’s somewhat reticent delivery, one should also watch for a few points at which the song descends into cheesiness. The segment that I’m referring to is around 2:34 right when they finish up the second verse and each singer makes their in-character introductions by enthusiastically shouting their characters’ names which comes across as a bit of a distraction rather than something that’s cute and charming which was probably the intended goal. The interlude that comes afterward also feels slightly off, but at least it segues into the end in a manner that makes sense melodically by transitioning back to the main key before wrapping things up nicely.

“Happy!? Sorry!!” makes for a stark contrast to “Cagayake! GIRLS” by delivering a funky, hardcore rock atmosphere right from the get go. Everything, from the background instruments to Aki Toyasaki performance, seems a bit harsher, but the presentation is done rather well with Toyasaki carrying the melody while the other singers back her up after each line. There are a few points in which this song reminds me of “Yellow Vacation” from Pani Poni Dash, like the short motive from 1:05 to 1:08 that gets repeated a few times as well as the chorus section which is delivered well through the way the lyrics are sung in that dismissive sort of way. Be on the lookout for some weird segments like the one from 2:15-2:22 where the singers shout phrases, the part around 2:26-2:33 where the music stutters, and the abrupt shift around 2:45. In spite of these oddities, the tone and mood of the piece makes for an enjoyable change of pace even if it’s not a song that I’ll listen to repeatedly.

While there’s no denying that both songs are listenable in their own right, I can’t help but feel that neither of these tracks have staying power since there’s nothing about them to make either one stand out. Tokasaki’s delivery in the first track does enough to bring forth “Cagayake! GIRLS’” energy, but not enough to make it memorable and “Happy!? Sorry!!,” while different from a lot of B-side tracks through its funky rock vibe, doesn’t quite cut it when it comes to long-term enjoyment. So go ahead and give these a listen and enjoy them if they’re the kind of pieces that are up your alley. Just don’t expect anything profound or compelling that you’ll look back to even six months down the line.

Rating: Decent

Opening – Cagayake! GIRLS

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the Winter season was disappointing, both in the quality of the shows as well as the music end of things. We got maybe one good soundtrack out of it and the OP/ED themes are mostly a bunch of misses save for a few decent ones (and Sorrow-kun practically got the OP/ED bases mostly covered save for the omission of Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou’s ED “Aishiteru”, my opinion though, not his).

But now that Spring 2009′s season is well under way, this one has definitely been filled with a lot of interesting titles and, as depthcharge101 noted in his comment in an earlier post, it’s packed with some pretty promising soundtracks as well. Anyhow, here’s a list of the shows I’m following and what I think of their soundtracks based on the few episodes I’ve seen so far. These commentaries are not meant to be very in-depth in their analysis and my opinion could easily change as the series progresses, so please keep that in the back of your mind. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Eden of the East
No, this blog isn’t really supposed to deal with plot or anything important like that, but I’d just like to comment that this series has given us the best two episodes from any anime series shown so far this spring season. The soundtrack has also been enjoyable since we have Kenji Kawai behind the reins and he’s done an excellent job mixing some of the more calming, heartfelt themes, like when Saki and Akira are together just interacting (great on-screen chemistry by the way) and divulging backstories, along with some of the pieces that are heavy on the tension. Kawai doesn’t restrict himself to a single medium either and I was able to catch some solo piano, some synth here and there, and of course, some orchestral which means that we can expect an excellent, varied soundtrack to come out of this one.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Yes, I do realize that writing a piece of music that’s as heartfelt and sentimental as Michiru Ooshima’s “Brothers / Brajita” is nigh impossible and for that matter, trying to write a soundtrack on par with Ooshima’s efforts on FMA’s first season is one hell of a tall order. But in spite of these high expectations, I’ve been enjoying what Akira Senju has delivered. If you’ve heard any of his stuff from Red Garden and Princess Arete, you will be able to pick up on a few themes that he reuses for FMA2. By and large, this soundtrack has been able to excel in terms of conveying a sense of the melancholy which is fitting given what’s transpired so far in the series. I do have faith in the fact that he’ll be able to pull off another memorable soundtrack and will definitely be getting this one once it comes out.

Guin Saga
I’ve only been through one episode of this series so far, but already, the plot’s looking pretty good with a Berserk-ish atmosphere that pervades the overall series. The music has also been really enjoyable, but curiously enough, I haven’t been able to identify any Uematsu-isms in the soundtrack so far. Uematsu seems to be focused on providing an epic orchestral experience and so far, has delivered upon that. What we haven’t gotten a lot of are his signature synth melodies that are readily identifiable (give Blue Dragon’s Soundtrack a listen sometime to understand what I’m getting at since I admit it’s hard to explain) and it’s too early to tell whether that’s a good or bad thing. For what it’s worth, I’ve enjoyed the pieces I’ve heard from Guin Saga’s first episode than I did with Blue Dragon, so that’s got to count for something.

Hayate the Combat Butler!!
With Kotaro Nakagawa at the helm, one might expect great things given his previous works on PlanetES and Code Geass, but like his earlier soundtrack for Hayate the Combat Butler, it doesn’t really stand out all too much. Indeed, the anime series will shamelessly peddle character CDs (of which there are too many to keep track of), but the BGM seems to be more of an afterthought. At least the music still fits the series and doesn’t stand out as being conspicuous in a negative way even if it’s just a bit on the forgettable end.

K-ON!
Surprisingly enough, K-ON! has one of the weaker soundtracks this season since the show doesn’t seem to be prioritizing the musical aspects as much as the comedic character interactions. The times when I did pay attention to the background music resulted in a rather lukewarm impression. While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the music per se, its lackluster melodies aren’t anything to write home about and don’t impact the series much, if at all. In a way, this isn’t too different from Kyoto Animation’s other shows that don’t rely on Key visual novels (e.g. Clannad, Kanon) or a sequel to a franchise whose first season was done by another animation studio (Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid). Not that it matters much since everyone will be too distracted by the characters’ antics to really care about the soundtrack (myself included).

Ristorante Paradiso
I really like this show’s atmosphere. It’s seeped with class and when you put the music on top of it, you can effectively label it as a show with an environment similar to Bartender’s but with a soundtrack that’s almost ARIA-esque. Appropriate too because according to TheBigN, some of the musicians working on Ristorante Paradiso also plied their trade as members of the Choro Club. Obviously, that revelation ranks high up there on things that are very much relevant to my interests and needless to say, I’m highly highly anticipating this soundtrack’s release.

Saki
Gonzo certainly has a knack for producing anime series with above average soundtracks. Give the soundtrack to the oft-maligned Strike Witches a listen and you can see how Seikou Nagaoka manages to interweave militaristic and slice of life themes in one decent soundtrack. Mind you, it’s nothing great, but nothing bad either.

So with Saki, we get a mix of pleasant pieces that flow really well with what’s taking place on screen and if you’ve followed lelangir’s music blog in the least, you will note that he’s already got one piece from Saki transcribed for your enjoyment. It’s a nice, dainty piece that fits in with the tone of the series so far, but there will undoubtedly be some serious pieces once the series begins to focus on the intense mahjong matches to come. How memorable the soundtrack will be at that point is anyone’s guess, so it’s a matter of waiting and seeing at this stage.

Sengoku Basara
If you’ve played the Dynasty Warriors series of games, you’ve pretty much got an idea as to how this series sounds. There are points where you hear some epic orchestral music and once the action heats up, there will be plenty of rhythm-heavy music (read: techno) to flow with the intensity of the action on screen. Because of the heavy influx of of techno and electronica as well as the show’s tone which reeks of silliness, I don’t expect anything great to come out of this and unless I hear more promising tracks down the line, this will be another soundtrack to forget.

Valkyria Chronicles
There’s not really much to say about this particular title since everything is going about as well as I’ve expected from the soundtrack front (though apparently people are annoyed that Alicia is coming off as a tsundere). As for the music, Sakimoto hasn’t deviated at all from the game soundtrack yet and I’ve been recognizing the tracks left and right, which means that my expectations have been met. It should be noted that according to an interview with Sakimoto over at Original Sound Version, we have this little gem:

Sakimoto: Also at the beginning of April, I can’t remember the exact date, but the animation series for Valkyria will start as well.

OSV: And you’re scoring the entire thing?

Sakimoto: Yes. But the atmosphere of the music in the animation is very different from the game. The director loved comical style music, so I guess you’ll just have to hear it.

OSV: Were these team-based or by yourself?

Sakimoto: Valkyria is being done by myself, but Muramasa is by Basiscape.

This might not bode well for fans of the game if there will be more emphasis on the more comical moments rather than a drama-heavy war-themed series. Either way, I’ll be interested in seeing how this plays out should the Valkyria Chronicles anime get a soundtrack of its own.

The Final Word
The lineup has been pretty solid through and through and though there are a few notable shows that are not listed here but show promise in the realm of soundtracks (Pandora Hearts, scored by Yuki Kajiura, being the main one), I’m definitely looking forwards giving most of the ones on this list a listen. Given my current status, I’ll only be able to review a small fraction of them (quite possibly just one), so stay tuned for those. And of course, as of this posting, K-ON!’s OP and ED singles have both been released, so you pretty much know what I’ll be working on for the next couple of days.

And of course, feel free to share any series not on this list which might have some decent BGM that’s worthy of a listen. Stuff does fly under my radar, so any recommendations on the music front are always welcome.