It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I think the last one was about a month ago. Now taking bets as to whether I finish this before the year’s up!

Anyways, 2006 has been hailed by quite a few as a banner year for anime, where many of the shows I watched still managed to stick within my memories surprisingly well. It does help that this year saw the appearance of heavyweights like Haruhi, whose impact on the anime scene can’t be emphasized enough as we’re still living with its repercussions. No fad has managed to supplant it to near-universal appeal like Haruhi did, and like it or not, it’s going to be a major part of what makes up the fabric of 2000s anime fandom.

That said, most of the musical offerings that I really love from 2006 do not come from this franchise. The celebrated Haruhi songs like “Bouken Deshou Deshou,” “Hare Hare Yuukai,” “God Knows,” and “Lost My Music,” have become overplayed to the point that it’s lost that sense of uniqueness even if they are pretty awesome when they first came out on the scene. It’s like how pieces like Final Fantasy X’s “To Zanarkand,” Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and “Fur Elise,” and, of course, Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” were enjoyable at one point, but I can’t stand to listen to them nowadays. Not trying to knock all of those mentioned above as bad because they aren’t; it’s just been overplayed and since my tendency is to seek out fresh and new stuff that’s underappreciated, I’m not going to bother with Haruhi for this column! There’s more stuff that’s worth one’s time at any rate!

So with that in mind, there’s a lot of good stuff from 2006. I’d be hard-pressed to put my finger on my favorite soundtrack from that year since there are no less than three soundtracks competing for that slot and each of them have something to the that I really like. As usual, clips are in their entirety and youtube videos are spoilered. With that, read on!

Ouran High School Host Club
Squaring off for the number 1 spot will be none other than Ouran High School Host Club. When I remember watching the first few episodes of this series, I was completely dazzled by the music. Yoshihisa Hirano’s compositions are really enjoyable in the way they mix various genres of classical music into a really nice package. Sure, if you were super serious about your classical music, you can gripe about how some of the pieces are just too short and Y. Hirano glosses over opportunities to develop the track further, but I was never bothered by these issues. On the whole, Hirano taps into the whole elegant/pretentiousness vibe associated with the Ouran school and its Host Club through tracks like the “Ouran Concerto” and the “Sinfonietta,” which are among many of my favorites. While Haruhi’s stuff is “been there, done that,” Ouran’s soundtrack still remains fresh and enjoyable to this day.

Ouran Concerto for oboe 2 horns violin and string

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Sinfonietta C-dur

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Bartender
Bartender is also going to compete for that top spot. You could classify many of the tunes from this soundtrack as being nothing more than elevator music, but it sure is damn good elevator music! Its jazzy soundtrack takes us into the soothing atmosphere of Eden Hall, run by Ryo Sasakura, where one can relax and rejuvenate oneself through his concoctions. The mood that “NO NAME ~Kami no Glass~” sets through its piano and percussion really work alongside the narration in the anime and I’m also drawn in to the calming aura that “CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE ~Kiyoshiko” brings to the table with its arrangement of “Silent Night.” The soundtrack as a whole is wonderful and if this is the kind of music you dig, you’ll be in good company with the rest of the music here. I only wish that its composer, Kaoruko Ohtake, would compose more music for anime.

NO NAME ~Kami no Glass~

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE ~Kiyoshiko

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Red Garden
And of course, the last contender would be Red Garden’s soundtrack. I’ve already labeled this a masterpiece, and it’s not hard to see why through its emotional fare coupled with KOKIA’s vocals towards the end. I really do listen to this too much, but that’s fine since it’s still not gotten old and the melodies that I love from it continue to raise the hairs on my neck because of how beautiful they are. Also, I’m too lazy to switch it out with something else and so, it’s an album that seems to have a permanent spot in my car’s CD player.

Sumire ~ You to Tomoni

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Paprika
So yes, those would be the big three, but there’s something to be said about the huge diversity of stuff that’s made their appearance beyond just the pretty music that I love so much. Satoshi Kon’s Paprika movie also came out in 2006 and the soundtrack, composed by the old standby of Susumu “I ain’t Yui” Hirasawa, took me awhile to get into. It was bizarre listening to the bevy of sounds assault me for the first time, but once I watched the movie, all that cacophony somehow made sense. No, I’m not even going to try to explain it since it’s an experience you’ll have to encounter for yourself. Now, I’ve come to love its depiction of chaos through standbys like “Parade” and “The Girl in Byakkoya – White Tiger Field.” Its style may be jarring to those used to quieter fare, but give this one a few chances and it’ll grow on you pretty quickly.

Parade

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

The Girl in Byakkoya – White Tiger Field

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Asatte no Houkou
Asatte no Houkou is one underrated gem, both from the music and the anime front. At its core, it’s a story about how two people’s wishes go awry, but along the way, the characters learn to be a bit more empathetic and understanding, resulting in a sweet story all around. The soundtrack by Shinkichi Mitsumune of Rozen Maiden fame also adds to the languishing feel of summer while sticking in a good dose of soft piano drama music to make things roll. The medley that starts the soundtrack covers most of the show’s musical themes and should prime your expectations as to what the rest of the soundtrack delivers upon. It’s delightful. Maybe not to the degree that some of the others are since it’s mood is rather subtle and I’d hardly classify this as being energetic, but I do listen to it quite a bit, most likely because it starts with the letter A and shows up when I scroll through the list of albums to tune into.

Kumikyoku [Asatte no Houkou]

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Le Chevalier D’Eon
I don’t know how many people have seen Le Chevalier D’Eon, but it certainly was an engaging anime series with its mystery and intrigues that viewers can unravel. Also, conspiracy theorists may find the cultists angle and their goal of controlling Europe’s major powers to be a fascinating bit, especially when names like Robespierre pop up. Michiru Ooshima’s compositions are often overlooked and even if they’re not quite as good as Fullmetal Alchemist or Sora no Woto’s soundtrack, they still demonstrate Ooshima’s ability to depict a European setting. One of my favorite pieces is “Cafe – Paris no Kensou,” which paints a relaxing scene as you sit in a cafe and looking at people walk by the Seine. The other tracks, like “PSALMS” hits the mood rather nicely with those tension-filled melodies that hint at the impending conflict.

Cafe -Paris no Kensou-

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

PSALMS

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Renkin 3-kyuu Magical? Pokaan
Renkin 3-kyuu Magical? Pokaan is completely silly. I’ve already remarked about its misleading OP theme elsewhere since this series is all about a bunch of girls from a different environment trying to get used to modern-day Japan. The comedy isn’t exactly top-notch, but it does have its moments. The music, composed by Elements Garden’s Noriyasu Agematsu, matches the silliness for the most part, though his “seasonal” tracks using the Magipoka themes are the highlights along with the easygoing character themes. Well, assuming you like laid-back my-pace type music, which fits in with my tastes. So Magipoka wasn’t a particularly great, but its music was enjoyable and the whimsical tracks make for a great listen.

Magipoka Theme – Spring

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Magipoka Theme – Summer

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

My-Pace Yuuma

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Yeah, this is a lot of stuff, but it’s no surprise given all the good shows that came out along with the scores which are downright excellent. The OP/ED section is similarly long, so on to Page 2!

In looking at a list of shows and movies released in 2004, the one thing that I notice is the huge gulf in the quantity of shows released during 2004 versus 2003. When I look at such lists, it becomes a constant reminder of what great shows I’ve missed out on. For instance, 2004 was a year that saw the airing of titles like BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad, Elfen Lied, and Paranoia Agent and I have yet to see any of those. Perhaps time will be kind enough for me to go back to give these shows a fair shot, but at this stage in my life, that’s not exactly an option.

So what of the shows that I did see? It’s so huge a list that to cover them all requires me to spend days happily rolling a soundtrack and taking in every note and chord that comes my way and describe it in elaborate detail. In short, it’s not practical, so I’ll keep it as short as I can and leave it to you readers to reminisce and explore these soundtracks on your own.

Note: Once again, youtube videos are spoilered, clips contain the entire track, and with that, let’s go!

It’s really hard for me to believe that Mai-HiME came out in 2004 since it’s always seemed like only yesterday that I watched the action and drama unfold. Maybe a part of that is because how often I give Yuki Kajiura’s score a listen and how tracks like “Ensei ~Omou Kokoro~” are always going to impress me in the way it weaves a mix of mystery and beauty while tracks like “Gakuten-Ou Kenzan!” never skimps out on the action. The soundtrack covers its bases pretty well, and it’s not a surprise that of Kajiura’s soundtracks, this gets the most listens from me.

Ensei ~Omou Kokoro~
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
In contrast to Mai-HiME, Fafner in the Azure might have had action, but it left me utterly bored. The effect that this had was that I ended up paying a whole lot of attention to the soundtrack because it was that good. I really marveled at Tsuneyoshi Saito’s compositions because his orchestral melodies that bordered on the epic while retaining a sense of the melancholy. While the orchestral bit is usually enough to win me over, he also puts in a piano concerto in “-SHOKO-,” which elevates the soundtrack further. I just love the way “-SHOKO-” brings out the depths of despair as we are constantly reminded of the tragedy. Also, you won’t find any atmospheric pieces as this soundtrack brings a really strong focus on the melody which is something I can definitely appreciate.

-SHOKO-
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
We depart from the action-oriented shows and get into the taboo love that characterizes Koi Kaze. Not only were they able to bring out a really mature story given the setup they had, the soundtrack was also a blast with Takumi Masanori and Makoto Yoshimori at the helm. I’m particularly won over by the former’s piano tracks through with stuff like the “Main Theme” catching my attention really well. Maybe that’s just because I’ve really enjoyed it after listening to it on loop in the DVD’s menu. The general atmosphere is emotionally rich, yet restrained which reflects the taboo-laden nature of the relationship between the two siblings.

Main Theme
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Since we’re pretty heavy on the themes of love, Tenmon’s soundtrack for Beyond the Clouds: The Place Promised in our Early Days is always worth a listen. There might be quite a few similarities across Tenmon’s works, but this consistency allows us to compare how he depicts his love themes. “Beyond the Clouds” might start a bit heavily, but as the piece progresses, it sure does an excellent job of bringing those heartfelt loving feelings to the surface.

Beyond the Clouds – The Promised Place
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Finally, we come to Rozen Maiden, which features a good mix of violin, piano, harpsichord, and other instruments scattered about the album which works together to match the show’s setup. In a way, this show requires the mix that you get from a show like Mai-HiME; that is, you need many different kinds of themes to capture both the serious and the whimsical moments that the show serves up. For the most part, Shinkichi Mitsumune succeeds in delivering them unto us.

Bright Red
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

It ain’t over yet though. This list is already getting too long and is sorely in need of a page 2 where I’ve cobbled a list of OPs (and an ED) that I found to be worth my while. They might be worth yours too.

On to Page 2

It seems like forever since I’ve written up anything related to the MALKeionbu (alternatively known as the MyAnimeList Music Piece of the Week Club), but I figured now that we’ve entered our 25th week of voting, there’s something special to be had in this moment. 25 represents a pretty significant psychological barrier, for me at least, because, let’s face it, keeping a weekly event running for 25 consecutive weeks with few hiccups along the way is a pretty huge feat. And for that, I’d like to thank all of those who’ve directly participated whether it’s in track nomination or voting, in making this such an awesome event.

This milestone also offers an excellent opportunity to look back on all the tracks that have come and gone. The weekly process of nominating 7-10 tracks for 25 consecutive weeks yields a whole hell of a lot of anime music of all styles and rhythms. We’ve gone from simple emotions like Love and Despair, scene depictions like Action and Cityscapes, works from a single composer, to examining music covering various styles (Funky/Groovy) and instruments used (Piano, Electric Guitar). The thing that blows my mind the most is the club members’ ability to come up with a pretty good set of tracks week after week and I’ve yet to go through a week where I didn’t learn something new or find some album or composer to check out. Then there are the discussions that result during the voting phase that have been enjoyable to take part in, because through that, you get a better understanding for people’s tastes and opinions which in turn, helps you appreciate the music more. So it’s been a great learning process through and through!

With that in mind, let’s turn to some of the pieces that really struck a chord with me in some way or other. For the purposes of this list, neither tracks that I’ve nominated nor tracks that I’ve heard extensively are eligible since a big part of what makes this club fun is the process of discovering new pieces. So here are my picks:

Week 2 – Love
Anime Title: Giniro no Kami no Agito
Track Title: Ai no Melody
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: Man, even after all this time, this piece refuses to get out of my playlist and the funny thing is that I didn’t even give it points when I had the opportunity to vote for it! And yet, this piece continues to grow on me. The more I listen, the more I notice the little things, like the way she sings the line, “Ai no melodyyyyy” (thanks to Omisyth for getting me to pay close attention to that part) that enhance the track and make it as beautiful as it is. It also got me to take a look at the soundtrack (composed by Taku Iwasaki) and that too, was a very nice experience all around.

Week 3 – Lost
Anime Title: Pokemon Heroes
Track Title: Search for the Girl
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: “Search for the Girl” grabbed me with a sense of energy and purpose that you can definitely hear through the music. Furthermore, the music makes for a good picker-upper because the the violin and accordion parts play really well together to create that sense of the grand adventure that works well on its own. What this piece manages to show is that Pokemon music need not suck and its quality virtually assures it a place in my playlist for a good long while.

Week 4 – Legendary
Anime Title: Gigantic Formula
Track Title: Main theme v.0
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: MAJESTIC! That’s what this track is. The way the track just crescendos in still leaves me in a state of awe every time I hear it, as it instills within me a sense of the story’s epic scope filled with struggles, tragedies, and triumphs. This piece also served as my first introduction to Hiroyuki Sawano and this introduction has been rewarding. The music from Gigantic Formula is gorgeous and I really liked his versatility in moving into rock in his compositions for Sengoku Basara.

Week 5 – Pop Vocals
Anime Title: Top wo Nerae! 2 Diebuster
Track Title: Groovin’ Magic
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: It’s really too catchy for its own good. I mean, ROUND TABLE’s music has always had this sweetness to it like the ARIA EDs, but this one just takes the cake. I’ll just blame the melody for having that catchiness that ingrains itself in so well in my head and never quite lets go. I’ve often found myself humming this song and not realizing that I am until about halfway through.

Oddly enough, half of the list comes from the first 5 weeks. I think a part of it has to do with the time span because these tracks have had more plays compared to some of the more recent stuff. Or maybe actually blogging it helps my memory a bit more than just posting my thoughts in the voting thread itself. Anyhow, let’s skip past a few weeks where we hit

Week 11 – Discovery
Anime Title: Someday’s Dreamers
Track Title: Where the Sky and the Earth Meet
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comment: The piece starts off quietly enough before it comes forth with a very beautiful piano melody. In listening to this, I just can’t help but be drawn in by its sweetness and the feeling of childhood innocence that it depicts through a very whimsical atmosphere that’s just somehow perfect in its execution. The fact that the melody carries a Celtic/Irish flavor is an added bonus since that’s not a quality that I see often in anime soundtracks and variety, in my book, is always a good thing. Also, this track opened my eyes to composer Takefumi Haketa whose compositions have been impressive overall.

Week 16 – Yoko Kanno
Anime Title: Brain Powered
Track Title: Spark
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: When I decided upon our first featured composer, Yoko Kanno was a natural pick since her works span many different types of shows and in general, they’ve been quite excellent. The tracks picked for that week were pretty good, but this gem proved to be a little different, starting with that discordant bit in the beginning which might very well have been a turn-off if one were to stop there. Listening further though, would yield quite a musical treat that mixes dissonance with the epic to really keep one off-guard in terms of what to expect, at least, until halfway through the track where it starts showing its true colors as a piece depicting some sort of an epic finale. It’s the unconventional Kanno that I really like here and this effort shows why she’s pretty much at the top of most people’s lists when they have to name anime composers.

Week 23 – Electric Guitar
Anime Title: Geneshaft
Track Title: IDENTIFICATION
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Comments: Omonomono had blogged about this particular week with the note that as far as anime soundtracks go, rock music doesn’t actually feature prominently in the BGM. Needless does manage to fill that gap (and I’m working on giving that soundtrack my full attention), but before Needless, there was Geneshaft. In “Identification,” no time is wasted as the piece dives into the melody while delivering on the action that this piece depicts. Through it, you can hear some pretty awesome riffs and distortions that really hold your attention and lend an air of intensity. If this is representative of what the rest of the soundtrack has to offer, I’ll certainly have to look into it!

So as we start the nomination process for Week 26 (dealing in badassery), I’ve also put up a survey to better gauge people’s backgrounds and how well the club is serving its purposes. We also have a slew of year-end activities to look forward to, mostly in putting together a compilation of the best tracks nominated this year, so definitely keep an eye out for that. Either way, here’s to another 6 months of awesome anime music!

Voting Thread

Unjustly or no, J-pop does have a tendency to be viewed as a genre that’s rather homogeneous because there’s very little diversity within the set of works out there. Sturgeon’s Law seems to hold a pretty strong grip, but the folks over at the MAL music club did manage to get a hold of some rather enjoyable tracks out of this supposedly inane genre and I was quite pleased with the selections. So let us take a look at what people thought merited a listen after the jump:

Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen – Kanjite Knight
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I have no complaints with starting things off with a rock track as a means of preventing the stale air of J-pop from getting too strong of a hold right off the bat. JAM Project and Lazy work together to unleash a torrent of energy that fits right into the whole old-school giant robot genre as they sing with a great deal of PASSION. Very awesome, though with all the picks that we’ve had this week, there are other tracks that catch my fancy just a bit more, but this one is not bad by any stretch.

White Album – Glass no Hana
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I’m going to say lazy on this one to excuse myself from having to write up something of substance in praise of this track because from the time I wrote this entry until now, my opinions of the song have not changed. (+2)

Macross: Do You Remember Love? – Ai Oboete Imasuka
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Now to get to the real stuff, starting with a piece that has quite a bit of history behind it though I can’t really claim to like it as much since Mari Ijima’s delivery here doesn’t age quite as well as I had hoped. Mind you, I have no issues with the melody or the way the song is executed; rather, my issues stem from Ijima’s voice in that it doesn’t seem powerful enough to project the sort of emotions that this track is capable of delivering through its poignant melody. Compare this performance to Megumi Nakajima’s version on Macross Frontier to note the differences and to see why I prefer the later version much more than this one.

Top wo Nerae! 2 Diebuster – Groovin’ Magic
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Oh god, this track is so campy but oh so sweet. Seriously, the “Ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh Oooooh ooh oooh ooooh” part just gets me every time because of how ridiculously catchy it is that I can’t seem to let that out of my mind. ROUND TABLE feat. Nino has always been outstanding with their music, producing excellent tracks like the Chobits OP as well as several EDs for ARIA. And in this performance, they’ve created an incredibly catchy pop piece that manages to win me over with its pacing as well as it’s ability to put a smile on my face through its cheesiness. Needless to say, I love it! (+1)

Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ – Michishirube
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I really do like this track because it fits my reserved tendencies. It’s soft and quiet, with an air of subtlety that’s really gentle. I think the piano and acoustic guitar parts in the background along with Yuumao’s rhythmic delivery is what secures this piece as one of my favorites since it allows a feeling of calmness to wash over you while you examine your feelings. Yuumao, in particular, helps in that area by dispensing with the subtle sense of longing well when she sings. A very solid track overall!

Kimikiss ~Pure Rouge~ – Wasurenaide
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I figured someone would nominate this track since it’s definitely Suara’s strongest performance as she pours forth a large amount of emotion backed by the piano which complements the song nicely. Her delivery is just so beautifully done that one can’t help but be swept away by the music as a whole. Of all the tracks selected this week, this one is my favorite because of how the vocals and the instrumentation just combines together to feel just right, making it an enjoyable track from start to finish. (+2)

Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~ – I do!
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Of all the tracks selected, I think this one is closest to pure, unadulterated pop. In light of some of the pieces we have at our disposal, this one also comes off as being closest to generic, as nice as it sounds. The singer’s voice is pretty soothing and the chorus part does work as far as being catchy goes. This track is something that I can see myself listening to once in awhile, but it’s not likely to become a mainstay in my audio player.

Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~Natsu no Sora~ – Fly Away
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
A victory for diversity in the form of THYME who delivers a track that has an impeccable sort of pacing that makes for a contagious listen because of how you get sucked into the opening chorus section. The electric guitar and THYME’s voice complement each other well throughout the chorus and even if I’m not as thrilled with the main verses, I really do enjoy the way it builds itself back up to the chorus part. In addition to providing variety as far as the week is concerned, this song also has its own internal variety throughout each verse’s execution, which keeps the song engaging and fun. The shift in the key does feel a bit bizarre as you close in towards the end, and I think that’s the tiny dinger that makes this track lose out on points just barely.

Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ – Neko Mimi Mode
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
What. OK, my objective side tells me this should not get any points at all, but how can I not? It’s so moeeeee that I’m going to die from the sheer cuteness overload. No, I have not seen Tsukiyomi Moon Phase, so I’ll have to picture this in mind with Chiwa Saito’s other characters: namely Rebecca Miyamoto. Seeing Miyamoto-sensei put on cat ears while indignantly saying those lines in the song just conjures up imagery that’s just far too hilarious that I can’t stop laughing in delight. It becomes even more adorable when she starts making those cat noises which grab at your attention and make you go “dawwwww,” a feeling that gets enhanced when she makes that pouting, whining noise. I gotta give it to this track for being able to keep me entertained… and for getting into my head. I can’t stop putting this song on repeat! I’m in DESPAIR!!! (+1)

Code Geass R2 – Masquerade
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I’m apparently not quite as knowledgeable about this artist, but I can say that this track doesn’t catch my attention at all. There’s a sort of airiness that I really don’t dig and the Gothic feel that this song pushes forth doesn’t really sit well with me unlike Ali Project’s Rozen Maiden fare. I just don’t like Hitomi’s delivery. Sorry.

So there you have it! My point distribution can be found below. Week 6′s theme will be based on traveling, so if you want to get a head start, feel free to start digging into that week’s selections. A voting thread will be created once I compile all the music together, but I look forwards to giving them a listen! And I also hope to see some new faces turn up!

(+2) White Album – Glass no Hana
(+2) Kimikiss ~Pure Rouge~ – Wasurenaide
(+1) Top wo Nerae! 2 Diebuster – Groovin’ Magic
(+1) Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ – Neko Mimi Mode