The responses I got were pretty overwhelming and encompassed over 90 (!!!!!!!) composers (if you can believe that). Speaking as someone who can name maybe half that number, this was a pretty staggering amount and suggests that there may be more anime music fans amongst the fanbase than I’ve seen so far and that most are just kind of dormant. Anyhow, you’ll want to know how things will look over the next 15 months (yes, we do intend to cover 15 anime composers), so check out the list after the jump!

I also plan to run through the methodology and maybe do some comparisons between the sites where I put up the request. That boring quantitative stuff I’ve thrown on page 2, so if you’re really interested how things unfolded, you can look there. As for the general list and the number of points they received from voters in parenthesis:

1. Yuki Kajiura (547 points)
2. Yoko Kanno (499 points)
3. Joe Hisaishi (383 points)
4. Taku Iwasaki (295 points)
5. Kenji Kawai (233 points)
6. Jun Maeda (214 points)
7. Susumu Hirasawa (127 points)
8. Shiro Sagisu (124 points)
9. Tenmon (120 points)
10. Kou Otani (118 points)
11. Toshihiko Sahashi (114 points)
12. Yoshihisa Hirano (111 points)
13. Yasuharu Takanashi (103 points)
14. Michiru Ooshima (101 points)
15. Kotaro Nakagawa (83 points)

Names that barely missed the cut include: Naoki Sato, Kouhei Tanaka, Masumi Itou (Hikaru Nanase), and Mina Kubota.

How This Will Work
Each month, we’ll be highlighting a composer and place a bit more emphasis on reviewing their albums. In fact, we’ll try to toss out somewhere around 3-4 reviews specific to that composer each month. Before we even do that though, we’ll start off with a general profile where we highlight any important biographical tidbits, the sort of stuff you’d find on Wikipedia for instance, but that will make up a small portion of the profile. The bigger portion is in analyzing just how far we feel they’ve progressed as an artist and analyzing the consistency of their works.

So while last year’s big post series revolved around looking at anime soundtracks from 2000-2009, this year’s series looks to be just as ambitious. Maybe even more so. Do look forwards to it and hopefully you can gain some newfound appreciation for the composers you’re familiar with or find a new composer to check out.

For those with a lot of time on their hands, check out page 2 if you want a peek at the methodology as well as a site-by-site breakdown.

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

Voting Thread

As of this blog post for this week’s anime music selections, there are less than 4 hours left before I close things up and prepare for week 5′s stuff.

Anyhow, this week’s theme focuses on legendary anime pieces and we’ve got a pretty decent set with plenty of variety ranging from the expected militaristic fanfares and majestic tracks to ROCKIN’ songs as well as songs infused with a Spanish/Latin flavor. The quality of the selections made it difficult to assign the points, but in the end, four tracks managed to get my favorable nod while the rest fell into the Honorable Mentions category. And with that, here are the tracks from this most legendary week:

Twelve Kingdoms – Junigenmukyou (full version)
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
From the beginning, this track has an aura of mystery about it, as though it were depicting a world nestled away from the ravages of time. That atmosphere describes what I know of Twelve Kingdom’s setting really well, and it’s beautiful in that regard. Once the drumming section begins in 1:06, you begin to get a feel for the scope of this war-torn story, with its heroics and tragedies, bringing forth a sense of danger before leveling off into a sort of eerie tranquility which projects an image of the battlefield after a battle. The track’s depiction of the dichotomy between court life and the soldier’s life gives a complete picture of the political dealings of the bygone era, but it’s not over yet since the piece has one final surprise with the segue from the calm, courtly scene into a heroic, rallying battle-cry as you can feel the kingdom mobilize in an inspiring energy-filled melody. (+1)

Code Geass – Black Knights
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The Spanish/Latin rhythm makes for a wonderful effect, especially when combined with the male choral part to yield a piece that’s filled with a certain grimness and works to bring out the seriousness of the overarching plot as well as the intensity of the action-y moments. While this track doesn’t get points this week, it does serve as an enjoyable change of pace amongst the tracks nominated this week as a result of this unique mixture.

Gigantic Formula – Main theme v.0
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The fanfare in the beginning feels like a sunrise as it bursts forth in a showy display of brilliance. It’s not often that the hairs on the back of my neck raise up, but the introduction manages to achieve that like none other. The melody and the harmony complement each other so well in this majestic piece and I love the way the piece moves between the loud/majestic sections and the softer interludes that it’s difficult for me to feel bored listening to this. Awesome from start to finish and the images it instilled in my mind moved me to tears. OK, so I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff, but it’s definitely worth a listen. (+2)

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – “Libera me” From Hell
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The opera part kinda fools you in the beginning into expecting some sort of brilliance like the Queen of the Night’s song in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, but that expectation is dashed once the rap part makes its entry. From what I’ve heard about TTGL (yes, I have not seen this series. BLASPHEMY!!!), I can see how it meshes really well with the themes it espouses. As for the music though, I have difficulty enjoying the opera singer’s performance since the part starting around 1:23 feels cacophonous and directionless even though (oddly enough) I found the rap part to mesh well with the instrumentals. At least it does its job in bringing out the epic side of things and had I seen the series, I think I’d be able to appreciate this track a lot more. As it stands though, the track is decent even if I wouldn’t elevate it to “amazing” status.

Heroic Age – Heroic Age
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Even though this stands out as yet another majestic track, I can’t seem to be able to get enough of them. This piece’s puts in my mind an aerial view of a nice, quiet, beautiful valley just before dawn as the glider you’re riding upon flies into the heart of this amazing view, instilling you with a sense of serenity, as though to show the vastness and beauty that the world offers. The mood then changes and the sheer regality comes fully into being with the crescendo around 1:30 followed by a fanfare around the 2:00. There, the totality of its majesty comes into being, and one cannot help but look at in awe as it brings out that sense of sanctity, duty, and destiny. Naoki Sato deserves props for conveying that epic journey/view/whatever it’s describing. (+2)

Berserk – BEHILIT
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Yes, this one is different and I wouldn’t call this legendary as much as lost… or maybe that’s because the track gives me the feeling I might get if I were in an untamed jungle where danger might lurk around any corner. You can sort of hear this from the harmony, which has an affect of creating tension through its tempo and repetitive nature. It’s a nice change of pace though, but not point-worthy in light of some of the better selections.

FLCL – I Think I Can
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This particular piece actually sounds pretty good with all the awesome guitar work going in the background to provide an interesting backdrop to the vocals with all its grooviness while going through the verses. However, my rating on this piece plummets around 0:41 when the words “I think I can” are being sung in the chorus section. Those lyrics are just too cheesy for my tastes because it puts the image of The Little Engine That Could into my mind and I can’t divorce those intertwining thoughts from each other, turning a ROCKIN’ song into one that’s silly. If you wanted an example of a piece that could be ruined by just one section, “I think I can’s” chorus section would be a great example of that.

Read or Die OVA – Bring all the wisdom to Great Britain!
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
And yet… this piece also brings forth a bit of cheese, but it’s an enjoyable sort of cheese if you keep the backdrop of the series in mind since the concept of the British Library being in control of Britain’s super secret spy squad makes for an entertaining plot. The militaristic music is over-the-top, but I wouldn’t have it any other way and it makes for an enjoyable listen as you imagine the troops assembling to perform the task hinted at in the piece’s title through their objective of preventing powerful books from falling into the wrong hands.

Princess Mononoke – Legend of Ashitaka
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I really love this piece and it’s probably one of the first soundtracks that caught my attention way back in the infancy of my anime experience. It captures the essence of the movie really well, starting off with the grim opening that paints Ashitaka as a man on a mission to cure his disease and in doing so, setting the epic journey into its proper perspective. It’s subtle, but emotionally stirring and it will always stand out as one of Hisaishi’s better pieces.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Segment III: Sally
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
“Sally” feels grim and brooding with a hint of impatience, conveying the atmosphere and emotions that people feel right before a battle is about to commence. The air is thick with anticipation and both sides seem to be eager to rush forth and engage the opposition and with that crescendo, the piece moves into a rallying cry of sorts. At this point, you can feel the intensity of the battle as both sides send their troops forth (or “sallying,” if you will ) with cries for heroism and valor. Another strong piece that edges out the preceding one based on the novelty factor. (+1)

So there you have it! My point distribution can be found below. Week 5′s theme will be based on pop vocals, 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) Gigantic Formula – Main theme v.0
(+2) Heroic Age – Heroic Age
(+1) Twelve Kingdoms – Junigenmukyou (full version)
(+1) Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Segment III: Sally

Voting Thread

Two back to back Piece of the Week posts due to a fairly busy week. At least that’s my excuse anyhow.

The pieces this week give off a different vibe that isn’t quite in-your-face or emotionally charged, making it really hard to evaluate them properly and dispense with the points. Most of the pieces did a good job of adhering to the theme though because of the theme, most of the tracks are fairly melancholy or downright despondent. While I had been hoping for more of the adventurous kind of lost-ness, the despairing mood largely prevailed, resulting in the following tracks nominated:

Kanon – Shoujo no Ori
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece evokes that whole feel of being lost in a winterscape, which, given the source of the song, makes it really appropriate. While it does carry an emotional charge for most of the way through, I thought the motive gets repetitive and the only part where this becomes more interesting is around 0:42 where the mood becomes really somber as it dispenses with the aforementioned emotional charge. Unfortunately, that doesn’t last long enough to receive any major development and transitions back to the repeating motive shortly after. For those who have access to the Kanon/Air Piano Arrange Album “Re-feel”, I’d give that one a listen since it’s a much better rendition. This version gets a pass from me seeing that there are far better tracks this week.

Hidamari Sketch x365 – Shinmiri
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
“Shinmiri” has that lazy, drifting vibe that combines a sort of easygoing aimlessness as the subject is in a wonderful, dreamlike state. The introduction with the intonation brings out the aforementioned vibe, and if this piece were to consist entirely of that motive, it’d be plain boring. However, the solo violin around 0:35 marks a divergence that stands well on its own, and, when combined with the intonation and background instrumentation from the introduction, makes the piece a whole lot more enjoyable. This one deserves 1 point.

Pokemon Heroes – Search for the Girl
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Wow, this piece was certainly an eye-opener (ear-opener?) and though it may come from a somewhat maligned source, it still packs quite a punch through its mix of violin and accordion to create a sound that makes this piece stand apart from all of the other tracks in this week’s selection. There is an upbeatness that encourages the listener to seek out adventure and excitement in the beginning before transitioning into a flowing melody that brings forth more tension as the piece progresses. You can hear the atmosphere become more mournful as the feelings of loneliness and insecurity envelop the subject, but the way it keeps the listener engaged is what makes this piece truly shine, and listening to it felt like a shot of fresh air. Definitely deserving of 2 points.

Wolf’s Rain – Gravity
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I’m not all too surprised to see this track make an appearance because I do consider it Maaya Sakamoto at her very best. Her ability to convey that sense of longing is superb and the melody itself packs a pretty strong emotional punch as it draws you in and takes you for a melancholy ride. Enjoyable all the way through, this one gets 2 points from me. The only complaint that I have is why we haven’t heard tracks that are as high caliber as this from Sakamoto as of late (“Triangular” was terrible).

Zettai Shounen – Ho
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece is probably the most despondent of the lot because of how strongly it emphasizes that feeling of loneliness, as though there’s a hole in your soul. While such moods can be very powerful, this track’s execution doesn’t quite hit the mark because of a lack of development in that despondent theme. It also doesn’t help that this piece is just too short for anything meaningful to come out of it. There’s potential for “Ho” to be much more, but we didn’t get it in this instance.

Soukyuu no Fafner -Dead Aggressor- – Doubt | Mayoi
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
“Doubt” is fairly similar to “Ho,” but it’s slightly better because of how well it uses dissonance to whip up an unsettling atmosphere that is similar to the feeling one gets in a forest after dark with no light sources to guide you through. While this piece isn’t going to be getting any points from me, it’s certainly more enjoyable even if it’s not remarkable.

Serial Experiments Lain – Signal of Loneliness
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I really like the melancholy vibe that you get from the guitar work in this song which, on the whole, gives this piece a nice, folksy feeling as though you’re listening to someone singing this song while around a campfire as the moon shines brightly. The singer’s tendency to go off-tune helps contribute to this overall mood by sounding genuinely folksy. A few minor gripes that I had was the repetitiveness, especially the “ahh nani wo” which could have had their iterations reduced by one so as to not draw things out for too long. Save for that (and it’s a very minor issue that doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyability), this song is solid and only slightly loses out to the next piece on this list.

Paprika – Shizuku Ippai no Kioku
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Looking back, it’s hard to believe that I disliked this piece. But that was back in the day when I had failed to appreciate the kind of vibe one gets out of the cacophony as chaos descends to reign supreme throughout this piece (and this movie for that matter). Having knowledge of the context in which this piece is heard helps a great deal because once you realize the nature of the parade, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a piece that more accurately describes the surreal atmosphere. The deluge of visuals and sound that the parade scene throws at you does an excellent job of conveying the confusion really well, and by succeeding at getting me to feel really lost as I watched that film, this piece definitely deserves 1 point.

Casshern Sins – Memory Past
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece depicts the sense one gets from being lost by delivering it in a calm, quiet, and subtle track. The image I get while listening to this is that of a wanderer, a directionless soul who searches both within and without to find some sort of destination, but in spite of that effort, none materializes. It’s a poignant piece, but like a few tracks we’ve heard thus far, it feels too short. Had this been developed just a bit more, I could see it becoming a stellar track.

Bleach – Nothing Can Be Explained
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece is yet another pleasant surprise and I particularly like the way it manages to make you feel as though you’re in an alien environment through that discordant opening bit followed by the voice work which drifts in and out, as though it were a disembodied spirit trying to drive you insane with its echoing, ephemeral chatter. “Nothing can be Explained” executes the feeling of being lost really well as the vocals leave you feeling uneasy, as though you’re trapped in a landscape that’s so strange you have no clue where to even begin going in search of an escape route. I especially liked the use of the round, which emphasizes the element of lost-ness, making this yet another solid track, even if it loses out on getting point nods from me.

So there you have it! My point distribution can be found below. I think the theme of lost was a bit more difficult to find good pieces for, but the good thing is that there were a lot of tracks that stood out as being interesting and made for a nice listen all in all. I think that Week 4′s legendary theme will be a bit better as far as track quality goes, so I’ll definitely be looking to see what people come up with.

(+2) Pokemon Heroes – Search for the Girl
(+2) Wolf’s Rain – Gravity
(+1) Hidamari Sketch x365 – Shinmiri
(+1) Paprika – Shizuku Ippai no Kioku