Tracklist

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Review: You’ve really gotta hand to Takefumi Haketa. His soundtracks might not be packed with diverse melodies, but he sure knows how to compose themes that are pleasant and catchy while also arranging those themes in such a way that their presentation is different enough that I won’t mind listening to those same melodies come up over and over. It’s not an easy feat to pull off, but Haketa sure did a decent job of it when he composed the soundtrack to Aoi Hana. That said, Aoi Hana is arguably not the best example of this; it’s in his music for Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na koto (Someday’s Dreamers) that he really excels at that craft.

The first time I listened to the anime’s main theme in “Where the sky and earth meet” so long ago, I was rendered speechless by its charm and beauty and I continue to love this piece to this day. The manner in which it evokes a pastoral setting is impeccable; its measured piano introduction channels a sense of innocence and the guitar accompaniment conjures images of a lush, green countryside complete with rolling hills where the grass is waving along, brushed by the breeze that flutters to and fro. The shift over to an Irish air, courtesy of the tin whistle, reinforces that rustic image, and the children’s chorus that takes this song towards the end fills me with an aching nostalgia to revisit the happy times in my childhood for memory’s sake.

Where the sky and earth meet

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The second track, titled “Midnight summer dream,” is used as Yume’s theme. It’s quieter compared to the preceding track, with a piano accompanied by a harp and some chimes to depict the character’s reserved, yet kind nature. The presentation isn’t nearly as engaging since it takes one basic melody and iterates upon it through the addition of other instruments and another use of the children’s choir to impart that charm and innocence, making one’s enjoyment dependent on how much you like that melody. Following that is Oyamada’s theme, “Heart of ice ~ After you’ve left,” which builds a layer of mystery through a reserved piano melody that depicts a person hiding his past and the sorrows that he’s endured. It’s emotionally heavy; you can feel the extent of Oyamada’s pain as the piece proceeds along, but underneath all that is a kind-hearted person, evident in the nuanced string section which supports the piano part.

Heart of ice ~ After you’ve left

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Of the major character themes, I prefer Kera’s theme (“Sunflower ~ Surrounded by the wind of light”) over Yume’s and Oyamada’s because it’s got a spunky feel to it. The guitar effectively sets the rhythm as the violins and piano weave in and out, creating a bouncy piece that also soothes since I can’t help but feel that aura of warmth and optimism pour forth.

Sunflower ~ Surrounded by the wind of light

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
So having established the main themes for this soundtrack, I’ll say this: you’ll be hearing them a lot if you go through this album from start to finish. Though the dangers of the music becoming boring certainly do exist, Haketa dodges them through the strength of the melodies and the stylistic changes that he puts into each arrangement. For example, the main theme makes for a lively Irish jig in “Days of Pachanga,” Oyamada’s theme feels much warmer with “In flower language, it is love’s” guitar duet, and so buoys the listener with the hope that Oyamada will find his happiness after all, and Kera’s theme receives a wonderful New Age guitar treatment in “Kidokorone ~ doze.” For her part, Yume’s growth is illustrated wonderfully in “‘Sincerely,’” which moves at a graceful pace, displaying confidence, overall earnestness, and optimism for the road ahead but still possessing the kindness we’ve come to know and love.

Days of Pachanga

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Kidokorone ~ doze

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

“Sincerely”

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
And lest you think those themes are all that Haketa puts forth in this album, he does mix in a lively salsa piece in “Hot frenzy” though my favorite out of the non-themed tracks is by far “Home country of a water imp” with its Irish reel. If you’ve read my thoughts on Durarara!!’s soundtrack, you’ll know that Celtic music is a particular weakness of mine and with “Home country,” I find the energy it pours forth to be utterly irresistible, setting it apart as one of the best tracks on this album.

Hot frenzy

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Home country of a water imp

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na koto might reuse a lot of its melodic themes, but the slight changes Takefumi Haketa makes to the music brings out different facets of the anime’s characters while also reflecting the extent of their development and them coming to terms with who they are. And with all the different renditions that are available, from the stately string quartets to the other cultural styles that Haketa employs, it’s rarely, if ever, boring.

Rating: Excellent

Track List:

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Review: One thing that I find particularly delightful about Takefumi Haketa’s style is its subtlety. The soundtracks of his that I’ve listened to tend to be from shows which are heavy on the dramatic content, and that focus oftentimes leaves one unaware of the music that lurks just below the surface, reinforcing the mood on screen. Aoi Hana is no exception when it comes to this and like Haketa’s other soundtracks (notably Someday’s Dreamers), one comes to appreciate Haketa that much more after listening to Aoi Hana’s music as a standalone entity because of how Haketa brings the music to life as he effectively conveys the many feelings that the characters experience as they build up their friendship and relationships.

Indeed, Haketa is to be praised for delivering such a fine album. Though many of the pieces are characterized by simplistic melodies, less is more as each track is crafted with care to deliver the appropriate impact. The first track, “Hajimari no Toki,” establishes the soft, quiet atmosphere that the soundtrack embodies through a pensive melody that drives one to recall and cherish that precious moment in one’s life. It might not be the type of piece that will grab one’s attention, but it does set the tone for what’s to come.

Hajimari no Toki
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Before we get to the pieces that pack the emotional punches, the one track that is worth highlighting is “Hikari ni Michita Jumoku,” which uses an acoustic guitar and rhythm section to convey an upbeat atmosphere. What makes this piece noticeable is the way it instills a sense of curiosity and wonder within the listener. Through the interplay between the guitar and piano, the melody comes across as being playful, reinforcing Haketa’s skill in composing those light, pleasant melodies.

Hikari ni Michita Jumoku
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Given Aoi Hana’s plot, it’s not long before we reach the many emotional tracks scattered throughout this album. “Koukou Seikatsu’s” lovely piano melody starts it off on the right track through its depiction of burgeoning love. The piano part that starts after the introduction uses the slow, repetitive melody effectively to create a feeling of yearning that grows with the addition of the violin and harpsichord until it reaches a state of contentment. “Komorebi wo Kakeorite” picks up that feeling a few tracks later with a tentative introduction depicting a person’s shyness, but one that gradually fades away, as it’s replaced by confidence. The euphoria then comes about halfway through the track, showering the listener with hope and optimism and one cannot help but root for the characters as they seek out that happiness through their relationships.

Koukou Seikatsu
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Komorebi wo Kakeorite
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Up to this point, this album has built itself up really well. However, there is one aspect of this album in which people can reasonably disagree over and it would be Haketa’s reliance on arranging one theme across different tracks. Of the arrangements, “Komorebi wo Kakeorite’s” theme is the one that shows up most often. I counted at least five other tracks that uses that particular melody, and one should be warned that if one isn’t fond of “Komorebi wo Kakeorite’s” theme, I can understand if this issue leaves one a bit dissatisfied with the album’s presentation.

That said, I don’t think Haketa’s use of arrangements is a bad thing because each piece carries its own distinct flavor. Whether it’s by changing the tempo and instrumentation to create an introspective moment like in “-passive-” or by shifting over to a minor key like in “Nostalgy” to create a feeling of bleak despair that is then lightened by a touch of hope, Haketa differentiates each track by sculpting the piece so as to convey a different emotional state. In that respect, it feels as though Haketa takes the time to explore the depth of what the melody has to offer and in doing so, creates that common thread to connect each piece, tying it together into a complete entity without being too repetitive.

Nostalgy
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Besides, to focus too closely on the arrangements is to miss out on some of the other tracks ranging from those that depict a graceful waltz to those piano pieces that are just peaceful and serene. “Date” adopts both characteristics, using a rhythm perfectly suited for a waltz as it conjures an aura of elegance and grace, that makes one feel at ease as one shares the joys the characters experience as they are able to let go and enjoy their day, free of any worries. And then there’s an arrangement of Handel’s “Water Music” in “Wakakusa Monogatari,” which has an aura of royalty about it. Haketa doesn’t take any creative liberties with the piece, leaving it mostly intact, but nevertheless, it’s fitting in the feelings of love and joy that it expresses.

Date
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Wakakusa Monogatari
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
As the album comes to an end, we are treated to a rendition of both the opening and ending themes. “Aoi Hana” is, as expected, a solid track and through this piano arrangement, the emotions, which seemed so subdued in the OP, feels much more expressive, providing a much richer experience as a result. Finally, we reach “Centiphoria,” which never captivated me to begin with. But in this rendition, the acoustic guitar that plays throughout this piece expresses its soothing feelings beautifully through a simple, no-frills melody that keeps me enchanted, making for an excellent way to end the album.

Aoi Hana (sweet vers.)
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Centiphoria (sweet vers.)
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
If you can’t tell by now, much of Aoi Hana’s soundtrack is characterized by slow piano and guitar music, and because of this, its music might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Furthermore, the massive number of reused themes might be problematic for those who expect every track to be unique and stand out on its own. But in my case, I found myself delighted with what Aoi Hana’s music has to offer. The subtlety in emotions that each track carries is wonderfully sublime and listening to this album all the way through yields a calming, serene experience.

Rating: Very Good

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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