Chi's Sweet Home OP Single – Ouchi Ga Ichiban – Review

Review: Since Chi’s Sweet Home is pretty much a laid-back, slice of life series about the misadventures of a cat, the opening song fits the theme by being a mellow track with a degree of bounciness, evoking a sense of innocence and curiosity. Koorogi Satomi, who is also Chi’s VA, is the vocalist for “Ouchi ga Ichiban” and she does an excellent job capturing the feel of a playful kitten. The section from 0:51 to 1:21 is very light-hearted and whimsical and enjoyable in that respect. Its ability to describe a kitten through song as well as its catchy melody makes this one a solid song.

The second song, “Maigo no Maigo no…”, isn’t quite as bouncy and happy like “Ouchi ga Ichiban.” Nevertheless, Koorogi still takes on the persona of Chi while she’s singing. The mood here still sounds mellow with a touch of the melancholy mixed in. It’s not a terrible track, but I don’t really find myself with the urge to listen to it all too often since there’s nothing to make this track stand out. It earns a pass.

Finally, we come to the version of “Ouchi ga Ichiban” sung by Itou Masumi. While the instrumentation suggests an even more mellow version of the first track, I find that mood ruined entirely by the quality of the vocalist which doesn’t really suit the mood of piece. The way she sings is just a bit too nasal and doesn’t carry with it Koorogi Satomi’s ability to express Chi’s character through the music. This is definitely a track that’s worth skipping since it’s not all that appealing and does a disservice to the opening song.

All in all, this album managed to clinch my attention with the first track, but the rest of it left a lot to be desired. The Ouchi Ga Ichiban will probably end up getting a fair number of listens, but the rest of the tracks will inevitably end up in the black hole where the subsequent tracks after the first usually end up with most anime OP/ED singles.

Rating: Decent