Fairy Tail Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 – Review
| Album Title: | Fairy Tail Original Soundtrack Volume 1 |
| Anime Title: | Fairy Tail |
| Artist: | Takanashi Yasuharu |
| Catalog Number: | PCCG-1016 |
| Release Type: | Soundtrack |
| Release Date: | January 6, 2010 |
| Purchase at: | CDJapan, Play-Asia |
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Review: One of my favorite bands is the folk/Celtic metal band Eluveitie. Originating from Switzerland, across three albums, and with a fourth one expected later this year, they have challenged Awesome, slapped it in the face with a hurdy gurdy, and won.
Now imagine how excited I was when I heard this in the first episode of the brand new Fairy Tail anime:
I was then instantly saddened when the next episode featured a lame remix of a tune that had me thinking a can-can line would march across my computer screen at any moment. And given that this is Fairy Tail we’re talking about, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had.
As far as music went, I was content with the fact that any time Natsu did something awesome it was accompanied by an equally awesome Celtic rock theme. Other than that, I didn’t think much of the music.
But then episode twelve came along, and we got this little ditty in “Akuma no Deliora” which absolutely floored me. From a series that until then seemed to rip all their music (save one) from classical composers, this came across as a shock. I was amazed at how well the music set the tone for the scene and instantly realized that not only was the quality of the anime going up, the soundtrack was turning out to be worth paying attention to.
After listening to the soundtrack, I was in aural ecstasy. None of the remixes used in earlier episodes were present and I was discovering music besides Natsu’s theme that I hadn’t even noticed.
The OST’s strength lies in its fast-paced, action-oriented themes. The Celtic rock ballad fits the anime perfectly in the way it single-handedly fleshes out the world. It adds a new layer to the culture of the world that previously hadn’t been there for me.
On the other hand, I wasn’t entirely impressed by the slower songs. Though that may have more to do with personal preference.
Yasuharu Takanashi did a great job expanding Hiro Mashima’s world through the character themes. The pieces themselves are extensions of the characters’ personalities. For example, Erza’s theme starts on a graceful note, before shifting into a faster-paced, epic theme, that establishes strength and power, while still retaining an element of her feminine nature.
Gray’s theme is straight up rock, with a hint of punk. Like Erza’s it starts slightly low key, before revving up into a faster pace. It stands apart from the rest of the soundtrack to an extent in that it does not have the Celtic theme, but that just helps to express the character further. It’s not my favorite among the character themes, but it suits him perfectly.
Lucy’s theme is light-hearted and cheerful, exactly like the girl herself. When I first heard the theme I immediately thought of the French Riviera; the upbeat music does an excellent job in lending a sophisticated air to fit the sometimes-vain Lucy quite well. As you probe further underneath the surface of the track, you will find the same Celtic theme that comes up in Natsu’s theme. It’s subtle, but it does hint at a connection between the two characters as the Celtic theme ties them both together, strengthening them so that they can overcome any obstacle in their path.
So while Lucy’s theme is plucky and upbeat, Natsu’s fast paced and action packed theme paints him as a man of action. It’s hard to imagine Natsu being greater than he already is, but his theme does exactly this, while still building on his already existing character. By giving voice to what we already knew and adding many more elements to his character, it effectively renders this track a collage of everything that makes him Natsu. This was the track that brought
Fairy Tail’s music to my attention, and despite a slight dip in quality at first, it still cemented the soundtrack as something worth looking forward to.
The only other character theme is Mirajane’s, which is only one of two among the slower songs that I like. The music is a perfect match for her character. It’s peaceful and relaxing, with a motherly quality to it. But, since there is more to Mirajane than is apparent to the eye, I can’t wait to see the variation of her theme in later episodes, especially during the Laxus arc.
Finally, we come to the slow version of the Main Theme. This is the other slow piece that I enjoyed a lot, and is rated five stars in my iTunes folder, along with Natsu and Erza’s themes. It’s more than just an arrangement of the main theme with the tempo slowed down; it sounds almost nothing like the main theme, while sounding exactly like it all at once. It is all encompassing, majestically powerful, and melancholy, all at the same time. Every time I listen to it I get the chills. As the last track in the OST, it’s nothing if not perfect. And after all the emotions I went through listening to this soundtrack, this theme ends it on a decidedly powerful note.
I don’t know why Takanashi chose to go with Celtic rock, but I thank him for doing so. The music carries with it a promise of excitement and action, while depicting the anime’s epic characters and delivering a fun experience. The first Fairy Tail OST makes for an enjoyable start, and I can’t wait to see how the music for this series continues to further the plot and the characters.
Rating: Excellent
Burning Lizard, also known as Derek Bown, will be contributing occasionally to Anime Instrumentality. You can read more of Derek’s work at Burning Lizard Studios, where he writes about manga, movies, and anime.
I can’t relate much to Takanashi Yasuharu’s music for ‘Fairy Tail’ and haven’t heard his Naruto works, but he did an awesome job on his music for ‘Ayakashi – Japanese Classic Horror Stories’ and ‘Mononoke’. Imagery and sound blend together perfectly, the finales of the first and second arc of ‘Mononoke’ show perfectly how soundtrack music should be done.
Best Soundtrack I’ve listened to in a long time. Thanks for the review.
As someone who’s been looking at soundtrack after soundtrack, this one really was a breath of fresh air since Celtic themes are uncommonly used in anime soundtracks. Few of the stuff I’ve been listening to has held my attention like Fairy Tail’s music and if this is indicative of his ability to compose, I think it’s high time to delve into Takanashi’s other works.
Dunno if I’ll ever get around to watching the anime though :p
I like the slow Main Theme a lot. The Celtic flavor in the OST is a nice touch. ^ ^
The sample previews are too short…
Honestly, anything short of listening to the full soundtrack is too short.
Mirajane’s Theme so fits my tone!! Erza’s theme is very fitting, it brought out the strong woman that she is.
gives me the chills. Besides Code Geass and Deathnote (and a couple of personal favs like Planetes) this one really gets me.
Epic soundtrack, I guess I like Celtic rock? Haven’t really listened to any before.
As for the anime, I’ll be passing since the few episodes I’ve seen didn’t perk my interest.
@Reltair Which episodes did you watch? Because really the anime doesn’t pick up in quality till episode twelve. Then again, I mainly watch it because I’m a big fan of the manga. Honestly it’s all that got me through the first few episodes. It’s well worth the viewing.
best soundtrack ive heard this year.
i lovved the music in the first episode when natsu fought, Thats what totally won me over to watch the next episode, the comedy is what kept me in..
@reltair: i knoww.. i’m like.. well i guess i like celtic rock
Takanashi Yasuharu ranks very high among my list of favourite composers. What I usually associate him with is the traditional Japanese feel, like in Jigoku Shoujo and Naruto Shippuden. The tracks you chose definitely gives a very different vibe and I can’t wait to hear this OST. =D
@Burning Lizard: Episodes 1-2, lol. I guess I’ll put it on my backlog for when I need something to watch.
@Wilsososo: Haha, yup.
what a some
I should definitely be investing in this one. “Erza no Theme” alone is a killer!!
Thanks for reviewing this soundtrack, I found it absolutely awesome as well even though I haven’t watched the anime.
For anyone who wants to hear something different from Takanashi Yasuharu, I highly recommend the Towards to Terra soundtrack as well, that ost + mononoke’s definitely sealed him as one of my favourite anime composers
which one is the ost for episode 1? the part where natsu fought
Either the FT Main Theme, or Natsu no Theme. I’m not one hundred percent certain, but I’m 75% certain it was the main theme.
I actually only listened to this OST because I was interested in the female chorus Yasuharu hired (REMI. She also worked on Ayakashi and Mononoke as well as various other works by Yasuharu). And I’m very grateful to Yasuharu for creating a soundtrack that could make me listen all the way to the end, and over and over again.
After that I went to listen to some of his other works, and even without REMI to pull me in, I still listened all the way through.
Thanks been looking for this a long time, love the music from fairy tail
Whoa, Natsu’s theme. It gives me shivers how cool and awesome-sounding it is. I’m definitely going to get this OST for myself – I’ve never imagined Celtic could sound this incredible. Thanks!
@Cey
Who’d have thought that anime music would see use of Celtic rock to boot! Yeah, it’s a very awesome experience and I do hope you really enjoy the heck out of this album!
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fairy tail rulez
i luv his music n he did a really good job with fairy tail like i hav downloaded each n every song thats how much i like his songs n i cant wait for more 2 cum out on fairy tail its gettin really interestin u see 😀 just cant wait
see wat we should do is wait for a whole lot of episodes 2 pile up then download them then we can watch them with out waitin well thats just my opinion u see but it really cums in handy now im just waitin for 10 to 15 episodes 2 pile up n there i can watch all day n all night
again fairy tail rulez
@sexygrayfan
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Even if I haven’t seen the show, the music is definitely kickass!
thanks what are you download ? ? ?
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The soundtrack for this was what kept me watching for the early episodes.. nice review.
I’ve heard (and attempted to play) a lot of folk in pubs etc, but can’t work out if the themes are patched together from traditional tunes, or just sound familiar for some other reason.
But either way it sounded more badass than cheesy, which was nice for a change 😀
@Ratatosk
Thanks for dropping by! Yeah, I’ve heard opinions of the show as being a bit mixed, but if one thing’s for sure, it’s that this soundtrack combines those lovely elements into music that evokes badassery and is thrilling to listen to. Based on the thoughts you jotted down, would you say that, to an extent, a lot of the folk music used in anime tends to be cheesy on the whole?
Hello, very nice review and I agree with most of it. I absolutely love the Slow version of the main theme, I can’t put my finger on it but I just can’t stop listening to it!
BTW does anyone know what kind of instrument (if it’s actually a real one?) starts playing at around 52 seconds in the “Fairy tail main theme (slow ver)” ? Would really appreciate it, it’s the part I love the most!
Thanks in advance!
I’m probably gonna watch the anime just because of this review. Celtic rock is amazing, so are these tunes. And now I hope the anime will be as well.. 🙂 Thanks for all these reviews, they are a blast!
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So it’s called Celtic rock! I really liked the fantasy village-like theme that runs through Fairy Tail’s OSTs, but I’d never been able to put a name down on it.
@Cardin Lee
Yup, that’s the best name that we could place upon it. Glad you enjoyed it!
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I’ve been investigating this for the past couple of days, and I get the feeling it’s some type of flute or a duet between a type of flute and another instrument (probably a string instrument). I’m still looking into it though. Irish flute maybe? Hope this helps a bit.
Sorry, this was supposed to be a reply to Ryuuka’s comment, but my computer is being stupid.
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