GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class – music palette – Original Soundtrack – Review

Disc 1
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Disc 2
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Review: A snap judgement of G.A. Geijutsuka Art Design Class would be to label it a poor man’s Hidamari Sketch. Both focus upon the day to day lives of a group of girls in a special art program, both feature an OP sequence sung by the show’s seiyuu, and both make use of a soundtrack that is relaxing, employing light jazzy melodies to depict its scenes. In each of these instances, Hidamari Sketch comes out ahead, but the gap in the quality of the soundtracks is much smaller. This bodes well because those who liked Tomoki Kikuya’s compositions for Hidamari Sketch will feel perfectly at home with Jun Abe’s score for GA.

Before we actually descend into the nuts and bolts of the score itself, I’ll just briefly go through the first disc which contains the OP, ED, a few insert songs, a nonsensical ditty, a super sentai theme parody, and a soft piano version of the OP. The OP itself is enjoyable enough, but doesn’t really leave a lasting impression like Hidamari Sketch x365’s “Hatena de Wasshoi” simply because it doesn’t come with a catchy segment to draw me in. On the other hand, the piano version is pretty in the way it captures the light-hearted, gentle mood of the series, thereby preparing me for the actual score.

[spoiler show=”GA OP – Osaki ni S’il Vous Plait”]

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As for the EDs, those are a mix batch. I do like the soft accordion in Haruka Tomatsu’s rendition even if the vocals feel off since I’m more familiar with her energetic pieces like “motto☆Hade ni ne!” Of the five, Kaori Nazuka’s mature-sounding version backed by the gentle, soothing swing melody is the most enjoyable and the result is what you’d get if marble decided to add a dab of jazz to their music. The others do not catch my fancy and of those, Yui Horie’s performance is the most obnoxious since it insists on injecting a heavy pop beat which ends up overshadowing her singing completely.

[spoiler show=”GA ED – Coloring palettes Kyoju iro”]

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While the vocal tracks vary in quality, it’s the score itself that wins me over. Up to this point, I haven’t heard enough of Jun Abe’s compositions to form an opinion, but I was enthralled with his offerings here. The main theme catches your attention through an upbeat, jazzy keyboard that makes way for a rhythm and light melody that draws forth the undercurrent of energy and enthusiasm from each scene as the characters move from one art genre to another. I loved the way the many instruments transitioned in and out of the melody, making it a perfect depiction of the characters’ creative, playful exploration into the world of art.

GA ~ art design class
[audio:01 GA.mp3]

That it’s really catchy doesn’t hurt either and Abe takes advantage of this to arrange several variations, doing it in a way so that the theme never outlasts its welcome. For example, “Sakura Blossoms” offers a slow, wistful melody that conveys a wonderful spring morning through its light touches on the piano. “Sunset Smile” has the flute playing a slow air as its purpose is to bring the day to a close while retaining the optimism that tomorrow will give rise to new adventures and new discoveries. Every variation adds a different perspective, allowing the main theme to encompass all aspects of the girls’ lives.

Sakura Blossoms
[audio:12 GA.mp3]

As we move away from the theme, we find that the soundtrack delivers on the other aspects of the show such as the character depictions. Kisaragi’s theme is sweet and mellow as it moves at that slow tempo to match her easygoing nature while Noda’s is more energetic. Though I’m not fond of that heavy accent that precedes each section in the latter, the way the piece jumps around captures Noda’s eccentricities and ADD tendencies perfectly. Like with the EDs, Kyouju’s theme is my favorite since it’s more dignified and even a bit mysterious. But probing deeper, one can hear a playful aura that shows how she’s able to have fun in her own way while exuding calmness in spite of her occasionally chaotic surroundings. As for the rest, Tomokane’s is more energetic, employing a funky style that nails her tomboyish attitude while Namiko’s normal personality is reflected through a piece that doesn’t stand out a whole lot. Ironically, it’s all too fitting because that is how she is presented in the show as well.

Kisaragi (forget me not blue)
[audio:02 GA.mp3]

Kyoju (Silver Lining)
[audio:04 GA.mp3]

Tomokane (Funky Strawberry)
[audio:05 GA.mp3]

Jun Abe also incorporates other sounds and experiments around so as to cover the myriad situations that the girls find themselves in. “So Many Minds'” synth and sound effects create the feeling of vastness of space before introducing a fast, electronic melody that feels like an explosion of life coming forth from the void as various new life forms parade out. As far as experiments go, I enjoyed “Talkin’ Bass” because the dissonant notes come together to create a monologue replete with moans and groans amidst the murmuring from the background instrumentals. It’s off the beaten path musically, but the execution is cleverly done. Moreso than Natsume Yuujinchou’s soundtrack anyhow.

So Many Minds
[audio:22 GA.mp3]

Talkin’ Bass
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Though the remainder of the album is diverse, GA’s focus on smooth jazz music and the way variations on the main theme help tie it all together makes this soundtrack an enjoyable listen. Compared to shows of the same genre that use a similar style of music (Sketchbook and Hidamari Sketch), GA’s is the weakest offering, but not by much. Its use of jazz still feels fresh, instilling within you the joy and energy that the characters experience in their daily lives and making this album a good recommendation if you’re looking for relaxing fare.

Rating: Very Good

Added Note: For those who don’t know, Kyoju is the one in the upper left corner eating paint. No, I don’t know what this means when I say I enjoy her character themes the best. Maybe I need to get myself psychoanalyzed. orz