Reminiscing over the Decade's Anime Music – Introduction
Artist: Kazami Mioyoru
Over the next few weeks, save for maybe a few short reviews scattered here or there, I’ll be taking a break from individual soundtracks to look back on this past decade from the anime music enthusiast’s standpoint. This sort of reflection is appropriate; after all, it was around 2000 that I became interested in the medium and from there, the interest grew until it’s become the monstrosity that it is now. It all started with the Record of the Lodoss War OVA, expanded with shows like Cowboy Bebop and the Kenshin Tsuiokuhen OVA, and from there, the rest is history. Along the way, I also seem to have picked up a huge obsession for anime music, a habit which has given me a lot of new music to listen to but has also seemingly stunted my musical growth in other genres. Oh well, we all have our vices, right?
Each decade post will focus on one year and will include my thoughts on the music from the shows that were released in that particular year, both the intro/outro themes and the actual soundtracks themselves. Seeing how the soundtrack march will continue onwards, I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to reviewing the great soundtracks of the past, so I figure that now’s a good time as any to ramble on and give those albums their due.
Other writers out there have beaten me to the anime music decades list punch and you can find those below. Do give them a read and enjoy their thoughts on what albums or OP/EDs are worth checking out for those new to the fold or which ones are worth reminiscing over if you’ve been at this hobby for quite some time.
Good Reads:
j1m0ne has already tossed down her list of 15 anisong/seiyuu albums that have come out during the last decade. I was delighted to see a few on there that I recognized like Haruka Shimotsuki’s Tindharia no Tane. Others I need to check out, like Nana Mizuki’s ALIVE & KICKING and Yui Makino’s Tenkyu no Ongaku.
Liz Ohanesian over on the LA Weekly’s West Coast Sound blog Synthful has also published her own list of 10 OP/ED themes of this decade. Narrowing such a big list down to 10 is no mean feat, and all of the OP/EDs featured are those that I can say I approve of.
If you made a post with a similar focus and I missed you, do let me know!
Looking forward to it!
To narrow it down to 10 OP/ED themes of the decade, those are some hard decisions to make.
There is just a ridiculous amount of anime music out there. I really look forward to seeing a rundown of the bests and sampling them.
@Reltair
Damn straight. I know with me, my top 20 list will fluctuate pretty wildly depending on the day, the hour, and whatever my mood is in that time. I’ll see what I can do in the next upcoming posts though.
@Yi
Given things how they are, I’m just a bit constrained by what I’ve listened to and seen. Might be disappointed if you’re looking for the best of the best of the best, but like I mentioned I’ll see what I can do :p
I really love the recent 07ghost soundtrack by Kotaro Nakagawa as well as his works before that on Code Geass and Gun X Sword. Also all the Yuki Kajiura music of this decade has been superb including Elemental Gelade, Pandora Hearts, and Tsubasa Chronicles.
@Sirusjr
Wellm I can certainly say that Nakagawa’s work on Planetes really endeared me to his broad orchestral strokes. Code Geass is, of course, a memorable one, so sit tight!
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hi zzeroparticle,
i don’t really know where to put this, but have you heard the OST of Aoi Bungaku? The OST for ep 12 especially is befitting of the atmosphere of the plotline (you can just feel that despair that is happening throughout the episode).
to think, one of the best OSTs sneaks in just right at the closing of the decade.
any chance you would considering reviewing the set of OSTs for Aoi Bungaku, after you’re done with the decade’s flashback?
thanks
@mei
I’ve completely been tuning out on the anime front this Fall partly because few shows caught my interest. What I did see of Aoi Bungaku was interesting though and once the soundtracks get released, I’ll make time for it once I start chipping away at the old backlog :p
@zzeroparticle
thanks. when you’re free of course….hope you’ll enjoy them as much as i did/do…
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