March 17, 2006

Top Five Anime Series Soundtracks!

okay!

5. Neon Genesis Evangelion by Shiro Sagisu

Sagisu's hauntingly powerful score always evokes the right mood for any given situation, whether it's a tender moment in Misato's on/off relationship with Kaji, Asuka's constant tantrums, or the latest Angel attack.

4. R.O.D./R.O.D. the TV by Taku Iwasaki

Iwasaki's techno beats that merge seamlessly with orchestral pieces serve to accentuate a world in which paper mages show that reading is the most powerful weapon there is.

3. Samurai Champloo by Fat Jon, Force of Nature, Nujabes, and Tsutchie

Cool beats, flowing melody, and the occasional Japanese rapper, Ainu instrumentalization, or Okinawan singer/songwriter fit perfectly with Watanabe's eclectic fusion of hip-hop style and Shogunate-era samurai.

2. FLCL by The Pillows

Some of the best rock and rollers in the whole world, The Pillows' crazy riffs and hard melodies complement whatever crazy-ass thing Haruko is doing at the moment, but, like their namesake, The Pillows have a soft side, too, and this is best used whenever Naota has to deal with the three girls who are seemingly vying for his affections.

and, drumroll please...

1. Cowboy Bebop by Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts

Kanno has scored seemingly thousands of anime series, but none better than the one about bounty hunters. Her funky jazz music, brought to life by the excellent Seatbelts, serves to highlight a future that hasn't changed much from our present, except for the space travel. This soundtrack also boasts the best opening theme of any anime series, instantly recognizable to all anime enthusiasts, from the hardcore otaku to the casual fan who thinks Goku could kick anybody's butt. And best of all, Kanno's music flows just as Spike's Jeet Kune Do does; like water.

Honorable Mention: Asian Kung-Fu Generation

To my admittedly limited knowledge, AKFG has not scored an entire anime series, although they have had some of their songs used as opening themes, most notably 'RIRAITO' for Fullmetal Alchemist and 'Haruka Kanata' for Naruto. It was because of these two songs that i searched them out. I have all three of their albums (at least, i think there are only three albums). They are almost as good as The Pillows in terms of sheer rock, and they're nerds to boot. Don't believe me? Check out the video to 'RIRAITO,' you'll see.

okay, your turn!

thecomicman spoke @ 12:48 PM |