Five Memorable Themes From the Winter 2009 Season
Must... buy... Pizza Hut.
…and a few thoughts on the current season.
Mild spoiler warning for the tagged anime.
It seems to me that almost all the really good titles from this season are getting a lack of fansub love. One title which is getting plenty of fansub love is Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th Season, and it’s proving to be the best anime of the season, IMO. I railed against sequels in a previous post, but Marimite consistently shows how a sequel should be done. It spares no opportunity to develop its characters and their relationships and it has an almost uncanny knack for keeping its plot flowing smoothly, even with its pace, which comes off as deliberate (read:slow) but is deceptively quicker than it seems. But, then again, development, both of the “character” and “relationship” variety, is the real fore of this anime, and always has been, with the exception of the Marimite OVA series where things stagnated just a touch. I was really impressed with the fifth episode of this series in particular, and the way that they used what was essentially a filler episode to examine a previously unexplored side of no less than three different characters. The drama is literally on the cusp of taking off (arguably it already has), as we’ve just had Yumi’s “confession” (to which I reacted with utter glee), followed by Touko’s rejection (which I reacted to with a strong feeling of empathy for Yumi and her heartbreak… talk about an emotional rollercoaster).
One of the things that has been slightly different between this season and previous ones is that the story feels just that little bit more focused. There’s basically been only two concurrent stories, one involving Yumi and Touko’s evolving relationship and the other involving Yoshino and Nana followed by Rei’s reaction to their new friendship. Kanako was relegated with almost lightning pace (which I didn’t mind, since she wasn’t all that interesting a character), and Sachiko, as well as Shimako and Noriko, haven’t had a super amount of screentime, but when they have appeared, they’ve made the most of it. The previous seasons had quite a few side stories, such as an episode about Eriko, Valentine’s Day, that girl who had a crush on Sachiko and something like three or four separate episodes about Sei’s backstory. Don’t get me wrong, these were interesting of themselves, my point is that this season is much more focused, and for that reason, the story feels tighter, smoother and more cohesive.
So, what keeps me from proclaiming this the best Marimite season yet? Two things. First, it’s not finished. Second, the animation is way down compared to previous seasons. The OP/ED themes deserve mention, and, in all honesty, I’ve kinda come around with respect to them. At first they were jarring; good songs of themselves, but they didn’t feel like they belonged in Marimite. I guess they’ve just grown on me (as good songs generally do), because now I don’t mind them one bit… in fact, I look forward to hearing them each week.
I’ve only seen five episodes of Ride Back because of lack of fansub love (I know someone subbed ep 6, but I haven’t got around to it, yet). The pacing in Ride Back is a tad uneven, and I’m still not completely clear where this is going, which I guess is probably a good thing in a story driven in large part by politics like this, since it relies a bit on mystery and suspense. The characters could do with a bit more depth as well, although that looks to be coming soon. Rin is awesome, close to everything one could want from a female lead in this type of story, but most of the characters of the club and Shouko are either useless or there to be plot devices. The interesting side characters are Tamao and Okakura, the former with her family heavily involved in the upper echelons of the GGP, the latter because of a past involvement in the GGP military that we’ve just gotten the first hints of (in ep 5).
It’s still very much early days with this anime, but there are three things that really impress me. The first is that the presentation is excellent. Art, animation, music, all of it is presented with a great deal of care and polish. The second is the choreography of the action sequences. I’m not exactly sure how they’ve done it, but the RideBack scenes are really gripping and exciting. Not having thought about it too deeply, I think it’s just a case of really good execution, but they’ve managed to make a hell of lot out of what’s little more than a half-motorcycle, half-mecha. The third is the setting, and the political environment that goes along with it. We’re only just at the cusp of really exploring the political situation, but even the few hints they’ve dropped have shown a rather compelling case for regime change from the point of view of its characters… it really upstages Tytania in that respect, which is far more blatant and has aired for longer, but is still struggling with this. For example, Rin’s resolve to not surrender to the GGP in ep 4 strongly suggests to me that she was wronged by them in the past and doesn’t trust them at all… my guess is that this has something to do with her mother’s death show spoiler
. There’s a lot of intrigue in this anime, and it’s going strong at this stage.
The real surprise packet of this season has been Birdy the Mighty Decode:02. The first Birdy the Mighty Decode was ok, a decent action series that kinda lost its footing in the latter episodes. So far, after four eps (which is all that’s been fansubbed), Decode:02 has been crapping all over the first season. It’s more absorbing, more complex, darker, and simultaneously more engaging and more exciting. The astonishing thing is that there’s basically no major changes in the approach compared with the first season, and the staff is almost identical. I think it’s just a case of a better script this time round. A lot of the story seems to hinge on Birdy’s past and there’s a lot of depth, drama and mystery surrounding her relationship with Nataru, as well as his past and motivations. It just kinda feels more intimate this time ’round, more personal when it comes to the characters. Birdy’s still working a job, but she’s got a much more personal investment in what’s going on this time. Some people have speculated that this show is a lot better because Tsutomu isn’t as active in the story this time ’round, but I think the differences aren’t all rooted in something so superficial (although I won’t deny it improves things). Everything relating to the story just feels smarter in this season, for lack of a better way to put it. It’s also built on the events of the previous season, and the effects of the destruction caused by the Riunka are still within the story’s focus… it hasn’t just passed it off like a momentary tragedy to be forgotten by ep 2 of the new season, as is often the case in multi-season series like this. Oh yeah, and Katera wears the uniform from Kannagi for some reason. Who cares why, it’s awesome!
Kemono no Souja Erin has also proved to be very intriguing. It’s essentially a kid’s anime, so it’s didactic as hell, but it’s got a lot of worthwhile themes about conservation, nature and interacting with animals (you know, the kind of crap that crazy lefties like me go nuts for). I’ve only seen up to ep 3, which is what my fansubbers of choice are up to (but they’ve been a good three eps, so I am considering jumping ship), so it’s difficult to say a great deal about it, but it virtually hasn’t put a step wrong to this point.
Anyway, enough of wasting your time, you’re here to find out my five choice themes of the season, right? I figured I’d make this an regular feature, after the success of the last post like this one. The basic formula is unrelated babble followed by catchy music. You’ve put up with the unrelated babble, so here’s the catchy music.
There’s something really toe-tapping about the new Natsume Yuujinchou theme.
Coincidentally, my five favourite themes from this season have essentially come from my five favourite anime of this season. How ’bout that.
Rideback has certainly been one the better animes of this season and I am glad someone is enjoying this without overanalyzing it. At least, you did not try to tout the OP or ED of Rideback as anything actually memorable or good for that matter. Since, the OP is bad and the ED is mediocre since the talent is not there. It is also nice that Kemono no Souja Erin is getting some attention deservingly so as one of the stronger shows this season. Catching up with the series would be a suggestion since things have gotten interesting as of episode 7, which was subbed recently.
Regarding the song from Younha, it is not really a stellar choice at all, as it is atypical of standard fare from the Korean Pop scene. Not to mention, it is a song that hinges on the industry’s trends, which usually does not produce competent material IMO. (Especially when there has been better out there.) Then again, people think songs from the group Big Bang is something marvelous, which is hardly indicative of such a standard. (Then again, I wonder if people have actual standards these days?) While I clearly disagree on the choice, I can certainly see why you chose it since its not like there is much out there these days.
The Natsume Yuujinchou OP is something of an interesting choice due to its jazzy vibe that somehow fits with a series of its nature. I have no qualms on this one, especially since the anime itself is actually quite good.
Granted, I doubt any OST this year is going to be as memorable as Macross Frontier’s, which produced some decent enough material despite the limited voices (and talent) of their vocalists. Then again, this is not the era where J-Music was able to conjure up some magic despite singers such as Ayumi Hamasaki not necessarily being the greatest of all time themselves. Still, the scene perservered with a good deal of credit due to anime songs.
Hopefully, by the time you get to do another article on this, actual talents like Alan will step in and do an actual good song or two. Especially since, its hard to have (good) memorable songs with lacking talent, execution, and material.
@Flash Sword Irene
I actually have high hopes for Full Metal Alchemist 2, but there’s a high chance that it’s because I love Akira Senju’s compositions. His works have topped my list of favorite OSTs and if you’re keen on orchestral works, I highly suggest that you check him out.
@Sorrow-kun
No mention of Callin’s Aishiteru from Natsume2 makes me sad. Talk about a piece dripping with sentimentality
Holy crap! How did I not realize that Ride Back’s ED was done by a Korean? Yeah, the anime has the Japanese version, but I should have known something was up with the pronunciation and the style. No wonder it reminded it of something.
As for the choice itself, I agree some of it and I disagree with some of it (though I see where you come from). Here would be my list (Note: I don’t actually consider any of these to be brilliant. They are just my favorites to come from this season).
Gundam 00 S2 ED 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xnII4CMhQ&feature=related
In my opinion this is overall a solid ending.
Kurokami ED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqayXpFNpMo&feature=related
Ugggghhh, the vocals. Then again, I suppose they are what make the overall song more “unique” (The glass is half full. The glass if half full. The glass is…).
Gundam 00 S2 Op 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwZ6hQqnI5A
Yeah, I did comment how weak this was, but it stands out simply because most of the OP/ED of this season were so forgettable.
Wow, I had to strain myself to come up with these. I’ll leave it at three.
@zzeroparticle
I will be watching the second season of FMA, so I will definitely be able to check out the OST for that show when the time comes. And, I think I will try to check out Akira Senju sometime when I can. Thanks for the suggestion, since it does sound good. Plus, I am sure I can trust your musical taste as well. While, I may not be as knowledgeable as you, I certainly do believe I know something good when I hear it.
@Shadowmage
Is that really the ED for Rideback? I guess, this only proves that the song was not that memorable. I am not sure how that slipped my mind though. Still, my opinion of that song remains even then since I did not believe it was suitable enough to be called memorable. And, I don’t think Younha used enough of those talents to perform that way either.
You certainly read more into RideBack than I have. Quite interesting. I’m quite concerned about the uneven plot pace as well.
Rin’s delightful in how she’s quietly drawn me in to her character.
omg omg omg younha <3 <3 <3 <3 (and Tablo, damn I love that guy!!!!!!!!!!)
Highly recommend both artists, as they’re very easy to listen to and popular among Korean mainstream audience.
@Flash Sword Irene
Funnily enough, the Zoku Natsume OP theme might not have been appropriate for the first season. The first season dealt a lot with loneliness and separation and had a lot of episodes with bittersweet endings. This season seems to have a bit more of a positive tinge now, and likes to remind us how Natsume isn’t so lonely anymore and has friends both of the human and yokai variety.
@zzeroparticle
A bit too sentimental for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good piece, but I prefer the OP and I wasn’t gonna include two pieces from the same anime. The ED is rather ballad-y, I think, which generally isn’t my cup of tea.
@SM
I haven’t been watching Kurokami, but it’s gotten a lot of Shana comparisons. That ED song did remind me a bit of Shana. It’s a bit like what I’d imagine if someone took one of Shana’s many (awesome) OP themes, and slowed it down by about a million beats per minute and made it more subdued.
@ghostlightning
For me, a big part of that is Mizuki Nana. I don’t know what it is exactly, but over the last twelve months I’ve slowly developed a real admiration for her voice. I guess I just find her voice super cute.
@gaguri
That male rapper/female pop singer dichotomy is starting to become a bit more common. The second Itazura na Kiss ED used it, Kanon 2006′s ED used it. It generally seems to result in good anime songs for some reason.
Not sure about anime theme songs but Male rapper/female pop combo has been strangely increasing in popularity (maybe cause it’s effective) in recent years.
Just in case anyone is interested in being sidetracked to bit more Korean cultural side…I think the phenomenon began when this particular song became a mega hit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVBtr6O6kbk&feature=related
And there follows few others that are my favourites…
(tablo rap + loveholic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RTl3HXK_NI
(drunken tiger rap + jaurim)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZ7MRjue7U
I also remember that mape rap + female opera for TTGL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY06IgyN_RM
For me such a combination is quite attractive.
Actually, I would attribute the rise of such a combination thanks in part due to Japan’s M-Flo who started the whole thing with their “M-Flo Loves” brand of music. Notably, they had the concept rolling when female artist LISA was singing once a part of their entourage way long ago. That sort of combination has been very popular for more then just a few years now thanks to that group. I would say that Korea picked up on the whole concept and now its booming because it is a hyped trend. And, it is not necessarily because it is that effective, since I have not found it to be that way in Korean music mostly.
When it comes to M-Flo I can’t say I like a lot of the Verbal+Random Pop star combinations from them like some rabid, idiotic fan person. Its not like the group has not produced a few good, fun, energetic songs here and there. But, its not something to abuse or play out for too long. Then again, the Asian music industry as a whole is not good at moderation at all. That is how its been for many years and its sad that its not surprising anymore.
When it comes to Epik High in general, I think they have let their ambitions go over their heads due to their last few albums. Especially, the last one where they just did far too much in trying to create this formula and sound for their own good. However, I actually like Mithra Jin and think he is more of the actual voice of the group due to his great talents as opposed to Tablo in actuality.
For something more old school, you could look to YG’s own Jinusean for their collaboration with someone else, which bore a second version featuring Chinese Artist Yuki Hsu. You could say its one of the earlier examples of a slowly booming trend in Korea. While the song’s name escapes me, I do remember it since it was rather popular. At that time, Jinusean were more active as well. Then again, YG Family was more respectable back then, as opposed to now with their horrendous releases in recent times. Then again, this is dating back to a few years at least.
You may be right on M-Flo starting the phenomenon, since I am not into Japanese music industry. But whether Cho PD and 인순이 picked up the concept, it is still true that success of their song increased the awareness of its potentials so for our culture it still holds true I think. I mean, lot of Korean popular culture is brought from Japanese anyway.
I agree with the current state of Epik High but I’m surprised to see you value Mithra Jin more than Tabloo. I mean, he’s mostly responsible for the lyrics and it is his bizarre personality that is making an effective publicity.
Well, if you do want to do a more direct correlation, M-Flo has worked with the overrated (IMO) Boa and even Younha. So, it would make sense if someone picked up on this due to Korea’s biggest J-Pop Princess having done big collaborations like this before a few times. For a bit of trivia Verbal himself is actually half Korean, so I guess it would help right there as well. Unfortunately, the guy’s Korean is so bad that even someone like myself could do better. And, I am not even Korean. =X
Regarding publicity stunts and whatnot, I am the guy who has been living under a rock. I do not pay attention to this stuff since 99% of this stuff is worthless bullshit. There is hardly something of substance in the cesspool of crap, so I do not pay any attention as a result.
I think this might be a little too difficult for me to explain at the moment since my head is feeling scrambled as it is. Without Mithra Jin there to anchor, I do not believe those lyrics would have had the same impact of expressing their messages or even have as much success. The proclaimed front man really does not seem to bring out the potential of his pen to life when performing as much as his comrade does. When I think of the song, Mithra Jin seems to have leave more of an impression with me even if the lyrics were not his. It is hard to explain, but I will just leave it at that for now.
As for that Jinusean song from earlier, I remember the name of it now since I saw some performance vid on Youtube. It is called “Mal Hae Jo” and the version with Yuki Hsu is called “Mei Guan Shi.” Notably, in the Yuki Hsu version, Jinusean raps in English and the lyrics seem to make little to no sense.
Now that I think of it, I really need to try and remember if there is a memorable song out there other then the Natsume Yuujinchou one. And, Sorrow hit the nail on the head perfectly with his response. It is kind of sad that I can’t think of one and the Gundam ones are hardly reminiscent of that too.
Oh I do understand the correlation, my point was that the song “Friend” by Cho PD made a mega hit and therefore imo, the moment where such an awareness became more notable.
I understand your point about Mithra Jin and Tablo, and I agree. And artistically speaking, Tablo’s ability to draw in the mainstream crowd may seem irrelevant to you but even he admits that he needed (sadly) sell his music through exercising his wits in variety shows and what have you. In my opinion the ability to compose good lyrics and music is the most important factor in hip hop music (expression is important too) and Tablo managed to combine some of that ballad element (you know, things like love, hope, fluffy stuff) to create something exciting and easily acccessible.
Tablo’s admission is something I am certainly familiar with due to the fact that this pattern has been going on predominantly in Mainland China and Hong Kong for god knows how long. So, I understand why he admitted to becoming multi-faceted or at least participate in encompassing forms of media to sell his albums. It is one of the major cruxes of success for the entire Asian Entertainment Industry as a whole.
On the artistic front, I do agree with you due to the importance of reaching out to the audiences and demographics one is appealing to. I do understand this quite well and actually do not have anything against this. Convention is not necessarily always a bad route to go in any form of art. The very least the artist can do with any material they have is to perform properly while showing some competence, care, and a level of high standard behind their work. That is just something I don’t see and somehow we end up with crap like songs from the Wonder Girls suddenly being a bar for sheer excellence. Despite this being a clear de-evolution of standards, extraneous factors aside or not.
Anyways, it is nice to note that I can finally talk to a Tablo/Epik High fan without this becoming a crap fest with sudden flame wars inciting me as the devil merely because I disagree with something. Honestly, that kind of stuff is just plain sad and disgusting.
It’s best to stay away from most Korean music fans in general…say something bad about Girls Generation, be ready to receive online death threats.
Ungh yuck ZYC OP eats my fecus, ED > OPx9000
Following lelangir’s lead, I’m glad to see more people liking Rideback ED. It’s great stuff. And even better to hear the original(?) version :3
But lol a k-pop. It’s not bad but srsly, as much integrity as American pop. By which Asia is still mostly on follow mode.
[...] themes are mostly a bunch of misses save for a few decent ones (and Sorrow-kun practically got the OP/ED bases mostly covered save for the omission of Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou’s ED “Aishiteru”, [...]
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