The "Sound" of Anime

J

Jaymii

Baka Ranger
This really came about from Bleach, The first soundtrack and score that they originally used throughout up until the fillers was great. Then, It went down the path off having a Spainish/Mexican feel to it which I really didn't take to very well. The first had a nice range and the fantastic "Number One" song that I loved dearly appeared and raised the excitement for me. Others also were composed splendidly. The current one has some of the older tracks but it mainly made up off quite bad, Even if it sounds okay tracks, It just not as good in my opinion.

This somewhat applies to the Naruto score as well, The original series had a great one made up off some very traditional Japanese instruments. Shippuden came, It completely removed that and made it strangely more electronica. Which, The score for it isn't bad by any means, Its just doesn't have the same feel that the original did.

The score really does play a surprisingly large part in what makes anime anime. Lighter hearted series are made up with lesser sounds it being simpler overall. When I'm talking about this, Shows like Lucky Star come to mind in which the score [Excluding the OP] was very light-hearted and fitted in very well with the show. Then others like Cowboy Bebop that has a very classy feel to it with all off the 70s inspired jazz music and I don't think it would normally be a first be the first choice for such a show. Oddly enough though, They went along brilliantly and Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts are ridiculously famous now.. Mainly due to this one show.

This was just something on my mind recently, Is the music a vital part off your enjoyment off anime? What difference can it make? Would you watch a show without background music

Just wondering your opinions on such things. It would be nice to know what types of music people prefer with certain shows and everything else you can find out along with it. ;p
 
Without the music certain anime scenes wouldn't be as epic, would be quite dull and just wouldn't have as good an atmosphere to them. Like for example Claymore's OST, when something creepy is going to happen or someone is being told a story full of despair the BGM track "Kakugo he no Midare" kicks in and it just fits so well and makes the entire scene more interesting and intense, where as without it the scene wouldn't be as good.
 
The background music plays a bigger part in anime than people think. However, it's a risk since certains tunes could just ruin the moment. Take for example Bleach: The part were Ichigo rescues Rukia and throws her down to Renji. Just before all of the luitenants turn to fight Ichigo that anoying OST starts and IMO completely ***** the moment up, good and proper. I think it also gets played when Ichigo fight Byakuya which once again, screws up the moment. As a plus though, some are perfect like the Wolf's Rain and Fullmetal Alchemist OST'S. Hell, even Yu-Gi-Oh! had a good Soundtrack that fitted the situation.
 
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I've started listening to more anime OSTs recently. The Ghost in the Shell: SAC soundtracks by Yoko Kanno have really caught my ear. The mix of techno and an occaisional dose of rock really suprised me~ being a metal and classical fan normally.
The Spirited Away soundtrack is also an excellent listen. It's one of my favourite films and it wouldn't be half as good without the music.

But one song recently has caught me up everytime i hear it; I almost feel like crying. 'One more time, One more chance' by Masayoshi Yamazaki is the song from the final scene of Makoto Shinkai's '5 Centimeters Per Second'. The whole soundtrack is excellent, but that one song is probably my favourite song from an anime ever. It fits in so well with the themes of the movie and the idea of the final scene. Fantastic!
 
The score sets the tone without it, its pretty boring, when Ichigo beats Renji in Soul Society for the first time the score gave me chills.

the Initial D soundtrack perfectly emulates the on screen racing scenes and somehow makes it feel like the cars are moving faster and the outcome is more unknown/unexpected than it actually will be.

Without the music or backing a series will feel dry and boring, trust me I have made a few series and films in my career and when you are editing or watching the original footage with only background noise, so score or music, it can be some of the worst tv you will ever watch but add a backing track and it takes on a whole new persona
 
Background music can either add or detract from scenes but that's a given. I think sometimes in anime they forget a lack of score can be just as, if not more, effective.
 
Sy said:
Background music can either add or detract from scenes but that's a given. I think sometimes in anime they forget a lack of score can be just as, if not more, effective.
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You don't hear much dead silence although i do love tense scenes where all you can hear is the bugs in the background, really helps put the feeling of tension across
 
Zen 2nd said:
Just listen to the music in Gurren Lagann, makes you want to kick ass.
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So true, it packs all the fightng spirit of the series itself, though maybe it's part of the reason why. :)

I definitely think musical score can enhance the feel of an anime. Dramatic moments can be brilliantly punctuated by music when it's done right.
 
*Nods agreement*

Anime soundtracks and scores are one of the most important factors in anime for me. I spend all day sitting in front of a computer with my headphones on listening to OST, OP and ED tracks and I just can't get enough of the stuff (it's like your life has it's own soundtrack) ;)
I need to chill out, I stick on the Aria OST's, and no matter how gloomy it is outside I just feel like I'm idly floating along on a lazy sunny day.
I need to buckle down and work, I stick on the GITS SAC OST's and get serious.
I'm melancholy or in a bad mood, I'll stick the Tsukihime OST's on.

Notice how your mood when listening to the stuff can often be keyed to how you feel when watching the anime?

There are still several tracks I love but can barely dare to put on because what was happening in the anime at the time was emotionally effecting me so much.
The other people in the office here might think I've finally lost it if I start breaking down in tears....

But yes, a sound score can make or break a good anime series or film.
 
I dont recall many scenes that done have the right atmosphere to it, and music is a big part of that factor for memory. The right scene with the right music/tune will stick better than others. That's how it's worked for me.

Naruto and his Xylophone tune whenever he's rushing about, mucking up and such is a classic. You just expect something stupid to happen, and that pumps me up for the scene.
Similar with Bleach, with the whistle/keyboard (?) theme. Then there's it's hollow music, which always alerts me.

As for the mexican/espanol theme for Bleach, it's because the bad guys are spanish influenced. Granted, the music is like something you'd get from a salsa dance or a bull-ring, but that's their interpritation.
What would make the spanish thing work for you then? I think it's ok in some scenes, but the more intense fights seemed layed-back with it.
 
Hellsing will always be my favourite soundtrack. Regardless of the anime itself the music was the most impressive aspect. It really sucks that they didn't reprise the the music for the OVA's it was just spot on for the tone; creepy but cool at the same time.

I'll be boring and say that I like most of Yoko Kanno's stuff as well to varying degrees, SAC being the best example I reckon.
 
McIcy said:
Sy said:
Background music can either add or detract from scenes but that's a given. I think sometimes in anime they forget a lack of score can be just as, if not more, effective.
Click to expand...

You don't hear much dead silence although i do love tense scenes where all you can hear is the bugs in the background, really helps put the feeling of tension across
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I know what you mean. Good examples are from Cowboy Bebop in the last episode and movie. When Julia dies rather than a sweeping dramatic score coming in that is usually expected the sounds around are enchanced (the flapping of the birds wings). It was unexpected and sudden and the lack of music help enchance that moment.

During the final fight between Vincent and Spike in the movie, music kicks in and sets the fight in motion. About halfway through the music stops and you're left with just the sounds of them brawling. It made the scene urgent and a lot more of a threat, like the fight could go either way and Spike could lose(and he did lose the fight anyway). To create that sense of emergency by removing music, music had to be there to start off with otherwise it wouldn't have worked half as well.
 
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Hmm, honestly I don't generally notice the bgm used in anime - not that I think it doesn't add anything, just that I'm not generally aware of it. I can think of a few - Kare Kano, Paprika, Kanon II - where I actually noticed the bgm being used and thought it worked really well. And the scene Deidara mentioned in Bleach is one that sticks in my mind as an incredibly bad use of bgm. Guess I'm more of a visual person...
 
I'm particularly fond of anime's that use music by Kaijura Yuki, such as .hack//sign and Tsubasa Chronicles. I think the music there adds a lot to the series.
 
To me, the music plays one of the biggest roles for each series, as it does just add or remove some of the atmosphere for the scene its played in. The opening and ending are still just as important even if they don't add anything to any scenes(unless its actually used during then, or a variation of).
Some of the best soundtracks i've really found for a series are Cowboy Bebop, it just works througout, i don't think i know of a moment in the series where the music didn't work. Kanon(2006) as well, it took a little while to get used to the music but once i did, it too worked brilliantly to the series, and i wouldn't use any other soundtrack for it.
A lot of tracks too are quite good to listen to outside the series, again Bebop is a good one and one which i tend to listen too often(Space lion is great to relax too), many openings and endings do that for me as well.
 
To me music plays a big part, like everyone has said, it adds to atmosphere and can help to tell a story in a particular way, one of my favourite OST's has to be Macross Plus, this was the first time I heard anything by Yoko Kanno. I love the music in it, as a soundtrack and a BG track, since then I've always made a special allowance for any anime with her involved (including Oban: Star Racers, which I like too), sometimes I don't quite like the series (Wolf's Rain), but others I think are great (Bebop).

With this kind of media (film, animation) all components are essential to a good product or story, I think without music a lot of anime would be very hard to watch.
 
I think this applies to a lot of visual entertainment (such as video games, films etc). The soundtrack adds a new feeling - some people don't notice it but it helps build up the atmosphere or the feeling of a scene or a character.

I feel that if their is a good soundtrack is like another trait of the anime - its another thing you instantly recognise
 
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