Anime with good music

[Dee]

It's occurred to me that one of Hellsing's good points is that its soundtrack is actually pretty good.

Anyone who shares this opinion might be interested in:

http://www.impure-souls.com/cd1.shtml

But it's not alone in this obviously (Cowboy Beebop leaps to mind naturally), so what other anime can people think of that have good sound tracks?

[hr]For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.

- H. L. Mencken

[Thalia]

I tend not to notice the soundtrack unless it's really bad except for the theme tune.
As it happens...i have the end theme for hellsing - shine - on my playlist ^_^

I also have Through the Night - the beginning theme for Outlaw Star and could sing along perfctly to it if you asked me - well, as perfect as my singing voice is able ^^;;

[samus]

Yes, I agree that Hellsing's soundtrack is decent, despite it's flaws in other areas.

Other anime which I think have good music:

Noir - The opening theme is unusual, IMO. I'm sort of hazy on the rest of it, having seen it more than a year ago, but Noir's music always stood out moreso than other series I've seen.

Escaflowne - Ah, Yoko Kanno's sublime orchestrations. I can't say enough. She's very good at experimenting with music to match the anime. Great at those soaring orchestral pieces, and the more personal introspectives ones as well.

Avalon - Not an anime, but Kenji Kawaii shines on this one. His music, combined with a chior is quite good. He collaborates on a lot of Oshii films - Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh, etc.

Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke, to name my favourites (if looking at music) of the Miyazaki films Joe Hisaishi worked on. Joe Hisaishi is a demi-god of anime music. His music has a lot of heart, and it's perfectly matched to Miyazaki's work.

Metal Gear Solid (1 & 2) - Okay, this isn't anime, or even a film, but I think it deserves mention. Harry Gregson-Williams is really great at capturing the intense atmosphere of battle.

Those are just a few.

[hr]samus
--
[s]"If people who do not understand each other understand that they do not understand each other, then they understand each other better than, not understanding each other, they do not understand that they do understand each other."
- Gustav Ichheiser[/s]

[FURY-161]

Good call with Avalon -Kenji Kawaii is brilliant.

Ring - again, not anime, but Kawaii's score is just plain creepy.

GITS/SAC - or "Ghost in the Shell/Stand Alone Complex". The ever reliable Yoko Kanno provides an ecelctic mix of techno, Jazz and more enthnic stylings which are totally in keeping with the feel of the series. She's not afraid to get too emotional when the need arises: "rokki wa doko?" never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Wolf's Rain - Kanno strikes again, with sessions from Brazil infusing the series with tinges of latin jazz as well as some nice shakuhachi pieces. Not too sure about the 80's hairband-pop intro theme, though.

Akira - Obvious really, but the amalgamtion of the various South East Asian ethnic musics really go together well. The "Kanada" theme is unforgettable.

Lain - You'll never get "duvet" (by UK band Boa) out of your head for a month.

Read or Die - That is one funky intro theme! Charmingly bizarre series, too. "Da paapah!"

Eangelion - If you like overused classical music shown in yet another sci-fi context, then all aboard. Some nice arragements, actually. Ode to Joy is yet again a must.

[hr]FURY-161
IMAGE:www.ukfur.net/forums/images/avatars/7141887513e70cca74303a.jpg

"Anything to feel weightless again"

[Slash wannabe]

Ok ok it may not be considered anime but i think you missing out on one of the biggest music brillance in games ever? What about all the final fantasy music? The music matches the game play so well...

[FURY-161]

Computer games eh? Hmmm...

Silent Hill 1/2/3:
Very disturbing stuff, with the weirdest atonal noise I've heard since Goldenthal's Alien3 Score. But it also is full of some interesting "conventional" music. The iterations of the "promise" theme from 2 are wonderful.

Resident Evil:
The ingame stuff is passable, but those who have heard the Tokyo philharmonic's arrangments of the first three game's scores will know just how good they can be. I personally love the dark score for the third game and it's driving five-note ostinato.

Monkey Island, Sam & Max, Day of the Tenatacle and pretty much every golden age LucasArts adventure:

Micheal Land and Peter McConnell may have my worldly possestions. Their game music was just brilliant, and they have a huge cult following. The calypso-reggae music from Curse of Monkey Island and film noir od Grim Fandango have never been bettered.
http://soundtracks.mixnmojo.com/

Quake:
Divided opinions on this one. Nine Inch Nail's ten-track score for this game is one long slog though some atonal, pitch black and nightmarishly Lovecraftian soundscapes. I hated it to begin with, but now listened to it again recently and am blown away by the detail of the production. "Freezing Vertigo"'s screeching saxaphone sounds like it's ripping you spine out, whilst "conscience" still scares the shit out of me. I don't think much of Sonic Mayhem's music for Quake II, though.

Max Payne 2:
Nice Cello.

Tomb Raider:
Pants game, but some nice compositions here. Third game has best music, IMO.

Wipeout 2097:
Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, FSOL... Open a red bull and Awaaaay you go! Could anyone ask for more?
[hr]FURY-161
IMAGE:www.ukfur.net/forums/images/avatars/7141887513e70cca74303a.jpg
"Anything to feel weightless again"

[Dee]

Monkey Island and Grim Fandango.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

[Shandy]

I agree, Slash wannabe - the Final Fantasy music is fantastic. I especially love 'To Zanarkand' and 'The Oath.' And 'Suteki Da Ne' of course ; )

[climhazzard]

For some reason the music that sticks in my head most frequently from anime is the tune at the end of generator gawl. Its too catchy...damn n blast it, and it reminds me of a cross between the wombles and the music to the advert about the hedgehogs crossing the road...King of the Road?...My Sanity just ain't what it used to be...come to think of it its never been that great.

[climhazzard]

For some reason the music that sticks in my head most frequently from anime is the tune at the end of generator gawl. Its too catchy...damn n blast it, and it reminds me of a cross between the wombles and the music to the advert about the hedgehogs crossing the road...King of the Road?...My Sanity just ain't what it used to be...come to think of it its never been that great.

[climhazzard]

For some reason the music that sticks in my head most frequently from anime is the tune at the end of generator gawl. Its too catchy...damn n blast it, and it reminds me of a cross between the wombles and the music to the advert about the hedgehogs crossing the road...King of the Road?...My Sanity just ain't what it used to be...come to think of it its never been that great

[climhazzard]

OoopS! Sorry bout' that, it said it wouldn't post cause my password was wrong, and then i find out it was posting all along, doh! - its the sanity thing

[Dee]

A couple of outside entries occurred to me.

Dragon-half for the msot nonsensical song ever set to the last movement of Beethoven's seventh. (Well I enjoyed it.)

Utena - don't laugh. The lyrics are a little out there, but I reckon the actual music is pretty good.

[hr]"I told you not to try a coup d'etat!"

"The ruling political party is teetering. I couldn't resist!"

[Rezo]

Good anime with good soundtracks:

Chrno Crusade

.hack//Sign + .hack//Twilight

Princess Tutu

Read Or Die + Read Or Dream

Escaflowne

Mysterious Cities of Gold

Revise Or Die (parody music video, look for it on Google)

Miyazaki's movies all have good music, but they're nowhere near the top of my list. Sorry Samus... ^_^



[hr]
I've always had my suspicions you were no mere mortal. But I never imagined you actually... A cat... Wait! What the hell am I saying?! Where is that idiot?!! - Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Trigun

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[samus]

[s]Dee wrote on 01:16, 20th Jan 2004:
Utena - don't laugh. The lyrics are a little out there, but I reckon the actual music is pretty good.


I actually agree with you there. The music's good. I think the lyrics have some poetry to them, provided you're a native Japanese speaker (I reckon).

[hr]
samus
--
[s]"If people who do not understand each other understand that they do not understand each other, then they understand each other better than, not understanding each other, they do not understand that they do understand each other."
- Gustav Ichheiser[/s]

[samus]

[s]Rezo wrote on 11:30, 22nd Jan 2004:

Mysterious Cities of Gold

Miyazaki's movies all have good music, but they're nowhere near the top of my list. Sorry Sammus... ^_^



That's all right. Much as Mysterious Cities of Gold is nowhere near the top of any of my lists. ^_^;;

[hr]
samus
--
[s]"If people who do not understand each other understand that they do not understand each other, then they understand each other better than, not understanding each other, they do not understand that they do understand each other."
- Gustav Ichheiser[/s

[Dee]

[s]samus wrote on 15:42, 3rd Dec 2003:
Avalon - Not an anime, but Kenji Kawaii shines on this one. His music, combined with a choir is quite good. He collaborates on a lot of Oshii films - Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh, etc.


Ooh! I like trawling through old posts to see if I've learnt anything in the interim.

Was not wowed by Avalon, but yes it had some nice music.

[hr]
"Twenty-five years later, I dynamited Disneyland to rubble...but even in prison, I still see Goofy everywhere."

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