So, my final 15. Getting the ordering to my satisfaction was hard, though not quite as hard as getting down to the final 15. Again, unless the difference was big, I tended to put the songs which I think are less likely to make it further up. And like with the track selection process, the differences are often too small for me to make an accurate call - on different day, the order probably would have been different. The top song gets 35 nomination points, and the subsequent songs in the top 10 gets progressively less points. As songs #11 - #15 all received 5 points, the order didn't matter so much there, so I didn't make too much effort on ordering those. At the end of the nomination stage, the cut off point for the top 256 songs turned out to be 38 points, which was lower than what I expected. It meant that one person putting a song at the top of his nominations plus another one having the song anywhere in his list would have been enough to put it through.
Anyway, here are my 15 nominations:
#15
"Are kara, kimi wa..." [insert song from "Touch: Miss Lonely Yesterday" (1998)] I couldn't find a clean version of this song on youtube, so I ended up with the excerpt from the film itself that had the song playing. Yes it does actually play the full track, but it also contains some minor spoilers, so you may want to just listen to it instead of watching it: To be honest, the story line to the film is a bit contrived, and no one else seems to like it much. But while I can acknowledge the flaws in the story, I also can't deny that it had me emotionally. At the heart of the film is the montage featuring this song, and it was easily the best scene in the movie. A lot that is down to the song. It's so melancholy and nostalgic that it set the mood perfectly for the scenes on screen. I enjoyed quite a few songs from the "Touch" franchise, but this one song made the deepest impression on me. It felt it was quite an accomplished and sophisticated pop song, featuring a relatively large scale and dramatic instrumentation that even included brass instruments. It also has a chorus that was unusually long and winding in its development. I think the interesting chorus is a big reason why I don't get tired of listening to it. Total points: 5. I was the only one who voted for the song, predictably.
#14
"Song of the Wind" [ED of "Hunter x Hunter" (1999 - 2001)] Toshihiko Sahashi is one of my favourite anime composers. He's very versatile, and composed quite a few great soundtracks boasting a variety of styles. I don't know whether he wrote this ending theme, but the instrumental interlude contains a melody that was used as a main theme for the anime's background music, which he did compose, so I'm assuming he wrote the ending too. The song has a nice accoustic guitar instrumentation (or is it some traditional Japanese plucking instrument? The song certainly has a traditional vibe to it) and high, clear female vocals, both of which I'm partial to. It starts off gently, but immediately sets a great mood, as though it's telling a story. And it's one of those songs that just builds up more and more from the verse through to the chorus until it cumulates at high point at the end of the chorus - a long sustained note that's one of the highest in the entire song. Total points: 5. Again, I was the only one who voted for it.
#13
"Waltz" [ED of episode 3 and 11 of "School Days" (2007)] "School Days" wasn't a great show, but it did have a nice collection of ending themes. There were about 8 different ones, and even the worst of those are pretty good. I eventually decided to put forward "Waltz" by Kanako Ito. It has a nice classical twist to it, and captured my attention from the get go with its opening cycle of evocative piano notes. The melody is deliciously dark, and ripe with emotion; the piano and guitar entwine superbly into a memorable instrumental section in the middle; and the rise to falsetto at the end of the chorus is an interesting and unexpected development. Total points: 5. Kanako Ito has quite a distinctive voice. I recognised it immediately when I heard the "Steins;Gate" OP. Unfortunately, while that (decent at best) song ended up with a very high rank at the nomination stage (top 10 I believe), this much better song of hers got completely ignored.
#12
"Secret Base" (no, not the AnoHana ED) [ED 1 of "Eureka 7" (2005 - 2006)] Musically, this is probably the least interesting song in my nominations, and if truth be told I very nearly cut it out (on a different day I might well have). I really loved it the first time I heard it, but I've lost quite a bit of my feelings for it now. I have it in here simply because I think it has a really nice tune, and it felt like the singer sung her heart out in the chorus with the voice of a young boy. In fact, for a long time I thought it was the voice actress for Renton from the show singing this song in his voice, but it's actually someone else, and it's actually her normal singing voice. Total points: 5. While the other "Secret Base" and some other "Eureka 7" songs all qualified, this didn't. I am surprised that while so many other "Eureka 7" openings and maybe endings were nominated by others, I was the only one to nominate this one. Perhaps this song is just too simple to attract attention.
#11
"Message of Rouge" [OP of "Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989)] This song has such a retro sound - like it's from the 50s or 60s. I really love the way the backing vocals chime in and playing such a big part in the song - you just don't hear this kind of style any more. Ultimately though, I love the song because it's just so much fun to listen to. It makes me want to bounce around and never fails to give me a burst of energy. I was also weighing up other Ghibli songs. "The Cat Returns" ED, but I liked this one more; the most obvious one though, is the ED to "Spirited Away", but I figured other people might already be nominating that one (I haven't checked whether it made it), and I felt this one is more of a forgotten gem. Total points: 5. It is rather forgotten. Another Kiki song had 15 points, but that was the ED. It's quite nice but I much prefer the OP.
#10
"Planetes" [Ultimate ED of "Planetes" (2003)] As much as I loved "Planetes", I wasn't too impressed by the music for the most part. I liked Hitomi's contribution though, as always. That reminds me, she also contributed to the vocals of "Lost Friend", a "Last Exile" insert song which I find absolutely stunning. I probably would have nominated it if I remembered it earlier! Anyway, "Planetes" is quite typical of Hitomi's style. She's done an album called "Angel Feather Voice", which I think describes her singing style quite accurately. Just listen to how her celestial, gently brushing vocals entwine in beautiful harmonies in this song in the backdrop of the Enya-esq instrumentation. By the way, check out the highest rated comment in that video; it's quite inspiring. Total points: 27. Oh how I wish I put this song higher in my list! It would have made it in if I had!
#9
"For Fruits Basket" [OP of "Fruits Basket (2001)] The anime was monotonously sweet, to the point where it made me want to rage. But then, so is the opening, and I really liked that, even though it fits the anime like a glove. I guess I'm more tolerant of pleasantries when it comes to music. And the song IS very pleasant, featuring gentle vocals backed up by soothing instrumentation. And just as the vocals finish up towards the end of the song, the string instruments comes in singing a new riff to freshen up the end of the song. In fact, the instrumentation in this song is strong enough that I'm often content to just listen to the instrumental version of this track. Total points: 59. This would have made it even without my nomination. I wish I'd given its place to "Scramble" from "School Rumble" or something.
#8
"Lonely in Gorgeous" [OP of "Paradise Kiss" (2005)] With its synth, disco beats and Tommy Febuary6's sweet and sultry vocals, this gorgeous song has a very retro kind of glamour about it. The composition may not be complex, but it doesn't need to be because the main melody is so infectious and the production so accomplished. This style of synth pop may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's hard to deny that this song is close to, if not at the pinnacle, of its genre. It may have deserved a higher place on my list, but I've heard quite a few good words about this song from my friends who've seen the show, so I suspect I'm not the only one to nominate it. Total points: 50. Like I suspected, the song did have reasonable popularity, though it would have been tight had I not nominated it, since the anime wasn't hugely popular. My nomination contributed 11 points, so it would have just scraped through as things stood.
#7
"Hateshinai Tabi - Hajimari no Toki " [OP of "Bubblegum Crash" (1991)] While "Lonely in Gorgeous" had a retro sound, this song really is retro, hailing from the very early 90s. I don't think stylistically the two songs are all that different, though this one has more of a rock edge to it. I might have put this higher, but I've got a song from the "Bubblegum Crisis" later on. The "Bubblegum Crisis" franchise has spawned a lot of great music, and it's a testament to the quality of its music production that it's the only franchise from which I selected two tracks - I just couldn't bear to cut either. Total points: 13. Not too surprised that I'm the only one who nominated this one, since it's from the lesser known sequel of the original "Bubblegum Crisis".
#6
"Lunlun the Flower Child" [OP of "Lunlun the Flower Child" (1979 - 1980)] While I toyed with the idea of indulging in my nostalgia by including the likes of the "Doraemon" OP and the "Triton of the Sea" OP, I decided to settle for including just this one. Ironically, it's from an anime that I don't actually remember ever watching, but somehow or other I must have heard the theme because I remembered the tune despite not hearing it for a decade or two. And do you know how I came across again? "Genshiken". Someone had it as a ringtone, and I was like "hang on a minute... I think I know this song!" I'm not surprised the tune stuck with me for so long - isn't it just wonderful? Of course it is! Don't argue with me! Total points: 15. No prizes for guessing how many others nominated it.
#5
"Woke From Dreaming" [insert song from "Gunslinger Girl (2003 - 2004)"] I'd heard the song way before I watched the anime, and found it mesmerising, so I can say with certainty that it's not because of the anime that I love this song - it genuinely is a superb standalone track. And no wonder - it's a song by a scottish indie band called the Delgados, and had nothing to do with the anime when it was written. Musically, this is perhaps the most interesting song in my final 15. The song fascinates me, both with its structure and with the way it's able to paint images in my head with its powerful mood. "Woke From Dreaming" begins with an lethargic, oppressive atmosphere reinforced by the minor melody. Sombering vocals mixed with unsettling, distorted chanting helps to conjure up images of someone tossing and turning in fitful slumber, trapped in something close to a nightmare. In the middle there's a huge crescendo, like a storm brewing ... and then rays of sun bursts through the dark clouds as the tension is suddenly released. The melody shifts into something brighter, more soothing. This is actually the key point of the song, the bit which reflects the title "Woke From Dreaming". But while the mood of the song changes tangibly, the melody doesn't sound all that different from what came before. How does the song do this? My music theory isn't too advanced, so I could be wrong about this, but I think the difference in mood before and after the crescendo is brought about by a change from a minor key to its equivalent major key which uses the same notes (e.g. A minor to C major). This would explain why the melody, while maintaining its similarity to what came before, feels like it's shifted up to a slightly higher key. Despite the brightness increase though, the dreary mood does not entirely clear up, and there's still lingering sadness in the remainder of the song. For those that don't know, "Gunslinger Girl" is about a group of young girls, all of them cyborgs, who are used by Italian government as assassins. These girls were all "rescued" from abusive environments and terrible circumstances where their natural bodies were in an unrecoverable state. Becoming cyborgs briefly gives them a new life, but it's a disturbing perversion of the normal life that other girls live. Their situations can be summed up at the end of one of my favourite episodes (episode 3) of the original series, where Rico, one of the gunslinger girls, has a monologue spoken over a scene of her waking up in silent tears: "There's something that bothers me every time I wake up in the morning... it's whether my body actually exist today or not." And as she sits up from the bed and flexes her fingers, the monologue expresses relief that it still works and what a wonderful thing that is, and finishes by saying she likes her life at the agency. Even though the song wasn't written for the anime, I would have believed it was had someone told me so. Total points: 17. While the "Gunslinger Girl" OP (also by the Delgados), a song which I felt promised much and delivered not enough, sits comfortably amongst the top 100 seeds, poor "Woke From Dreaming" was completely overlooked. Perhaps because it was only played once. For about 10 seconds, if that.
#4
"Congratulations!" [ED of "Oh My Goddess" OVA (1993)] As much as I like expounding on various aspects of interesting compositions like "Woke From Dreaming", sometimes I like stuff simply because I'm a sucker for catchy melodies. And so, after waxing lyrics about the "Woke From Dreaming" for too long, I now swing to the other extreme and come to the very conventional "Congratulations!", which I love simply for being very, very catchy. Total points: 20. *pouts*
#3
"Bratja" [insert song from "Full Metal Alchemist" (2003 - 2004)] Ok, let me be controversial for a minute here (what a shocking idea, eh?): I thought the FMA sound track sucked for the most part, especially those unbearable jpop/jrock openings and endings. However, it did yield one of the best anime songs ever: the Russian song "Bratja". It's a song that, more than any other, I consider to be the main theme of FMA, and I can't tell you how gutted I am that they did not reuse the theme for FMA Brotherhood. The title translates to "Brothers", and it's played many times in many different arrangements during the anime. While not being breaking any mold stylistically, everything about it is so ... RIGHT. The whole song is modelled like a dialogue between two brothers; the verses are sung alternatingly by two boys and the chorus shared between the choir and the two solo singers. The melody is melancholic and powerful, invoking my memories of the anime with such forceful emotions that it has brought me to tears on many occasions. The instrumentation, from the gentle, plucking of the harp ever present in the background, to the singing strings that often comes in to reinforce the mood, forms a perfect foil for the vocals while constantly maintaining its own identity, never doing anything as boring as repeating the singers' melodies even during instrumental sections. And last but by no means least, there are the lyrics of the song, deeply moving and tailored especially for the anime, and it should dispel any remaining doubts that "Bratja" is the main theme of FMA. I've included a translation below, which I found on the web, but beware that it contains spoilers for the show. Obviously, a lot of the poetry of the lyrics is lost during translation, but even so I think its potency still manages to shine through.
[first boy's verse] Forgive me, little brother I am so sorry. It's forbidden to try to return One taken by the earth. The one who knows the law of existence Could help me to find the answer. I was very mistaken There is no cure for death. [choir's chorus] Dear Mom, sweet Mom! We loved you so much. But all our efforts Unfortunately were in vain. [first boy's chorus] I tempted you With the wonderful hope Of returning our home. My brother, it's all my fault. [second boy's verse] Don't cry, don't be sad, big brother. You're not the only guilty one. There's only one road before us, We will purge our sins completely. I cannot blame you, I am not hurt at all. Well, we sinned By wanting to be stronger than everyone else. [choir's chorus] Dear Mom, sweet Mom! We loved you so much. But all our efforts Unfortunately were in vain. [second boy's chorus] I was tempted With the wonderful hope Of returning our home. I'm guilty for all of it. [choir's chorus] But what should we do, how should we be? How to fix everything, to forget? It's forbidden to try to return One taken by the earth.
Total points: 135. Wow, I wasn't expecting this song to get so many points, since insert songs rarely gets the same kind of attention openings and endings do. I guess it's a testament to how good this song is.
#2
"Canta Per Me" [insert song from "Noir" (2001)] In all honesty, this song should probably be #1 on my list (and "Bratja" a very close #2), but I'm saving the top spot for a buried gem. I figured Yuki Kajiura's reputation is so big that a lesser known, older song for hers should be able to qualify, especially since it's one of, if not her finest work. My brain was actually telling me to drop this song even further down the list, but it's so good that I just couldn't bear to do it. "Noir" was one of my first conscious contact with anime (as in, I was actively watching something that I knew was anime), and it can probably be considered as Kajiura's breakthrough act into the anime music scene. She composed a fantastic sound track for the show, and, even though I've always felt the anime should and could have done a lot more with it, it nevertheless left a deep impression upon me. Because of Kajiura's unique style, the listening experience was like to a small culture shock for me, because I'd never heard anything quite like it before. "Canta Per Me" was easily the shining jewel in the crown. It's because of this song that I left out "Liminality" from my nominations. This song has Kajiura's signature all over it: it's atmospheric, demanding your attention immediately with a chorus of strumming strings; it has high female vocals that are almost operatic in nature; it has a violin wailing out flamboyant strains in conjunction with the melody, etc, etc. The ending theme to Madoka may be all the rage currently, but I think it's not a patch on this classic song of hers. Total points: 46. Man, I didn't think this song would shave it this close! Good job I did have it ranked quite highly.
Ok, time for my top song...
*drum roll*
#1
*cymbal*
"Konya wa Hurricane" [OP of episode 1 of "Bubblegum Crisis" (1987 - 1991)] So this is the "Bubblegum Crisis" song I chose to champion over all the rest. It's like, the ultimate nostalgia song, effortlessly invoking an 80s atmosphere. Did I mention I love 80s music? I went for this song rather than any of the other great songs in the "Bubblegum Crisis" franchise and put it at #1 because, in addition to being the best song in the anime, it's also part of the iconic opening sequences seen in episode 1, so I think it genuinely has a good chance of qualifying if I have it high enough in my list. And did it? Total points: 52. Seems my calculations were spot on.
Phew! This post went on for far too long. I'm nearly burnt out now.
"Are kara, kimi wa..." [insert song from "Touch: Miss Lonely Yesterday" (1998)] I couldn't find a clean version of this song on youtube, so I ended up with the excerpt from the film itself that had the song playing. Yes it does actually play the full track, but it also contains some minor spoilers, so you may want to just listen to it instead of watching it: To be honest, the story line to the film is a bit contrived, and no one else seems to like it much. But while I can acknowledge the flaws in the story, I also can't deny that it had me emotionally. At the heart of the film is the montage featuring this song, and it was easily the best scene in the movie. A lot that is down to the song. It's so melancholy and nostalgic that it set the mood perfectly for the scenes on screen. I enjoyed quite a few songs from the "Touch" franchise, but this one song made the deepest impression on me. It felt it was quite an accomplished and sophisticated pop song, featuring a relatively large scale and dramatic instrumentation that even included brass instruments. It also has a chorus that was unusually long and winding in its development. I think the interesting chorus is a big reason why I don't get tired of listening to it. Total points: 5. I was the only one who voted for the song, predictably.
"Song of the Wind" [ED of "Hunter x Hunter" (1999 - 2001)] Toshihiko Sahashi is one of my favourite anime composers. He's very versatile, and composed quite a few great soundtracks boasting a variety of styles. I don't know whether he wrote this ending theme, but the instrumental interlude contains a melody that was used as a main theme for the anime's background music, which he did compose, so I'm assuming he wrote the ending too. The song has a nice accoustic guitar instrumentation (or is it some traditional Japanese plucking instrument? The song certainly has a traditional vibe to it) and high, clear female vocals, both of which I'm partial to. It starts off gently, but immediately sets a great mood, as though it's telling a story. And it's one of those songs that just builds up more and more from the verse through to the chorus until it cumulates at high point at the end of the chorus - a long sustained note that's one of the highest in the entire song. Total points: 5. Again, I was the only one who voted for it.
"Waltz" [ED of episode 3 and 11 of "School Days" (2007)] "School Days" wasn't a great show, but it did have a nice collection of ending themes. There were about 8 different ones, and even the worst of those are pretty good. I eventually decided to put forward "Waltz" by Kanako Ito. It has a nice classical twist to it, and captured my attention from the get go with its opening cycle of evocative piano notes. The melody is deliciously dark, and ripe with emotion; the piano and guitar entwine superbly into a memorable instrumental section in the middle; and the rise to falsetto at the end of the chorus is an interesting and unexpected development. Total points: 5. Kanako Ito has quite a distinctive voice. I recognised it immediately when I heard the "Steins;Gate" OP. Unfortunately, while that (decent at best) song ended up with a very high rank at the nomination stage (top 10 I believe), this much better song of hers got completely ignored.
"Secret Base" (no, not the AnoHana ED) [ED 1 of "Eureka 7" (2005 - 2006)] Musically, this is probably the least interesting song in my nominations, and if truth be told I very nearly cut it out (on a different day I might well have). I really loved it the first time I heard it, but I've lost quite a bit of my feelings for it now. I have it in here simply because I think it has a really nice tune, and it felt like the singer sung her heart out in the chorus with the voice of a young boy. In fact, for a long time I thought it was the voice actress for Renton from the show singing this song in his voice, but it's actually someone else, and it's actually her normal singing voice. Total points: 5. While the other "Secret Base" and some other "Eureka 7" songs all qualified, this didn't. I am surprised that while so many other "Eureka 7" openings and maybe endings were nominated by others, I was the only one to nominate this one. Perhaps this song is just too simple to attract attention.
"Message of Rouge" [OP of "Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989)] This song has such a retro sound - like it's from the 50s or 60s. I really love the way the backing vocals chime in and playing such a big part in the song - you just don't hear this kind of style any more. Ultimately though, I love the song because it's just so much fun to listen to. It makes me want to bounce around and never fails to give me a burst of energy. I was also weighing up other Ghibli songs. "The Cat Returns" ED, but I liked this one more; the most obvious one though, is the ED to "Spirited Away", but I figured other people might already be nominating that one (I haven't checked whether it made it), and I felt this one is more of a forgotten gem. Total points: 5. It is rather forgotten. Another Kiki song had 15 points, but that was the ED. It's quite nice but I much prefer the OP.
"Planetes" [Ultimate ED of "Planetes" (2003)] As much as I loved "Planetes", I wasn't too impressed by the music for the most part. I liked Hitomi's contribution though, as always. That reminds me, she also contributed to the vocals of "Lost Friend", a "Last Exile" insert song which I find absolutely stunning. I probably would have nominated it if I remembered it earlier! Anyway, "Planetes" is quite typical of Hitomi's style. She's done an album called "Angel Feather Voice", which I think describes her singing style quite accurately. Just listen to how her celestial, gently brushing vocals entwine in beautiful harmonies in this song in the backdrop of the Enya-esq instrumentation. By the way, check out the highest rated comment in that video; it's quite inspiring. Total points: 27. Oh how I wish I put this song higher in my list! It would have made it in if I had!
"For Fruits Basket" [OP of "Fruits Basket (2001)] The anime was monotonously sweet, to the point where it made me want to rage. But then, so is the opening, and I really liked that, even though it fits the anime like a glove. I guess I'm more tolerant of pleasantries when it comes to music. And the song IS very pleasant, featuring gentle vocals backed up by soothing instrumentation. And just as the vocals finish up towards the end of the song, the string instruments comes in singing a new riff to freshen up the end of the song. In fact, the instrumentation in this song is strong enough that I'm often content to just listen to the instrumental version of this track. Total points: 59. This would have made it even without my nomination. I wish I'd given its place to "Scramble" from "School Rumble" or something.
"Lonely in Gorgeous" [OP of "Paradise Kiss" (2005)] With its synth, disco beats and Tommy Febuary6's sweet and sultry vocals, this gorgeous song has a very retro kind of glamour about it. The composition may not be complex, but it doesn't need to be because the main melody is so infectious and the production so accomplished. This style of synth pop may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's hard to deny that this song is close to, if not at the pinnacle, of its genre. It may have deserved a higher place on my list, but I've heard quite a few good words about this song from my friends who've seen the show, so I suspect I'm not the only one to nominate it. Total points: 50. Like I suspected, the song did have reasonable popularity, though it would have been tight had I not nominated it, since the anime wasn't hugely popular. My nomination contributed 11 points, so it would have just scraped through as things stood.
"Hateshinai Tabi - Hajimari no Toki " [OP of "Bubblegum Crash" (1991)] While "Lonely in Gorgeous" had a retro sound, this song really is retro, hailing from the very early 90s. I don't think stylistically the two songs are all that different, though this one has more of a rock edge to it. I might have put this higher, but I've got a song from the "Bubblegum Crisis" later on. The "Bubblegum Crisis" franchise has spawned a lot of great music, and it's a testament to the quality of its music production that it's the only franchise from which I selected two tracks - I just couldn't bear to cut either. Total points: 13. Not too surprised that I'm the only one who nominated this one, since it's from the lesser known sequel of the original "Bubblegum Crisis".
"Lunlun the Flower Child" [OP of "Lunlun the Flower Child" (1979 - 1980)] While I toyed with the idea of indulging in my nostalgia by including the likes of the "Doraemon" OP and the "Triton of the Sea" OP, I decided to settle for including just this one. Ironically, it's from an anime that I don't actually remember ever watching, but somehow or other I must have heard the theme because I remembered the tune despite not hearing it for a decade or two. And do you know how I came across again? "Genshiken". Someone had it as a ringtone, and I was like "hang on a minute... I think I know this song!" I'm not surprised the tune stuck with me for so long - isn't it just wonderful? Of course it is! Don't argue with me! Total points: 15. No prizes for guessing how many others nominated it.
"Woke From Dreaming" [insert song from "Gunslinger Girl (2003 - 2004)"] I'd heard the song way before I watched the anime, and found it mesmerising, so I can say with certainty that it's not because of the anime that I love this song - it genuinely is a superb standalone track. And no wonder - it's a song by a scottish indie band called the Delgados, and had nothing to do with the anime when it was written. Musically, this is perhaps the most interesting song in my final 15. The song fascinates me, both with its structure and with the way it's able to paint images in my head with its powerful mood. "Woke From Dreaming" begins with an lethargic, oppressive atmosphere reinforced by the minor melody. Sombering vocals mixed with unsettling, distorted chanting helps to conjure up images of someone tossing and turning in fitful slumber, trapped in something close to a nightmare. In the middle there's a huge crescendo, like a storm brewing ... and then rays of sun bursts through the dark clouds as the tension is suddenly released. The melody shifts into something brighter, more soothing. This is actually the key point of the song, the bit which reflects the title "Woke From Dreaming". But while the mood of the song changes tangibly, the melody doesn't sound all that different from what came before. How does the song do this? My music theory isn't too advanced, so I could be wrong about this, but I think the difference in mood before and after the crescendo is brought about by a change from a minor key to its equivalent major key which uses the same notes (e.g. A minor to C major). This would explain why the melody, while maintaining its similarity to what came before, feels like it's shifted up to a slightly higher key. Despite the brightness increase though, the dreary mood does not entirely clear up, and there's still lingering sadness in the remainder of the song. For those that don't know, "Gunslinger Girl" is about a group of young girls, all of them cyborgs, who are used by Italian government as assassins. These girls were all "rescued" from abusive environments and terrible circumstances where their natural bodies were in an unrecoverable state. Becoming cyborgs briefly gives them a new life, but it's a disturbing perversion of the normal life that other girls live. Their situations can be summed up at the end of one of my favourite episodes (episode 3) of the original series, where Rico, one of the gunslinger girls, has a monologue spoken over a scene of her waking up in silent tears: "There's something that bothers me every time I wake up in the morning... it's whether my body actually exist today or not." And as she sits up from the bed and flexes her fingers, the monologue expresses relief that it still works and what a wonderful thing that is, and finishes by saying she likes her life at the agency. Even though the song wasn't written for the anime, I would have believed it was had someone told me so. Total points: 17. While the "Gunslinger Girl" OP (also by the Delgados), a song which I felt promised much and delivered not enough, sits comfortably amongst the top 100 seeds, poor "Woke From Dreaming" was completely overlooked. Perhaps because it was only played once. For about 10 seconds, if that.
"Congratulations!" [ED of "Oh My Goddess" OVA (1993)] As much as I like expounding on various aspects of interesting compositions like "Woke From Dreaming", sometimes I like stuff simply because I'm a sucker for catchy melodies. And so, after waxing lyrics about the "Woke From Dreaming" for too long, I now swing to the other extreme and come to the very conventional "Congratulations!", which I love simply for being very, very catchy. Total points: 20. *pouts*
"Bratja" [insert song from "Full Metal Alchemist" (2003 - 2004)] Ok, let me be controversial for a minute here (what a shocking idea, eh?): I thought the FMA sound track sucked for the most part, especially those unbearable jpop/jrock openings and endings. However, it did yield one of the best anime songs ever: the Russian song "Bratja". It's a song that, more than any other, I consider to be the main theme of FMA, and I can't tell you how gutted I am that they did not reuse the theme for FMA Brotherhood. The title translates to "Brothers", and it's played many times in many different arrangements during the anime. While not being breaking any mold stylistically, everything about it is so ... RIGHT. The whole song is modelled like a dialogue between two brothers; the verses are sung alternatingly by two boys and the chorus shared between the choir and the two solo singers. The melody is melancholic and powerful, invoking my memories of the anime with such forceful emotions that it has brought me to tears on many occasions. The instrumentation, from the gentle, plucking of the harp ever present in the background, to the singing strings that often comes in to reinforce the mood, forms a perfect foil for the vocals while constantly maintaining its own identity, never doing anything as boring as repeating the singers' melodies even during instrumental sections. And last but by no means least, there are the lyrics of the song, deeply moving and tailored especially for the anime, and it should dispel any remaining doubts that "Bratja" is the main theme of FMA. I've included a translation below, which I found on the web, but beware that it contains spoilers for the show. Obviously, a lot of the poetry of the lyrics is lost during translation, but even so I think its potency still manages to shine through.
[first boy's verse] Forgive me, little brother I am so sorry. It's forbidden to try to return One taken by the earth. The one who knows the law of existence Could help me to find the answer. I was very mistaken There is no cure for death. [choir's chorus] Dear Mom, sweet Mom! We loved you so much. But all our efforts Unfortunately were in vain. [first boy's chorus] I tempted you With the wonderful hope Of returning our home. My brother, it's all my fault. [second boy's verse] Don't cry, don't be sad, big brother. You're not the only guilty one. There's only one road before us, We will purge our sins completely. I cannot blame you, I am not hurt at all. Well, we sinned By wanting to be stronger than everyone else. [choir's chorus] Dear Mom, sweet Mom! We loved you so much. But all our efforts Unfortunately were in vain. [second boy's chorus] I was tempted With the wonderful hope Of returning our home. I'm guilty for all of it. [choir's chorus] But what should we do, how should we be? How to fix everything, to forget? It's forbidden to try to return One taken by the earth.
"Canta Per Me" [insert song from "Noir" (2001)] In all honesty, this song should probably be #1 on my list (and "Bratja" a very close #2), but I'm saving the top spot for a buried gem. I figured Yuki Kajiura's reputation is so big that a lesser known, older song for hers should be able to qualify, especially since it's one of, if not her finest work. My brain was actually telling me to drop this song even further down the list, but it's so good that I just couldn't bear to do it. "Noir" was one of my first conscious contact with anime (as in, I was actively watching something that I knew was anime), and it can probably be considered as Kajiura's breakthrough act into the anime music scene. She composed a fantastic sound track for the show, and, even though I've always felt the anime should and could have done a lot more with it, it nevertheless left a deep impression upon me. Because of Kajiura's unique style, the listening experience was like to a small culture shock for me, because I'd never heard anything quite like it before. "Canta Per Me" was easily the shining jewel in the crown. It's because of this song that I left out "Liminality" from my nominations. This song has Kajiura's signature all over it: it's atmospheric, demanding your attention immediately with a chorus of strumming strings; it has high female vocals that are almost operatic in nature; it has a violin wailing out flamboyant strains in conjunction with the melody, etc, etc. The ending theme to Madoka may be all the rage currently, but I think it's not a patch on this classic song of hers. Total points: 46. Man, I didn't think this song would shave it this close! Good job I did have it ranked quite highly.
*cymbal*
"Konya wa Hurricane" [OP of episode 1 of "Bubblegum Crisis" (1987 - 1991)] So this is the "Bubblegum Crisis" song I chose to champion over all the rest. It's like, the ultimate nostalgia song, effortlessly invoking an 80s atmosphere. Did I mention I love 80s music? I went for this song rather than any of the other great songs in the "Bubblegum Crisis" franchise and put it at #1 because, in addition to being the best song in the anime, it's also part of the iconic opening sequences seen in episode 1, so I think it genuinely has a good chance of qualifying if I have it high enough in my list. And did it? Total points: 52. Seems my calculations were spot on.