you really think so?
On Day Two of the Tokyo expedition, this Zaku took it easy. Slept in to nurse my worn out leg servos and gyros, blogged yesterday’s happenings before having lunch with an old university friend and only after that did I launch off towards Nakano Broadway via the Tozai line. Less photographs than yesterday because of the high staff to area ratio, making it much harder to get away with snapping close-up pictures of stuff and thus having a high risk of breaking the 11th Commandment.
I don’t normally pay attention to the background music in anime but there are just some tracks that become indelibly associated with key scenes. When I hear Salva Nos (Yuki Kajiura: Noir), I always think to myself that Kirika is going to kick some serious ass. Likewise when Foxy Doll (EDISON: Black Lagoon) comes on, the image of Revy or Balalaika strutting their stuff comes to mind. Or Haruka charging with her bass guitar to the strains of crazy sunshine (The Pillows: FLCL).
Ghost in the Shell has impressed me with all its offerings, including the Innocence OST (on order from TSRI) and the Solid State Society OST. Bought the first and second sound tracks for Stand Alone Complex for GBP 10.99 each via Amazon.co.uk (with free delivery FTW).
I’ve raved about KOTOKO’s Agony before. Was very fortunate to have Serge find this Kannazuki no Miko single (JPY 2,100, released 2004-11-17) at Toranoana Ikebukuro and he, bless his generous soul, let me have it although he also wanted to buy this last copy on the shelf.
Although it has got a very techno-dancey sort of sound, the lyrics (scan) are extremely romantic and at times, openly erotic. AzureLight’s translation is by far the most complete but I do think it is a tad too literal. However as my command of Japanese is rudimentary, I am unable to offer a better interpretation. Also how this fast-paced song was juxataposed against the stills of the ending sequence of moonlit Chikane and sunlit Himeko gazing at each other, zooming out as the takes alternate was a masterstroke.
The artwork on the back cover is quite sweet but I really do prefer the art of the anime more than the manga mainly because somehow Himeko’s hair just seems even bigger in the manga!
More gloating over loot procuring during the 2005-04 Tokyo trip and also preparing info relevant to my forthcoming Mai HiME post on Nao Yuuki.
Got the Akatsuki no Kuruma (Chariot of Dawn, sometimes translated as Wheel of Dawn, definitely not Car of Dawn) single, by FictionJunction YUUKA (YUUKA is Yuuka Nanri, Nao’s voice actress) with all lyrics, music and arrangement by she of the Noir OST, the mighty Yuki Kajiura. Price JPY 1,000 (SGD 15). It’s is my favourite song from the Gundam SEED OST. It’s essentially a sad song but has got tremendous pace and was the perfect musical accompaniment to Ep 40 when the Archangel fled the Earth Military’s invasion of Orb. A scan of the lyrics can be seen here and a superb translation can be viewed at a Sg site, Waxin’ Lyrical.
See-Saw’s Anna ni Isshodattanoni (Even Though We Were Together So Much, 1st ED) and Tatsuya Iishi’s River (2nd ED) lost out to Akatsuki no Kurama for first place although I liked both. The opening strains of the former was added to the tension of the cliffhangers in the early episodes and the latter is a performance by a male vocalist that I actually (and quite rarely) enjoyed. But the secret weapon that Akatsuki no Kuruma wielded to conquer No.1 in my ranking was its poster girl, Cagalli Yula Athha (above, in her Orb military uniform), who was my favourite character in Gundam SEED. Passionate, reckless, intelligent, she’s been undercover spy, rebel advisor and guerilla fighter, chief military tactician of the Orb armed forces, heir to the heir of Orb, teenager, sister, lover, Gundam pilot and overall kick-ass character. And she’s got the most varied wardrobe in the entire cast to boot!
Bad Behavior has blocked 990 access attempts in the last 7 days.
