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Anime Songs Better than Other Songs




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Amethyst Alchemist
Former ANN Editor


Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 312
Location: where it's always a good morning
PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:39 am Reply with quote
I've noticed something pretty strange when listening to my Japanese music. I automatically like songs better if they're from anime. I keep wanting to listen to anime songs instead of other songs on an album of the same artist, for example.

I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact there are images you can associate with anime songs. Since you have more than just sound to go on, I wonder if making it multi-sensory somehow makes it more enjoyable. With me it seems to be the case.

Another thing I notice is that I might really like a group's song for a show, so I'll buy an album or two of them. Then I will be disappointed when I listen to their album and the other songs just don't seem to have the same spark. I did this with Asian Kung-fu Generation. I love Rewrite, but Sol-fa came across as so-so.

I think it also might have to do with the fact there is an inherent difference in anime songs. They seem to have a stronger feel somehow. They obviously have to be condensed to fit in the time for the show. So, in the show cuts to the song make it better. However, when listening to the full version, sometimes the song is even better. It just seems to me like groups write anime songs differently than their other songs. I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

Sometimes I hear a song I know is from a show before I have seen the show. And I sometimes like those better than a group's other songs even if I haven't seen the show.

This is not to say all anime songs are better. There are a lot of crappy pop anime songs. This is just a general trend I notice in good anime songs.
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jgreen



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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Location: St. Louis, MO
PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:18 pm Reply with quote
I think the reason why that is is more likely that the band chooses their best songs to be used as anime themes. It's just like most rock bands....the best songs on their CD are usually the singles they release to radio. When you listen to the CD and you judge those songs the best, a song being on the radio isn't what makes it good, but rather a song being good is what gets it on the radio. Same with anime themes, I reckon.
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jack781217



Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Plano, TX, USA
PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:42 pm Reply with quote
Total agreement here. Anime smile

Amethyst Alchemist wrote:
I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact there are images you can associate with anime songs. Since you have more than just sound to go on, I wonder if making it multi-sensory somehow makes it more enjoyable. With me it seems to be the case.


That is definitely the case. In case of OP and ED, I don't think you can listen to a song without having the animation projecting in your brain. The images are usually associate well with the pace and the lyric of the song, and it surely helps you get familiar with the nature of the song and appreciate it more

Amethyst Alchemist wrote:
Another thing I notice is that I might really like a group's song for a show, so I'll buy an album or two of them. Then I will be disappointed when I listen to their album and the other songs just don't seem to have the same spark. I did this with Asian Kung-fu Generation. I love Rewrite, but Sol-fa came across as so-so.


Now I only listen to anime songs... I guess one of the reason is that generally for pop musics, there is a lack of theme... I would say 8 out of 10 songs are about love. This too-often-occurring motif really makes most of the pop songs less appealing to me. Also, almost all animes have themes, and that theme is what the songs can adhere to. Again, having more than sound and lyric makes a difference.

jgreen wrote:
I think the reason why that is is more likely that the band chooses their best songs to be used as anime themes.


That is sometimes true, for animes like Bleach and InuYasha. But I think more times the theme songs are made specifically for an anime and them released as a single, because the lyric and feel of the songs fit the anime well.

And don't forget there are always character songs, which usually would be sung by a character's seiyuu. Those who like a particular character or the seiyuu would doubtlessly love the character songs (for my case, Tsuruya's Megassa Kikoushin from Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu).


Last edited by jack781217 on Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:41 am; edited 3 times in total
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Iron Chef



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 487
Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:47 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, Amethyst, I'm totally with you. Certain songs from anime bring back the memories from that show, and I'll listen to them over and over again. I've managed to buy all of Hyde's albums, but I usually only spin "Season's Call" (from Blood +) and "Hello," which was on the Season's Call single.

I think one of the more prevalent exceptions to this rule is Maaya Sakamoto, who's got one of the best catalogs of music out there. Olivia falls in behind her, then Eiko Shimamiya, then Utada Hikaru. Good stuff.
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jetz



Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 2148
Location: Manila, Philippines
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:41 am Reply with quote
I'm having some trouble understanding this post since I'm a bit sleepy Laughing Laughing Here's what I understand so tell me if I'm wrong..

So you guys are saying that you only like the anime songs that a certain artist has performed, but you don't like the other songs that he/she has performed that are not involved with an anime? is that it? I'll answer if I got it right.. Laughing Laughing
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:50 am Reply with quote
Are you saying anime songs are better than other songs in general, or the song the artist Sings for anime is better than his own material? If it's the latter, I agree. L'arc's Hayashibara, Kung Fu, Porno Graffitti's own stuff is pretty crappy compared to the stuff that is in the show.

However, keep in mind not all those singers write their own songs, so the stuff they could be singing would be whatever the composer of the series wrote for them.
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Amethyst Alchemist
Former ANN Editor


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:01 pm Reply with quote
Accidentally clicked "Submit" twice. Embarassed Sorry. Deleted the content of this post, since I couldn't find a way to delete it altogether.

Last edited by Amethyst Alchemist on Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:07 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Amethyst Alchemist
Former ANN Editor


Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 312
Location: where it's always a good morning
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:02 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
o you guys are saying that you only like the anime songs that a certain artist has performed, but you don't like the other songs that he/she has performed that are not involved with an anime? is that it? I'll answer if I got it right..

Quote:
Are you saying anime songs are better than other songs in general, or the song the artist Sings for anime is better than his own material?


I guess my post was kind of convoluted. Sorry. What I'm trying to say is that an artist's anime songs seem to be better than their other songs. And sometimes anime songs in general seems to be better than other j-music.

Hope that helps.


Last edited by Amethyst Alchemist on Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:36 pm Reply with quote
As much as I find anime songs to be better than any other type of pop music, not a single tune is better than what I normally listen to. Very Happy
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Neverwhere



Joined: 17 Jun 2006
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Location: socal
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:42 pm Reply with quote
DragonsRevenge wrote:
Are you saying anime songs are better than other songs in general, or the song the artist Sings for anime is better than his own material? If it's the latter, I agree. L'arc's Hayashibara, Kung Fu, Porno Graffitti's own stuff is pretty crappy compared to the stuff that is in the show.


Oh, you did NOT just say L'arc~en~ciel ciel has crappy music. Confused

Them's fightin' words. Rawr. *raises fists while clutching 15 years worth of Laraku cds* :- P


Amethyst... A lot of times bands use anime and tv songs in general to advertise upcoming album releases, or the OP/ED is released as a single in its own right, so it's not surprising that they're (occasionally) of higher quality than the rest of their catalogue. But that's certainly not always the case. Some of my favourite artists have released less-than-stellar work as film and tv themes, and if you only heard those songs you'd never know how good they actually were. I do agree with you though, most of the time the best songs (or at least, the most immediately catchy) are the ones you hear on the show. Smile
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:51 pm Reply with quote
Neverwhere wrote:
DragonsRevenge wrote:
Are you saying anime songs are better than other songs in general, or the song the artist Sings for anime is better than his own material? If it's the latter, I agree. L'arc's Hayashibara, Kung Fu, Porno Graffitti's own stuff is pretty crappy compared to the stuff that is in the show.


Oh, you did NOT just say L'arc~en~ciel ciel has crappy music. Confused

Them's fightin' words. Rawr. *raises fists while clutching 15 years worth of Laraku cds* :- P


Amethyst... A lot of times bands use anime and tv songs in general to advertise upcoming album releases, or the OP/ED is released as a single in its own right, so it's not surprising that they're (occasionally) of higher quality than the rest of their catalogue. But that's certainly not always the case. Some of my favourite artists have released less-than-stellar work as film and tv themes, and if you only heard those songs you'd never know how good they actually were. I do agree with you though, most of the time the best songs (or at least, the most immediately catchy) are the ones you hear on the show. Smile


How the hell can you fight with a handful of CDs?

To be fair, I've only heard a handful of L'arc songs besdies Ready Steady Go, but what I heard didn't really do much for me.
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Neverwhere



Joined: 17 Jun 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:08 pm Reply with quote
DragonsRevenge wrote:

How the hell can you fight with a handful of CDs?


*laughs* Obviously you missed the flippant attitude of my reply (note playful 'nyah' face), the point I was trying to make was that I have been a fan for a *very* long time. :- P

If you've only heard a few songs you can't call *all* of them crappy, now can you. They're just not to your taste, and that's fine. I'm certainly not going to start a flame war in a sensible thread over it. Smile
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:30 pm Reply with quote
Neverwhere wrote:
DragonsRevenge wrote:

How the hell can you fight with a handful of CDs?


*laughs* Obviously you missed the flippant attitude of my reply (note playful 'nyah' face), the point I was trying to make was that I have been a fan for a *very* long time. :- P

If you've only heard a few songs you can't call *all* of them crappy, now can you. They're just not to your taste, and that's fine. I'm certainly not going to start a flame war in a sensible thread over it. Smile


I was kidding myself. I'll include a line of smiley's next time. Razz

And L'arc's stuff isnt really "crappy" per se. I do like what I've heard, just not on the same Level as Ready Steady Go.
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jetz



Joined: 31 Jan 2007
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:03 pm Reply with quote
Got it.. I think

Amethyst Alchemist wrote:
I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact there are images you can associate with anime songs. Since you have more than just sound to go on, I wonder if making it multi-sensory somehow makes it more enjoyable. With me it seems to be the case.


I agree. Even if the artist is well known and in fact worth listening to, I still tend to prefer the songs they performed for a certain anime's soundtrack, since that's where I first heard it. I also notice that my fave part of a certain anime song is the part that they show on the anime, you know, the condensed part.
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