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NEWS: 1st Anime Album in 11 Years to Rank in Japan's Top 3

This makes sense. In Japanese media name sells more then anywhere else in the world and when you've got Yoko Kanno and Macross in the title you're bound to reach an audience, especially when it's pretty much the most pop like OST she's ever put out. Personally I think this is one of her more mediocore albums and wish she would go back to working with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra rather then putting out pop songs almost anyone could produce.

There was this one website that pointed out four of her songs that sound very similar to other famous songs from around the world, but when I tried pointing it out to some people to show that she borderline lifts from other composers a lot of the time they chose to ignore me or diminish the fact despite the glaring evidence, because everyone knows Yoko Kanno is absolutely flawlessly brilliant right? RIGHT?!

Also have to say that I've been rather disappointed with Yoko Kanno in recent years.

Teriyaki Terrier wrote:

Wow, this still do this? I thought this practice ended in the 90's. I figured since Japan is more technolgyly advanced than most states, cds would be a item of a past and downloading into a Ipod would replace this.

One would think that until one finds out that they have only just taken on the DVD from VHS when the rest of the developed world left VHS back in 2001. I believe the cost of new tech in Japan keeps people tied to their old formats for longer.

Even in Star Wars, Williams' work was very heavily influenced by Romantics and other film score composers.

It's not surprising that Macross would outsell Bebop, as in Japan, Cowboy Bebop wasn't that well known. Macross is a huge franchise.

He quoted Gustav Mahler DIRECTLY on two separate occasions, and Stravinsky near directly on at least one. I still like the Star Wars scores, although I understand that in some ways they're derivative.

Xenofan 29A wrote:

He quoted Gustav Mahler DIRECTLY on two separate occasions, and Stravinsky near directly on at least one. I still like the Star Wars scores, although I understand that in some ways they're derivative.

There is nothing wrong with "quoting". In fact, like in Jazz, this is a very respected and long tradition. The main difference, of course, is that Williams never repeatedly based his entire compositions on pre-existing works nor did he break any copyright laws.

In any case, Kanno is entirely unworthy of being compared to Williams, or any other top film score composer.

But I have to wonder at people who say she's stealing from John Williams. Er. She's "stealing" from the same people Williams, Zimmer, and most other composers do: classical composers and other film score composers who stole from classical composers. (And let's not go into the way classical composers "stole" from each other.) Say it with me, people: John Williams did not invent orchestral film score as we know it. Even in Star Wars, Williams' work was very heavily influenced by Romantics and other film score composers.

If you want to accuse her of actually stealing, try Big Boys whose main theme is a bit too similar to the Pirates of the Caribbean theme but there's no reason for it to be a homage. (No pirates in sight, anyway.)

Xenofan 29A wrote:

It's not surprising that Macross would outsell Bebop, as in Japan, Cowboy Bebop wasn't that well known. Macross is a huge franchise.

Eh? Bebop was pretty popular in Japan... especially considering only half of the episodes aired in it's initial run in Japan. It's also #8 on the best selling dvd (by avg) list...

#10 Martian Successor Nadesico 37897 units
#9 Dragon Ball Z 40065 units
#8 Cowboy Bebop 40212 units
#7 Suzumiya Haruhi 41307 units
#6 Code Geass 44657 units

A 10k avg is considered hit status...