Download Soundtrack Anime Fix
Syreeta Malick
Initial D is an anime adaptation of a manga about Japanese mountain street racing. It was insanely popular in the early 2000s, and if you haven't seen the anime, you've surely seen the Initial D arcade racing games. It was a very culturally influential franchise, doing to the AE86 what Back to the Future did for the DeLorean. But for an anime about cars, why would I even be talking about the soundtrack?
Before I discuss this particular anime's soundtrack, let's go over the purpose of a soundtrack. A soundtrack is supposed to heighten the viewer experience by using music to evoke emotion and build atmosphere. The reason why many fantasy & battle anime use big orchestral and choral sound is because the scale and tension of such anime warrants the use of soundtracks that reflect the depth and so-called "epicness" conveyed through the anime. In this respect, many anime have "good" soundtracks that do their job competently. But what makes a great soundtrack is one that is memorable and unique. So why do I say that Initial D has the greatest soundtrack in anime?
Initial D's soundtrack is in a genre of EDM called Eurobeat. It isn't too popular anymore, at least not in America. Though it might still be popping in Europe and Japan. What Initial D's soundtrack does its job well, but it heightens the experience in a much deeper way than most soundtracks can ever hope to achieve.
The import tuner craze, street racing, JDM; this era of the 90's really isn't around anymore. It was absolutely genius that Initial D used dance music from that time. It allowed the anime to capture that culture in a bottle and let the viewers experience that culture. In some ways, Initial D is even more immersive than some fantasy anime, because the soundtrack is so alive & nostalgic, and perhaps because it captured a world that actually existed some time ago. But without the soundtrack, Initial D would have been forgotten. Yet the soundtrack gave Initial D its cultural influence and significance. For many, it introduced America to Eurobeat, and some say that it may have been responsible, at least in some part, for the proliferation of EDM in America today.
I didn't see anyone talking about this, but apparently the composer for the Star Force anime actually released 20 tracks from the series on his website. Prior to this, like most of the animated shows, there was no OST available. Don't know what the general opinion of the show is, let alone its soundtrack, but I figured there might be a few who'll get a kick out of this. Most of the chill and goofy tracks seem to be left out, and unfortunately the vocal songs aren't in here either, but pretty much everything else is. There isn't a separate page for it, you'll have to scroll down a decent ways to get to the animated scores. I'm kind of a newb, so I don't know if the link will show up.
When it comes to producing an anime, multiple companies work together to make a show happen; these multiple companies make up what's called a Production Committee. Depending upon the show, a show's production committee will include a music label (such as Aniplex or Lantis), and this label can provide a composer to make music for the anime. There are cases and times, though, where a specific composer can be brought in from a certain label (such as Yuki Kajiura being brought in to work on Madoka Magicka), if someone in the production staff has a connection or something like that.
A computer can synthesize a lot of instruments pretty dang well, and it's assumedly cheaper to hash out a soundtrack through computer software rather than finding an orchestra/band, teaching them the music, and then recording the performance. Using live instruments for anime isn't unheard of (such as for higher-production films), but I couldn't tell you a percentage of how much certain anime shows use what. For vocal stuff, I don't specifically know how that gets managed, and I wouldn't want to lead you astray by even more conjecturing.
Finally, to answer your question about how they decide the feel of the sound, I'm led to believe that it's hashed out at meetings during an anime's creation (usually a bit closer to the end stage of things), with the composer (or someone representing his/her label) talking with the anime's production staff. Words could be thrown around that depict a certain feeling, or a certain genre of music or something to go for. If the production staff knows more about music, more specific terms may end up being used.
When it comes to how the music itself is created, and how composers get the training to get their jobs, just look up "music composition" and "digital music composition" on Google and it'll start to point you in that direction. A lot of the same general composition and creation processes apply, although I can't really tell you if they do something specifically unique in Japan composition-wise. Anyway, people can go to college to study music theory and music composition, and from there, they may choose to work specifically for anime, or choose to work anywhere else (like composing for live-action TV, or for movies, or commercials, or for the entertainment industry, for example). It's a career and profession like any other.
a piece from the Kill la Kill soundtrack: "Gekiban Tokka-gata Hitotsu-boshi Gokuseifuku" (OST 2 track 1), which is basically the soundtrack-ified version of "Before my body is dry", a.k.a. "DON'T LOSE YOUR WAY".
The situation in Hollywood is interesting as a point of comparison - various ownership schemes seem to be possible (though I don't know which are more common). In some cases, the soundtrack will be treated as a work-for-hire owned by the film's producers; in other cases, the composer will own the soundtrack and will license usage rights to the producers; and surely other possibilities exist. (Keep in mind, of course, that Japan and the US have fairly divergent conventions when it comes to the handling of intellectual property, so the situation in Hollywood is probably not the same as the situation in... Akihabara?)
The translation : "Who usually owns the rights on anime OST in Japan ? (except OP & ED) the studio ? the composer ?""Certainly not the studio. I couldn't say. Probably the production committee + the composer."
They say the copyright law is in sync with most international regulations. There are 3 actors : the composer, the producers and the broadcasters (wire diffusers). In anime production like pointed before, producers and broadcasters seem to be the same.
As for OP/ED, I have seen lots of anime opening videos on YouTube whose audio track is muted by the respective song producers (not the animation company). Hence the soundtrack must be owned by the company that produces it and is used by the animation company on certain agreements.
While plot, dialogue, and animation are undoubtedly crucial, good anime soundtracks also play a considerable role that is often overlooked. A good soundtrack can not only express underlying themes and emotions but also amplify and communicate them in a way words may not be able to. In fact, the music in a particular scene can tell a whole story of its own.
Over the years, a good deal of anime have gained recognition for their stellar soundtracks. That said, the anime on this list have some of the best soundtracks composed by some of the most talented individuals in the industry in recent years, as well as some emerging artists who have made a name for themselves. In that regard, this list includes some truly iconic soundtracks as well as some underrated gems that deserve more recognition.
As an anime that follows the journey of an amateur rock band, Given has plenty of catchy music that falls mostly within the spectrum of alternative rock. Composed and performed by Centimillimental with some stunning vocals from Shogo Yano, Given's songs feature plenty of catchy guitar riffs and genius lyrics. An excellent example is Fuyu no Hanashi, the song that takes centre stage in Season 1, which not only has some beautiful lyrics but is also easily one of the most tear-jerking performances in the series. What's more interesting about Fuyu no Hanashi is that it helps tell Mafuyu's struggle with grief simultaneously through its music as well as its lyrics.
The soundtrack uses the circle of fifths, which in theory can go on endlessly, symbolising the endless circle of grief Mafuyu is stuck in that forms the central conflict of the first season. That said, Given has much more to offer beyond its main songs in the way of a charming score by Michiru which only gets better in the movie. While the score in Season 1 is mostly tranquil and nostalgic with just a hint of sadness, the movie has a more diverse score including some calming acoustic lo-fi pieces that really embody the springtime feel of the movie.
Other than its repertoire of nostalgic openings, the music in Naruto is best known for its catchy chanting, iconic flute melodies, and energetic electric guitar, particularly in the main theme. Composed by Toshio Masuda, much of the series' original soundtrack features the blending of Western and traditional Japanese instruments such as the shamisen, and many more which give the soundtrack that distinct feel. Look no further than Masuda's most well-known composition and one of the series' most iconic melodies, Sadness and Sorrow, which comprises a haunting flute melody accompanied by the mournful plucking of a shamisen.
While the music in Naruto starts out strong right off the bat, it only gets better in Shippuden with the entry of Yasuharu Takahashi, the same genius who composed much of Fairy Tail's soundtrack and even the infamous Akatsuki theme, Ritual. In all, Naruto has a soundtrack that is consistently good and never fails to give listeners goosebumps.
Iconic opening themes aside, One Piece has always had a strong soundtrack and easily displays the most potential in this list. Composed by Kohei Tanaka and Shiro Hamaguchi, the music in One Piece is charming and timeless. The fact that Overtaken is still being adapted and used even twenty years later, is solid proof. Moreover, the soundtrack uses a wide array of instruments ranging from trumpets to saxophones best seen in each of the Straw Hats' signature themes.
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