Furu Anime Panikku

There are many anime out there, and together with the various series are the many opening and ending songs. So, with so many anime OP and ED songs out there, how do you judge what’s good and what sucks?

Anime Songs are in fact Japanese Pop songs, so the way to judge them is rather similar.

There 3 basic components that make or break a song, regardless of what genre of song it is.

• Instrumental Tune
• Lyrics
• Artiste’s Vocals

I’m not any music guru, nor have I learnt anything about music before. Heck, I can’t even blow the recorder properly. But, I feel that the 3 points stated above are the foundation for a song. It’s pretty much common sense, but it seems that many artistes don’t have it.

For anime songs however, I feel that there’s another component which should be included so as to decide how great a song it is. This, however, is a bonus section. If the song fails the previous 3 basic points, it fails, even if it does well in this section.

• The song’s ability to link to it’s anime series (this is pretty much linked to the lyrics component)

I don’t think I expressed this properly, so let me give you an example.

A song which I feel is has scored in all components would be “Tomorrow”, which is the OP for Full Metal Panic, sung by Shimokawa Mikuni. Why?

Let’s take a look at the first 3 criteria listed.

• Instrumental Tune

The tune is catchy and upbeat.

• Lyrics

The lyrics were quite well written, despite being simple.

• Artiste’s Vocals

Her voice is great in this song.

Basically, this song grades at least a B+ in the Japanese Pop section. But, let’s not forget the last bonus section for anime songs.

In my opinion, the song suited and linked very perfectly to the series. It gave me the feeling that Chidori was singing the song. The entire song had the Chidori feeling, but the part which I felt had the biggest impact on this feeling would be:

この世界に生まれたその意味を
君と見つけに行こう
痛みさえも抱えながら
新しい景色
もっと遠くまで
迎えに行こう

I’ll go search with you
For the meaning of my birth in this world
Even while wounded,
Let’s go
Even further on
To meet the new scenery

As you can see, the lyrics suits and is able to describe the relationship between Chidori and Sousuke. This is why this song should get an A+.

Now, for a song which has failed one of the 3 basic components.

Red Fraction, the OP for Black Lagoon, sung by MELL.

• Instrumental Tune

The tune is awesome. Totally fitting of an anime with gunfights, killings and what not.

• Lyrics

One word. Engrish.

• Artiste’s Vocals

Personally, I thought that her voice was not that great. In fact, her voice sounded like one of those usual Japanese Pop singers.

On first hearing, I thought that the song was quite awesome, save for the vocals. But when I browsed through the lyrics, this song totally went down the drain in terms of ranking. Unless Japanese singers have a good command of English and are able to speak it fluently (eg. Rie Fu), they should just avoid it like a plague. Trying to sing it without the skills to do so would only result in Engrish and the song being slaughtered. Engrish might be cool to Japanese people who do not have a good command of English, but it would definitely not appeal to those who speak English as their first language.

As for the bonus section, I thought this song scored due for two reasons. Again, it’s the lyrics. Revy speaks Engrish in the series and I think Revy might just sing this song, with a broad devilish smile, while going on her killing spree.

Given the kickass tune Red Fraction has, I truly hope that it will be re-sung in Japanese instead, this time with proper decent lyrics.

Hopefully, this short article of mine has given you some idea as to how I rate anime OPs/EDs.