Anime

Anime

Experience 90’s North American Sailor Moon Music with SERASYMPHONY II: HALF MOON Album

April 19, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Experience 90’s North American Sailor Moon Music with SERASYMPHONY II: HALF MOON Album Share this

SERASYMPHONY who performed several live concerts of both the Japanese and North American Sailor Moon music released SERASYMPHONY II: HALF MOON on March 7, 2017. The 23 minute album features a symphony orchestra performing re-orchestrated music and songs from the DiC North American version of Sailor Moon. Featuring the Kacey Cardin and iconiQ The Soundtrack Orchestra.

The composers featured on the album include John Miyagi Author, Michael Benghiat, Bobbie Lee Crow III, Andy Heyward, Tetsuya Komoro, Monroe Michaels, Kanako Oda, Evan Roberts, and Bob Summers.

The Track List Includes:

1. In the Name of the Moon (includes “Moon Crystal Power” and “Moon Prism Power”)
2. Moonlight Legend
3. The Power of Love
4. Tuxedo Knight (includes “Silver Millennium” and “Tuxedo Mask Theme”)
5. Light
6. Fight! Sailor Scouts (includes “Sailor Jupiter” and “Outer Scouts Theme”)
7. My Only Love

If you watched the Sailor Moon show in the 90’s this is an album for you. The album is available on Amazon Music, Google Play, and Spotify or can be purchased on iTunes for $6.99. You can find all of those links at SERASYMPHONY’s store.

Were you a fan of the music in the North American version of Sailor Moon?
Anime, Television

Ulysses 31: 35 Anniversary Edition Soundtrack Available Now!

July 19, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Ulysses 31: 35 Anniversary Edition Soundtrack Available Now! Share this

Ulysses 31 was a cartoon before my time. It aired in 1981 and combined space adventure with Ancient Greek Myth in the 31st Century. Most importantly though, it had an incredible soundtrack composed by Haim Saban, Shuki Levy, Denny Crockett and Ike Egan. The latest edition of the soundtrack is an incredible accomplishment. The producers located all of the original recording masters and had them mastered at Abbey Road Studios, London. Even cooler is the album has it’s own trailer.

The series was a huge hit in France, and the album opens with the French theme song. However at 119 tracks spread across two CDs, all of the English songs have been included as well. If you’re a fan of 80’s cartoon music this is must own. You can read the full track details on the video game music database, or in French at the producer’s website.

You can order the album directly from Amazon France for 25 Euro plus shipping.

Were you a fan of Ulysses 31 when it aired in North America?
Anime, Game Music, Japanese

Squid Sisters Live Album Pre-Order and Details

June 4, 2016 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Squid Sisters Live Album Pre-Order and Details Share this

Following up the Splatoon soundtrack album from 2015 comes a new official collection of live performances from the in-game idol group, the Squid Sisters. The tracks come from two shows that the duo put on earlier this year in Japan which the majority of the world was only able to see over livestream archives.

Along with recordings from the Niconico Tokaigi and Choongakusai music festival venues, SPLATOON LIVE IN MAKUHARI will include in-game music not included on the original soundtrack as well as a demo version of “City of Color” and two bonus songs: “Tokimeki * Bomb Rush” from Callie and “Sumisoae no Yoru” from Marie.

Play-Asia has the CD up for pre-order now for $29.99 and it’s expected to ship on July 13th. If you can’t wait for more jammin’ Splatoon music you can always fall back on GameChops’ fan arrangement album, Splatunes, from last June.
Anime, Indie Music, Reviews

A True Anime Sound: Beyond Libra (Review)

April 21, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | 1 Comment Share this

OSV originally brought news of Wilbert Roget II’s kickstarter campaign to fund the mastering and release of his anime inspired Beyond Libra back in November of last year. The Kickstarter campaign was a success slightly doubling its modest goal of $1500. So what is Beyond Libra? Simply described by the composer Beyond Libra is a massive collaboration album inspired by Japanese anime composers such as Yoko Kanno and Joe Hisaishi. Pop, orchestral, and world influence. The album which was 8 years in the making featuring a stunning amount of talent and songs in over 5 different languages.

So come hear my thoughts on Beyond Libra in my full review of the physical album 13 track album which was released on March 4, 2016.

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Anime, Game Music

Mech Hunter is a Cyberpunk Sega CD OST that Never Existed

April 20, 2016 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Mech Hunter is a Cyberpunk Sega CD OST that Never Existed Share this

It’s been a banner month for soundtracks to games that never existed. First we had Saori Kobayashi’s original album, Terra Magica, that envisions a new Panzer Dragoon and just last weekend Mitch Murder brought us MECH HUNTER OST which he describes simply as “another fictional Sega game soundtrack.”

The Swedish composer, who provided the soundtrack for the deeply 80’s short film Kung Fury, has imagined us an anime inspired, cyberpunk Sega CD game that never happened. From the album art and track titles alone it’s easy to picture something similar to Snatcher or Bubblegum Crisis. Sexy ladies in cyber gear fighting blue-gray robot monsters and all that.

<a href="http://mitchmurder.bandcamp.com/album/mech-hunter-ost">MECH HUNTER OST by mitch murder</a>

The 6-track album is painfully short, giving you just enough of an 80’s electro/Sega/funk hit to leave you wanting more. From “Fighters” that thumps along in the bassy range of the Genesis to “Runners” with its delightful 80’s synth melody and echoing electric bass refrain. Short as it may be we’re even treated to a plucky “Bonus Stage” tune and a soulful, minimal finale that surely accompanies a graphic of our battle-worn cybergirls standing haggard and triumphant over an evil computer.

~ Thanks for your playing

I’m surprised to find myself a little hurt over this mini album. It’s so perfectly evocative of the era and the games that I love, it feels like I suddenly discovered a game from my childhood that I can never play. Don’t let that surprise reaction put you off of MECH HUNTER OST, though, because it’s a great listen and it’s also free (or pay-what-you-want) over on Bandcamp.
Anime, Reviews

Sword Art Online Music Collection: Limited Edition (Review)

February 18, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Sword Art Online Music Collection: Limited Edition (Review) Share this

It’s not often that soundtrack fans get something like the Sword Art Online Music Collection. The fact alone that it exists is something I am very thankful for. With the popularity of online streaming nowadays with sites like Crunchyroll and Netflix – we now have anime content available to us in record numbers. What I’m trying to say is that with this availability our need to purchase physical releases of the series themselves is decreasing.

However when it comes to getting our hands on the music for Sword Art Online in the past you had to buy it bundled with expensive import or domestic Blu-Ray sets. What you get in the Sword Art Online Music Collection is all of that exclusive musical content in one solid package. Read on to find out what I thought of this release, and my thoughts on the Blu-ray bonus disc included in the limited edition.
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Anime, Featured, Game Music

Game Soundtracks For Your Soul: Level 14

January 23, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Game Soundtracks For Your Soul: Level 14 Share this

I was a huge anime fan in my teen years and very much still am. Some of my favorite gaming memories are having the opportunity to play video games related to an anime series.

In this edition of Game Soundtracks For Your Soul I am looking back at some of the Anime related video games that had memorable video game scores. The games I’m looking back at include a fighting game, and two action games where you could play as a tank, or transformable fighter jet. Come on in to hear some of the best music from some of my favorite anime related game titles I’ve enjoyed.

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