Anime is one of the uniquely Japanese contributions to modern popular culture and is popular not just in Japan but all over the world. One of the most successful Anime series is Bleach. It is the story of a group of characters both human and supernatural who fight evil, so it is not so original in the story lines!!! But the mixture of action, humor, a little romance and great characters have made this series so successful. It is based on the is shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki Kubo and currently there have been 15 TV series with a total of 334 episodes and 4 anime feature films.
I was listening to one of my favorite singer songwriters the other day and realized that she had actually written and performed one of the openings for this series and then I started to remember some of the others and I realized that they actually are an interesting sample of J-pop music since the last few years. (even if the themes are a little heroic) In total so far there have been 14 opening themes by different artists and 28 closing themes!!
Here are some of the opening themes I like the most.
The first opening theme was Asterisk by the group Orange Range. Orange Range are an Okinawan pop- rock group who were formed in 2001 but it was in 2003 that they became well known with the single Shanghai Honey which reached number 5 in the single charts. In 2004 they had a huge hit with Hana which reached number one in the charts and stayed in the chart for 50 weeks. In 2005 they were asked to make the opening track for the then new Bleach anime series. The track they wrote was called Asterisk and it debuted at number 1 in the chart and stayed in the chart for 22 weeks.
First Opening - Asterisk by Orange Range
The third opening theme was Ichirin no Hana by High and Mighty Color. High and Mighty Colour are another Okinawan group. They started life as a Metalica cover band actually and but were joined by a female vocalist and produced a song for the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, called Pride which was their first single and hit for them and they started to make their own music. They never really made it to be a really major band, but always had a loyal following. They made the third opening for Bleach in 2006.
Third Opening – Ichirin no Hana by High and Mighty Colour
The sixth and ninth opening themes were by Aqua Timez. Aqua Timez also did the theme for the Bleach spin off movie Bleach: Memories of Nobody. Originally called Aqua Times they were formed in 2000 by Futoshi Kawasaki and Tomohisa Okada when they were at university, but it was in 2005 they changed the name to Aqua Timez and signed to Sony Music. They released their first mini album Sora Ippai ni Kanaderu Inori which became number one in the chart and started their success. The sixth opening was a track called Alones and the ninth opening was Velonica. Both had good success in the charts, and both feature the positive and inspirational lyrics they are well known for. I prefer Valonica but I have included both so you can decide which one you prefer.
Sixth Opening Alones by Aqua Timez
Ninth Opening - Valonica by Aqua Timez
The tenth opening was Shoju S by Scandal. Scandal are a four piece girl rock band from Osaka. The met at a dance and voice school while still in high school became friends and formed the group in 2006 when they were still only 17 years old. They initially signed to independent record company Kitty Records but eventually signed to Sony Music in 2008 after long negotiations. Unusually they managed to obtain artistic control of writing and production. So well done to them! In 2009 they wrote Shojo S (Girl S) for Bleach and it became the tenth opening theme. They have had good success with sales and tour more or less continually. I have actually seen them live and I must say they seem to enjoy playing live very much and are an enjoyable act to see.
Tenth Opening - Shoju S by Scandal
Now the artist that started me thinking about this theme for a post.
Miwa is a relatively new singer songwriter who I like very much and I think will become one of my very favourites! She has only released one album Guitarissimo which actually reached number one in the album chart this year. She wrote Change for the twelfth opening of Bleach in 2010 and was the third single she released.
Twelfth Opening - Change by Miwa.
If you have read so far then well done and thank you so much. I hope you found it interesting.
Interesting. It may come as no surprise that I like Japanese animation . Haven’t watched Bleach as it looks a bit to grown-up for me.
Of the music I liked the first one best.
Well it is designed for teenagers…….
That would explain it. I’m not allowed to watch stuff that’s made for older boys and girls.
My favourite is Pani Poni Dash which has very little violence and it’s totally crazed.
I might try Bleach when I am bigger but for now it looks a bit scary.
Actually I pleased you found it interesting. I like the Miwa track the best as I am really into her stuff just now.
You know Pani Poni Dash has three opening themes and six closing themes….. I have seen it sometimes and I do think it is funny!
Yes, I keep nominating Yellow Vacation and Roulette Roulette over on RR but none of the guru’s seem to appreciate their greatness.
They are Philistines.
I love some of the Studio Ghibli films but I wouldn’t claim to be a manga fan, Sakura.
There was a (brilliant) US show called The Wire a few years ago where they used the same theme song for each series but had different artists performing it, to very interesting effect.
Way Down in the Hole – The Five Blind Boys of Alabama
Way Down in the Hole – Tom Waits
Way Down in the Hole – The Neville Brothers
Way Down in the Hole – Domaje
Way Down in the Hole – Steve Earle (who also acted in the show)
Excellent post Sakura. I was just thinking about the use of different interpretation of the same opening music on The Wire, and lo, Chris has beaten me to it. Now that you have done your first topic, would you consider doing one on your UK trip? I’m sure we would get some interesting observations from you!
I really do not think people would be very interested!!! But it is really nice to suggest they would!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Chris!
I really enjoyed the different versions of the track. I thought the Neville Brothers was maybe my favourite.
It is interesting to see how different artists understand the same song.
I’d love to read your thoughts on Britain too.
I like to see how other’s see and read about different takes on our rain covered septic isle.
The American author Bill Bryson has done some good stuff about Britain, perhaps you could be our Japanese correspondent ?
I was hoping to post some of the music from Buffy but, apart from the musical episode itself and Giles singing Behind Blue Eyes there doesn’t seem to be anything on YouTube. However. The use of music (or lack of it – the episode The Body has none) in Buffy is very innovative. They used real bands playing in the Sunnydale nightclub, The Bronze, where a good deal of the action takes place. Some were established bands, like Aimee Mann and Cibo Matto, but they also used to invite unsigned bands from LA to perform in order to give them a bit of a showcase. One of the characters, Oz, is in a band and that band (Dingoes Ate My Baby) appeared often – it was a real band called Four Star Mary. I presume they did quite nicely out of it – apart from the possible snag of people turning up at their gigs expecting to see Oz (who is played by Seth Green, bit of a heartthrob I understand).
The Buffy theme tune was by a punk band called Nerf Herder. There is also the usual background music, to create atmosphere, and this is very skilfully done – cheesy when it needs to be cheesy (since Buffy did parody other styles, especially horror) but also powerful and affecting.
Well, you’ll have to get the DVDs I’m afraid. But here’s Aimee Mann with one of the songs she played in Sleeper (Buffy 7: ep 8)
and she had one line: “Man, I hate playing vampire towns.”
Ha! That emoticon is a rogue. It’s episode 8 I meant.
WOW!!! What a great track! I really liked it! I have seen quite a few Buffy episodes here in Japan, and when I was in the USA I watched them quite a lot and really enjoyed the the series.
I really liked series 6 and the tension between Spike and Buffy!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this great track!!
Love
Sakura xx
Glad you liked it, Sakura.
Great first post, Sakura chan! Not listened yet, but very interesting reading!
Thank you so much Bish!!! I am happy you found it interesting reading!!!
Ticking the box here.
Hi TFD!!!
I hope you found the post interesting….I am not sure what “ticking the box” means….
But I am really happy you read it!!!
It means that I haven’t time to comment properly at the moment but I’ve ticked the box at the bottom of the page so I can follow the discussion on email.
Oh cool!!! I did not think about that!!!
I know anime is not ever persons taste but I hope it was interesting for you
This is interesting Sakura. Don’t have a lot of time to listen or comment right now but looking forward to discovering a little about anime and the music. Did you know that the bassist from one of my favourite groups co-wrote the soundtrack to the anime version of The Count of Montecristo,
WOW!!! Maki!!!
I love both these tracks, how cool that the composer is is a friend of you!!
I think I prefer the second, it is just so…..French!!!!
I love it!!!
A favourite, Sakura, only met him once at a concert and very briefly.
On another point, I see you would like to hear more Josh Ritter. I’ll put some stuff in the box in the middle of next week for you.
Hi Maki!!
I am sorry I misunderstood! But both tracks are fantastic!!!!
I have not seen that anime, but i will try and find it!
Thank you for offering to put some Josh Ritter in Drop Box, it is really so kind of you!!! I will be looking for it!
Thank you Maki!
Love
Sakura xx
Great post Sakura. Some of the cartoons my son watches are heavily influenced by anime, as you say it’s popular all over the world. Obviously they are child-friendly but they do seem a bit violent to me (for kids, I mean). But that seems to be the trend whatever the medium …
Will give this a proper listen tomorrow, thank you!
Hi Alimunday
I do know what you mean!!!
The good thing and also the bad thing about anime is that all topics are covered!
There are several genres in anime that tend follow set rules. I have listed the main genre so you can maybe choose suitable ones.
Kodomo anime is produced for young kids of both genders and is focused on teaching or showing in a positive way, social skills like team work, friendship, sharing and including outsiders.
Shonen anime is like Bleach and is aimed at boy teenagers and s really about being a hero, saving the girl and honor and all the guy virtues. Normally there is certain amount of ritualised violence often to do with sword fighting.
Shojo anime is aimed at teenage girls and tends to be about romance.
Seinen anime is about adult men and features themes like divorce, raising a family or problems at work.
Josei anime is like seien anime but for older girls and is often about dealing with sexism at work or adult relationships.
Ecchi anime is often characterised as soft core porn by western people, but it is really more like the famous British actor Benny Hill where there is in every episode a girl who is seen coming out of the shower or her top falling off or something like that. You never see genitals or nipples or anything like that.
Of course there are dangerous genres also, some of which I believe are illegal in USA and Europe.
Hentai anime is hard core pornography.
Lolicon anime is a about sex between young girls and older men and may be seen as child pornography in UK or USA.
Yaoi anime is about male homosexuality and is often very explicit.
Yuri anime is the girl equivalent of Yaoi.
Kodomo, Shojo, and Shonen are usually OK for kids and teenagers. The series that Pairubu says in his comment Pani Poni Dash is a nice example of Kodomo anime and is also good for adults to watch with kids as it is a really clever series where there are jokes about adult themes that the kids will not get so you can watch it with your kids and still enjoy it as an adult.
There is so much variety in anime that I hope you can find something where you can feel comfortable letting your kids watch it and also enjoy yourself.
Wow!! Are those ‘official’ definitions, Sakura, or simply your (expert!) analysis? It reads very much like someone sat down and decided what the various genres would cover and what they would be called. Is there some kind of committee that decides what is and is not acceptable (like the French have their Academie to decide how their language is managed)? Is it possible to create an anime story that is, for example, aimed at both teenage girls and teenage boys (like a mix between Shonen and Shojo anime)?
I’m sorry to just throw questions at you, Sakura, but I can’t think of a comparable Western art form with such (apparently) strict definitions.
Hi Chris
The names of the different genres are all known by every manga or anime reader or viewer but I do not know if they are official in any way.
There is some association, or trade union maybe, of manga and anime artists called Nihon Mangaka Kyōkai shō, but I do not know if they are like official or if they have definitions of the different genre.
There are animes like the one that Maki posted here, of the Count of Monte Christo which are based on classic story, which appeal to both girls and boys, and also there are anime and manga based on historical events and persons which also appeal to everyone.
But it is quite unusual for anime or manga to abandon the genres completely.
Great first post Sakura! I’m so glad you jumped in!
Indeed, great first post Sakura!
I like the High and Mighty Colour and Miwa ones best!
I’ve never seen or read Bleach, although I know the title. In general I prefer manga to anime, (but I generally prefer to read rather than watch with all things). I like pottering around ‘Book Off’ reading randomly and can spend hours in there.
The whole Hentai thing is difficult eh? I don’t mind violence, and I don’t mind sex in manga/anime, but violent sex just isn’t on. But, hey it’s all art I suppose, who am I to judge?!
I love Book Off also, I often spend hours in there reading and appreciating the air conditioning ;- ) The staff are really very patient!!
I really do not like the whole hentai thing at all actually, but it is important to be aware of it so you can avoid it and prevent kids watching. I suppose it is better to have this things in the open rather than under the ground and hidden….maybe….
I am pleased you like the post – thank you so much! I bought the Miwa album a short while ago and I am really into it, also there is a new single by her which I really like called 441. I think she will be a big talent in the future!
if you have any Manga recommendations, they would be most welcome!
I prefer my illustrations and characters realistic and down-to-earth and anything to do with music is always a winner with me. I read Beck and DMC and a there was one a while back I really liked called Bu Rei Men.
Hi Panthersan!
There are a couple you might like.
Have you read Me and the Devil Blues (俺と悪魔のブルーズ) by Akira Hiramoto? It is about the Blues singer Robert Johnson but it is fictional story of his life and merges the legend of meeting the Devil at Cross Road, the art is good and I think you might like it.
Also Piano Of The Forrest: The Perfect World of Kai (ピアノの森 -The perfect world of KAI) by Makoto Isshiki is a really great story!!! It is about two boys, one the son of a prostitute and very poor who plays an old broken piano he finds in a forest and the other from a rich background who parents are pianists. It is actually for adults and I think you might like it!!!
Of course my favourite one was Nodame Cantabile Tomoko Ninomiya. Maybe you have heard of this one as it was made into a TV series also. But it is really a shōjo manga so it has a romantic story line and maybe a guy would not like it so much….but it is about a classical piano student in a music academy and there is losts about classical music in it.
thanks Sakura, that’s exactly what I was hoping for, they sound great and right up my street, especially Me and the Devil Blues! I’ve made a note in my notebook for next time I go to Book Off.
Actually I love Nodame! I’ve seen all the TV shows/films – but not read the manga. I really like that actress. But I genuinely thought it was called Nodo Ame (のど飴) at first because she always talks like she has a cold or sore throat!