Suppose I should finally post my list.
Top OSTs:
1.
Eureka Seven Franchise- (Yes this includes AO)
Yes, this is a bit unconventional as this spot would normally go to Cowboy Bebop however I feel Eureka Seven's OST is just as exemplary as Cowboy Bebop's. A number of songs such as
Storywriter and
Niji were done by the band Supercar. Supercar had already existed at the time that the anime was created and was led by Koji Nakamura. One of the more striking things about the OST is the breadth of genres in which it covers; there are heavy piano pieces, such as
Truth, going all the way up to trance works, an example being
Get it By Your Hands. The music ties thematically into the work in that the electronic music is supposed to represent the new generation, a passing of the torch.
As for AO, let's just say that the OST was the strongest element of the show. Koji Nakamura came back and while didn't surpass the original, he tried really damn hard. The result is a bit more
rock heavy but still really fantastic. I also liked the remix they did of
Niji for the show.
2.
Cowboy Bebop-
Yea, the reigning king. There's not much I can say about this that hasn't already been said. The jazz theme serves as a reflection of the characters and story itself. Kanno's strongest work, and that's the highest of bars.
3.
Fooly Cooly-
I'm surprised I haven't seen this on more lists. The Pillow's
work helped lift up an already great OST. They really should work on more OSTs (I'm still salty about the Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer stuff). The music served to match the 'street punk' atmosphere of the show itself and the unconventional decision music-wise of the Pillow's involvement matched the off-the-walls directorial style of the OVA series.
4.
Gurren Lagann Franchise-
Iwasaki's best work hands down. People focus on
Row Row Fight da Powa (Libera me from Hell) but the other tracks are just as
strong. Iwasaki nailed the epic nature of the show in the music itself. How many songs do you know that have opera and rap in them at the same time?
As to why I used a franchise vote is because I loved some of the
movie remixes. Lagann-hen has a flat out AWESOME version of
Sorairo Days.
5.
Ghost in the Shell Franchise-
Kenji Kawai's work on the original OVA is an evolution of his work in Patlabor 2. It blended
traditional Japanese music with electronics resulting in a surreal effect. Kanno also did some good work for SAC.
6.
Samurai Champloo-
Nujabes(RIP) created a soundtrack that could hold up to Cowboy Bebop, no light feat. He used a mix of rap and jazz to give the OST this off-kilter feel. My
favorite of the OST was used at the very end and I thought it was a great way to end the show..
7.
Wolf's Rain-
So another Kanno listing, and we're not even halfway done yet. The OST not only has a haunting element at times but the flute solos, such as in
Pilgrim Snow, give it an earthly element.
8.
Big O-
The OST at times
felt like something out of old scifi shows such as the Twilight Zone. However it could just as seamlessly switch into action pieces that remind me of
80's B movies. I love Sahashi's
usage of trumpets, it gives many of his pieces an uplifting feel, even in other OSTs such as Full Metal Panic.
9.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Franchise-
Tumbling down~
10.
Madoka Magica-
Kajiura went all out. She not only captured the more tragic elements of the work but also created these great act pieces that matched the theatrics of the visuals.
11.
Macross Frontier Franchise-
The pop songs in the Macross series have always been a highlight.
Kanno took it to the next level. I would have never expected her to be capable of crafting songs that are so fun. Even the
non-show pieces are fantastic. It's an OST that seems to be overlooked despite how extremely well done it is.
12.
Fullmetal Alchemist-
My
favorite Oshima work. There's so much variety in the work from the trumpets, that give it a
militaristic feel at times, to the
woodwinds].
13.
Utena-
It has a
phenomenal overture. The
use of vocals for the duel themes assisted in developing a ritualistic atmosphere. The
violin solos are also fantastic.
14.
Mitchiko & Hatchin-
Has such a
tropical feel to it. They got a Brazilian musician to compose the soundtrack, Alexandre Kassin, and it shows. The music helps contextualize the location, in that the audience is in Brazil (a rather unusual location for an anime). Yamamoto's decision to go outside the industry resulted in
a very distinctive soundtrack.
15.
Arjuna-
The only good thing from the show.
Composer:
1.
Michiru Oshima-
I loved her work on Fullmetal Alchemist. However she's also done great stuff such as Little Witch Academia, Sora no Woto, and Tatami Galaxy.
2.
Naoki Sato-
I didn't even get around to praising Sword of the Stranger's soundtrack.
Which is a damn shame considering how fucking good it is.
3.
Toshihiko Sahashi-
His work reminds me of the 80's movies I watched as a kid and I think he does a fantastic job developing themes for characters. I wish I had more slots so I could have listed Full Metal Panic,
just for the trumpets.
The trumpets are so good~
Song:
1.
Green Bird
2.
Sayonara no Tsubasa
3.
Storywriter
