Well, I have twelve that I'll certainly argue in the positive for, so let's start with the first six.
"I'll Trust You Forever" [English Version] by Yoshifumi Ushima
(Mobile Fighter G Gundam OP2)
While its over-the-top, shonen manga-influenced style is no longer truly unique in & of itself in the annals of the Gundam franchise (see: the various Gundam Build series), 1994's Mobile Fighter G Gundam remains a strong favorite for many, one that has arguably aged better than some of its more popular & "mainstream" entries, like Gundam Wing. Part of that love comes from its outstanding soundtrack, both in Kohei Tanaka's multifaceted & orchestral score, as well in the theme songs, particularly Yoshifumi Ushima's OP themes. Ask anyone who's even slightly familiar with G Gundam, and it's almost a guarantee that they'll all instantly be familiar with 1st OP "Flying in the Sky", especially since that was the song that was used for the show's entire run on Toonami. However, while that song is tons of fun & makes for great singing along, I'd argue that the 2nd OP, "Trust You Forever" is the stronger overall song. By coming in halfway through, Ushima (who also wrote, composed, & arranged both themes) was able to put a stronger thematic message in "Trust You Forever", telling about how you'll always have your friends & loved ones to rely on when things get rough, and that pain & scars are simply the means by which you become stronger. I mean, it even works extremely well as an acoustic song, as Hironobu Kageyama & Masaaki Endoh once proved.
However, the version of "Trust You Forever" that I feel is the best is actually the English version sung by Ushima himself, which first appeared in 1995 on the Gundam Fight - Round 5 album, and then as a bonus track in the 2017 remaster of Ushima's own Free Judgment album; this version is also known as "I'll Trust You Forever". Alternate versions of anime themes performed in English by the original singers aren't common, but they were done every now & then back in the day, possibly in an attempt to help make a series appeal outside of Japan. That being said, most Japanese singers aren't all that well versed in English & wind up simply singing phonetically, resulting in very mixed results; just look at Kageyama & Endoh's attempts in the past. "I'll Trust You Forever", though, differs from most for two primary reasons. First, Ushima winds up being a very good English singer, making it much easier to actually understand what he's saying; he isn't perfect, but he's way more audible than most. Second, the lyrics for this alternate version were done by Brian Peck, an American "gaijin talent" who has written lyrics for all sorts of songs meant to help teach Japanese kids English. This is also why this version of the song has lyrics that are catchy yet oddly kid-like in sound, like "My life was just a mystery, I hid my heart and soul way up in my sleeve," or "It could be anybody, everyone has got a jewel shining inside; But if they're covered in fears, let the tears wash those troubles away". Regardless, it still carries true the message of the original song, and having it be in a language that more people around the world understand makes it all the stronger, in my opinion.
Again, I love "Flying in the Sky", but in more recent years I will always raise my fist & wave it in the air like a flag for "Trust You Forever", especially its English rendition.
"ON MY WAY" [1994 Remix] by Night Hawks
(Fuma no Kojirou Seiken Sensou-hen ED)
Moving on, we go from an OP for an anime many are familiar with to an ED for an anime that few even know of; I know, what a shock. In the annals of anime based on Masami Kurumada manga, the trio of OVAs adapting Fuma no Kojirou from 1989 to 1992 are a really good adaptation of Kurumada's "Fourth Most Well Known Manga", but the second one, 1990's Seiken Sensou-hen, is easily the best of them all. Aside from adapting the best part of the original manga, it also has the best theme songs of the bunch. Performed by the short-lived band Night Hawks, which only existed from 1989 to 1994 (though they still do reunite for the occasional live performance), OP theme "SHOUT" is sheer hard rock anthem excellence that I've even dared to say is the best theme song to any Kurumada anime ever made, even topping "Pegasus Fantasy" from Saint Seiya. That being said, ED theme "ON MY WAY" is no slouch either, delivering the complete opposite with an impassioned acoustic ballad, featuring nothing more than band leader Shuichi Aoki & a guitar; it's understated nature is what makes it so dang good, and a perfect counterpoint to "SHOUT".
Then in 1994 came The Midnight Hawks, a "Best of" album for Night Hawks that also acted as the group's final release. Included in that album, alongside a simply amazing song called "Breath of Fire" (which itself has a relation to a co-production the band did with X Japan's Toshi), were both of the Seiken Sensou-hen theme songs, each of which received new recordings; sadly, neither Yasha-hen theme got included here. Oddly enough, though, while "SHOUT ~New Version~" wasn't really all that different from the original (the only thing "new" about it is a sweet guitar solo for the last minute), "ON MY WAY" is not given any "new" label... Even though it's effectively a completely different song. Right away, in place of the acoustic guitar is an obviously electric one, but once Aoki's intro ends a minute in we get full accompaniment by the entire band, absolutely transforming the feel of the song. What was originally a song that felt like something you'd hear around a campfire now sounds like an 80s metal ballad, though said accompaniment goes for a very majestic feel, still matching the original overall mood of the original song. To be fair, whether or not this remix "surpasses" the original is debatable, but there's no doubt that this later version of "ON MY WAY" is, at the very least, just as damn good as the original, and is proof positive of the benefits of both solo acoustic & full accompaniment, when it to performances.
"The Transformers (Theme)" by Lion
(Transformers: The Movie OP)
To be fair, this list won't have many actual covers, and that's mainly because anime themes tend to have a certain iconography to them, especially since they don't always get carried over when given a reboot, or the like. It's not that there aren't any excellent covers of anime themes, but I will say that it's extremely hard to state that one is out-&-out simply better than the original. This, however, is probably the easiest exception to the rule, and it's not even a hard-fought battle. Also, it's tough to really classify whether or not this should "count", since Transformers is such a wild mix of Japanese & American licensing. To make a long story short, the original toy line was a Japanese creation, but the original animated series in 1984 was made to debut for non-Japanese audiences first; Japan wouldn't get Tatakae! Chou Seimeitai Transformers until 1985. That's not even to get into the complications of whether or not the original series (specifically its first three seasons) is even "anime" to some, but I don't really care, and that counts double for the 1986 theatrical movie; the late Koichi Tsunoda & his animation staff at Toei made it as "anime" as they could, and it's awesome.
Moving on, the original Transformers theme song composed by Ford Kinder & Anne Bryant is memorable & fun, but it's also nothing more than a 30-second jingle, similar to most cartoon theme songs of its time (& still to this day, if there even is an theme song sequence). Still, Transformers: The Movie needed something more, something to truly show that this was NOT the same kids show that you saw on television, and that's where 80s metal band Lion came in. Alongside Vince DiCola's outstanding score & Stan Bush's catchy (if admittedly lovably cheesy) songs, & also Weird Al Yankovic, were rock & metal bands NRG & Spectre General contributing some songs, but the first of the licensed songs you hear is Lion's utterly amazing cover of "The Transformers (Theme)", one that honestly kind of blows your mind. Kal Swan, Tony Smith, & the rest of Lion take the simple & addictive jingle that Kider & Bryant came up with & transform it (pun intended?) into something that I don't think the latter pair would have ever thought was possible. Sure, there's a fair bit of 80s cheese to it all, but that's kind of to be expected with the property Lion had to work with; plus, it was the 80s. Regardless, Lion's cover has kind of became the de facto "full version" of the Transformers theme song, one that's been sampled in the infamous Transformers Tataki for PlayStation 2, and even used as the lyrical basis for Cheap Trick's take on the theme for Revenge of the Fallen's album release. It's easy to see why, too, because it simply blows the original song out of the water.
As for the original Japanese theme song, "Transformer" by Satoko Shimonari, it's OK. At the very least, it's definitely a proper fit for the time period it came out in; also, did you know Shiro Sagisu (Neon Genesis Evangelion) did the arrangement for it?!
"MOVIN!! (Acoustic Version)" by Takacha
(Bleach ED8)
Speaking of Shiro Sagisu, let's move on to a Bleach ending theme. While there is plenty to complain about when it comes to Tite Kubo's hit manga from a pacing perspective, a problem that the anime only exacerbated with its use of unrelated filler arcs happening while in the middle of a manga-adapted story arc(!), almost no one can really argue against any of the OPs & EDs the original anime featured throughout its entire 366-episode, 7.5-year run; with 15 OPs & 30 EDs, that's mighty impressive. One of my personal favorite ED themes for Bleach is "MOVIN!!" by Takacha, which ran from Episodes 87 to 97, finishing out the Bount Arc (the anime's first "filler" arc). It's a very fun & upbeat song, one that matches the footage's focus on stuffed animal mascot character Kon, with the overall message being one of always being willing to continue moving on in life with smiles & laughter... because otherwise what's the point? It's just a cool & enjoyable song with a message to always keep your chin up.
That being said, one might find the upbeat mood & feel of "MOVIN!!" to be a little much, possibly diluting the message's effectiveness. Well, on the very same single release in 2006, there was an alternate take, "MOVIN!! (Acoustic Version)", and I'd argue that it's the better version of the song. While Takacha is apparently an artist who tends to mix reggae with R&B, this acoustic take on "MOVIN!" just feels more powerful & personal with its message. It's just Takacha, with guitar in hand, belting out his message of positivity by himself; no back up singers questioning him during the bridge, just him being straight with the listener. In fact, the second verse of the original song is removed from the acoustic version, resulting in it being much more straight to the point with its message. Over the years, I've come to very rarely listen to vanilla "MOVIN!!" if I feel like listening to the song, simply because "MOVIN!! (Acoustic Version)" is so much better of a song, from Takacha's singing to the power of the message to the simplicity of the guitar. Again, it's not like the original song is underwhelming by any means, listening to it again for this list reminds me of how fun of a song it is, but where "ON MY WAY" was a perfect example of how there's merit in both acoustic & full accompaniment, "MOVIN!! (Acoustic Version)" is a perfect example of how going "unplugged" can sometimes result in stronger, more heartfelt, & simply better performances.
"Voyage...Meguru Toki no Naka de" by Inori
(Fantastic Children OP)
An anime OP theme, at its most ideal, should be able to instantly deliver the general mood, feel, & style of the show it's attached to, so as to give the viewer the perfect idea as to what they'll be watching. This is especially true if the visuals might not immediately help in that, which is certainly the case for Fantastic Children. The creation of well-respected animator Takashi Nakamura, looking at a visual for the anime doesn't quite sell itself instantly, especially with its simpler character designs that look more like something from the late 60s than 2004. That's where OP theme "Voyage" by Inori comes in, as it's highly dramatic composition by Masumi Yamazaki, simple but strong lyrics by Mikio Sakai, & epic orchestral arrangement by Takahito Eguchi (of Square-Enix & Sega fame) let you know instantly that this is no children's series, but rather is an epic science-fiction opera that's arguably more than simply "fantastic". It's a nigh-perfect use of an OP to tell the viewer everything they need to know on a basic mood level.
But then, as you watch the show, you occasionally hear an alternate version of "Voyage", and it sounds even better. Used a handful of times over the course of the show's 26 episodes, both in vocal & instrumental form, "Yoyage...Meguru Toki no Naka de" takes what the original song has & replaces the full orchestration with just a piano, some strings, & the occasional percussion, transforming it from an operatic feel to an intimate feel. Inori's singing goes from sounding like a declaration against the odds to a promise she's making to you, personally. For a series in which personal relationships, dedication to others more than yourself, & love are all major themes, it's an absolutely beautiful alternate rendition to an already outstanding song, and it simply builds upon itself as it goes; you truly have to listen to more than just the first verse to get the full impact of it's emotional pull. It's been six years since I watched Fantastic Children & reviewed it here on the blog (yes, I am "old", in comparison to most anime fans... what of it?), but for a bit after finishing that show & article, I literally couldn't even listen to "Yoyage...Meguru Toki no Naka de" without starting to tear up a little. It is seriously that powerful of a song, and if you're one of the few who have actually seen Fantastic Children (this show deserves so much more love) I'm pretty sure you'll completely understand why crying is a natural reaction to just hearing it.
Man, I really need to watch this show again, one day...
"Yuusha-Oh Tanjou! -Gathering Mythology Version-" by Masaaki Endoh & 3G 2005
(GaoGaiGar Final Grand Glorious Gathering OP)
We started this part with one of my favorite anime of all time in G Gundam, so let's end this first half with another of my all-time favorites, GaoGaiGar. While not Masaaki Endoh's first anime theme song, that would go to Kaiketsu Zorro one year prior, GaoGaiGar's OP theme "Yuusha-Oh Tanjou!" almost immediately became Endoh's most iconic song in his catalog, and it's a perfect example of a "modern" (even though it's from the late 90s) anime OP that carries with it the old-school style of themes from the 70s & early 80s, i.e. the pre-licensed music era (which started later in the 80s with City Hunter). So when a sequel debuted in 2000 with GaoGaiGar Final, it came with "Yuusha-Oh Tanjou! -Mythology Version-", which took the same beat & style of the original song, but reworked the lyrics to match the story of the sequel.
From here, "Yuusha-Oh Tanjou!" essentially took on a life of its own, & in 2005 came the album Ga-Oh Yuusha-Oh Tanjou! 10 Renpatsu!!, which was literally an entire hour-long CD filled with nothing but various versions of the theme song, including orchestral, piano solo, the original proof-of-concept demo tape, & even one sung (gloriously terribly) by composer Kohei Takana & director Yoshitomo Yonetani. Of them all, though, the best version is easily the one that starts the entire album, "Yuusha-Oh Tanjou! -Gathering Mythology Version-" by Masaaki Endoh & 3G 2005, which also acts as the OP theme to GaoGaiGar Final Grand Glorious Gathering, the late-night TV edit of the OVA sequel from 2005 that helped tie 1999 spin-off anime Betterman to GaoGaiGar more directly. What makes Gathering Mythology the best version of them all? Simply put, it's 3G 2005 itself, which is a literal men's choir backing Masaaki Endoh's vocals throughout the whole sequel song, adding a whole new level of grandiosity to the entire song. Sure, all 3G 2005 does is scream the occasional lyric alongside Endoh during the verses, chant "GaGaGaGaGaGa" during the bridges, & sing the entire choruses alongside Endoh, but you'd be surprised at how well executed all of it is, in the long run. It's truly the apex of "Yuusha-Oh Tanjou!", so much so that going back to the original version almost feels quaint, in comparison; in just eight years, this song went from "fun callback to anime OPs of old" to "GLORIOUSLY MAJECTIC!!".
And the best part of all? 3G 2005 is apparently just the major voice cast of GaoGaiGar itself; it's literally the culmination of everyone from the series backing Masaaki Endoh up.
-----
And with that we come to the end of Part 1 of this look at anime theme remixes & covers that manage to outdo their original versions. Check back in the next week for Part 2 for another six that prove that, sometimes, the first isn't always the best.
No comments:
Post a Comment