UlasanAnime.com – The Anime Music Tourney has reached its Quarter Finals, a stage where the competition intensifies and the quality of the remaining songs is exceptionally high. However, a recurring challenge with such tournaments is the difficulty in fostering in-depth discussion before voting commences. This often leads to a situation where voters might not be fully familiar with all the songs, especially as the competition progresses and songs have appeared multiple times. The current format doesn’t actively encourage pre-voting research, leaving the onus entirely on the participants.
The blog comment section, while functional, is not ideal for facilitating multi-branched discussions. To address this, this article will delve into some key information regarding the Quarter Finalists.
As of the Quarter Finals, the top 6 seeded songs are still in contention. The remaining competitors include a 9th-ranked song and a 58th-ranked song. While these rankings might seem disparate, within the context of a tournament bracket, the spread is relatively standard. It’s noteworthy that the tournament has reached this stage, especially considering the initial lower percentages of some songs. This indicates that the voters are largely the same individuals who nominated the songs, suggesting that a bracket based on initial rankings would likely yield successful predictions. The bracket results, viewed through Challonge, suggest that most participants have a clear favorite for the final four, with only a few individuals lacking a strong contender. The author expresses satisfaction with “Secret Base” being eliminated. The possibility of a more dynamic contest is raised if Challonge supported a 2^n-1 scoring system, which could potentially allow the current first-place individual to be dethroned.
This article will now offer a brief analysis of the Quarter Finalists, a tribute to veteran anisong enthusiast BigN.
Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari vs. My Soul, Your Beats
Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari, released in 2009, is a notable track. Its top seeding comes as no surprise, though its widespread popularity is striking. Both ryo and Yanagi Nagi are recognized figures in the music scene, and the song’s dedicated Wikipedia entry (a rarity, shared only with “Magia” among the Quarter Finalists) underscores its significance. This song embodies a style that influenced contemporary artists like fhana, albeit with ryo’s signature arrangements and a distinct emotional depth.
While the song has a strong pop sensibility, reminiscent of Vocaloid productions, it might lack certain elements that appeal to fans of more traditional pop music, as seen in artists like Michie M. However, its powerful inclusion in a compelling anime significantly elevates its appeal. The author admits that this song is a constant presence on their personal media player.
My Soul, Your Beats is intrinsically linked to the anime Angel Beats! and is presumed to be a collaboration between Jun Maeda and Lia. It carries a sonic resemblance to an earlier work, “Tori no Uta,” but with a more polished production, eschewing a low-budget, trance-like feel. This stylistic choice appears to resonate with listeners, and the song also lends itself to dynamic arrangements. It’s also worth noting its similarity to “Toki o Kizamu Uta.”
Prediction: The author anticipates “My Soul, Your Beats” might face challenges due to its intricate melody, which requires a skilled vocalist like Lia or LiSA for proper execution. They question whether the current audience fully appreciates such complexity. Consequently, “Supercell” is predicted to win this matchup.
Toki o Kizamu Uta vs. Wareta Ringo
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Toki o Kizamu Uta shares significant creative DNA with “My Soul, Your Beats,” featuring the same singer, composer, arranger, and lyricist. Its sophisticated arrangement, characteristic of ryo’s style, likely contributed to its advancement. The author notes a certain predictability in the “nakige” (tearjerker) genre, suggesting that beyond refined arrangements and presentation, the core emotional appeal remains consistent. This song is also a ringtone on the author’s personal media player, used as an alarm clock.
Wareta Ringo stands out as the newest track among the Quarter Finalists, with its full version released in 2013. The author expresses disappointment with the full version, feeling it’s an assemblage of two TV cut versions. Despite this, the original version is acknowledged as poignant and beautiful, though perhaps too simplistic and lacking in arrangement depth. The tournament’s structure and the handling of different song versions are cited as potential flaws. For a debut seiyuu performance, “Wareta Ringo” is considered a strong achievement for Risa Taneda. The song’s success is largely attributed to the solid anime it originated from, Shin Sekai Yori. The author’s reaction to the anime itself is mixed, despite enjoying its setting and conclusion. The song’s popularity is seen as a reflection of the “all’s well that ends well” sentiment. It is also on the author’s personal media player.
Prediction: This matchup is predicted to hinge on the fanbase of Shin Sekai Yori. Beyond those dedicated fans, the author doesn’t foresee widespread support for “Wareta Ringo,” except perhaps from listeners who appreciate guitar picking. “Toki o Kizamu Uta” is considered a more complete song. The author describes this as a “push” in terms of their personal preference, ideally wanting both songs to lose. Based on seeding, “Wareta Ringo” is ranked four places below “Toki o Kizamu Uta.” The author reiterates that the tournament’s nomination process may introduce bias, as evidenced by the top-seeded songs.
Tank vs. Lion
The author expresses a strong liking for Tank, acknowledging a significant personal history with the song. While admitting to some fatigue with it, a piano-only rendition performed live by Yoko Kanno at Otakon was a refreshing change, highlighting the song’s adaptability without its brass elements. “What Planet Is This” is preferred by the author. “Tank” is described as sufficiently bebop-influenced to appeal to a broader audience, contributing to its enduring quality. Its strengths lie in its inherent goodness, inoffensiveness, lack of potentially alienating Japanese lyrics, and its origin from a highly regarded anime. “Tank” is the oldest song in the Quarter Finals.
[Note: The linked YouTube video for “Tank” has over 2.5 million views, potentially exceeding the combined views of all other linked songs in this article.]
Lion is best understood in contrast to “Tank,” representing a newer phase in Yoko Kanno’s career. Written, composed, and arranged by the same team (Gabby Robin), the song’s stylistic coherence is evident. The definitive version is considered the duet between Sheryl and Ranka. The song functions as an overture to the musical narrative of Macross Frontier, serving as its second opening theme. A deeper appreciation of “Lion” is suggested through listening to the duet version of “What ’bout My Star?” or by watching Macross Frontier. The integration of music into Macross Frontier is highlighted, with the composer being a core project member influencing its shape, a rare occurrence.
Kanno’s role evolved into that of a producer. While she had produced in the past, “Tank” is viewed as a more direct soundtrack product, whereas “Lion” is characterized as a mainstream pop song. This distinction reflects different approaches to music creation, its context, role, and presentation. The author posits this difference as a potential reason for Maaya Sakamoto’s less successful performance in the tournament.
Prediction: “Tank” is predicted to win. The author attributes this to the AniOST community’s perceived lack of appreciation for pop music within the tournament, unless it features elements like “supercell piano solos.” The author admits to having both “Lion” and “Tank” (among other songs) on their personal media player, having heard both songs performed live, which they consider a neutral factor or even a point of pride.
Hacking to the Gate vs. Magia
Chiyomaru is recognized as a highly talented producer within the anime and manga sphere. “Hacking to the Gate” is described as a powerful performance by vocalist Kanako Itou, delivering an emotionally resonant rendition of a fan-favorite opening theme. Similar to Jun Maeda, Chiyomaru has a clear artistic vision, which this song effectively realizes. The author finds “Hacking to the Gate” enjoyable both live and when listening at home.
Kalafina and FictionJunction were initially expected to perform strongly in the tournament due to their popularity with the AniOST crowd. The presence of Magia in the Quarter Finals is met with mixed feelings. While it deserves its spot as a representative of Kajiura’s work, the author believes that a more diverse selection of songs in earlier rounds would have been more educational. The repetitive nature of Kajiura’s music is noted as a point of concern, questioning the necessity of multiple entries from the same composer.
The immense popularity of Puella Magi Madoka Magica is acknowledged. “Magia” is characterized as dark, fierce, and graceful, with a certain wildness. The author is relieved that only one Madoka Magica song is in the Quarter Finals, avoiding a repeat of the “Saimoe 2013” scenario. The author’s personal favorite Kalafina track from the Madoka franchise is “Mirai,” with the caveat that their exposure to Madoka Rebellion is limited.
Prediction: The author hopes and predicts that “Magia” will win. While “Hacking to the Gate” is considered excellent anison, “Magia” is deemed superior, with Kajiura being a more accomplished music producer than Chiyomaru, despite Chiyomaru’s strengths as an idol/franchise producer. The author admits to likely having “Magia” on their personal media player, as it’s included in the last Kalafina album. Both songs have been heard live, though notably not with a live band. This is identified as the only predicted upset, as “Magia” is seeded 5th and “Hacking to the Gate” is 4th, a difference the author doesn’t consider significant enough to be a true upset.
Voting is open until Saturday night at midnight Pacific time. The author encourages readers to participate.
PS. “Sprinter” is still considered the best Kalafina song by the author, a sentiment they believe is best understood through a live performance.
PPS. Discussions regarding prizes for bracket winners are ongoing, with the possibility of rewarding the second-place finisher as well.
