Between Linux and Anime

Late as usual! But then it was pretty damn hard to finally decide on the Anisong of the Season this time round, actually.

I nearly gave it to “Brave Song”, the Angel Beats ED. I really like Listen!’s tune and I adore the awesome animation sequence that accompanies it, but Brave Song was itself a pretty great song and it had this really amazing resonance with Angel Beats and its themes that gave it an evocative, emotive power, something Listen! doesn’t quite enjoy as much with K-ON!! IMO. Ultimately though, it was the lyrics and lyrical arrangement that clinched it when I looked them up for this post.

Brave Song has great lyrics, but I really like the musical, rock spirit of Listen!’s. If you have not been paying attention to what Mio was singing in those ED’s I invite you to give my translation below a taste-over and see if you agree with me. The rhythmic way some words are slurred and hop-scotched over and the unstoppered gush during the chorus was great, and Yoko Hikasa just blitzing through the whole thing was fantastic. KyoAni’s composers sure know how to make Mio sound awesome.

… try and ignore the Engrish bits though, as usual ;)

Speaking of Angel Beats, that was quite the disappointment :( In a bizarre coincidence I had been doing a rewatch of Munto with a friend and at the end of Angel Beats I found that I had mostly similar complaints for both shows – not enough build-up and flesh-out, rushed pacing, bad endings. Just… wasted potential. Maybe I should do a rant-post on Angel Beats sometime.

Back on topic, I present you my chosen Anisong of the Season – Listen! ED to K-ON!!. The full version too for extra awesome. Hit the jump as usual for romaji lyrics and translations, and hit F8 to hear the track while it’s up.

(btw, did you see that new K-ON!! ED? I’m not sure I like the idea of giving away two Anisong of the Season awards to K-ON!!, but if an outstanding rival doesn’t appear soon…)

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