It’s a toss up between Duvet by BOA from Serial Experiments: Lain which is gorgeous and Tank! by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Actually, lets just say everything she’s written is my favourite anime music.
My favorite is the theme song from Neon Genesis Evangelion. I also like the yappappa song from Ranma 1/2 (actually called “Ja Ja Uma ni Sasenaide” according to the CD I have), and “Lum no Love Song” from Urusei Yatsura. Oh, and “Lambada Ranma” from Ranma 1/2, and the opening song from Tenchi Muyo (it’s the closing song if you watch it on Cartoon Network), and…OK, so I have trouble picking favorites :).
I can’t think of any anime songs that I can’t stand. Usually, they tend to “grow” on me after I listen to them a few times. I don’t really like the newest English Pokemon theme song, but I’m not sure if that counts or not.
Beat me to it, Hodge. Anything from any of the three Cowboy Bebop soundtracks is great. Tank! for sure but I also really like the closing credits theme song, The Real Folk Blues. Outlaw Star’s theme song is also pretty cool, as is the one from Neon Genesis. But yeah, Cowboy Bebop wins for me, hands down.
My favorite is Cruel Angel’s Thesis from Neon Genesis Evangelion, followed by Talent For Love from Tenchi Muyo and Just Communication from Gundam Wing.
I’m kind of indifferent on the opening theme from Escaflowne, which everyone else seems to think is really great. I don’t see the big deal, really.
Oh, and I absolutely HATE the closing theme to the El Hazard OAVs. Although I think that has more to do with the singer’s annoying voice than anything else…well, that and it was in English. For all I know, it sounded great in the original Japanese.
Hodge, all the music from lain is in fact on my hate list.
Tamex, thanks for the compliment on the sig! I wrote oneabout Togepi, to Dr. Hook’s Cover of he rollin stone, called metronome… I’m not too keen on a lot of the other songs they used for the ranma seasons, like Earth Orchestra, Platonic, the one about she can’t go out cause it’s raining… I also like tenchi muyo’s song, but the ending one with the dancing dojo is even better IMHO. How do you like the one that ends tenchi Universe, the 'Up walk In galaxy"? (I’ll get the guy, yes I’m the one who will always win the day…)
As for Pokemon, I like this newest theme, “Everybody wants to be a master, everybody wants to show their skill…” pretty well, though the “I wanna take the ultimate step, find the courage to be bold” one was pretty good too.
So, anyone actually like the US Cardcaptors theme 9I don’t, not once I finally heard catch You Catch Me")?
How about the teme from nadeisco? that’s pretty awesome, also te one from Those who Hunt elves, and the oes for the dubbed Magic Knight rayearth are all good, other than the ending theme of series two.
And of course there’s Dragon Half’s end theme! hehe
–I’ve got a premonition, that boy will catch them all! Living La Vida Poka
I knew Togepi no Miko was going to start an anime thread sooner or later. Seemed inevitable.
I’ll cast another vote for Cruel Angel’s Thesis, though I’m also partial to the openings for Fushigi Yugi (the slow version of which would be my favorite if it counted) and Slayers Next. My favorite closing, bar none, is Ano Hi Ni, the closing theme from Video Girl Ai.
Oh, and Lexicon thanks for the link; I’ve been meaning to look for a good anime board.
The bewst theme for a show i’ve never seen is for Mosquiton. That jazzy, trumpet gets me very time in the previews. In Ranma I also like the one where he’s snarled in the threads from all his fiancees, (no way! no way! not gonna give in to you," or something like that and the one from the Kuno’s Nest OAV. “There in blue sky silly blimp go by…” And the one from Galaxy fraulein Yuna is incredibly catchy. I don’t mind the voice for he singer in the El Hazard OAV; I thought she sounded very cyndi lauper-ish.
Blame FY for the Miko idea. no da!. (Taiskun voice) 'The priestess of the togepi, having nothing better to do, tried to think of more lines for living la vida Poka."
I’m an anime fan too, as you can tell from my user name.
I love all the Gundam wing music, plus “Reincarnation” from Tekkaman Blade II, and “Carnival Babel” from Blue Seed. The opening theme to Gunsmith Cats isn’t bad either.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Tenchi Universe
Gundam Wing
Ranma Season 1
Magic Knight Rayearth (I cannot believe this one hasn’t been mentioned yet!)
Not really the theme song, but near the beginning of Galaxy Express 999, when they’ve just boarded the train, there’s a slightly catchy tune that’s absolutely infectious.
My absolute favorite anime theme, by far, is the opening for Irresponsible Captain Tyler. Between the music and the video, laughter usually makes me stop breathing before even the episode title appears… I’ve considered that this may be some kind of pavlovian response.
I remember that once upon a time I had a thing for the opening music for Macross II, but for the life of me I can’t remember how that goes now…
Top choices for music which I’ll be singing for days after watching the anime: Ranma 1/2’s “Yappa Yappa” song, the Urusei Yatsura opening song, and the Korean version of the Pokemon theme.
Top choices for music which will haunt me to my grave: the background music from Totoro, Lupin III, and the main theme from Galaxy Train 999.
I’d also like to mention the operatic music which plays in some of the battle scenes in Escaflowne. The mood created by the music is just so perfect… I love that.
Key the Metal Idol, I think (Though I might be influenced by the fact the intro visuals are so well directed. Even though I’m not a huge fan of the show, Cruel Angel Thesis is so catchy it should be outlawed. The BGC2040 intro is really good too, as is the intro for the original 80s era AD Police. So is the original intro from Gundam Wing. Pity CN won’t show the intros for any of thier shows. (Which perticularly sucked for season 3 of Reboot)
The yappa-pa intro from Ranma isn’t that great by itself, but it’s so perfectly suited to the show, it proabably should get a vote. The same with the original Slayers intro. Tank fit Cowboy Bebop to a T, as well.
If we’re talking about music IN the show, I don’t think they’res a better example of visuals and music meshing than Information High sequence from Macross Plus . . .
By the way, the end to the El Hazard OAVs was even more irritating in Japanese. I THINK it was supposed to be a parody . . . Still not as bad as the “Invisible Barrer” theme that a few episodes of Ranma used, though.
And, of course, the opening theme to Big Shot. If only I could find a midi of it . . .
–
“Where treasure glitters, I’m there to claim it!”
Forgot one. The 70’s-esqe intro to Gunsmith Cats was amazing. Pity the actual show didn’t follow up on it. (It had its moments, but never had the sense of fun that the manga does)
I loved the intro to Moquieton, too. (When is that coming to DVD?) And Phantom Quest Corps. Swing music dosn’t show up in anime very often . . .
And I can’t BELIVE I forgot Eat Man '98, which had one of the best intros ever. Actually, all the music was really, really good. Anyone know the name of the band? (I’ve loaned out my DVDs)
My favorite Animé theme song is the one from the first season of Ranma ½. The show has plenty of other good music in it, too. Ranma is fantastic, even apart from the music. I seem to remember it having a great theme song in a later season, as well, but I can’t think of it, offhand. Was it that China Boy song? I’m not sure.
Hmm. I have a pile. (Looking at stack of CDs on desk at work… half anime, half Jim Steinman. What does this say about me?) In the traditional no particular order:
“Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” Neon Genesis Evangelion
The original Japanese opening theme to Vision of Escaflowne, not that abomination the broadcast dub uses.
“I’m A Pioneer” from the second batch of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OVAs Fushigi Yuugi’s theme song
“My Heart, Your Heart,” from Oh! My Goddess
“Konya wa Hurricane,” from the original Bubblegum Crisis El-Hazard’s orchestral Arabian fantasia, from the first four or five OVAs
“Duvet,” from Lain
The opening theme to Saber Marionette J, whose title I’m blanking on at the moment.
“7 O’Clock News” from Kodomo no Omocha
And I remember liking Revolutionary Girl Utena’s theme a lot, but I can’t bring it to mind right now.
Hmm. I’ve noticed that if Megumi Hayashibara sings it, I’m pretty likely to like it. It’s not guaranteed, just a strong probability.
I also kinda like the techno sound of Armitage III’s theme, but it’s not high on my list. And I’m sure there’re more. This is just what a quick mental inventory dredged up.