Category: Animation

Hybrid vigor

While there are plenty of Vocaloid cover versions of popular songs, examples of live human vocalists covering songs originally “performed” by software singers are less common. They do exist, though, and Wagakki Band‘s first album consists entirely of Vocaloid songs. Even without the novelty repertoire, the group is noteworthy for their lively combination of traditional Japanese instruments and hard rock. I’m curious to hear their second album, which features their own material.

I think this is the original, with Hatsune Miku.

If you’d like to play along, there are plenty of arrangements here.

(Via Vocaloidism.)

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Gensokyo inverted

Minor and major

Touhou melodies generally are in minor modes. However, if you invert them — e.g., where the original goes up a major second, the transformed melody goes down a major second — you frequently get bright, cheerful major key tunes. I combined several inverted themes and made a piano rag out of them. Here is the “Gensokyo Rag.”

Touhou music aficionados might find it interesting to identify the original tunes. The excerpts from “U.N. Owen” should be easy to spot, but the others may be more challenging. Standing on your head might help.

You can download it here.

Update: The sources of the tunes I used are identified below the fold.

The score is up at my MuseScore page.

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Unbelievable speed

That is faster than my usual cruising speed on my bicycle, but if you're planning to bop around the solar system at 25 k/h, pack a lunch.
That is faster than my usual cruising speed on my bicycle, but if you’re planning to bop around the solar system at 25 k/h, pack a lunch.

I sampled a few of the summer offerings on Crunchyroll. Classroom Crisis‘ chief distinction is that every single one of its characters is annoying. It also make unreasonable demands on one’s willing suspension of disbelief. Pass.

Just how densely rocky is the asteroid belt? There's no way you could navigate through this at 25 k/h, let alone 250,000 k/h.
Just how densely rocky is the asteroid belt? There’s no way you could navigate through this at 25 k/h, let alone 250,000 k/h.

GATE, on the other hand, might be very good if it doesn’t overplay the otaku card. See Steven for comments and screencaps. Update: There’s a more detailed discussion of the first episode here, with lots of screencaps.

I eventually dropped every spring series, though I might yet finish Rin-ne and Etotama. Mostly when I watch anything, it’s either an old movie — Airplane! and This Is Spinal Tap are still very funny — or neglected anime — Shounen Onmyouji deserves a license rescue, and Un-Go, though partly spoiled by too many novelties, provides something to think about and warms my cold, cynical heart.

I recently discovered that Hulu has The Avengers from the 1960s, with Diana Rigg and the late Patrick Macnee in glorious black-and-white. I’m pleased to note that Steed and Mrs. Peel remain excellent company. Checking just now, I see that Patrick McGoohan’s Secret Agent is also available. I’ll have to see how well it corresponds to my memories.

… and now back to the inverted world.

Count twelve

Nuclear fusion

Here are the first two measures of “Solar Sect of Mystic Wisdom — Nuclear Fusion,” from the Touhou Game Subterranean Animism, as arranged by Dorian Bluet. The notes in the treble clef include C, G, G-flat, D, A, A-flat, E, F, D-flat and B. In the bass clef there are E-flat and B-flat. ZUN might not be a rigorous old-fashioned avant-garde dodecaphonist, but there are surprises in his music.

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Was it Ulick Norman?

Flandre Scarlet

Most versions of “U.N. Owen Was Her?,” whether they be rock, techno, frenetic piano, accordion or whatever, tend to be frenzied, heavy and ominous. I took a different approach with ZUN’s tune.

It’s my computer playing, as usual, though I think this arrangement is simple enough that even I could manage it. I’m not entirely happy with it and I may revisit it someday.

The connection between Ulick and Una Owen and Flandre Scarlet is rather tenuous.

Update (July 16): I revised the arrangement and uploaded a new recording. I’m still not satisfied with it, but I’ve tinkered with it long enough.

You can see and download the score here. The mp3 is here.

Flandre Scarlet

First impressions

Does transparent hair indicate yokai?
Does transparent hair indicate yokai?

Re-Kan — Another Shinto 101 show, like Natsume Yuujin-cho and Mokke. It reminds me of Pupipo, but here the girl who sees things that other people don’t has generally supportive classmates. While there’s no hint of fanservice, there is a cat who behaves like the reincarnation of Mr. Kimura, and that might limit its watchability. I’ll probably watch more.

Shokugeki no Soma — Three minutes into it there were tentacles. Forget it.

Eye-catching eyecatch
Eye-catching eyecatch

Houkago no Pleiades — Formulaic mahou shoujo. However, the girls have distinct personalities, and some of the events take place in a conservatory I’d like to visit. There’s also no hint of fanservice, even in the transformation scene. ((except perhaps for the excessively detailed eyecatch.)) I’ll probably continue watching.

Hibiki! Euphonium — I didn’t find the story and characters as enthralling as Ben, but I wasn’t in band when I did time in high school. I gave up about half-way through the first episode. I might give it another try sometime when I’m less preoccupied.

Update: I sampled a couple more.

Etotama — The first episode seemed like a gag manga adaptation, but apparently it’s an anime original. It was energetic and sometimes funny, but it made very little sense. I might watch another episode to see if the writers have anything in mind beyond chibified kemenomimi, but I don’t have high hopes.

Punch Line — noitaminA has given us probable classics (The Tatami Galaxy, Mononoke), curiosities (Moyashimon) and lots of pretentious drivel (pretty much everything else). And now noitaminA presents outright trash. I made it half-way through, and that’s enough.

Why not, indeed?

Big bubbles

After months of tedious waiting, there suddenly are not one but two different subtitled versions of Mouretsu Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace out. I’ve watched each once so far. As far as I can judge, WhyNot‘s is the better and more thorough translation; Doremi‘s is impressive for a fourteen-hour job. WhyNot’s 1080 fansub has a 5.1 FLAC soundtrack and is more than twice the size of the corresponding Doremi version, which might be important if you have limited disc space or a sub-optimal internet connection.

It’s an enjoyable movie. Abyss of Hyperspace is set after the end of the TV series. Hyperspace has become very turbulent, which plays havoc with businesses dependent on faster-than-light travel. Pirate captain and high school student Marika acquires a “hostage,” a blue-haired boy with a mechanical parrot and father issues, and who is pursued by swarms of mobsters. After various adventures and battles and a bit of psychodrama, all is resolved, conspiracies revealed, bad guys thwarted, and good guys rewarded. The story’s not bad, but the real pleasure of the movie, as with most of Tatsuo Sato’s better work, is spending time with the characters.

It’s not necessary to have seen the television series to enjoy the movie, but those who’ve met Chiaki-chan before will get more out of it. There’s nothing objectionable, and the movie is suitable for anyone old enough to follow a moderately complicated story.

There are more screencaps below the fold.

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Time for some piracy

The birdie

It seems like I’ve been waiting forever for the promised fansub of Mouretsu Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace, which has been almost done for several months now. Another circle noticed a day or two ago that the movie was still not available in English and did the subtitles in fourteen hours. Steven has the link. I won’t have time to watch the whole thing until I get home this evening, but what I’ve seen so far has been worth the wait.

The military man