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Retrolicious Anime Songs

The bout of nostalgia continues with more anime songs; this post complements my other post on something similar. Do check it out as well! I've got such fond memories of watching the good old anime of the 80s and 90s. Their theme songs are often catchy and upbeat, rendering them easy to sing along to. I have many favourites, so it's gonna be a daunting task attempting to come up with a selection. Note that the songs are in no particular order of preference. I highly recommend that you pick a song that you think you might like and loop it for the entire bus or train journey. Some songs might not be ideal for cardio workouts. 


1. Sonomama no kimi de ite (Patlabor: The TV Series, 1989 - 1990)
My earliest impression of Patlabor is of course the red-headed protagonist, Izumi Noa. In the badly dubbed version aired in those days, Noa sounded like she was constantly on crack. Whether that served as an ideal representation of a high-powered, competent madwoman on the loose or not didn't seem to matter. The opening theme song for the first 34 episodes runs like an entire police force on a long-distance escort. Imagine the patrol vehicle riding along the expressways on a breezy morning to this mid-tempo tune.



2. Midnight Blue (Patlabor: The TV Series, 1989 - 1990)
I love how this song was used against the backdrop of Noa running towards and eventually reaching her patlabor affectionately named Alphonse. Midway through the song, Noa realised that her co-workers had joined her on the elevator. Hmm...how on earth were they able to do that? Pardon me, but the elevator had been moving all along. Anyway, for an ending theme song, Midnight Blue is a lot more upbeat than Sonomama no kimi de ite (the opening theme song). I wish it was longer though (the song is approximately 2 minutes and 59 seconds; 3 minutes and 1 second if you include the two-second delay).



3. Kimi iro omoi (Akazukin Chacha, 1994 - 1995)
Before I (finally) knew that the opening theme song was performed by SMAP (yes, the one and only), I had watched the anime sparingly with no particular like or dislike towards it. I also didn't realise until way later that SMAP's very own Katori Shingo (yes, the one and only) voiced the character of Riiya. That's probably the greatest (?) thing about watching anime as a young kid; I had no idea about a lot of stuff until many years later.



4. Moonlight Densetsu (Sailor Moon, 1992 - 1997)
Does anyone here have a fetish for sailor uniforms? I don't. But with a lot of anime featuring some of the skimpiest clothing imaginable to mankind, it's extremely difficult to keep the eyes elsewhere most of the time. Moonlight Densetsu has enjoyed tremendous success over many years. The melody is very catchy, and has a somewhat distant feel to it. It's also a very short song (pun absolutely intended).



5. Orange Mystery (Kimagure Orange Road, 1987 - 1988)
Sounds of the 80s have many identifiable traits, usually evident among unrivalled idols and such. Apart from catchy tunes and infectious lyrics, the visual presentation would also pave a long way for the next generation of idols. Yet it wasn't just the idols who had the best light of day. Many singers who didn't quite have the success of their peers would have had at some point a smashing song or two which rather ironically would actually see them through the rest of their lives. Not much has been written about the singer behind Orange Mystery, despite it being one of the opening themes of Kimagure Orange Road. According to the Japanese Wikipedia, the singer (Nagashima Hideyuki) was active in the music scene in the 80s. What happened after that remains a mystery (pun intended).  


I find myself looping more and more of such music recently. I suppose these songs are destined to last for eternity. What are some of your favourites?

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪   

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