This week had a lot of insert songs from shows we really don’t care too much about. Given that it’s the tail end of the spring anime season (time sure flies, huh?), there’s not a whole lot left to go before the shows all close out. So aside from a few odds and ends, the only major release is Hiroyuki Sawano’s work on Owari no Seraph. Granted, the reaction will depend on what you think about Sawano. So here’s a look at what’s coming out this week:
Anime OP/ED Singles
Owari no Seraph
Album Name: X.U.
Artist: scaPEGoat / SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]
Purchase at: CDJapan
Well, when you have Hiroyuki Sawano in the composer’s chair for an opening or ending theme, you can safely expect some electronica moving rhythmically along followed by a loud outburst. True to form, that’s what you get from Owari no Seraph‘s OP theme. The most damning thing about it is how boring it is and I’d give it a pass. The ending theme is a bit better and it reminds you of Aldnoah.Zero‘s ending theme. But it’s still not all that good and I wouldn’t bother too much with this release, Sawano or no.
Wish Upon the Pleiades
Album Name: Stella-rium
Artist: Kano
Purchase at: CDJapan
The Houkago no Pleiades OP theme is probably the type of theme you would expect if you looked at the character designs and anime screenshots. Make no mistake: the song, Stella-rium, doesn’t deviate much from the energetic J-pop opener and pretty much stays the course through and through. That said, Kano’s vocals do sound cute even if this is a paint by the numbers J-pop song, so the worst you’d probably feel is unoffended.
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
Album Name: Kuchizuke Diamond
Artist: WEAVER
Purchase at: CDJapan
Well, the piano chords that open up the opening theme to Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is pretty energetic, and WEAVER’s voice follows suit quite nicely. But it hardly stands out as something you’ve never heard before since it stays the course for the sort of boy band J-pop songs that have been released over the years. Again, nothing special, but nothing offensive either. Just a bit boring maybe.
Blood Blockade Battlefront
Album Name: Sugar Song and Bitter Step
Artist: UNISON SQUARE GARDEN
Purchase at: CDJapan
Having actually watched Blood Blockade Battlefront, I’d say the ending theme isn’t all too that impressive from the musical standpoint, but there’s no doubt that it’s pretty fun watching the visuals be paired along with this song as the characters strut about doing their stuff. You do need the context to get into it, but it’s not too bad all around. Nothing compared to the far better opening though.
