Anime and Music Pairings that Need to Happen - Part Two

Welcome back to the second part of my two-part series which matches some of my favorite anime shows with modern songs that share similar thematic elements. Angels and demons abound in this part as I find the perfect soundtracks for Pita-Ten and High School DxD. If you missed my first article in this series, you can find it by clicking on the link here. Without further ado, let's get started.

Pita-Ten with Akon - "Angel"

Here's a piece of trivia for you all. Pita-Ten was the first manga I ever read. During high school, I became good friends with some girls who were really into manga and anime, so I randomly picked up one of the manga books available in the school library to see what this stuff was all about. My interest in the story of Pita-Ten only increased the more I read. Please ignore the cutesy character designs and elementary school antics for a minute. Read the manga for yourself, and discover just how darn good this series is. I guarantee you'll have tears in your eyes as you reach the end.

That being said, this post will focus on Pita-Ten's anime adaptation. I was very curious after reading the manga to see how the anime compares to the source material. We start with our protagonist, Kotarou Higuchi, about to head out for another day at school. Kotarou lives in an apartment complex with his father, who is often away due to work. We learn that Kotarou's mother saved Kotarou from being hit by a truck some time ago at the cost of her own life. Lingering trauma from the accident has contributed to Kotarou's stoic and generally closed off personality. However, Kotarou's life changes forever when he is ambushed by a girl named Misha who brazenly asks Kotarou to go out with her.

"She got wings. She got a halo. It seems to me so unnatural."

Naturally, Kotarou freaks out and runs away. He encounters Misha later that day and accidentally injures her following another spastic reaction. Feeling guilty, he invites Misha inside his apartment and tends to her wound. Misha explains that she just moved in next door to Kotarou, and isn't used to this world just yet. Kotarou doesn't understand what Misha is talking about, but allows Misha to stay for a while and help him make dinner. When they are done, Kotarou gives Misha some food to take home, but is horrified when Misha starts to leave through a window. Misha explains that its fine because she is an angel. She spreads her wings and begins to glow brightly. However, Kotarou yanks her off the window ledge before she can jump.

"She looked at me, took me by surprise, yeah. As if she took me by the hand to some foreign land and had me way up, way above the clouds in the sky."

The next day, Misha follows Kotarou everywhere and causes all kinds of trouble. Kotarou tells Misha to leave him alone, but Misha insists that she wants to protect Kotarou. Misha's words anger Kotarou as they remind him of how his mother died. Later that night, Kotarou closes his eyes and thinks about his mother again. As a tear starts to fall down his face, it is wiped away by Misha, who somehow got into Kotarou's apartment. Misha takes a hold of Kotarou's hand and leads him outside. Before Kotarou can say anything, Misha spreads her wings and takes Kotarou for a flight over the city. He truly enjoys it, but starts to get cold. Misha speeds toward the ground and the next thing Kotarou knows, he's all alone back in his apartment. Kotarou dismisses the experience as a dream, and the scene fades out as one of Misha's angel feather's flutters in the night air outside the apartment, just to give the viewer some doubt.

It was this scene in particular that made me think that Akon's song, "Angel," would be a good fit for Pita-Ten. The song came out right around when I started reading the Pita-Ten manga, which features the exact same flying scene. I immediately saw the connection with the lyrics written above as they describe the scene almost perfectly. I can also easily imagine Kotarou composing the rest of the lyrics of this song as a way to describe Misha.

"I'm looking at an Angel, and believe me when I say she got the whole place glowing."

Misha's antics can get annoying at times, but by episode three you find out that Misha really is an angel at heart and wants to do her best to help Kotarou. Misha has actually been sent to Earth to complete her angel exam. An angel's job is to spread joy and happiness, but Misha's clumsy nature means that passing the exam won't be easy. Nevertheless, Misha is able to make a positive impact on Kotarou and his peers. Kotarou eventually develops feelings for Misha, as her presence has made him a happier, more confident person. These emotions ultimately put Kotarou in a difficult situation as the series nears its conclusion.  

If I were to knock the Pita-Ten anime for anything, it would be for simplifying or otherwise omitting the coming of age subplots that made the manga such a joy to read. Kotarou's friends are an interesting bunch, who are really fleshed out in the manga. Their age is what makes them so intriguing because they are at that awkward stage in their lives where they are mature enough to know that life isn't always fair, but still not experienced enough to understand why that is. Unfortunately, their stories are largely replaced with slice of life-style filler that at times, makes the series' 26 episode run time seem a bit excessive. However, once you reach the final three episodes, you realize that this is what the anime has been steadily building towards, with an ending that is satisfying in its own right.

High School DxD with John Newman - "Love Me Again"

And now for something completely different. We'll leave the cutesy world of Pita-Ten behind and enter the raunchy harem action comedy of High School DxD. There's really not much to add that I haven't said before in my earlier review of the first three seasons of DxD, so I'm going to focus primarily on my choice of John Newman's 2013 hit song "Love Me Again" as the lyrics apply to different moments of the DxD anime.

"Know I've done wrong, left your heart torn. Is that what devils do?"

The opening for "Love Me Again" serves as a perfect way to introduce High School DxD's protagonist, Issei Hyoudou, a second year student at Kuoh Academy. He is shown as a rather self-centered individual who is completely obsessed with having his own harem. Issei's lecherous nature caused him to be instantly labeled as a loathsome pervert by the girls at his school. You could say that Issei is already halfway to being a devil even before the main plot of the story kicks in. However, if any girl did attempt to get close to Issei, they would find that he is actually kind, courageous, and completely determined to protect those he cares about from harm. Unfortunately for Issei, you often don't get a second chance to make a first impression, and the first impressions Issei gives leave a lot to be desired.

"Now I'm rising from the ground, rising up to you. Filled with all the strength I've found, there's nothing I can't do."

Imagine Issei's shock when a girl named Yuma boldly asks him out on a date. Unfortunately, the date turns out to be a setup. Yuma is actually a fallen angel named Raynare who sensed that Issei could pose a great danger to her kind. She fatally stabs Issei with a spear of light and leaves him for dead. Luckily, Issei is saved and reborn as a devil by the beautiful Rias Gremory, another student at Kuoh, president of the Occult Research Club, and a member of a high ranking devil family. Issei's reincarnation grants him devilish powers including enhanced strength and speed plus the ability to cast spells. His abilities are greatly aided by the Sacred Gear he possesses which contains the spirit of one of the two Heavenly dragons. It was Issei's Sacred Gear that originally attracted the fallen angels' attention. Issei uses his Sacred Gear to enhance both his physical and demonic powers. Furthermore, as his regular abilities grow, he can utilize more of the Sacred Gear's potential, including forming a suit of red dragon armor around his entire body. Using his powers, Issei is able to hold his own against rival devils and other supernatural beings.

"It's unforgivable, I stole and burnt your soul. Is that what demons do?"

Issei's powers and unwavering determination make him a valuable member of Rias's devil team which consists of the other members of the Occult Research Club. He quickly wins the hearts of all the girls in the group and finds himself subject to countless sexual advances. For someone like Issei, you would think this would be a dream come true, but due to his encounter with Raynare, Issei is reluctant to believe that his friends' shows of affection are genuine. Furthermore, Issei deeply fears that his friends will abandon him if he ever admits his feelings for them.

"Took you so low, where only fools go. I shook the angel in you."

Issei's internal struggle with his inner demons make up the core emotional plot of DxD. He truly loves all of his friends, but his heart and soul belong to Rias Gremory. After all, Rias was the one who saved Issei from death and always believed in the potential he had as a member of her team. In the first season, finale, Issei risked his life to save Rias from a forced marriage to another devil. After Issei won the battle, Rias and Issei shared their first kiss. This promising moment is marred in future seasons by lingering fears in both character's minds. I already mentioned how Issei's experience with Raynare has haunted him. It's due to that trauma that Issei refuses to let his guard down and call Rias by her name; Instead he always refers to her as "President." This in turn hurts Rias, as she thinks it is evidence that Issei is unable to understand the strong feelings she has for him. This conflict is explored in season 3 and is resolved by Issei calling Rias by her name for the first time. Their relationship improves through season 4 and ends with the two of them officially becoming a couple.

"I need to know now...can you love me again?"

Young love is often a complicated experience, particularly for those who haven't had to deal with such a wide range of emotions before. That appears to be what the lyrics of "Love Me Again" suggest. The lyrics tell of someone, presumably a man, who has emotionally hurt a woman he loves. The singer is asking the woman to forgive him and love him again. I think the content of this song closely mirrors what Issei and Rias go through over the course of the High School DxD anime. The song's references to angels and devils only makes the comparison with the series all the more natural.

I hope you all enjoyed reading my thoughts on this subject. I'll ask once again what songs you think would be good fits for certain anime series? Feel free to let me know in the comments.

Anime and Music Pairings that Need to Happen - Part One

I’ve decided to kick off the new year with something fun. You know how movies have songs integrated into important plot moments or during the credits? Well, I was thinking about some anime series I have seen and what English language songs out there could possibly be played during the opening or end credits while staying true to the spirit of the anime. Usually anime series use songs by Japanese artists that match the tone of the show, but I think using songs in other languages might be a fun concept to explore every once in a while. There is a thriving culture of fan made anime music videos (AMVs) that are regularly showcased at anime conventions around the world. I wish I had the skills to make AMVs of my own, but until then, here are two of my favorite anime paired with a song that embodies a core theme played out over the course of the series. Look for Part Two on this blog later this month. 

School Rumble with Swimming with Dolphins – “Silhouettes”

Let’s begin with my favorite anime series of all time. School Rumble is a slice of life romantic comedy centered on a love triangle between the bubbly Tenma Tsukamoto, delinquent Kenji Harima, and the eccentric Oji Karasuma. Tenma is hopelessly in love with Karasuma despite him being more or less oblivious to her feelings. Meanwhile Harima developed feelings for Tenma after he saved her from a thug one year prior to the start of the series. The incident caused Tenma to pass out, and Harima took her to his place to recover. When Tenma wakes up in Harima’s bed, she accuses Harima of being a pervert. While Tenma has since forgotten the incident, Harima starts wearing sunglasses and grows facial hair to hide his identity from her in case she ever remembers. He tries his best throughout the series to win Tenma’s heart despite numerous setbacks ranging from laugh out loud hilarious to almost bringing a tear to my eye. Harima embodies every high school boy who has ever chased after the girl of his dreams. You root for him through his attempts to win Tenma’s heart and feel his anguish when he learns about Tenma’s feelings for Karasuma. 

“When I can’t bear the resistance, I bend in shapes in ways that I never knew.” 

Harima's emotional breakdown leads to one of the greatest character arcs I have ever seen in a romance anime. Harima channels his frustration into drawing a manga with himself as the hero, Tenma as the damsel, and Karasuma as the villain. When he is done, he tries to get his work published for the same manga magazine for which his favorite artist, Jou Nijou, draws. During the interview, Harima is horrified to learn that Nijou is the pen name for none other than Karasuma. Furious, Harima tears his manga in half and leaves before the interview can finish. He falls into a depression and quits school. After a while Harima decides to go to school one last time to tell Tenma his true feelings and to hand in his official resignation. Due to a mix up though, Tenma accidently receives the resignation letter, and she personally asks Harima to stay in school. Rejuvenated, Harima comes back to school and renews his focus on developing his manga and staying close to Tenma.

“You found comfort with my distance, but you will never let me stray out of your view.”

For the rest of the series, Harima refuses to give up entirely on Tenma even though Tenma’s love for Karasuma is unshakable. However, regular interactions between Tenma and Harima lead them to becoming pretty good friends. Harima joins Tenma and her friends on trips to the beach and the countryside, and they discover that they both like the same TV shows.

The series ends with Harima coming to terms that he may never be a romantic equal to Karasuma in Tenma’s eyes, but that shouldn’t mean that he and Tenma can’t continue to have good times together. I guess that is what makes School Rumble so great and so relatable. It’s a series for anyone who’s thrown everything they have at getting a crush to notice them. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, but even rejections can have happy endings for both parties.

“I’ll stop my heart and then I’ll wait for you.”

Swimming with Dolphins was formed by Minneapolis friends Austin Tofte and future Owl City frontman Adam Young. “Silhouettes” is one of the songs released on the band’s debut EP, Ambient Blue, in 2008 and is sung as a duet by Tofte and fellow Minnesotan Breanne Duren. The upbeat, electropop nature of "Silhouettes" would blend in nicely with any anime series, but lyrical themes of moving on from an unfulfilled relationship make this a perfect companion piece for School Rumble.

One-Punch Man with Five for Fighting – “Superman (It’s Not Easy)”

This one is kind of a no-brainer. Any number of superhero themed songs could work well with this critically acclaimed action series. I’ve actually seen a few AMVs on YouTube with scenes from One-Punch Man set to 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite.” In the end I have chosen the 2001 song “Superman” by Los Angeles singer and songwriter John Ondrasik, who goes by the stage name Five for Fighting. According to Ondrasik, “Superman” reflects how he personally felt down on his luck after his first album failed to meet sales expectations. I’ve covered One-Punch Man thoroughly in a previous blog, so I’ll cut to the basics. Saitama was once a salaryman unable to find a job. After saving a child from a monster, he decided to become a hero for fun. Through a strict training regimen and an indomitable will, Saitama achieved such a high level of power that he can defeat any foe with a single punch.

“I’m more than a bird. I’m more than a plane. I’m more than some pretty face beside a train. And it’s not easy to be me.”

“Superman” and One-Punch Man are thematically similar in several ways. The lyrics of the song make a case that Superman’s life isn’t easy in spite of all his power. For instance, one verse insists that Superman is troubled that he will never know his true home, Krypton. It also appears that Superman would rather be normal and not have the ability to fly. After all, Superman is an alien here on Earth. He may look human and have human emotions, but he will never truly be one of us. 

“I’m only a man in a funny red sheet. I’m only a man looking for a dream.”

Saitama faces problems of his own throughout the course of One-Punch Man. Although he enjoys being a hero and saving people from monsters, he is bothered that no single enemy can give him a truly exhilarating fight. He comes close to finding a worthy foe by the final episode of the first season, but even that fight ends with Saitama barely getting more than a few scratches and the villain admitting that he was never even close to beating Saitama. As the second season of One-Punch Man prepares to air later this spring, viewers will be eager to see if Saitama will ever meet his match.

You’d think that a series with a hero who can’t be defeated would grow stale pretty quickly, but One-Punch Man remains extremely popular. A lot of this is due to the satirical nature of the series in a culture currently flooded with superheroes. Saitama isn’t driven by revenge, or lust, or any other emotion. He’s just a hero because he wants to. There is also the fact that hero work in this universe is managed by an austere, bureaucratic governing body. Inter-competition and obsession over rank turns the heroes into jaded individuals who care about their personal status as much as or more than actually doing heroic things. And then there's Saitama—a guy who completely bucks the system and doesn’t give a rat’s backside about the politics surrounding him. It’s his outstanding moral fiber in a morally bankrupt system that makes him so likable that you want him to get the recognition and the respect he fully deserves no matter how many enemies he has to fight. Add in beautiful animation courtesy of Madhouse studio, and you have an anime that will undoubtedly become a future classic.   

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for Part Two of this two-part blog series. In the meantime, feel free to let me know in the comments which songs you would like to see paired with a particular anime series. Happy New Year everyone!