Gira Gira Summer in Macross F Radio (and more…)
MINOR UPDATE: Please check the comments below for longer samples posted in nicovideo. Currently, long samples to Sou Da Yo and Universal Bunny are out. (I told you guys, Universal Bunny is the daughter of Rise). Thanks to Cadentia!
UPDATE: Because I fail too much. Some more song samples from the album have turned up, though I’m not sure of the source. It’s in nico, but the uploader didn’t really mention where it was taken from.
Oh dear, I don’t think I like it. But I’ll wait for a HQ to judge.
Some people from Japan are saying that the Macross F Radio episode that aired yesterday (Nov 13), contains Ranka’s Family Mart CM song. It should be published in the Macross F website at about Tuesday this week (Nov 17), so please wake me up when that happens 
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November 14th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
I have heard a sample of the mini-album and, to be honest, I didn’t really like any of the three songs sampled. Gira Gira Summer or -sama is cute, but it doesn’t fit May’n voice, imo that song would go better with Megumi’s voice. The second one is a piano piece, nice but I have the same problem, I don’t think her powerful voice fits it. And the third one has a rock feeling to it.
But I will hold my judgement until I listen to whole album.
November 14th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I actually like the second one, it’s the most listenable. BUT, for these kinds of songs, I keep hearing someone else singing it – someone with a fuller, smoother tone (Maaya? Origa? Ilaria? Anyone Kanno worked with before Macross F?), and it completely ruins my appreciation of the song.
Let the “i say yes” song be a reminder of the time when Kanno worked with singers who can belt with emotions and have a nice tone at the same time. It’s times like these that I’m feeling that Macross F is a curse…
/contempt. I could no longer defend May’n, I feel like a poseur. And that’s probably why I’ve been unleashing my comments on her for a while now in other forums. I like Sheryl, May’n not so much.
November 14th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Yeah, in the second one she shows more emotions but still, the tone. And that’s why I keep from comparing May’n or Megumi to any other singers Kanno has worked with before, they pale in comparison to them. And I want to enjoy the songs.
(This made me listen to the Ao no Ether live again. Please, record that song again sob)
November 14th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
I hope Megumi releases an album where that song is a live bonus track. Then again, the Galaxy Tour Final should do the trick… Speaking of which I just got the note from my courier that the DVD is in the post office, so I’m off to go there on Monday. I think I’ll only review the packaging though, since I have a sinking feeling that everyone downloaded it already.
November 15th, 2009 at 2:33 am
Disappointing. I guess the only likable track for me (atm) would be Universal Bunny. Hmn.
November 15th, 2009 at 2:49 am
Well, I don’t like May’n either, but Yoko Kanno composed some original and good songs for her. But I’m not sure I will listen to this album a lot, but let’s see. We know 6 tracks out of 8, maybe the 2 other ones are totally awesome!
(<- optimistic guy
)
November 15th, 2009 at 10:50 am
It’s a little like they forgot what Sheryl was supposed to be singing 0_0 these songs are all over the place. I like all of them but there doesn’t seem to be a particular theme. At least Universal Bunny and Pink Monsoon sound like pop music from 2059. These songs just sound normal ^^;; although if the album is supposed to be from before Sheryl went to Frontier it fits perfectly :p idol fluff.
I can’t wait to see the film in a few weeks >_<V
November 15th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Aaah, to be in Japan… I guess the rest of the world would have to sit it out until something is released. Sit the spoilers out to, if we can… I wonder if there’s an online stream where I could pay to watch it…
November 15th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8814050
People, most of the song has leaked.
November 15th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Oh look! Sou Da Yo has leaked too!
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8814036
November 15th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
guhh… I really don’t like any of these tracks ;__; Granted I’ve always loved Nakajima more than May’n (Aimo tori no hito, Oboete bless the little queen version and Ao no Ether were by far most emotionally hitting and charged songs for me… only ep 20 version of Diamond Crevasse from Sheryl came to same heights and maybe over them) but give her right kind of song and she is absolute killer: Northern Cross, Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse and FanClub’s Night are hurricanes with her voice. Meh, I don’t know… From what I’ve heard I think songs Kanno wrote for tv series for her were easily better (though Pink Monsoon has this really strange 80s charm to it, it’s catchy and I can’t say why
)
November 15th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
@Cadentia – thanks for these! I think I mentioned before that Universal Bunny reminds me of Rise from GITS:SAC… Now I think that riff at the very end of the sample is really the same one from Rise!!!
November 15th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
@Mai: I’m F5′ing NicoNico like no tomorrow. Let’s see if some horrible person uploads more. And btw, it seems like the second song (the piano one) in the sample is “Aenai Toki” and the third one is “Eien”
November 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
wait, Sou Da Yo? Well goddamnit, now I finally must register to NND -___-’ I love the live bootleg version (from Crossover) of that song to death, it was very touching and emotionally charged (SDY is one of those songs that went from “this is quite good” to “I love this”. Unfortunately that hasn’t yet happened with any of Sheryl’s new songs). If studio version is even half as good it should be great
Anyway, as for the whole singer thing I think it comes down to taste and preferences, largerly. ( I personally like to think Sakamoto is there on MF soundtrack to remind anyone else about their inferiority >:D ) Buut…well, I don’t know. Mai Yamane is really only one who can do justice to those “blues” numbers in Cowboy Bebop. Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brickroad had this line “this boy is too young to sing the blues” and I think it holds for all other Kanno “songbirds” if the gender is changed… But then again I can’t see her doing e.g Voices or Ao No Ether: both Arai and Nakajima are perfect on Voices and I love all Ao No Ether versions. Then again neither of those two are capable of beating May’n on Diamond Crevasse (as it should be since that song was written for her voice) but May’n utterly butchers Aimo… Now Origa is really great too but I can’t see her doing something like Rain…
Long story short I think they’re all great: I’d but Mai and Sakamoto over others simply due to their experience (and with Sakamoto her range and malleability, she can do pretty much anything…). Nakajima reminds me of younger, more inexperienced version of Sakamoto and I really love her vocal texture (and to think she sang both some ultralow “God Knows”sounding live version of Lion and something like Neko Nikki is pretty damn incredible. She has range). May’n has really powerful voice but not much in terms of those “angelic” high vocals etc.
Origa is bit of a wild card to me. I’ve only heard her singing on GitS: SAC tracks (which are phenomenal” and some live bootlegs… In oneo f those bootlegs (as example) live version of Inner Universe was incredible but I really didn’t think much of her singing on Rise.
Gahh, time to stop babbling I think >_<
November 15th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
@Xard – just continue
Also, Sou Da Yo: http://nicosound.anyap.info/sound/sm8814036
Universal Bunny: http://nicosound.anyap.info/sound/sm8814050
@all – for those who don’t know the song “Rise”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bOhI-P6de4
The songs both start with “I’m a (soldier / white bunny)” too.
November 15th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Okay, Megumi sounds very high-pitched in that sample of Sou Da Yo, I hope it’s because of the quality. I’m comparing it to the sample we got with the first trailer and she definetely doesn’t sound that high-pitched in that one.
November 15th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Holy s*** (sorry!), Megumi used her Ranka Lee voice to record Soudayo… The result is totally c*** (sorry again!), especially if we compare it to its live version.
*sigh*
I’m looking forward to Yoko Kanno’s next work, wishing that there won’t be any inexperienced idol performing her songs. I just wanna hear some mature song performed by some talented and experienced artist… T_T (hopefully there were CM songs and “I say, ‘yes’” this year!)
November 15th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
“@Xard – just continue
”
I don’t know how but I’ll try… That was just my stab at the whole “singer debate” thing which I don’t find that interesting – in all honesty only reason why even have come to think about these things is due to the stupid “wars” within Macross fandom (which IMO are just another expression of the goddamn Ranka vs. Sheryl war. Geez, stop that already -__-’ ). Before being subjected to these I had never even thought “aww man, I wish Sheryl would’ve sung this” or “Ranka’s voice is sooo much purer and more beautiful why didn’t she sing this”. I only compared Oboete Imasuka’s to Iijima’s original one and same with kare wa pilot. As fantastic as originals were I was really stunned how Nakajima (who I knew nothing about) had nailed them: especially the bless the little queen version of Oboete stunned me and it very well might be my favourite MF track. MF’s Watashi no kare wa pilot had *exactly* the happy and playful tone that song IMO requires. So I found myself thinking “whoah, this newbie is incredible. This is her first role?”. Sheryl was initially bit of a culture shock (“am I really listening to japanese singer here? What the hell? Sounds bit black to me”) and overall I’ve never liked nasal in her voice that much but I thought she was really great too…
it was only after being subjected to goddamn internet wars between different factions I’ve started to think about these things. Beforehand I had NEVER even played with idea of someone else singing Real Folk Blues or Inner Universe… I don’t think vocalists are directly comparable. I mean, can someone imagine Origa (or Nakajima or Sakamoto or May’n or etc.) doing Gotta Knock a Little Harder? It would just be… wrong. Or how about Mai doing Rise? Her “smoky”, very bluesy vocals really wouldn’t suit the song at all IMO (fun fact: when I first saw Cowboy Bebop I thought the singer of Real Folk Blues was man with effeminate voice
:D I wonder if I really am only one who did that…).
Of course once we move from “technical” aspects to such vague things like “singer X doesn’t deliver emotion” or other such claims I think we’ve moved even more strongly to realm of subjectivity. Studio recording of Ao No Ether is one of my very favourite MF tracks and fantastic vocal performance but also very clean (which is why some here have felt Megumi should’ve delivered “more emotion” but then again just as many people go ;__; over it. I don’t know how one would measure this “deliverance”) – but at least for me song “delivered” emotions in major scale: to me it is the tearjerker of the whole series (the 4 songs which made me get goosegumps would be those four I mentioned + Aimo O.C). And like with Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse I somehow didn’t think much of it when I heard/saw it first time. But then I started to listen to tracks on my iPod and dear god, Ao no Ether always stunned me. Aimo tori no hito always got great emotional response out of me and Megumi’s vocals played major role in that – and her second Oboete is IMO greatest rendition of the whole song. It was just…wow. On the other hand many felt that May’n delivered far more emotion than her, which I felt was a bit weird. I thought their “delivery” was about equal but that the “wailing” in May’n's voice made it far more “obvious”. Kind of like David Gilmour and Roger Waters in Pink Floyd (with exception that May’n certainly can sing and Waters ain’t much of a singer
): Gilmour sang more “purely” and angelically while Waters was the one who pretty screamed his emotions without holding any barrels. I got similar “duality” with MF: Nakajima did the “angel vocals” like Gilmour in Pink Floyd while wailing was done by May’n/Waters (except that May’n is bazillion times better singer so I’m not *directly* comparing these two. It’s just working analogue). Hmm, I wonder if anything what I said here makes sense…
The Tanasonic live version of Lion really screwed the studio recording for me though. I had no idea Nakajima was capable of doing “rock vocals” and “wailing” like that. In all honesty there were many parts (and not simply due to sound quality) where I initially couldn’t be sure who was singing, Nakajima or May’n. It really made me want to hear her do cover of God Knows or similar… Those were damn powerful vocals (in fact I preferred them over May’n, fact which still makes me go O_o ) and for the first time I was annoyed that due to role of Ranka she was never able to do such “belting out” inshow. Ahh well…
Moving on! As for the Rise the studio version is of course really brilliant and one of Kanno’s greatest achievements IMO (Tank, Blue, Nyan Nyan Service Medley and Inner Universe are locked in eternal battle for first place in my head
). The live rendition which I heard however really didn’t sound so hot singingwise which was bit of a surprise since Inner Universe live versions which I had heard earlier made me except much from Rise live… I really love Origa’s voice overall, though.
and now, Sou Da Yo… I’m baffled. This is sung in entirely different voice from the trailer version and from the live version. And it really doesn’t hold up against either.
@Yyrkoon: I take that by “mature” you mean something like Mai Yamane sang in Cowboy Bebop. I too miss those kind of tracks, but please remember Macross has always been about holy triangle of mechas, pop music and love triangle!
One last word:
I think Maaya Sakamoto overall is the best singer associated with Kanno. But interestingly I think that fight on stage version of Triangler was *far* superior to Maaya’s one. I think Nakajima’s phrasing was infinitely superior on that track and, well, Sheryl/Ranka duets seem to have some sort of “guaranteed” awesomeness tag
(I never cared that much for OP/Maaya one)
But then again this “who is better singer” thing can be continued ad infinitum. In the end no one of of Kanno’s “songbirds” is able of doing something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP9SX7V14Z4&feature=related
There is always a bigger fish. Not Origa, not maaya, not Mai, not May’n, not Arai, not Nakajima etc. are even remotely capable of pulling out vocal capabilities and perfection that is required for something like that.
But you know what? As much as I love that track I still get far more emotion from Real Folk Blues or Aimo tori no hito.
This is why I don’t think putting singers in war against each other is meaningful or reasonable course of action. There’s always the bigger fish. There’s good performances and bad performances. And there are songs that suit one style of vocals and songs that suit the other.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I hope that was large enough post to fulfill the “please continue” part
:D:D
*bows*
November 15th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Gahh I just keep forgetting I can’t edit my posts here >_<
very, very sorry for triple post (especially since one of them is that huge
)
Here’s the trailer version of Sou Da Yo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-uw-DEmQso
it sounds completely different. Tone is different, I can’t notice any doubletracked vocals etc.
I really like her tone on that trailer version… if this now leaked version is more “final” one I have no idea what Kanno is thinking while doing the arranging/producing =/
November 15th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
@Xard: thanks for sharing your thoughts
I almost read everything ^^
Concerning Macross F, I don’t expect something more Cowboy Bebop or Wolf’s Rain like, but I just can’t wait for a new YK collaboration on some TV show which will require some “mature” songs. ^^
And concerning the Sou da yo sample, perhaps the Macross F director just asked if the song could be more Ranka-like… I also miss the crossover live version, I know Megumi can sing well (I was extremely surprised and amazed to see her perform VOICES on the July 7).
November 15th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
@Xard: Yeah, I noticed it too. This leaked version sounds too different from the trailer one :/
November 16th, 2009 at 10:06 am
….
Haha, I may actually be the only one here…but…
…
GIRA GIRA SUMMER~*! :p
Oh and Ranka-voice Sou Da Yo…is…as Yy said, c***.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:22 am
@Xard, thanks for that, it was a good read! But I have to say that I am one of the believers that May’n delivers more emotion in her voice, and yes in the belting kind of way. Megumi is still in the “play safe” range and emotion during recording, but when you hear her live, it’s different and you can hear it. In live recordings, she’s singing on a range she’s more comfortable in, and it’s also most likely the range where she can naturally express her emotions. I love Ao no Ether in the recording, but I loved it more live.
Also, none of Kanno’s known “songbirds” can deliver an aria, but then, I’ve heard Kanno songs delivered by opera singers too. The thing is, because Macross F is centered on the two pop singers, she seems that she no longer has the freedom to pick another female singer that would sound more awesome for some songs. Even Sharon Apple had multiple singers, and it was delivered by whoever could pull it off the best. Macross F doesn’t have this freedom, and I believe that is the tragedy.
@all – Does anyone already know the source of the leaked one and the trailer one? One of them could be a demo. But I won’t be surprised if the official one is the high pitched one, primarily because this is still a “Ranka” song, not a “Megumi” one. She has to sound young, cute and experienced.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:28 am
@Mai: Aw. Was hoping for a complete version of UB. Ah well. This’ll do for now.
Anyways, regarding the issue (it feels moar like a “Sheryl vs. Ranka” issue thing tho), I have to agree with Mai. May’n is more able to deliver emotions in her singing compared to Mamegu. My hunch is that Mamegu is able to deliver the emotions of the song a little better (compared to May’n) to some people through the melody/the song itself, and not necessarily the singing (like in Bless the Little Queen, which contains a lot of bassy… powerful-feel to it). May’n, in my opinion, is able to deliver more emotions to the listener via her powerful singing voice (like in Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse, especially in its bridge part).
Well, that was my two cents.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:39 am
@riepert: well, I admit that I “connect” better with Mamegu and her songs in MacrossF than with May’n's (so many ‘ pffff) in general, maybe because of the overall feeling of the song like you say. For example, now I’m listening to Sou Da Yo (the live version, of course). It’s a very simple love song, yet I love it to bits because of its sincerity and how trascendental Megumi sounds without being too pretentious.
Which is why I will cry if that version that leaked on niconico is the recorded one orz
Now on May’n, I agree with you, she can deliver emotions through her voice. I love every Diamond Crevasse she has sung (specially the one at Tanasonic). She always breaks my heart in that last “hoshii planet”. Northern Cross is another one of my favorites, although only the recorded version. I will be honest, I do not like too much how she delivers that song live…
However, in her other songs I’m kind of “lost” and I can’t connect with her as much as I would want to.
tl;dr I think this is a very personal question. Who delivers more emotion? Who do you connect with? Well, to each their own. I personally can feel a lot more through Megumi but that’s just me.
And Yoko Kanno has worked with better musicians than these two (DON’T SHOOT ME). And I also prefer her BGM works, specially the orchestral ones (PLEASE, MORE BGM FOR THE MOVIE. I BEG YOU. THERE ARE A LOT OF MASTERPIECES THAT WERE LEFT OUT OF THE TV SERIES. DON’T DO THE SAME WITH THE MOVIES)
November 17th, 2009 at 4:15 am
@Yyrkoon
That’s not fair at all! Hailing from Finland my possibilities of seeing anything by Kanno ever performed live is next to nil!
@mai
“@Xard, thanks for that, it was a good read!”
Thanks!
“But I have to say that I am one of the believers that May’n delivers more emotion in her voice, and yes in the belting kind of way.”
No problems. I’m not saying my opinion is any more “right”. That’s why I used word preference
I also remember you like Sheryl more than Ranka. I like Ranka more than Sheryl (I loved them both but Ranka somehow became nothing short of one of my all time favourite characters. This is why it’s sad to me there’s so much bashing of her in the internets: or even more bluntly, fan bashing. I’ve been called lolicon(!!!) and whatnot simply because she was my favourite character *sigh* ) and I’m sure these things influence our preferences, at least somewhat. With me deal was that excluding Diamond Crevasse and Northern Cross I didn’t get some vague emotional “release” from any of her other tracks. I’m not sure why but to me her wailing seemed somehow…cheap? As cheap way to give impression of “emotion” or whatever… Overtly “emotionally” manipulative? I don’t know: I think the fact I really don’t like her nasal at all has effect. In any case way I came to prefer N over M while watching the show was to compare the songs they both had recorded (Ranka singing FanClub would’ve been just silly and I’m not exactly dying for “Oboete – nasal edition” 
so I didn’t compare tracks that were purely “theirs”) : I still think Sheryl’s what bout my star is weakest song of MF but I love @Formo version and think Nakajima’s singing on it is infinitely better. Then there was that “duet” (which was incorporated to Formo version in OST) version in ep 15 – I found I liked Nakajima’s vocals again easily better. Sheryl’s Aimo is meh and I really like that track. And May’n's vocals on Triangler were – again – easily my least favourite if I compared it to her fellow duet singer (and of course to Sakamoto). May’n is vastly superior only on Diamond Crevasse (then again “Ranka voice” used in 50/50 affects this too, albeit there’s no way N would be able to beat May’n when it comes DC) but her voice is completely wrong for WNKWP. So I did math and saw I preferred Ranka over Sheryl numerically nearly always when they sang like that (now Lion is interesting example. I really liked both of their vocals in studio recording due to dynamism between their singing styles… but live versions have destroyed the studio version for me by now, nnoo ;__; ) So, uhh, preferences in the end.
I think the very moment when I realized “woah, her voice is frickin’ hurricane” was when Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse was released for the first time. That fade to end credits with Sheryl screaming “tomeraneraii” was one damn spine chilling moment.
“Also, none of Kanno’s known “songbirds” can deliver an aria, but then, I’ve heard Kanno songs delivered by opera singers too.”
Ah, true. But I really didn’t count them (and then in world of Opera we have their own system of fishes that get bigger and bigger)… I think word “songbird” is completely wrong for someone like Mai but I dislike word songstress (and using singer would include males too) so what can I do?
“Macross F doesn’t have this freedom, and I believe that is the tragedy.
”
Hehe, yeah, I can see where you’re coming from. Then again I don’t think I’ve never seen music used as brilliantly (from narrative to characterization etc.) as in Macross Frontier in any other anime – Bebop may have my all time favourite soundtrack but not even it came close to the quasimusical level of importance of the songs. Remembering that Aimo “literally” is Ranka’s heart/soul and how Northern Cross reflects the tragedic fury of late-show Sheryl I have to say the the context of show easily overcomes whatever benefits from having bigger amount of singers would’ve brought.
“Does anyone already know the source of the leaked one and the trailer one? One of them could be a demo. But I won’t be surprised if the official one is the high pitched one, primarily because this is still a “Ranka” song, not a “Megumi” one. She has to sound young, cute and experienced.”
“@Xard: Yeah, I noticed it too. This leaked version sounds too different from the trailer one :/”
“And concerning the Sou da yo sample, perhaps the Macross F director just asked if the song could be more Ranka-like… I also miss the crossover live version, I know Megumi can sing well (I was extremely surprised and amazed to see her perform VOICES on the July 7).”
You know, I dl’d the “leaked” Sou Da Yo and used my weird testing standard – that is I put it to my iPod and listened to it on high quality… now, the thing is: this could be some random take that got leaked *or* it could be more official one.
Now let me explain: Despite the fact sound quality is better, sounds are “crisper” etc. on this leaked track I couldn’t help but notice one thing: despite the fact in trailer the Sou Da Yo heard there is nearly always in the *background* (ie. sound effects, dialogue etc. are more important) despite that the vocals are *stronger* – or more to the surface – in the mix. It’s not the singing style only – the way trailer version is mixed is that N’s vocals are the “dominating” thing. Mixingwise this now leaked one has really weak vocals. They’re like sideshow. It’s mixing is otherwise too rather… I don’t know, shaky?
Suffice to say when it comes to mixing song this makes no sense: you do not mix lead vocals like you would use background vocals for heaven’s sake! This really, well, “random take” feel of the mix raises hope in me that this is *not* from final version: sounds are “weaker” all around than in the trailer one. If the trailer version was only level of sound in the mix in trailer it would sound even more clearly “fuller” than this now leaked one.
Thus I think it is certainly very possible this is just some random outtake. It isn’t even the whole song!
Now the counterargument to this would be that there’s more doubletracking (I can’t hear any on admittedly low volume trailer one) etc. on this leaked version…
So I remain agnostic over which one is closer to official release (or is one). But I sure as hell wish that leaked one is just some random outtake… I have nothing against Ranka’s “high and girly” voice when it’s used right (Neko Nikki is just frickin’ cute and some of 50/50 high “angel voices” are beautiful) but this is just bad in all ways: I don’t like the tone, it doesn’t suit the song and in all honesty those are weakest vocals I’ve heard on official MF track so far. Damn, this made me even forget how disappointed I was with new Sheryl tracks in general.
As for “director wanted moar Ranka voice”… I don’t think that’s sufficient explanation. Or rather: director chose completely wrong Ranka.
The trailer version is very “Ranka” sounding too but clearly different in singing style from her other tracks. Not to mention it’s not like Ranka hasn’t had her “deep voice” moments. In ep 25 when she starts to sing a capella Anata no Oto last lines (before Brera appears) are sung in very low voice. Both Oboete Imasuka’s feature low and deep (especially bless version) vocals and there are moments spread here and there on some other tracks. It’s not like it would be *out of character* to make her sing in “fuller” sound. Only track that’s sung that softly/whatever would be Neko Nikki…
so I don’t think “sound more like Ranka” is working explanation because Ranka has sung in much lower voice too (though not in the *really* low voice heard in some bootlegs, of course).
So I honestly don’t know what they’re thinking… It’s completely wrong tone for the composition!!!! Sounds simply put bad…
@riepert
It’s Megumi, not Mamegu
@Cadentia
“However, in her other songs I’m kind of “lost” and I can’t connect with her as much as I would want to.
tl;dr I think this is a very personal question. Who delivers more emotion? Who do you connect with? Well, to each their own. I personally can feel a lot more through Megumi but that’s just me. ”
I agree fully.
“And Yoko Kanno has worked with better musicians than these two (DON’T SHOOT ME).”
hahaha, no doubt about that
“And I also prefer her BGM works, specially the orchestral ones ”
I like many MF BGM tracks but only couple I can say I love. Inu Mim Ranka is hilarious, Alto’s Theme is great and HighSchoolLife sounds pleasurably Bebopish. But it has *never* seazed to bother me how must “Vajra” sounds like Sibelius’s Finlandia.
Vajra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWvHzZIj3g
EVERY SINGLE TIME in show when part first heard starting at 0:12 began I thought I was listening to Finlandia (and when it eventually progressed differently I went always a bit “O_o”).
Finlandia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XojVmivqDrA
There is NO frickin’ way that’s coincidence. I’ve heard the Also Sprach Zarathustra influences before but… damn Kanno, that is pretty blatant
November 17th, 2009 at 9:12 am
@Xard – Actually, I think I shouldn’t be commenting more on how official Sou Da Yo is, but I just have to say… I have heard a demo of Ao no Ether before it was released officially, and it indeed sounded different from the official version, but only slightly with regards to Megumi’s singing.
Also, it has been mentioned officially by Kawamori that the Sheryl and Ranka in the movie will be made definitely sexier and cuter THAN the TV series, so now we are hearing Sheryl being obtusely frikkin sexy, so why not those involved in the music also make Ranka obtusely cute? (Even to the despair of the fans? I’ll let the producers decide on this, they made the TV series sell, so I’m not currently in the position to question their decisions.)
Regarding the emotion thing, for Ao no Ether, there’s a reference of someone who sang this song with a nice enough tone and enough emotions: Maaya. That, is how I would have liked the song to have been sang. Though, as I have said, if Ranka would sing like that in the series, it would sound too mature for the character being played. Sheryl and Ranka should still work as yin yang. One sings purely and child-like, the other sings heavily and maturely.
I have always thought that Megumi had the better Kanno songs. But only in the “traditional” sense. Ao no Ether, Sou Da Yo, Dokun Dokun, these songs are staples in Kanno’s pop works, and they are easy to listen to and generally likeable. But of course, this isn’t to discredit Megumi. On the contrary, the ones she uses for May’n are those difficult songs that she gives to her best singers, and this all the more shows that May’n falls short of that standard XD
Also, “Mamegu” is Megumi’s nickname
Her blog name is a Japanese thing, “Ma me gu me mo” playing with the Japanese syllabary “A I U E O”, and it becomes in English something like “Mamegu’s Memo”. She also refers to herself in such manner sometimes, and if I’m not mistaken, this is what the crowd chants in her solo live performances, similar to May’n's “Buchou”.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:56 am
@Cadentia: Ooh,that’s right. I love Northern Cross! I actually love singing that song because it’s so… mind-blowing. The first time I heard NC, I felt the “message” of the song right away (add to the fact that I was experiencing the message of the song at that time). It’s as if every time that you get to sing or hear those kinds of songs from May’n, (or just NC in particular) it makes you run out of breath.
And I’m loving UnivBunny. It makes me dance. It makes me feel flirty and sexy (just like Pink Monsoon). In other words, it makes me feel as if I were Sheryl.
I gotta agree with Mai. May’n gets the difficult songs from Kanno (NC, for example). There’s just something about Mamegu’s songs (MacF songs, that is) that appeals to more people: it was made to be that way – made to appeal to more people, since the emotions found in the song are emotions that people can easily relate to.
I gotta admit, I love @Formo more than the original one. But whenever I’m feeling high, there’s just that desire to sing What ‘Bout My Star in front of everyone. To be honest, the only song that I really liked (from the Mamegu-only roster) is Anata no Oto. It’s just that there’s something that I find missing from Mamegu doing solo songs (but of course, I loved the Sou Da Yo ~Live Version~) than when she teams up with May’n (like in Lion or @Formo).
Don’t shoot me (too), but I think, the songs were made in such a way that May’n looks more like a performer (someone who makes people sing and dance to her songs) and that Mamegu was made to look more like a singer (someone who sings and touches peoples’ hearts).
@Xard:
See, it’s Mamegu too! Heehee!
And I’m lovin’ Maaya’s new single. (You be my boyfriend! I’ll be your girlfriend! – Private Sky) Haha!
November 17th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
what, nobody commented on Sibelius similarities?
(I wonder if Kanno has said anything… it is of course well known she does draw inspiration sometimes even very directly)
“I have heard a demo of Ao no Ether before it was released officially, and it indeed sounded different from the official version, but only slightly with regards to Megumi’s singing. ”
I guess this is kinda my point… in there the arrangement was pretty settled already… but this bootleg is *completely* different from both live version and the trailer versions (Crossover live resembles in singing style etc. surprisingly much the “trailer” version) so I’m hoping they’re just trying out different things
“Also, it has been mentioned officially by Kawamori that the Sheryl and Ranka in the movie will be made definitely sexier and cuter THAN the TV series, so now we are hearing Sheryl being obtusely frikkin sexy, so why not those involved in the music also make Ranka obtusely cute?”
WHAT? O__o > o__o > .___. > -__-’
This… this is first thing I’ve heard about this movie that makes me genuinely worried. Of course characters must be handled differently (making Ranka Alto’s childhood friend was very logical step) due to form but… that should not mean simplehandedly making them more one-sided. *sigh* Well, we’ll see
“Regarding the emotion thing, for Ao no Ether, there’s a reference of someone who sang this song with a nice enough tone and enough emotions: Maaya.”
Shoo, this reminds me I haven’t listened to her version yet… for a clear reason. I’m worried what would happen is what happened to Lion: the “official” OST version just wouldn’t cut it anymore despite its awesomeness.
Then again, despite her incredible beauty in Haha no Aimo I still easily and without any doubt get more emotion/connection/whatever from Nakajima’s version(s). Don’t know why.
“Though, as I have said, if Ranka would sing like that in the series, it would sound too mature for the character being played. Sheryl and Ranka should still work as yin yang. One sings purely and child-like, the other sings heavily and maturely.”
Actually this is more about characters than about music but I have to say I disagree in here: I could see Ranka singing Ao no Ether with more “emotional style” a la Nakajima’s many live versions (talking about Budokan one + bootlegs, essentially) and in general… well, aren’t you member at animesuki? I registered there some time ago and I intend to post “my take/view” on Ranka etc. in the huge Ranka thread one day (reasons I vaguely gave in previous post)…
“On the contrary, the ones she uses for May’n are those difficult songs that she gives to her best singers, and this all the more shows that May’n falls short of that standard XD”
Speaking of this, I think Diamond Crevasse is easily most demanding song in MF. Interestingly I never cared much for Diamond Crevasse before ep 6… And in all honesty I got kind of “Celine Dion” feel from the track for a long time. Majestic, bombastic vocals but… I just didn’t get any “emotion” from it.
Now Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse is entirely different thing. That one is cathartic. I also think both MF singers need to be cut some slack regarding their experience too: they were only 18 at time and for Nakajima it was her very first project ever (with her performance I ment *both* acting and singing – the whole is staggeringly good for so young and green) and May’n – despite being somewhat established already – was relatively “green” too. They cannot be compared to Origa or Mai in this regard. As for Sakamoto, same obviously goes for her now too (her evolution has been great)… but I can’t be only one who is reminded of young Sakamoto by Nakajima? (casting her as Ranka’s Mother just cannot be coincidence
) And it took long time by her before she managed to make her first album without Kanno’s influence hovering over her.
Buut… what do you think are the most demanding tracks? I’d concede Northern Cross and DC are the “hard” songs in MF (I think May’n has great rock voice. Northern Cross is awesome)
okay, I get the Mamegu thing now… ^_^’
how silly of me.
@Riepert:
“There’s just something about Mamegu’s songs (MacF songs, that is) that appeals to more people: it was made to be that way – made to appeal to more people, since the emotions found in the song are emotions that people can easily relate to.”
I wonder… What made both Lion & Northern Cross so lyrically interesting was just how brilliantly they were tied to what was happening in the show. Lion just grew exponentially with “meaningfullness” further the show progressed. Diamond Crevasse is very well written but not exceptional “breakup” (or tragic love or however you want to characterize it) song in lyrics front iMO.
My favourite lyrics would be:
Northern Cross (just exceptionally well realized “desperate” love song)
Aimo – tori no hito (Kanno’s “nonsense” is beautiful and…well, all the rest of the stuff really crystallizes why Ranka was my favourite character.)
Ao No Ether (I’m just sucker for usage of symbolic imagery to deliver the torn, conflicted state of mind)
Lion (how many “love songs” have lines like “If you sneeze, in some forest, butterflies will frenzy”? lol butterfly effect…)
Hammy lyrics prize would go to either What bout my Star or Welcome to the FanClub’s Night
November 18th, 2009 at 9:41 am
@Xard – I am actually mike_s_6 in animesuki, and in many other forums. But I try my best not to discuss characters (especially when I know people are hot about the issue), so if you do post, I am afraid I don’t read the threads where those stuff are discussed. I personally do not like how some people treat Ranka and Sheryl in animesuki, so sometimes, I avoid the place altogether. I’d rather discuss other things like music where people are more eager to accept each others’ opinions
November 18th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Yeah, I DEFINETLY know what you mean. Anime forums in general are pretty hevy on “fan dumb” (my only animeforum which I visit would be EGF, I abhor the quality of “big ones”) and I’m not too fond on them in general. Now, I’m late “convert” to whole Macross franchise and in fact I watched MF way after it was finished – prior seeing it (I also watched DYRL, Plus and Zero nearly in a row. Original show I still haven’t finished actually
) only thing I knew about it was nyanroll – and who wasn’t nyanrolled at least once last fall? 
So when I’m still high on the whole thing and loved the show and all I start to watch youtube videos etc. and thus for the first time have any contact with other fans… and one thing struck me repeatedly: it sucks to be “Ranka-fan”. Sheryl was most popular character (nothing wrong with that and I can see why, I loved her too) but she seemed to have this very vocal section of fanbase I call “Sheryl horde” whose only purpose seems to be to attack and grind to dust all diverging opinions. Now there are Ranka fans who don’t like Sheryl very much but in my experience on average they tend to just not mention it or say “I didn’t like Sheryl much cuz she was mean” or something like that. “Sheryl hordes” instead IMMEADITLY go to bashing the other girl and more disturbingly anyone who disagrees with their preference: I’ve been called lolicon, idiot etc. simply because I liked Ranka more than Sheryl. Now I’m not kind of guy who gets bothered by silly internet drama: but too much is too much. Which is why I decided to write “apologetic” piece to which I can refer.
What’s worse is that this “horde” (which, I’m sure, does not represent the majority) has had effect on how I view Sheryl: I haven’t “enjoyed” her character as much on rewatches simply due to her fans. Stop trying to ruin great character goddamnit! >_<
…yeah, I know that is off-topic rant but I think I should make clear I’m not in general “involved” with these fan dramas. I simply got tired of getting insulted constantly without chance to counter the attacks.
“I’d rather discuss other things like music where people are more eager to accept each others’ opinions
”
True!
Universal Bunny has been growing on me somewhat… Pink Monsoon, *trailer* version of Sou Da Yo and Family Mart have been so far the best in my opinion…
November 18th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Honestly, the best and the worst fans I’ve seen of Sheryl AND Ranka are some fans I saw in animesuki >__<;; I was there when it was airing, so all kinds of people were there! I could just “OMG” for both sides, at one time I also got over my head because it was just getting frustrating reading it… Then I figured out, “why am I even reading? If you like Sheryl, then you like her. If it’s Ranka then you like Ranka. It’s not like you _have an obligation to the world_ to support one and kill the other.”
November 18th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
@Xard and Mai: I agree with you both.
>>What’s worse is that this “horde” (which, I’m sure, does not represent the majority) has had effect on how I view Sheryl: I haven’t “enjoyed” her character as much on rewatches simply due to her fans. Stop trying to ruin great character goddamnit! >_<
I feel you. The same happened to me. I started lurking forums to see the opinion people have on the show while it aired and I was just surprised at all the bashing going for both characters on both sides. Since where I lurked Sheryl fans were more vocal it kind of ruined my perception of Sheryl, because even if I like her I think I would have loved her more if I hadn’t ventured into the fandom.
Then I started reading some Ranka fans, which only made me facepalm hard a lot and fearing that the same thing would happen with Ranka I decided to stay away from forums, RC comments and other sites so they wouldn’t ruin more the characters for me.
By the last episodes I also got tired of the triangle, really. So I ended up shipping breran (fuck yeah incest), and it seems like I will also ship bresheri for the movie (fuck yeah Sheryl’s burtler). In fact I don’t care much for Alto.
I think for the movie I will try to stay away from fandom, here is me hoping someone records it like it happened with the Eva one.
On the music: I like Universal Bunny, Pink Monsoon, Tenshi ni Naritchatta, Sou Da Yo (live and trailer) and Cosmos Family Mart. I do not like Gira Gira Summer at all. My opinion on Aenai Toki might change once I hear the full song. And Eien doesn’t sound like my type of music. Let’s see if Obelisk and Izorado are good, so I hope.
Well, I also wonder how they will fit the songs in the movie. So many of them. For some reason I think Pink Monsoon will play in place of What ’bout my Star in Alto and Sheryl’s date. Maybe Ranka will cover one of Sheryl’s song (I hope it is Gira Gira Summer, it would sound better with Nakajima’s voice). I doubt they will change Aimo. And please, more BGM.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:27 am
(hmm I had written good post here yesterday but my computer crashed ^^’)
@Mai “Honestly, the best and the worst fans I’ve seen of Sheryl AND Ranka are some fans I saw in animesuki >__=D . I love them both for their flaws and strenghts. *shrug*
I just have to thank Anno for ending Eva in ways – that despite their mindfuckiness – buried forever possibility of *real* shipping wars going on. -_-’
I must say that in way all the drama proves show was awesome: people do not get that attached to character(s) or that heated up if there was nothing in there.
I guess this blog comment from last year reflects my feelings best: http://exce7ion.kokidokom.net/2008/09/rankasheryl-polarityi-dont-get-it/
@Cadentia
“Since where I lurked Sheryl fans were more vocal it kind of ruined my perception of Sheryl, because even if I like her I think I would have loved her more if I hadn’t ventured into the fandom.”
I just say this again: thank god I wasn’t around during the time when show aired… if the “echoes” that still go on are so annoying I can only imagine how it would’ve been in the epicenter of the big “boom”
“Then I started reading some Ranka fans, which only made me facepalm hard a lot and fearing that the same thing would happen with Ranka I decided to stay away from forums, RC comments and other sites so they wouldn’t ruin more the characters for me.”
Hah, no doubt about that either! I don’t think “Ranka fans” are in general any more mature – like MF (and Sheryl, albeit I dislike building “walls” between fans since I – like most? – liked them both) fans in general they’re just your average anime fans of all kinds. But based on my experience the fans do mirror their “characters” in certain way: Sheryl fans on average seem to be way louder and way more aggressive, kind of like their character of preference. Ranka fans I’ve encountered on average are more “subdued”. I don’t think this was the situation when show aired but nowadays that’s the impression I’ve got. Which is why I call this fan dumb suffering subsection of Sheryl fans “the horde”. The Ranka fans who act like “the horde” are not as numerous or visible in my experience while they’re certainly there of course. But I think this may be simply because Sheryl is more popular. More fans should naturally mean there’s more the loud and obnoxious ones too, right?
“By the last episodes I also got tired of the triangle, really. So I ended up shipping breran (fuck yeah incest), and it seems like I will also ship bresheri for the movie (fuck yeah Sheryl’s burtler). In fact I don’t care much for Alto.”
I enjoyed the triangle through the whole show – I don’t in general care much about romance subplots but MF was different. And I really liked Alto, he had certain originality not to mention surprising amount of brains for hotheaded mecha pilot. If he only wasn’t so FRUSTRATINGLY indecisive… To me it’s all AxR, albeit I dislike shipping and don’t consider myself one (outside the preference for AxR instead of AxS). Before that great Sheryl/Alto scene in ep 24 I just didn’t feel even once the “chemistry” between them like the one between Alto and Ranka… I wasn’t too surprised to learn originally it was ment to be Alto/Ranka/Brera triangle. *shrug*
oh well, Kawamori sure had the laughs with the trolling he pulled out in last ep (Sheryl not dying, Brera not dying, not resolving the triangle etc
). I admit I was initially rather trolled by not resolving the triangle and I do consider it as kind of flaw in the series – you don’t leave major plot thread hanging like that damnit! But on the other hand I love the subversiveness of it… I loved the ending, but initially I was ready to strangle Kawamori 
I’ve been listening to live version of Sou Da Yo again and it’s incredible… these kind of bootlegs work best with good headphones IMO, by setting vol up the low sound level of bootlegs (in comparison to legitimate recordings) is very much overcome… and it can be very intimate listening experience. Sou Da Yo Live is just ;__; when listened like that. (gahh, now I get all angsty over that recent leaked version again)
November 20th, 2009 at 3:31 am
“@Mai “Honestly, the best and the worst fans I’ve seen of Sheryl AND Ranka are some fans I saw in animesuki >__=D . I love them both for their flaws and strenghts. *shrug*”
for some reason whenever I put that certain “angry smiley” (not putting it up just in case) smiley it screws up the post like that…
This is what I wrote:
I don’t think I’m surprised to hear this
“I was there when it was airing, so all kinds of people were there! I could just “OMG” for both sides, at one time I also got over my head because it was just getting frustrating reading it…”
No doubt. Apparently general MF board was nothing short of war zone and that Ranka & Sheryl areas were created specifically to separate the sides… (I can only imagine how it must’ve been for old school Macross fan or for one who watched the show for mechas
) I think the moment I went “oh THAT’S IT” was when I saw the Ranka area and – feeling somewhat battered – decided to take “refuge” in there since starting with first post “bashing wars” were pretty much “no-no”… and it doesn’t take long enough to see something of a “spearhead” of the “horde” leading the offensive even there. -__-’
“Then I figured out, “why am I even reading? If you like Sheryl, then you like her. If it’s Ranka then you like Ranka. It’s not like you _have an obligation to the world_ to support one and kill the other.””
Yeah… I really love them both. I have my gripes with Sheryl (inshow, way before I had any contact with the fandom) that are actually based on actual inseries reasons so I didn’t simply out of blue prefer Ranka – in fact as far as personalities go I’m in fact much more Sheryl than her. I love them both for their flaws and strenghts. *shrug*
November 20th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Oh man, I just knew that the movie was gonna bring back the pairing wars XD
Looking forward to movie though………..exciting 0_0
November 20th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Honestly, this is the first I’ve read such lengthy replies to a single thread.
@Pippa: Agreed. Can’t wait for the full version of UnivBunny. Mai, you should have a dance contest for UnivBunny. I’m thinking of joining (so long as I get to see the movie — or just the dance steps, of course)!
November 20th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
IMO, shipping one character to another is okay (or character relationship analysis and preference), but shipping _wars_ is a waste of time. Can you guys realize how insignificant it is to fight for something that could be determined on a whim by the director?
@riepert – hmmm, I wasn’t too happy about the Galaxy Tour Final DVD, I might give it away as a prize… but people will have to do something ridiculous or awesome for it. Maybe, dance Pink Monsoon and make it funny, or dance Ninjin and do it seriously. I dunno. Maybe when I’m not too busy (damn wedding preparations, seriously why do these things have to happen!)
Or not, Kanno is in this DVD and I should treat it as a prize that I could even see her like this ;__;
/rambling again
November 20th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
“Oh man, I just knew that the movie was gonna bring back the pairing wars XD”
you mean they disappeared somewhere?
“Can you guys realize how insignificant it is to fight for something that could be determined on a whim by the director? ”
Which is why I don’t ship. Besides, it’s *girly* thing to do (since most shippers seem to be girls
– my preference for AsR came purely from what I think would work better. Alto and Sheryl always struck me more as bickering old friends.
Of course if movie tells story/handles characters in a way that makes SherylxAlto more “plausible” (or whatever) I’m going to support that. I only care about well told story
As much as I love MF’s ending I’d prefer resolution to triangle this time around. Kawamori got his subverting points already, this time around how about doing it “straight”?
is Sakamoto included in the bluray version?
November 20th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
In this community, shipping wars only happened when the show was airing, then they all vanished in thin air. Even I hate character-rigged comments such as a “Sheryl/Ranka sucks and is a loli/slut/failure/something” on posts about music, you know.
About Maaya being in the Blu-ray, we still don’t know, but I want it to.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Shipping wars were pretty fierce back in the day in this fandom. But they cannot compare to the Big Ones, you know, the Harry Potter shipping wars. Holy cow, essays 30 pages long analyzing a pairing to prove that it was going to happen for a nonexistent love triangle. MacrossF shippers seem like a bunch of kids playing shipping wars in comparison to the adults lol
The movie is due out tomorrow, so be prepared for the shit storm to follow. I cannot wait, I hope some reviewer says if there’s new BGM or not (pleaaase let there be!)
November 20th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
“In this community, shipping wars only happened when the show was airing, then they all vanished in thin air.”
Ahh, I see. I’ve followed this blog only for month or so… I found this place while I googled for Kanno (or was it Kawamori) interview regarding MF… though I did do quite a lot backtracking I didn’t see anything too bad which was huge relief to me. This place feels like one of few sensible “oasises” I’ve encountered.
“About Maaya being in the Blu-ray, we still don’t know, but I want it to.”
I personally can’t come up with any other explanation than such marketing tactic for lack of Maaya on DVD *shrug*
“ut they cannot compare to the Big Ones, you know, the Harry Potter shipping wars. Holy cow, essays 30 pages long analyzing a pairing to prove that it was going to happen for a nonexistent love triangle. MacrossF shippers seem like a bunch of kids playing shipping wars in comparison to the adults lol”
Blergh… As eva-fan I’m more than familiar with the phenomenom of 30 page essays (been guilty couple of times) but thankfully in eva community writings tend to be more about philosophical thematics, overwrought mythos analyses or such.
Though bringing up question “is Rebuild sequel” is awesome, comparable troll bait 
Using this “analysis” tactic to simply “prove” your preferred pairing is quite combination of shroom fueled visions and seeing what one wants to see IMO.
Perhaps the *real* reason for why I want triangle drama to be resolved is that it would – if not utterly end – *considerably* lessen the shipping wars. Sure, there would still be cries from “loser” camp every now and then and many fix fics but… well, it would make be more enjoyable (if “ReixShinji” hadn’t been outed in original work so brutally all eva fans not into shipping surely would’ve gone bonkers ten years ago
) state of fandom IMO
“The movie is due out tomorrow, so be prepared for the shit storm to follow. I cannot wait, I hope some reviewer says if there’s new BGM or not (pleaaase let there be!)”
GAAAHHH! I forgot it was tomorrow already. Where should I hide from spoilers… (I really hope camrip comes up soon enough. This movie don’t have stature of eva but it is very big thing too so I think camrip should come out…) Hopefully reviews are good!
thing I’m most interested in is what kind of Sou Da Yo will be used… lol that leak has made me downright neurotic regarding the track. Please don’t ruin it Kawamori-san, Kanno-san! T___T