Search - Japanimation :: Black Lagoon

Varied and enjoyable

M. Joseph Swanson | Huntsville, AL USA | 05/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Black lagoon was a compelling series, and like most good anime, the music was an integral part of that. Though I rarely noticed it while watching the series (another good sign, it meshed well with the action), hearing it by itself reminded me of its quality.



A few standout tracks (though each is worthy of its own description)-



"Red Fraction" is the opening theme to each episode, and sets the tone at a furious and fun pace that matches the series perfectly.



"Tear Drops to Earth" will forever remind me of the South China Sea as beautifully animated in the episodes as a contrast to the dirty violence of the city. If I ever manage to visit that area, it will probably be playing in my head.



"Don't stop!" is an incredibly upbeat frenetic track that I can't sit still while listening to.



"El Sol Se Recuesta" is an unexpected acoustic piece with a southern european sound, reflective and peaceful.



"Seasonal Wind" is another mixed acoustic piece, but is driving and high-spirited.



"66 Steps" will undoubtedly recall some tense/dark moments from the series to those who listen to it.



"The World of Midnight" is the distinctive and tragic requiem-style ending to the twin assassins story arc.



"Don't look behind" is the ending theme to the series, presented in two similar versions with different endings. It has a melancholy sound that will remind everyone of the episode endings, and usually also reminds me of my disappointment at the ending of the series that there were no more episodes!



It's not a perfect set; some of the music is more or less your average anime soundtrack stuff, but no one's expecting Cowboy Bebop here, and I enjoy listening to the soundtrack by itself. It's varied enough that you don't get tired of it, alternating beautiful and intriguing melodic tracks with powerful and fast-moving electronic rock sets. (It's pricey here on Amazon, but I found it much cheaper -same version, not a rip-off- elsewhere)



Though it weakens a bit towards the end, starting it with the opening theme and ending it with the ending theme was a good decision, too often OSTs have only alternate versions of the main themes, or place them at other positions within the track listing. Here the beginning is at the beginning, and the end is at the end, as it should be.



It is also balanced well, moving between "hot" and "cold" tracks (not sure how else to describe it) and also between hard-hitting and reflective tracks. In doing so it avoids the monotony that many anime soundtracks have, and is excellent for repeat listenings.





In summary, it's a well-balanced album that strongly evokes all that is best about the series. It has a wide range of styles and instruments, and has become one of my favorite soundtracks to listen to at work.

Highly recommended."

Music feels like the anime itself

Amadeo T. Santa Ana Jr. | Los Angeles, CA USA | 12/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been listening to a wide variety of anime soundtracks - this is one of the best I've listened to. Watching this series in Japanese with English subtitles, and the tunes anywhere from the opening to the credits from any episode are simply awesome. Specifically the first track entitled "Red Fraction" reminds me of "Two Hand" Revy (whom I'd tag as Angel of Destruction) while Track No. 11 which is "The World of Midnight" is simply a cold song."