Album Title: Gin-iro no Kami no Agito Original Soundtrack Anime Title: Gin-iro no Kami no Agito (Origin ~Spirits of the Past~) Artist: Taku Iwasaki, KOKIA Catalog Number: VICL-61837 Release Type: Soundtrack Release Date: January 07, 2006 Purchase at: CDJapan (out of print)



Tracklist

[spoiler]

Track Title Artist Time 01. Mori no Kioku Taku Iwasaki 0:42 02. Chouwa oto ~with reflection~ KOKIA 4:38 03. Agito to Kain Taku Iwasaki 2:50 04. Doruido Taku Iwasaki 1:27 05. Toola Taku Iwasaki 1:00 06. Dai Kouzui Taku Iwasaki 1:53 07. Chuuritsu Toshi Taku Iwasaki 3:05 08. Taizai Kyoka Taku Iwasaki 1:21 09. Ragna Gun Taku Iwasaki 2:20 10. Houshi Katsudou Taku Iwasaki 1:20 11. Agito to Toola 1 Taku Iwasaki 1:47 12. Agashi Taku Iwasaki 1:35 13. Kako Kara Kita Otoko Taku Iwasaki 3:10 14. Sudachi Taku Iwasaki 1:08 15. Toria City Taku Iwasaki 3:13 16. Minka no Kanashimi Taku Iwasaki 1:03 17. Kikan Shinden Taku Iwasaki 1:47 18. Kyouka Karada Taku Iwasaki 0:54 19. Agito to Toola 2 Taku Iwasaki 1:56 20. Chikara no Bousou Taku Iwasaki 3:21 21. Yolda no Omoi Taku Iwasaki 1:05 22. Tsuki ga Kowareta Hi Taku Iwasaki 1:24 23. Chikyuu Ryokka Project Taku Iwasaki 2:09 24. Istolk Shidou Taku Iwasaki 3:00 25. Soukougeki Taku Iwasaki 3:23 26. Istolk wo Yamero Taku Iwasaki 1:32 27. Dai Funka ~Agito to Toola 3~ Taku Iwasaki 3:07 28. Boku Tachi no Mirai no Tame ni Taku Iwasaki 2:45 29. Mori to Nin wo Tsunagu Mono Taku Iwasaki 1:01 30. Ai no Melody (Soundtrack ver.) KOKIA 7:17 31. M-10a ~ M-10b Taku Iwasaki 3:09 32. M-21a Taku Iwasaki 0:56 33. M-21b Taku Iwasaki 1:32 34. M-23 Taku Iwasaki 2:51

[/spoiler]

Review: You’d be forgiven if all you took away from Gin-iro no Kami no Agito (Origin ~Spirits of the Past~) soundtracks were KOKIA’s heavenly performances. She infuses every note and line of the formidable opener “Chouwa Oto” with a sense of sorrow and tragedy that reveals the extent of the catastrophe that has befallen much of the world. And then there’s “Ai no Melody” which is nothing short of heartfelt and stirring, with a tenderness that exemplifies love perfectly.

Chouwa Oto

[audio:02 – Giniro.mp3]

Ai no Melody

[audio:30 – Giniro.mp3]

But as good as KOKIA’s vocals are, one would do well not to overlook Taku Iwasaki’s compositions for the BGM. In Gin-iro no Kami no Agito, Iwasaki’s works are of the classic variety; that is, they’re closer to the dynamic, energetic, but also deeply emotional orchestral scores in anime like the Rurouni Kenshin OVAs and less so the hit-or-miss fusion of diverse genres like hip hop and electronica for Ben-To and [C]. Listening to this classic Iwasaki is refreshing in a nostalgic sort of way; it brings me back to a time where I naively thought that Iwasaki could do no wrong. And at this juncture, he doesn’t do any wrong, conjuring forth an engaging, thematically cohesive score.

Thematic cohesiveness is important because it’s what helps to make a soundtrack all the more memorable and uniquely identifiable. Here, the melodies fuse together with the show’s essence, with tracks like “Agito to Kain” which fire us up with its quick tempo and brassy fanfares. The cyclone of energy that issues forth immerses us into the movie’s adventuresome spirit as the music cultivates a youthful exuberance, heard in the strings’ playful lilts, featuring both a brashness and naiveté that slowly shifts as the soundtrack progresses.

Agito to Kain

[audio:03 – Giniro.mp3]

The boundless, childlike joy soon gives way and the story expands its scope to become grander. Gone is the feel of innocent explorations and more ominous sounds settle in, accompanied by militaristic rhythms and melodies. The first glimpse of this, “Dai Kouzui,” opens up with a sound that dips in melancholy waters briefly before a dissonant sequence summons a fiery feeling of urgency as the strings and percussion set the stage for the rumblings of war and the grimness that ensues. “Kako Kara Kita Otoko” raises the bar just a bit higher, starting with a set of ominous chords which then build up wonderfully through a crescendo that depicts the strain and struggle the characters experience as they toil on the brink of tragedy and despair. But the part following the climactic flute trill is where the action really flows through, as the brassy clarion calls carry an aura of glory that is very awesome to behold.

Kako Kara Kita Otoko

[audio:13 – Giniro.mp3]

Other tracks like “Chikara no Bousou” contribute to this conflict-driven mood through the right mix of melodic dynamism to depict big plans going underway as well as the use of chaotic tittering airs, crashing cymbals, and harsh melodic lines to mark the throes of conflict. As prominent and as engaging as the action tracks are, Toola’s emotional struggles in the anime are also depicted rather well through her delicate, forlorn theme. In “Toola,” the woodwinds and strings give her character a sense of fragility as well as a great weight borne by her desire to restore the world to match her memories of it. As the movie progresses, her attitude changes, and the music reflects this, particularly through “Agito to Toola 2,” where her feelings grow more uncertain about the “correct” course to take. The beautiful yearning piano heard in “Tsuki ga Kowareta Hi” follows up on that uncertainty by adding a sorrowful tone to the mix, illustrated through the dissonant chords near the end of the piece which reveal the extent of the inner conflict.

Toola

[audio:05 – Giniro.mp3]

Tsuki ga Kowareta Hi

[audio:22 – Giniro.mp3]

But the resolution is in sight. In “Istolk wo Yamero,” the strings initially start out with a sense of melancholia, but with the trumpet’s entry, the general mood soon swells with contentment. This contentment grows more optimistic in “Boku Tachi no Mirai no Tami ni” to the point where euphoria takes hold and the music builds up to a crescendo, topped off with an exultant flourish that left me feeling upbeat. The mellowness of “Mori to Nin wo Tsunagu Mono” that comes afterward wraps it up nicely with a peaceful, relaxed melody that gives the listener hopeful for the road ahead as man and tree coexist in harmony.

Boku Tachi no Mirai no Tami ni

[audio:28 – Giniro.mp3]

Mori to Nin wo Tsunagu Mono

[audio:29 – Giniro.mp3]

Gin-iro no Kami no Agito’s soundtrack came at a time where Iwasaki was allowed to focus on the fundamentals of good composing and less concerned with meshing together weird genres. With that in mind, I prefer the old-school Iwasaki since his more recent experiments have ironically grown stale. Although many of his older works do well to remind me of how engaging and consistent Iwasaki can be when it comes to setting the stage and engaging our emotions, it’s in this movie’s score that Iwasaki demonstrates his capabilities and musical flourishes to weave together a work that rivals only the Kenshin OVAs as Iwasaki’s best.

Rating: Excellent

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