MOBILE BATTLESHIP NADESICO: Ashita no Kanchou wa Kimi da!

MOBILE BATTLESHIP NADESICO
ASHITA NO KANCHOU WA KIMI DA!
(THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN OF TOMORROW IS YOU!)
Copyright © 1997 Xebec / Nadesico Production Committe * TV Tokyo
King Records
KICA 345
Available Now
¥3,059

—by Charles McCarter

1. You Get to Burning (TV Size) 1:53

(Vocal: Matsuzawa Yumi)

2. Ginga no Christmas (Galaxy Christmas) 3:43

(Vocal: Cast)

3. Habatake Gekiganger 3 (Soaring Gekiganger 3) 4:44

(Vocal: Kaneda Meron)

4. Shouri no V da! Gekiganger V (The V of Victory! Gekiganger V - Hikaru version) 3:41

(Vocal: Kikuchi Shiho)

5. Watashirashiku (Like Me) 4:53

(Vocal: Liaison)

6. Just Only You Know 4:57

(Vocal: Liaison)

7. Delicious Island (Original Version) 3:47

(Vocal: Cast)

8. Aestivalis March 2:43

(Vocal: Cast)

9. Shouri no V da! Gekiganger V (The V of Victory! Gekiganger V) 3:43

(Vocal: Kaneda Meron)

10. Anata no Ichiban ni Naritai (I Wanna Be Your Number One) 5:57

(Vocal: Minami Eimi)

11. Watashirashiku (Like Me - TV Size) 1:02

(Vocal: Kuwashima Houko)

This album could be billed as the "Nadesico Vocal Collection," because that is what it is. There are no BGM or drama tracks on this disc, which is a somewhat unusual change from the current trend in anime soundtracks. And it is also a very welcome one, because most of the songs on this disc are winners.
The first track, "You Get to Burning," is the energetic opening to the series. And like most good mecha shows, this one contains a fast beat and a lot of energy to go with the fast pace of openings in general. The vocals, done by Matsuzawa Yumi, are strong and sure, and are reminiscent of the theme songs for great mecha shows of the past. In fact, one of the few complaints I have with this disc is that a full-size version of this song is not included.
And who knew the crew of the Nadesico had such musical talent? There are several songs sung by groups of cast members. The first is "Ginga no Christmas" (Galaxy Christmas), which is the song heard in the thirteenth episode as the crew of the Nadesico prepares to celebrate the holidays. This song, sung by the female cast members, manages to capture the lighthearted way of doing things on the Nadesico and the spirit of the holidays. Second on the list is the song the cast sings on vacation when they spend an afternoon goofing off on the beach. Another light, pop tune that fits the lighter moments of the show. The third and final "cast track," however, is probably the most amusing. While perhaps not the one listeners will want to hear over and over, "Aestivalis March" wins hands-down for creativity. Sung like a military-style marching drill (including the ich-ni-san-shi [one-two-three-four] count), the pilots sing the praises of their Aestivalis fighting units.
And of course, the show-within-a-show GEKIGANGER is also represented on this CD. First up is the theme song to GEKIGANGER 3, "Habatake Gekiganger 3" (Soaring Gekiganger 3). Sung by Kaneda Meron, this song, while containing traces of its supposed 1970s background, such as stylized electric guitar riffs and blazing brass, is a much more contempotary version than one would expect, complete with a very danceable beat and creative use of synthesizers. And Ms. Kaneda possesses a strong voice which helps to carry this song over the constant beat of the drum machine. There are two versions of "Shouri no V da! Gekiganger V!" (The V of Victory, Gekiganger V) on this disc — the "original," again sung by Kaneda Meron, and the "Hikaru version," which was done by the character Hikaru as a karaoke in one of the episodes. This song feels much more seventies than the GEKIGNAGER 3 song, and seems to be done intentionally so. The Hikaru version is better than average, but it does not really compare to the "original."
The ending theme, "Watarashiku" ("Like Me") also appears in two versions on this disc, in both a TV-size and full-length version. This song is a slow ballad and, while it is pretty, it really does not seem to distinguish itself from many of the other slow ending themes for anime that have become so prevalent these days. This does not imply that the song is substandard or bad, but on this disc, there are many more attention getters.
All in all, this is a very solid disc. The only two potential complaints listeners may have are the lack of a full-size version of the opening and the repetition of songs; after all, when two songs appear twice within a total of eleven tracks, that may seem a bit too much repetition. But the songs on this CD are very enjoyable, and listeners may find this CD in the player than on the shelf more often than not.