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MUSIC CDS

PASTEL COLOR
Copyright © 1998 Konami Co., Ltd.
KICA 7899
¥3059
Available in Japan
Where to buy

—by Ivevei Upatkoon

1.    Silver Night 
2.    Nayandatte Iin Ja Nai 
   There's Nothing Wrong With Worrying
3.    Pajama 
4.    Hoshi wo Yuku Fune ~paradise version~ 
   Ship to the Stars
5.    Ganbaresh 
   Go for it!
6.    Watashi ga Winbee 
   I'm Winbee!
7.    Futari no Donburi Island (Pastel & Madoka) 
   Our Donburi Island
8.    Doraneko Kuwaeta Sakana (Pastel & Warumon) 
   The Fish The Stray Cat Was Holding
9.    Holiday 
10.    Kataomoi-ameagari 
   One-sided Love/After The Rain
11.    Hatsunetsu Blackhole 
12.    First Date 
13.    Futari no X'mas 
   Our X'mas
14.    Zoku-watashi ga Winbee! 
   I'm Winbee! The Sequel


Back when USA anime fandom was still in its infancy, fan subtitlers nurtured their hobby by bringing over anime series after anime series. Fan translators also posted scripts of their favorite manga on the internet. As companies take over the job, one can now find most of the latest popular anime at your local video store, and order issues of English language manga from your comics dealer. But there is one large slice of the picture that has been almost completely ignored: drama CDs. In Japan, drama CDs have been, and still are, immensely popular. They have a loyal following of fans, be they of manga or voice actors or games, and can in turn generate their own mountains of merchandising.
  One of the most popular CD dramas was Konami's TWINBEE PARADISE, featuring the voice talents of Shiina Hekiru and Kouda Mariko. Considering that these two are probably the most popular voice idols in Japan at the moment, it is no surprise that for the 5th anniversary of TWINBEE PARADISE, Konami has released a CD collecting all the image songs performed by Shiina Hekiru's character, Pastel.
  Being unfamiliar with TWINBEE PARADISE, I picked this CD up only for Hekiru's vocals. Since her early works had a great tendency to be "melodically liberated," as a friend so quaintly described her singing, it was not totally without trepidation. So it was a pleasant surprise to find out that PASTEL COLOR is chockfull of bright, cheerful songs that are so much fun you really cannot complain about the corresponding fluffiness.
  It starts off with "Silver Night," an upbeat J-pop piece that sets the tone for the rest of the CD. Most of the songs are medium to fast pop, but just because they are image songs does not mean that the producers have skimped on the quality control. While there are some real travesties out there, PASTEL COLOR features solid arrangements and instrumentals. Each song has its distinct feel; this is not one of those CDs where if you've heard one, you've heard 'em all. Even "Pajama," your seemingly typical corny image song, manages to throw in some hard electric guitar! "Hoshi wo Yuku Fune" might perhaps be the weakest of the lot. It is a very slow ballad, and clocking in at over six and a half minutes it always comes close to putting me to sleep.
  But these are not the songs that make PASTEL COLOR such a delight. I would have to agree with the rest of the TWINBEE fans out there and vote for "Watashi ga Winbee!" and its sequel, and the two duets with Madoka (voiced by Kouda Mariko) and Warumon (Kishino Yukimasa). "Watashi ga Winbee!" is a very cute, cheerful rap-style song, and the first duet has a little skit stuck in between the verses. The second duet is quite different. It is catchy techno-pop, but for anyone with an understanding of Japanese the main draw has to be the lyrics—they are absolutely hilarious! Not to mention that towards the end the singers simply go off their rockers! This and "Zoku-watashi ga Winbee!" are really great performances, especially if you are a fan of Shiina Hekiru's energetic roles ala Shidou Hikaru from MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH.
  The track I like the most, however, is without a doubt "Hatsunetsu Blackhole." A hard techno beat, liberal use of electric guitar, and a minor melody really set this apart from the other songs on the CD. Whereas those would not stand a chance outside an anime or game framework, "Hatsunetsu blackhole" can probably hold its own in the general music scene. And scoring on a personal note, it is similar to the type of music that Shiina Hekiru is currently basing her singing career on.
  Which brings me to the one bad point about this CD. If you are a Hekiru fan looking for something that sounds like her recent stuff, you will probably be very disappointed. Make no mistake, these are image songs, not Shiina Hekiru songs, and are far removed from the hard rock that she is releasing nowadays. If you have a preference for her original works, then I would like to point you to her new album, FACE TO FACE.
  Aside from that, I have no complaints at all. It is rare that one comes across a good vocal collection for an anime, much less for a CD drama, which tends to command a smaller audience and consequently a smaller budget. PASTEL COLOR proves that image songs for a light-hearted, fan-service series do not have to sound cheap or recycled. If you are looking for something to brighten up your day and your tastes run to the cute, then I heartily recommend this CD. Even if you are not a Shiina Hekiru fan, I think you will enjoy it.

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