Pocket Monsters Sound Anime Collection

POCKET MONSTERS SOUND ANIME COLLECTION
MEI BAMEN SHUU

—by Roderick "Agitator" Lee

1. Mezase Pokémon Master (OP, TV size) 2:43

[Wake up, Pokémon Master]

Chapter 1 Pokémon! Kimi ni Sameta

[I Choose You]

2. Pokémon! Kimi ni Sameta 2:13

Chapter 2 Bouken ga Hajimaru

[The Adventure Begins]

3. Tabidachi 1:15

[To Begin the Journey]

4. Jitensha de Go! 1:33

[Go by Bicycle!]

5. St. Anne Mata Gou 1:12

[St. Anne, Cry Again]

Chapter 3 Nakamotachi

[Friends]

6. Pikachuu Toujou 1:31

[Enter Pikachuu]

7. Maboroshi no Pokémon 1:31

[Pokémon Fantasy]

8. Pokémon! Get da ze! 1:32

[Pokémon! Catch Them!]

Chapter 4 Pokémon Daisuki!

9. Pokémon Holiday 1:22

10. Osorubeshi Koduck 1:43

[Frightened Koduck]

11. Pokémon League Kounin Cap 1:30

[Pokémon League Official Cap]

Chapter 5 Nazo to Shinpi

[Puzzle and Mystery]

12. Masaki no Toudai 1:31

[Masaki's Lighthouse]

13. Densetsu 1:56

[Legend]

14. Rocket-dan Boss no Theme 1:32

Chapter 6 Rocket-dan Shinjuu

[Rocket-dan Visit]

15. Rocket-dan Onmitsu Sakusen 1:56

[Rocket-dan Secret Strategy]

16. Rocket-dan Shichi Henge 1:27

[Rocket-dan Seven Apparition]

17. Nandakanda to Kikaretara 1:33

[When Read to about One Thing or Another]

Chapter 7 Kikenchitai

[Danger Zone]

18. Kyuuteki Orawaru 1:36

[Strong Adversary Emerges]

19. Shuugeki 1:28

[Surprise Attack!]

Chapter 8 Gekitou Hateshinaku

[Violent Fight without Limit]

20. Nageru ya Nageru! 1:29

[Escape, Escape!]

21. Daikonsen 1:35

[Big Confused Fight]

Chapter 9 Chousen! Gym Leader Sen

[Challenge! Gym Leader Battle]

22. Pokémon Battle 1:41

23. Shakunetsu no Battlefield 2:14

[Scorching Battlefield]

24. Yatta ze! 2:08

[I Did It!]

Chapter 10 Senshi no Kyuusoku

[Fighter's Rest]

25. Tsuki no Ishi 1:23

[Moonstone]

26. Inori 1:18

[Pray]

27. Saikai 1:24

[Meet Again]

Chapter 11 Pokémon Jinsei Moyou

[Pokémon Way of Life]

28. Oden 1:15

29. Charinko Bousouzou 1:22

[Charinko Motorcycle Gang]

30. Toushi 1:44

[Fighting Spirit]

Chapter 12 Genwaku no Bijou

[Dazzling Beautiful Girl]

31. Genwaku no Bijou 1:31

Chapter 13 Shiren

[Ordeal]

32. Shinobi yoru Kage 1:28

[Spying from the Shadows]

33. Zettai Zetsumei 1:40

[Desperate Situation]

34. Kyuuaku Pokémon Shutsugen 1:25

[Terrible Pokémon Appearance]

Chapter 14 Pokémon League Totsunyuu!

[Pokémon League Charge!]

35. Souryokusen 1:51

[The Whole War]

36. Fukutsu no Pokémon 2:04

[Invincible Pokémon]

37. Ikken Rakuchaku 1:55

[A Matter to be Settled]

Chapter 15 Namida, Nochi Hare

[Afterwards, Clear these Tears]

38. Namida, Nochi Hare 2:13

Chapter 16 Soshite, Bouken wa Suzuki

[And the Adventure Continues]

39. Dearite Wakarete 1:29

[Meeting and Separating]

40. Shouri no Badge, Get da ze! 2:02

[Victory Badge, Get It!]

41. Tsuzukutachi, Tsuzuku 2:59

[Continue, Continue]

42. Pocket ni Fantasy (ED, TV size) 1:33

[Pocket Fantasy]

Now that English speaking fans have had their exposure to POKÉMON, they may find themselves wanting to acquire the widely diverse range of musical pieces featured throughout the series. Fortunately, the initial revival of the POCKET MONSTERS series in Japan following the seizure-induced broadcast hiatus (for more detail, see this reviewer's previous article of the original Japanese series), led to a new wave of POCKET MONSTERS merchandise (not that it had ever been lacking before), including seven CDS and CD singles.
POCKET MONSTERS SOUND ANIME COLLECTION is the granddaddy of the bunch, with an amazing 42 tracks spread across more than seventy minutes of music and image narration. The disc is arranged into a series of sixteen different chapters with TV size versions of the opening and ending themes to bracket everything together, which are also the only two vocals. Between each of (and sometimes within) the musical pieces is a brief introduction and description of the track, as narrated by the voice of Satoshi's pokedex. And naturally, Satoshi ( Matsumoto Rika) and Pikachuu ( Ohtani Ikue) help open and close out the disc.
Opening with Satoshi's cry of "Pokémon! Get da ze!" (Pokémon! Catch Them!) is the Japanese TV OP, a far better theme song than its English counterpart. "Mezase Pokémon Master" (Wake up, Pokémon Master) is a frenzied, fast-paced, fast-sung vocal that effectively conveys its energy through its use of repetition and well-chosen staccato lyrics. Then, Satoshi and Pikachuu greet the listeners and introduce the first instrumental, "Pokémon! Kimi ni Sameta" (Pokémon! I Choose You). Fans of the series will recognize this as the triumphant march dominated by trumpets that typically plays at the opening of each episode. Segue into the second chapter, "Bouken ga Hajimaru" (The Adventure Begins) with "Tabidachi" (To Begin the Journey), which really sounds like a walk in the country and usually plays when the three characters are, indeed, walking through the country.
With over forty tracks, we should expect to find many BGM staples of the series, and SOUND ANIME COLLECTION does not disappoint. There is the standard fighting music of "Pokémon Battle" and the ensuing victory themes of "Toushi" (Fighting Spirit). Along similar lines, the disc also offers the confused frenzy of "Shuugeki" (Surprise Attack!) and "Nageru ya Nageru!" (Escape, Escape!) which often doubles as chase music. On the less frenetic side, but still commonplace to fighting and other climactic scenes is "Daikonsen" (Big Confused Fight), such as the scene on the St. Anne in which the trainers team up their monsters to defeat Rocket-dan. And speaking of Rocket-dan, no collection would be complete without their contributions, and SOUND ANIME COLLECTION gives them their own chapter, "Rocket-dan Shinjuu" (Rocket-dan Visit), a suite of three very different tracks. First, is the quiet plodding of "Rocket-dan Onmitsu Sakusen" (Rocket-dan Secret Strategy), which has the sound and feel of a secret plot in the works. Then, there is "Rocket-dan Shichi Henge" (Rocket-dan Seven Apparition), which often plays when they are in disguise. Finally, it all culminates with the dramatic splendor of "Nandakanda to Kikaretara" (When Read to about One Thing or Another), which is the signature music that plays whenever Musashi and Kojiro introduce themselves.
On the more peaceful side, there are two splendid piano pieces, "Inori" (Pray) and the somber "Dearite Wakarete" (Meeting and Separating), which also has some wonderful supporting synthesized strings. A synthesized whistle in "Saikai" (Meet Again) is the primary vehicle for this track which often signals a denouement or a parting of ways. Then, there are the haunting ethereal bells of "Densetsu" (Legend) and the serene mystery of the preceding track, "Masaki no Toudai" (Masaki's Lighthouse), both featured in the lighthouse episode.
The disc also manages to include several scene-specific or episode-specific pieces, such as "Jitensha de Go!" (Go by Bicycle), which plays during the scene where the three characters are riding bicycles across a bridge. Nothing particularly important about that scene, but the music is there nonetheless. Enjoyable is "Oden," which plays at the oden stand during the famous subtitled episode. More significant is "Zettai Zetsumei" (Desperate Situation) when Hitokage must try to survive a windy, stormy night alone on a rock, abandoned by his first trainer. Or "Namida, Nochi Hare" (Afterwards, Clear these Tears), which plays at the end of episode 21. (To say more would be to reveal a big spoiler.) Finally, Satoshi and Pikachuu return to introduce the other vocal, say "Mata ne!" and close out the disc. "Pocket ni Fantasy" (Pocket Fantasy) is a cheerful romp, but more peaceful than its OP counterpart.
POCKET MONSTERS SOUND ANIME COLLECTION comes in a double width box and includes a hard-bound CD size picture book with scenes from the series and lyrics and dialogue. Also included is a set of six stickers and a mini-catalog of assorted POCKET MONSTERS merchandise. Because there are only two vocals here, this disc should appeal to fans of both the English and Japanese series. Or to quote Satoshi, "Get da ze!"