Review by MCRE
Nickname changes can be made in your account information.
-
LUPIN THE THIRD THE ORIGINAL-NEW MIX 2005-REMIXED BY YUJI OHNOAnimationNew Variations on Old Classics
This is a special CD: Columbia had Yuji Ohno himself remix several of his classic compositions, and the results are fantastic. Rather than go all-out and completely remix everything, Ohno has simply brought out bits of the music that were previously hidden or relegated to the background. The results are a bunch of songs that sound the same as always, and yet different at the same time. All the Lupin themes ('77, '79, and '80) have benefitted greatly from this enhancement-- Especially '79, which has suddenly become one of my favorite versions of the Lupin theme thanks to the subtle changes Ohno makes to it here. Other standouts include the Love Theme (both instrumental and vocal versions), and the Samba Temperado, which is not only remixed, but extended to be 35 seconds longer than its original running time. Additionally, this CD features a version of "Super Hero" with completely different lyrics. The version we know and love is in fact superior, but this alternative isn't half bad either. In short, the changes Ohno has made to his classics really spruce them up for the new milennium.
-
PS2 Game Lupin III - Columbus no Isaha wa Shu ni SomaruGame MusicGreat Music, but a Short CD
I like this CD a lot. It's great that the Lupin video game makers are having Yuji Ohno compose original music for their games. However, since this CD wasn't released by Vap, it seems that they weren't able to include any of the TV special music that may have been in the game* (since Vap owns the rights to that music). As such, this CD is much shorter than the last game's soundtrack. It's hard to pick any standout tracks, because the whole CD is just that good (though the Zeingata march featured here is definitely one of the best in recent memory). I'd go so far as to say that except for the fact that many of the tracks are very short (usually less than 2 minutes), this rivals some of Yuji Ohno's best TV special work of the past few years. It's got fast action themes, ominous suspense themes, and of course, a few goofy Lupin comedy themes. If you don't mind short tracks, this CD is definitely recommended. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because of the afore-mentioned short tracks. *: I haven't played this game, but I'm assuming that like the game of the previous year, it had musical cues from the various TV specials mixed in with its original score.
-
LUPIN III: ALCATRAZ CONNECTION [Original Soundtrack]SoundtrackThe Lupin Musical Renaissance Begins
Throughout the 90s, Yuji Ohno's Lupin scores were rife with overblown synthesizers that made all the music sound "canned." But with this album, he began phasing the synth out, starting a renaissance for Lupin music reminiscent of his earliest years with the franchise. The synthesizers are still here, but rather than dominating the music they complement it as they should. Standouts include: Track 1, a Lupin theme in English. As a native English speaker, I wince a bit at the singer's accent, but it's not that bad on this track (the end theme is a different matter however...). Track 2, JFK Memories: A medium-paced action piece with a strong bassline. Track 4, Getaway: A fast action theme that you can't help but be engrossed in. Track 7, Heavy Chase: A slower action theme that incorperaetes bits of "Getaway". Track 8, Material Love: A full-length varation of Goemon's theme, "Zantetsuken"! There hadn't been one of these in years, and there hasn't been since. Track 9, Zenigata is Searching: Starts as a synth-heavy suspense theme, but becomes a fast, jazzy version of Zenigata's March. Track 11, Criminal Investigation: A slow, relaxing tune that works in bits of "Love Squall" to great effect.
-
LUPIN III Majutsu-ou no Isan (PlayStation game) Original SoundtrackGame SoundtrackA Great Value
This CD is a fantastic value for the price. In addition to several pieces of new material by Yuji Ohno, it also features background music cues from a number of Lupin TV specials that aired throughout the 90s. In a way, it's a great "sampler" of what Lupin music was like last decade, with some great new songs to boot. Of the new music, standouts include: The second part of track 2, which is a very "Cagliostro"-sounding piece for the town where much of the game's action takes place. The fourth part of track 4, which is a keyboard-driven action piece. Track 9, which is a short goofy piece of music (used for the game's Game Over screen). Track 11, which is long, drum- and horn-laden action theme. I was surprised at how much I enjoy this album. Vap must've figured that the original music composed for the video game didn't total enough time to fill a whole CD, so they chose to add some music from their TV special library which had appeared in the game, and that definitely adds value to the whole package-- Especially if, like me, you don't own many of the 90s-era soundtracks.
-
Lupin III TV Special Seven Days Rhapsody Original Soundtrack "Seven Days Rhapsody"Animation Soundtrack (Music by Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Five , et al.)As a Sountrack, it Falls Short
This isn't so much a soundtrack as a Yuji Ohno Lupin Jazz Album in a soundtrack's clothing. I like Ohno's Jazz CDs, but in a different way from the soundtracks, which usually feature a larger, more exciting sound than the normally low-key Jazz CDs. But this CD is basically a continuation of the last Jazz album, with lots of slow- to medium-paced music and not a lot of extra instruments. The two standouts on this CD are "Super Hero" and "Magnum Dance." The former is a saxophone-performed instrumental of the original, somewhat silly Lupin classic, and the latter is a funky, pounding variation of a song from the very first Lupin LP-- And it has one of those "wokka wokka" disco guitars to boot! These two tracks may not make the CD worth the price, but they definitely save it from getting one star. Let me close by saying that if this had been advertised as a Yuji Ohno Jazz album, I'd be using different criteria to evaluate it and it might get a 3 or 4. But I expect something grander from a full-blown Lupin soundtrack, and under that description this CD just doesn't deliver. Of course, I haven't seen the movie. Maybe the whole thing takes place in a jazz club-- But I kind of doubt it.
-
Dragon Ball Z BGM Collection CD BoxAnimationGreat, But Not Enough Piccolo!
This set is a fantastic value, especially if you don't already own the previously released DB/Z five-disc set. Most all the DBZ bgm from that set is present here, along with many musical cues from the later movies which have never seen a CD release. My personal highlights are the Cha La Head Cha La, We Gotta Power, and Angels variations tracks, which are all contain multiple fun bgm renditions of those theme songs. My one gripe with this set is the lack of new Piccolo themes. Piccolo's dramatic theme is among the most dynamic in all of Dragonball, but we're only presented with one previously unreleased version of it here (though it's a good one). Where's the "circus" variation from movie 4, or any of the little jingle versions that play when he inevitably arrives to save Gohan's life in most movies? Sadly, since I love this theme so much, I must knock 1 point of my rating because of this. However, we did get a couple new versions of Vegeta's theme, and since the above complaint is the only one I have about this set, I must highly recommend it to all fans of Shunsuke Kikuchi's DBZ music. Now if only they'd release a similar set for the original Dragonball, I'd be a happy listener.
-
LUPIN III CHRONICLE "LUPIN III - The Castle of Cagliostro" MUSIC FILEAnimation SoundtrackMovie's Great! Soundtrack... Not so Much
Let me first say that I love the film, "The Castle of Cagliostro". It's a classic. It just seems like Yuji Ohno wasn't quite on his game when he did this one-- Especially when compared with the previous year's "Lupin vs. the Clone", which has a fantastic soundtrack. Part of the problem is that this movie was not entirely originally scored. Several musical cues from the TV series were used, and they somehow don't fit the atmosphere that's set by the music created specifically for this film. Also, there are several extremely short cues here, with very few extended themes as heard in "Lupin vs. the Clone". Those are the negatives, but what about the good stuff? First off is "Treasure of the Flame". This song is far and away one of the greatest, most beautiful pieces of music to spring from Yuji Ohno's long association with Lupin. There are a number of variations of it on this CD, including the movie size vocal version, and several instrumentals. "Vicious Glory" and the "Samba Temperado" are fun, but they're readily available on other Lupin CDs. Finally, there's the "Toward the Patrol Line Variation". It's a great tune, but I like the normal version (which isn't found here) better.
-
Lupin The Third: Lupin vs The Clone (LUPIN III THE MYSTERY OF MAMO) Music FileAnimationOne of the Strongest Lupin Soundtracks
I really like this CD! It starts off strong, with an intro piece that segues into a quick riff of "Funny Walk Old Fashion". Following are a movie size "Lupin the Third '79", a version of "Zenigata's March", and instrumental variations of "Super Hero" and "Love Squall". Following these is a slow, very French-sounding version of Lupin's "Love Theme". The classic "Dangerous Zone" shows up on this disc as well, though it's no different from the version available on other CD's (but it's still a great song!). The middle section of the CD is slower paced, with several variations of the superbly sinister theme belonging to Mamo, the film's villain. Near the disc's end, we're treated to more versions of Zenigata's theme (including a variation on what would later become "Don't Be Shy, Zenigata"), as well as a slow, somber version of Jigen's theme, "Tornado", and a slow "Wild Crisis". Also present is a short, haunting version of "Zantetsuken", Goemon's theme. It's worth noting is that the movie's ending theme, "Lupin Leading", does not appear on this CD. I've read that this has something to do with royalties that must be paid to the singer. However, a fun instrumental version of it is present.
-
Lupin III Chronicle: Lupin III The Legend of Babylonian Gold - Music FileAnimation SoundtrackLupin in the 80s
This CD isn't awful, but it's not great. I haven't seen the movie, but I bought the soundtrack anyway to complete my Lupin Chronicle collection. The first thought that springs to mind is, "This sounds like the 80s." Now, I grew up in the 80s, so that's not necessarily a bad thing-- But the sound found here might not be to everyone's liking. Some of my favorite tracks are: Track 2, "Funky Monster Party", is a fun Yuji Ohno jazz piece with 80s sensibilities. Track 3, "Broadway Circus", is probably the least 80s-sounding tune on the CD, and it's a very fun, poppy piece to listen to. Track 21, "Railroad Inferno", is an ominous action piece with a distinct Ohno quality to it. You can almost hear the "sound" of the 90s TV specials beginning to take shape in this track. It would fit into any of those movies without raising any eyebrows. And of course, there are several variations of Lupin's theme with lots of 80s synth to be found. Other than that, the CD would be kind of forgettable if not for the last five tracks-- They seem to be holdovers from earlier Lupin albums. They're variations of the themes of Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, Zenigata, and the "Love Theme", all in Ohno's late 70s style.
-
LUPIN III EPISODE: 0 First ContactAnimation SoundtrackA Good Intro to Modern Lupin Music
Yuji Ohno started moving away from the heavy synthesizers that dominated the 90s TV specials a couple of years before this soundtrack came out. However, this CD is notable in that it was the first TV special soundtrack to begin incorperating classic Lupin themes, redone for the new milennium. This particular disc brings us updated versions of the "Magnum Dance" and "Lupin the Third '78," both of which first appeared on the original Lupin LP back in the late 70s. Here, those tunes are re-introduced to the Lupin world, and they sound even better than before (at least to this reviewer). Each song appears twice on this disc, but all four versions are TV size, which knocks a bit off my rating. The other notable new pieces of music are the last two tracks, "First Contact M-1" and "M-2". M-1 is a very slow jazz piece, and not particularly to my liking, but M-2 is a toe-tapping, medium-paced, conga drum-driven piece that has become my favorite piece of Lupin music from recent years. Filling out this CD are a couple of vocal tracks that I rarely listen to (though one is a new, slow version of "Love Squall"), and some recycled bgm from past Lupin specials using the afore-mentioned synthesizers.
-
LUPIN III - Ikiteita Majutsushi Original SoundtrackAnimation SoundtrackOnly Way to Get the 2002 Love Theme
I'm going to be honest here: The only reason I bought this CD was to get track 14, the 2002 version of Lupin's "Love Theme", which is played at the end of the OVA, and is a fantastic and beautiful version of that classic tune. An added bonus was track 15, "Zenigata's March (2002 version)" (which actually dates back to the 1997 TV special, but this CD, which came out in 2002, was the first time its full length was released). It's a very long, synthesizer heavy version of our favorite bumbling Interpol inspector's theme. Other than those two tracks, the CD is a rehash of lots of previous synthesizer-laden TV special bgm, with some weird new harp music added in for good measure. Don't be fooled by my rating, though. I give the overall CD a 2, but the Love Theme alone would get a 4 (if it was about a minute longer, it would be a 5). Is the CD worth buying? That depends on how much you like Lupin's Love Theme.
-
Lupin III Otakara Henkyaku Daisakuasen!! - Original SoundtrackAnimation SoundtrackLupin Music With a European Vibe
This Lupin TV special soundtrack has a very European sound to it, which makes sense since the action takes place there. The music is pleasant to the ear, but the European feel may not appeal to all listeners. Favorite tracks include: Track 2, "Lupin the Third '78 2002 version," which is Yuji Ohno's self-cover of the classic theme to the second Lupin TV series. It's always enjoyable, even if it probably appears on too many CDs. Next is track 3, "Mistral", which is an intense, fast-paced guitar and horn piece that stands out as my personal favorite from this soundtrack. Track 5, "Destino Oracio'n", is a peculiar drum and electric guitar crossed with classic European guiter tune that somehow pulls it all together and comes off quite nicely. Track 10, "Autobahn Crisis", a fun guitar-and-horn version of the Lupin theme. Track 14, "Schatz!", is a fast, slightly silly-sounding song that you can't help but enjoy. Other notable songs include track 8, "Lupin et Zenigata," a slow, sad tune that crosses Lupin's and Zenigata's themes together, and track 17, "Le Soleil d'or", a TV-size vocal version of the special's ending theme. The (superior) instrumental version is sadly not included on this disc.
-
Lupin III - Nusumareta Lupin Copycat wa Manatsu no ChoAnimation Soundtrack (Yuuji Ohno)Best Lupin Soundtrack in Recent Years
This is by far the best of Yuji Ohno's Lupin soundtracks since the earliest TV specials! From the very beginning, a short saxophone piece that introduces the special's main theme, "A Rose Tattoo", the listener can't help but be enthralled. Favorite tracks include: Track 2, "Zenigata's March (2004 version)" is a fast, jazzy version of the second-most recurring theme in Lupin history, and probably the best version of that tune ever recorded. Track 5, "Run Beckie Run" is a dynamic chase piece in the classic Lupin fashion (ie, there's a 70s disco guitar mixed in there). Track 7, "A Rose Tattoo (samba version)" is a fast, upbeat, and fun varation of track 1. Track 8, "Tornado (2004 version)" revisits Jigen's theme in an airy, enjoyable fashion that may be superior to the original from 1979. Track 12, "Super Hero (2004 version)" is an extremely enjoyable instrumental cover of the original vocal song from 1978. Track 15, "Wild Chase" is, as you might guess, fast-paced chase music. It starts and stops, but has a fantastic finale. Track 16, "Samba Temperado (2004 version)" is a flute-heavy and fun version of the original 1980 classic. In short, if you own only one recent Lupin CD, this must be it!!
-
Lupin III: Tenshi no Sakuryaku - Yume no Kakera wa Koroshi no KaoriAnimation Soundtrack (Music by Yuji Ohno)It's All About the "Dangerous Zone"!!
As you can guess from the title of this review, "Dangerous Zone (2005 version)" stands out as the highlight of this CD. It's a pulsing, exciting cover of a powerful Yuji Ohno classic-- And as an added bonus, after 27 years, it finally has an ending! Where the original version faded out, this one plays up to a strong climax and ending. Other favorite tracks include: Track 1, "Tactics", is a haunting action piece that introduces the special's main theme. Track 2, "Lupin the Third '80 (2005 version)", is a cover of Ohno's third Lupin theme (and my least favorite variation of the song). Track 8, "Spiral Flight (2005 version)", is an updated version of the classic from 1979. It's neither better nor worse than the original; I enjoy both equally. Track 12, "Deep Sunset", is slightly haunting samurai-style bgm that includes a hint of "Zantetsuken", Goemon's theme. Track 14, "Wild Crisis (2005 version)" is an update of the original version from 1979. In a rare instance, I'm not as big a fan of this remake because it lacks the defining synthesizer sound of the original. However, it's definitely an enjoyable tune. Other notable tracks are new, slow versions of Zenigata's and Lupin's themes.