Amazon.com

Before the obsession with Pokémon (or the Iron Chef, for that matter) and post-Ultraman fever (the first time around), North America was swept up in Japan's envelope-pushing superhero-fashioned cartoons, which eventually became known as both Japanimation and anime. Now hip mainstream Japanimation has made an indelible mark upon the pop culture of post-boomers, Gen X'ers, and beyond. In tribute to the now-classic animations and their music, Rhino has assembled The Best of Anime, a collection of theme songs from shows dating back to the earliest fare ("Gigantor," "Astro Boy") and reaching decades ahead to include "Cutey Honey" and the theme from Sailor Moon. Irrepressibly linked to highly stylized animation, these songs (largely sung in Japanese) affect the mod Technicolor ambiance of their respective vehicles, making for hokey hilarity and high-spirited enjoyment. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (35)

An excellent collection
I admit, at first glance of the four "English Language Version" tracks, I shrugged this CD off, but at a closer look, this collection of songs from various anime shows and movies is really quite good. So here's a review on a per-track basis:

1-3, and 16. Who cares? Honestly, why even include these songs in the first place?

4. Lum no Love Song: A very upbeat and funny (if you understand Japanese) song from Urusei Yatsura. Not much to say about it. Suki yo, suki yo, suki yo....

5. Senakagoshi ni Sentimental: A nice song from Megazone 23. Very serious sounding compared to the previous track. Personally, I didn't find anything spectacular about it.

6. Utsukushii Hoshi: A beautiful, slow song from Windaria. Probably one of the best tracks on the CD.

7. Active Heart: Ah, now this is a classic-- The upbeat opening theme of Gunbuster, one of the best mecha anime ever made.

8. Adesso E Fortuna: The beautiful, mysterious opening theme from Record of Lodoss War. Another one of the best songs on the CD. Whether you love or hate this series, it is generally agreed that this song is a classic.

9. Full Moon Light: I may be a little biased, since this is one of the songs that got me hooked on the genre, but this Devil Hunter Yohko theme is just great!

10. Sailing: This theme from Silent Möbius is very enjoyable to listen to over and over again. Mysterious lyrics, music and an excellent singer make this another excellent track.

11. Watashi ni Happy Birthday: Ah! A Megumi Hayashibara song. She's even invaded this CD. ;) This opening theme from Nuku Nuku is very upbeat and J-Poppy, like most Megumi songs.

12. Just Toki wo Koete: The theme from Dominion Tank Police has a much different feel from any of the other tracks on this CD, but that's not a bad thing. It's not my favorite track, but it's not bad, either.

13. My Heart iidasenai Your Heart tashikametai: Another classic. Of course, everyone knows it's the opening theme to "Oh My Goddess!" Another one of the best tracks on the CD.

14. Cutey Honey: Eh. It's okay, but it's nothing great.

15. Voices: The opening theme from Macross Plus is the absolute best track on the CD, being indisputably beautiful.

Overall, this CD is a must-have. There are many amazing tracks on it, and while there are some that should have never been on the CD in the first place, they can be skipped over.

A very wondeful collection of anime classics
...Here's a review of the tracks:

1-3, 16: Dubbed and [bad], skip them over.

4 Lum's love song: It's really cute and bubbly, I really love this one, but it's not at all spectacular.

5 Sentimental over the shoulder: One of my favorite tracks, the voice is deep and mature, and the beat is very catchy, I find myslef singing this song everytime I listen.

6 Beautiful Planet: The soft and gentle song from Windaria, another one of my favorite tracks.

7 Active Heart: The gunbuster song, it's upbeat and everything, but not really all that good.

8: Adesso E Fortuna: I haven't seen the series, but judging this wonderful song I know I'll be seeing it soon.
9: Full Moon Light: The Devil Hunter Yohko song, I always find myself relaxing to this song.

10:Sailing: Another song I can relax to.

11: Watashi ni Happy Birthday: My second favorite track, by the amazing Hayashibara Megumi...who I've had the pleasure of meeting. :D

12: Just Beyond The Time: I don't know what it is about this up-beat, rockin-rollish song, but I really love it...you will too!

13: My Heat I Can't say, Your Heart I want to know: One of the best tracks, from the sadly short series Ah Megami-sama!

14 Cutey Honey: I can sing this song in Japanese, and in English, as the English words match the beat exactly...other than that I can't say much.

15 Voices: The absolute best track, my personal fav.

Besides the [bad] english dubbed songs, this CD is a must-have for all anime-fans!

i love it.
iwatch the shows on there you will love this music.
i know the moshions alot of pepole like this c.d
and lots of anime stars like speedracers the janitor and more.
i hope to growup and make a anime cartoon.

GIGAAAAAANTOR!
GIGANTOR IS THE BEST SONG EVER. To the reviewer who said it sounded like something out of a 50's cartoon, well, you sound like something out of a stupid cartoon. I don't like you. I'm listening to this CD right now and Gigantor is my jamz, homie.

No, seriously, Gigantor is awesome. If you think I am kidding, I am not. This is not a joke. One listen to the sample and you'll realize how awesome it is and how stupid you were before for not liking it.
Also, see Speed Racer Theme for more awesome.

Now I have to go play Pokemans.

I wanna be the very best!
That no one ever was!
To catch them is my real test!
To train them is my cause!
I will travel across the land!
Searching far and wide!
Each pokemon to understand!
The power that's inside!

Pokemon, gotta catch'em all!
It's you and me!
I know it's my destiny!
Pokemon, oh, you're my best friend!
In a world we must defend!
Pokemon, oh, a heart so true!
Our courage will pull us through!
You teach me and I'll teach you!
Pokémon!
Gotta catch'em all!
Gotta catch'em all!
Pokémon!

Good Assortment
Anime music. There has always been a charm to this music from Japan with words the non-speaker can't understand. Generally fast and upbeat, it is practically what would have happened to music if the 1980s never ended. Let's get one thing straight here - it would be outright impossible to compile a collection of anime music that everyone is going to enjoy. The sheer amount of available tracks is huge compared to how many you can cram onto one CD.

That said, this CD does a fairly good job of covering some of the older anime series. They run the gamut from fast and exciting (Active Heart) to calm and reflective (Voices).

The reason why I gave it four stars was mainly because the dubbed songs sound very out-of-place and disrupt the flow of things. There's a charm to hearing words you can't understand. The Speed Racer theme and the Gigantor theme, dubbed in English, are just kitsch tracks I skip over. The CD would have been better served by either keeping the original versions of these tracks, or using something more in-line with the rest of the music (like music from Bubblegum Crisis, a suspicious omission).

I liked this CD overall though. We all know that anime music CDs out of Japan are prohibitively expensive for most of us, so Rhino's attempt to sell a cheaper "greatest hits" CD is appreciated. Especially in this time when music is becoming so homogenized, it's nice to know that Rhino was willing to take a risk here. A more comprehensive, updated multi-CD collection in the future would be great. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Sideburn Club Mix is a great cd
this cd is awesome. all the songs were great remixes . this is the only lupin cd i own, but even though i havent heard the other ones, i think this a great cd.

Why Can't They Just Release the Original Music in the US?
These were just plain awful.

What's so hard about releasing the original music from the Second Lupin III series?

Original versions I want to hear:

opening themes from second series
Love Squall
Super Hero
Manhattan Joke (I realize this is from one of the films, but it's a great song)

The tracks on this disk were just plain awful.

Great Party Music
No one can help but not feel good at the sound of the Lupin the 3rd theme. And here on this CD there are 13 tracks, most of which contain jazzy, remixes of said theme. Some of the other tracks are remixes of incidental music from the show and there are a couple of songs too. The information is as follows:

1. Lupin III '80 - latin & calcutta mix
2. Theme from Lupin III '78 - CLUB ESCAPE mix
3. Funny Walk in Old Fashion - Mori no Blend mix
4. Afro Rock Theme - ROCK AFRO mix
5. Toward the Patrol Line - YOU & FANTASTIC EXPLOSION mix
6. Love Squall - Fujiko's Love mix
7. Lupin III '80 - Sunaga Experience 9849 mix
8. Lupin the 3rd '78 AFRO ROCK THEME - Doushichattano Lupin mix
9. Love Squall - PANSASA Love Anthem mix
10. Lupin the 3rd '78 - Melting Version
11. Super Hero - 8-bits wonder mix
12. Theme from Lupin the 3rd (Vocal version) - Type CKB
13. Lupin the 3rd '80 - '80 a fool's paradise mix

These tracks vary between Japanese and English language and contain some sound samples from the show. The CD may be cool but the same theme repeated over and over cancels out the typical use of music in the home. It's really only music that's most appropriate at quieter parties. There's a lounge lizard feel to it and it definitely sets a comfortable tone with some slow, mellow beats. Nothing goes too crazy, these are not 'techno' remixes.

For fans of Lupin the 3rd (like me), this is a must buy. There are dozens of other Lupin CDs but they're a bit hard to come by. This is a brand new release and all fans and completists must buy. ... Read more

Album Description

A beautiful collection of mostly well known songs from stage and film musicals, and opera.This album does not play down to children, but instead provides beautiful singing and background instruments to lull anyone to relaxation and sleep. It also has great appeal to New Age music fans and angel lovers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this, Franklin's first record, the good-natured green turtle opts for a loosey-goosey musical romp over the predicaments that tend to prey on him and his TV forest pals. Devoted Franklin followers (ages 2 to 5, mainly) will find plenty familiar here: the down-home, pluck-heavy title track opens the CD, and original tunes "What I Do In The Morning," "Hello," "Friends," "The Dinosaur Song," "Georgia Camp Meeting," and "Rainforest Song" from the "Franklin's Big Adventure" stage show make up the bulk of the remaining tracks. The CD also features "I Wonder," "Brothers and Sisters," and "Wake Up Spring" from the video Franklin and the Green Knight. Fans of the TV show who have seen neither stage nor video production are more likely to latch onto the turtle tyke's take on classics "The Wheels on the Bus," "Head and Shoulders," and "The Hokey Pokey" than to lose themselves in spirited sing-alongs of less accessible numbers such as "The Dinosaur Song," in which Franklin duets with a 100-million-year-old acquaintance he's apparently hooked up with at a museum. But that's not to say young listeners won't warm to every song eventually, as each sets forth a fun chorus and simple melody. And that warrants a warning to parents: Given successive spins, these songs may spur insistent requests among the uninitiated to see the productions from which they're taken. Factor in Franklin's good-guy, pure-as-peaches approach to life's problems, though, and that's hardly a reason to pass on this record. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My two and a half year old daughter adores this cd
my two and a half year old daughter saw Maya the Bee in New York City, and since has listened to this cd on average 1-4 times per day for a month! This is her first audio obsession. She enjoys learning about each insects character and song. She especially loves Bobbie the dung beetle. The music is phenomonal, the lyrics are so well-written (both myself and my daughter love them) the story is exciting and is inspirational for all children, but girls especially would appreciate this strong, brave bee, the heroine of the story. I think the planet would be a much more evolved place if more children could become interested and obsessed with music like this. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Disney's Evilest
This soundtrack is yet another great one from the makers of Disney. But instead of putting all the "feel good" tracks on it, they decided to go the evil route. Personally, the best tracks on here are:

2. Gaston
5. The Siamese Cat Song
8. Be Prepared &
10. Cruella De Vil

but those are only my choices. For you avid Disney fans (kids, parents, & adults), you'll probably end up liking most, if not all, of these songs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It Ain't Cartoon Music -- and that's GOOD!
The Raymond Scott Orchestrette is a new group who set out to prove that Scott's music, which is often associated with Bugs Bunny cartoons, is more than just animation soundtrack fodder. They prove this conclusively and creatively. The group, recorded in 2001 (Scott passed away in 1994 at age 85), explores some of the maestro's better known works, like "Powerhouse" and "The Penguin," as well as lesser-known tunes like the impressionistic "A Street Corner in Paris" and the noir-dramatic "Naked City." The RSO also recorded an acoustic version of one of Scott's 1963 electronic lullabies for infants, "Little Miss Echo." The expert players draw from modern jazz, progressive rock, musette, swing, chamber music, and lounge grooves to paint a colorful and exciting canvas. Their arrangements are clever, dynamic, and iconoclastic, as well as being laced with sophisticated humor. Don Byron and the Beau Hunks Sextet have recorded Scott's early "Quintette" compositions in renditions that are faithful to the originals. The RS Orchestrette clearly had more ambitious intentions, and they have succeeded. This album deserves the attention of any fan of Raymond Scott -- and that audience is growing. More info about Scott can be found at RaymondScott.com. The RSO claims to "bring Scott's controlled lunacy into the 21st century." I'm sure the late composer would be proud to know younger musicians are keeping his legacy alive.

Tickled mercilessly!
OH! I am EXHAUSTED! Let me just catch my breath and I'll play that again! Reminds me of the scene in "Roger Rabbit" where the toons get out of the box. Nothing holds still for an instant! Okay, so Raymond is rolling in his grave. He probably needed the excercise! If you want to hear the purest version- get Raymond himself: The biggest- get the Beau Hunks' Chesterfield Arrangements. This is not for musicological purists but, how to say...this music blew my skirts up! GREAT Fun!

Diverting
This band has produced a pleasing recording of their own arrangements of Raymond Scott pieces. Most of the material is his well-known novelty music, while a few are based on his relatively obscure electronic music. This is a nice recording but not a vital one, unless one is a major Scott fan.

The band has a nice French cafe sound, effected by the accordion and zither, and the arrangements are jazzy and touch on a variety of styles, from cakewalk to early rock and roll to a John Barry/James Bond quality, and are all well done without being particularly exciting or adventurous. The mixing is a little dense, and the band is let down by a rather lugubrious drummer. My personal feeling is that Scott's work is crying out for a treatment a la what John Zorn did on the incredible 'The Big Gundown' for Ennio Morricone's movie themes. And while perfectly respectable, this is sadly not that type of work.

An odd confection
I teach cartooning to fresh young minds (ages 12 and under) and they are always blown away when I update their inspiring music repetoire with this gem. Way ahead of its time and timeless all at once, Raymond Scott created a wild and weirdly fabulous off-kilter cartoon filter. His music doesn't age it gets more vivid with subsequent playings. Worth every penny.

NOT vintage, but pretty cool anyway.
Despite the confusing and misleading name of this new group, Scott himself is NOT present. Of course not - Raymond Scott was born in 1908 and died many years ago. And DON'T think this band is preserving the ORIGINAL Raymond Scott sound (like the Sun Ra or Glenn Miller bands that still tour). Instead, this "Orchestrette" (sic) performs modernized and altered arrangements that Raymond Scott probably would have hated. (Scott didn't like improvisation - especially when applied to HIS music.) But maybe some hard-core fans might dig these new takes on the old Scott classics? The players are impressive enough; they're not afraid to take chances, and I bet this group is fun to see in a live venue. But since there's plenty of original Raymond Scott recordings, I'd suggest a beginner start with the real thang, baby. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The influence of cartoon music on John Zorn has always been apparent, but this disc captures the jazz saxophonist-composer actually scoring one of them, Kiriko Kubo's Cynical Hysterie Hour. It's a memorable trip filled with some great diversity and great playing (courtesy of fellow seminal jazz musicians sitting in, including Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsay, Bobby Previte, and Wayne Horvitz), all in the span of a half hour. Like all of Zorn's output, it's downright dreamy at times (just check out "Through the Night" or "Scary Moonlight") and, at other points, frenzied and full-volumed. A far cry from Raymond Scott, Cynical Hysterie Hour throws jazz, folk, punk, and even the sounds of video games together and (all the while) has fun. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fun Fun Fun
Those of you out there with minimal attention spans take note: this album is for you. When I first listened to this CD I thought to myself, "Gee, I wish I could see these cartoons to get the full affect." Then it dawned on me. These pieces stand on their own -- they are cartoons by themselves. Some of the music here will literally make you laugh out loud, and there is certainly not a dull moment to be had. While the total playing time clocks in at under thirty minutes, the scores Zorn wrote cover more styles than most musicians do in thirty-year careers. They show off not only Zorn's wit but his knack for orchestration and his penchant for catchy, eccentric melodies. The crew, as always, is as star-studded as one could hope. Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz, Bobby Previte and Carol Emanuel (on harp) highlight the performances that also include Ikue Mori, Robert Quine, Christian Marclay, Dave Hofstra, Kermit Driscoll, and several others. The most defining characteristic of the compositions is their refusal to linger on any one idea for more than a minute, causing them to be slightly reminiscent of Zorn's masterpieces Godard and Spillane. The tone here is decidedly lighter though, and makes for a thoroughly enjoyable twenty-five minutes.

Cartoon music for the deranged
The fine people at Tzadik were kind enough to inform me that Sony still technically own the rights to this album, and have generously licensed it BACK to Tzadik so they could distribute it. The original pressing of this disc was Zorn's first major label release, made way back in 1989, and achieved some notoriety as such, which I'll explain presently... The disc is comprised of several goofy, cool bits of manic weirdness that have been grouped roughly together into four cuts, assumedly to match four separate episodes of series it was the soundtrack for -- a Japanese TV anime show called, as you may have guessed, THE CYNICAL HYSTERIE HOUR. Kiriko Kubo, the cartoonist/creator, even sings on some of the cuts, and writes some minimal lyrics (nothing intrusive or out-of-place, I assure you; stuff like the assertion, made against the diverse, cheerful, and bizarre background of the music, that she likes icecream -- said, of course, in Japanese). Sony somehow didn't NOTICE what a wonderful CD they had. Despite the presence of Zorn and other regular collaborators of considerable repute (Marc Ribot, Arto Lindsay, Wayne Horvitz, Bill Frisell, Robert Quine, Cyro Baptista, etc., etc.), they ISSUED THE ORIGINAL WITHOUT ANYONE'S NAME ON THE OUTER PACKAGING SAVE KUBO'S, and treated it "merely" as an anime soundtrack, of interest only to Japanese TV viewers. They didn't even market it outside Japan, and let it go out of print almost immediately. It then became, as Tzadik have dubbed it, "the Holy Grail for Zornithologists" until such a time as Zorn got the Tzadik label off the ground and acquired the rights to distribute it himself (for the time being). Really, it's too bad Sony didn't do more with this. The CD is some of the most accessible, listener-friendly, and flat out FUN stuff Zorn and co. have ever recorded, even more listener-friendly than the self-titled NAKED CITY CD or THE BIG GUNDOWN (which both seem pretty accessible to me too, for the record -- if they don't to you, you might want to bear that in mind). The disc's weaknesses, if it has any, lie in it almost being TOO playful for my ears -- I occasionally want to hear Yamantanka Eye shrieking and gibbering psychotically, in the midst of all the fun, or hear oblique references to S and M or death metal or torture or so forth, just to maintain a strong sense of the Zorniness of it all. But Eye isn't on it, and instead of occasional bursts of speedmetal hysteria -- on this album, you get jangly, delirous banjo parts courtesy of Bill Frisell. But really, borderline cute as it sometimes gets, it's all good fun, and well worth having. Anyone who simply loves cartoon music -- any Carl Stalling fans out there -- would doubtlessly grok it, too. Oh, yeah, I suppose I should note that it IS kind of short -- the whole disc runs less than half an hour -- but it's such a jam packed half hour that you won't mind, I promise. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Disney Compact Disc
The idea of issuing musical selections from Disney films, features and other areas of their world of entertainment is really quite pleasing. If you love the world that Walt Disney created and has continued on to this day, this CD gives you little musical vignettes across that span of time that are very nostalgic and uplifting. I really love Track 13: THE MONKEY'S UNCLE sung by Annette Funicello and The Beach Boys. Track 4: "Under the Sea" from THE LITTLE MERMAID is just wonderful. This is a great CD. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fantastic Mix!
Punch the Monkey 2 is one of my all-time favorite Japanese CD's. You can't go wrong with this one. There's a lot of cool mixes with some of the original sounds dubbed in. If you're a Lupin the 3rd fan, this is a must buy! ... Read more

Album Description

During the mid-thirties, a new kind of music burst onto the scene.Swing was born!Like rock and roll in the fifties, swing was the anthem for the youth of pre-world war II America.Glen Gray, Benny Goodman, Bunny Berigan, Duke Ellington and a host of others had the kids "dancing in the aisles" in theatres all over America.

In 1936, the Columbia Broadcasting System began broadcasting "The Saturday Night Swing Club," a thirty minute program that showcased the talents of practically every jazz and swing great.Many were skeptical about this "new" music and practiced that it was just another passing fancy.

On June 12, 1937, the first anniversary of The Saturday Night Swing Club aired at midnight and was expanded to ninety minutes.The roster of entertainment was awesome by any standard.In honor of the grand event a short wave broadcast featuring Stephane Grappelly and Django Reinhardt was beamed from Montmartre, Paris, to the studios in New York City, with commentary by the legendary Edward R. Murrow.No stops were pulled, no expenses were spared to give all the swing club fans an evening to remember.

What you hold in your hands is the entire uncut broadcast of that historic event.Now without further adieu: "This session of the Saturday Night Swing Club has come to order." ... Read more

Album Description

Here's the one you've been waiting for! Music that KIDS will love & songs that parents won't mind hearing over and over! Not only does this "Disney Like" CD feature adorable cartoon characters and hilarious lyrics,it contains a tasty blend of 50's Rock & Roll, Pop, Disco, Country, Marching Band, 70's Rock and Hip Hop music. The Singalongs will also provide FUN and UNIQUE ways for young listeners to learn about the ALPHABET and NUMBERS! Get ready to fall in love with "Shiny", "Dillee", "Jimmee," "Frenchee" and "Tee Tee", as they create a truly enjoyable listening experience, for both YOUNG and OLD, unlike ANYTHING you have ever heard! PARENTS are calling "Shiny the Star" and the Galaxee Band "the BEST children's CD to come along in years! So turn it up and get ready to LAFF!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Fun!
It is a recipe that really works. I had never thought the ABC song could be such fun--- but this band makes it into a "you can't catch me" song that left our group of 5-year olds laughing and twirling!I am sure we will see this band on Nickelodeon one day!

Great Fun!
It is a recipe that really works. I had never thought the ABC song could be such fun--- but this band makes it into a " you can't catch me" song that left our group of 5-year olds laughing and twirling!I am sure we will see this band on Nickelodeon one day!

Shiny the Star and the Galaxee Band
My six year old son loves the happy tunes on Shiny the Star and the Galaxee Band and the characters who sing them.Our favorites are the ABC song and the Laffing song.The first is an ABC song that encourages kids to sing along as it goes faster and faster, and the second is a happy laughing song - really up-beat with nice laughter that always puts a smile on my face.I am amazed how my son listens to the words of the songs even when he's busy doing something else.This became clear to me the other day when the last song rock and rolled along to a slower pace and came to an end.He said to me, "He gave a dollar to a girl!"(Being a six year old boy, girls are currently on his list of 'strange but exciting' creatures.)I recommend this CD to anyone with small kids. They'll love it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ENJOYED BY YOUNG VISITORS
Knowing how boring it can be for youngsters to visit a home where there is not anyone their age we bought some children's books and this CD.

Now, some of our "regulars" ask to hear this CD the minute they're in the front door. They responded to it with the first listen and never seem to tire of hearing it and humming along.

It's very nice to have something that young ones truly enjoy when they come with their parents for a visit. ... Read more

Product Description

Walt Disney Records presents "Dear Heart" a collection of romantic songs. Song track listing 1-9. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wow!
I think this is one great CD! You should get because I'm impressed! ... Read more