The Music of AKIRA: Kaneda, Tetsuo, and Gamelan
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- Опубліковано 18 лип 2019
- 1988's Akira takes place in 2019 before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Was Otomo clairvoyant??? Well... maybe not, but it's the perfect time to dig into the unique music of Akira to see how it matches Otomo's vision!
Edit: well... just like in Akira, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics didn't happen because of a major catastrophe 😬
Also that Hollywood adaptation has been cancelled ᵒʰ ⁿᵒ ʰᵒʷ ˢᵃᵈ ᶦ'ᵐ ˢᵒ ᵈᶦˢᵃᵖᵖᵒᶦⁿᵗᵉᵈ
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Video Credits:
AKIRA (Otomo, 1988)
Otomo interview: • Interview with Akira c...
Jegog example: • JEGOG-Balinese Music
Kebyar example: • Sound Tracker - Gamela... - Фільми й анімація
I love how this movie's score is literally only 10 songs, but you never get tired of hearing the same songs pop up occassionally. You don't think "Oh, heres this song again" when Tetsuo's theme kicks up for the third time, you think " Oh shit, hows this kid gonna ruin my innocence next??? What's he about to do?" followed by a sense of dread (at least, that's what I think/feel lol) Its a really great film and the score is fantastic. It will always hold a place in my heart.
Some films manage to do a lot with relatively little music. The tracks on the OST are expansive enough in scope that they can be edited as needed throughout the film. Tetsuo’s theme never plays for 10 minutes straight of course but it’s able to be naturally split up throughout his scenes!
Thanks for watching :)
@@CelShadedMusicTheory Of course! It was a really interesting video! Good work!
lol on the 2002 version they're split into nineteen
Gamelan might be one of the most underrated musical influences currently. It has influenced Bjork, Akira, super Mario Odyssey soundtrack, been sampled by Billy Woods, and that's just what I can remember without looking anything up. It's such a cool sound
Two important things I noticed/learned about the score
1. Tetsuo's theme features the bells starting simple and rhythmic before getting increasingly cluittered and complex. Yamashigori has confirmed that this is meant to represent his DNA unravelling and exapnding as he develops his psychic powers (and eventually mutates). It is important to note that a large number of Geinoh Yamashigori members were biologists.
2. It isn't touched upon in this video, but the Akira soundtrack also has a lot of elements from traditional Noh theater, mostly in the choir/vocal elements. However, one of the ways this was fused with the gamelan was by introducing the concept of Ma, or "The space between the notes." Gamelan is usually very rhythmic and cluttered, but there are many points in Akira where notes are struck singularly and allowed to ring out, or there's even pure silence. This allows for the individual properties of the bells to be perceived, really emphasizing sound and atmosphere. Ma has also been cited as a driving philosophy behind most of Studio Ghibli's output. The beauty isn't derived from the notes, but from the space you leave between them.
I think your first point is made especially clear in the scenes where the scientist is analysing the wave patterns, as those bells always play tetsuo's scale when he views it
yeah pretty much the entire track "Illusion" is straight from Noh theater, including the drawn-out vibrato-heavy narration from ~5:40
I'm so happy I found this video! I was always blown away by Akira's music. When I first saw it I expected to hear some Vangelis-style synth sweeps à la Blade Runner. At the very least I was definitely not expecting tribal chants and percussions. The music in the opening scene caught me so off guard, it always gives me goosebumbs.
Isn't it so great? While synth music like Vangelis' Blade Runner and other 80's Sci-Fi of its ilk are really awesome (and seeing a major cultural comeback), the approach to the music in Akira completely disregards that aesthetic for something completely unique and amazing. You really have to respect the vision!
I used to learn javanese gamelan in the middle school, lol. I just hope it will get more recognition in Indonesia's movies industry, just like what Akira did
That's awesome! My brother studied and played gamelan in school also I was always jealous. I really should take a class on it!
Thank you for putting this together! There is almost no musical analysis of the Akira soundtrack like this.
Right?? So many classic anime scores like this have gone musically unexamined! Thanks for watching :)
@@CelShadedMusicTheory I have never had any luck tracking down any sheet music for Akira. I can't tell if it even exists. I figured you might know. I am going to try to transcribe Tetsuo's Theme for my percussion ensemble but only as a last resort.
@@enterrupt Hey man, I just finished a reduced transcription of Tetsuo's theme. Send me a PM if you'd like to have it :) It's heap of work to transcribe so my version has a lot of flaws
@@noutjie oh wonderful! I would love to see your transcription. Thank you so much for reaching out to me.
@@enterrupt I'd like to send it, but can't find contact info or a way to send you a PM :/
In the best films, the soundtrack feels like a character itself. Akira's score is the beating heart of Neo-Tokyo, its frantic breathing as it struggles for air, its mad excess and its aching poverty. From the adrenaline rush of the opening bike scenes to the solemn devastation of Tetsuo's ascension, Geinoh Yamashirogumi makes Akira just as important for the ears of its audience as for its eyes. I hope the future adaptations of the work recognize what was built here, and continue to explore Gamelan's unique soundscape.
I agree! An anime series was announced since I put out this video and I’m really interested to see what they do with it score-wise. I think it would be a shame for this story to lose its powerful musical identity.
As a guy from Bali specifically Jembrana, you got my huge respect brother, cuz Jegog is literally invented in my town, and the fact it's been used and introduce to a worldwide by legendary Anime movie such as AKIRA is really blew my mind, also thanks for shedding the light to our brethren Indonesian (Javanese) traditional instruments as well, i really appreciate this video so much, cuz like the other comment said, i've never seen someone making a deep dive video about the scores of this movie, even though they acknowledge how phenomenal it is... love from Bali my friend 😊
The ending 15 minutes long track Requiem is one of the most powerful music pieces ever!
It's outstanding and the chorus shares a lot in common harmonically with Kaneda's theme!
I still think this is one of the best soundtrack that's ever made!
But Evangelion😢
This is a wonderful explanation of a gorgeous soundtrack in an unforgettable movie. Thanks so much for making this!
I’m glad you got something out of it! It’s a score and film worthy of endless analysis. Thanks so much for watching!
How this video only have 30k views?! With the amount of editing, good script and transitions going into it, it should AT LEAST have 1 million views!
Much appreciated! Glad you’re one of the 30k! :)
Tetsuo's theme haunt me since the movie releases, I was way too young the first time I watched it. And this music makes me feel very mixed feelings, it's comfortable, peaceful but also distorted, unhealthy.
If I could see this music, it would be the visual representation of DNA, complex and beautiful.
Best soundtrack ever. I’ve always wondered what kind of sound it was & where it came from. And now to find out that there is much more meaning inside the music as well makes it even better to listen to, thanks so much!!!
Of course! I started this channel because it frustrated me to see how little these fantastic scores were talked about in any detail! Stick around, my next vid is in the works! :)
"Was Otomo clairvoyant??? Well... maybe not-"
at this point, maybe he was
Lmao for REAL....😬
I'll never forget when I first saw this film was in the EARLY 90s and the music is what stood out to me immediately from that opening bike chase scene. The music is what makes that scene so damn powerful!
It’s so memorable because it’s such a unique and audacious choice! Nothing like Akira had ever been seen OR heard in the West before and I think the music is another factor that adds to its popularity!
@@CelShadedMusicTheory So true! I would never have thought that Jegog Gamelan music would match a futuristic setting, and now it's almost impossible for me NOT to think about Jegog Gamelan music when I see futuristic sets and scenes! :D
2021 and found someone who analyze this...thank you good sir...
Right? The shocking lack of it is why my channel exists lol
The thing that makes the score for Tetsuo so great is that it feels so symbolic to the movie's themes. Whenever he's starting to power up, the use of the chorus organ, and quiet chatting really gives Tetsuo the feels of someone who believes he is a religious messiah. Similar to what Akira was...
Definitely, the feeling of "holiness" is really prevalent in Tetsuo's music!
This is above and beyond, utterly one of the best channels on youtube. I love how much freaking research you put into this. It makes me love this soundtrack and the Ghost in the shell one even more, now that I know all this symbolism in the instruments and lyrics. Please keep making great content like this dude!
Thank you, Zev! I really pumped my heart and soul into getting things right both to respect the culture and the wonderful music. The more people know about what goes into these incredible soundtracks, the better! :)
Akira's soundtrack cacophony of sounds is great at audibly showing the chaotic nature of the cyber city.
this video deserves a lot of recognition. it's good to have someone go in depth of the music in this great film.
Thanks so much! I've always been surprised that no one has really delved into the music of classic anime films like this, so I really want to shine a light on how cool they are! :)
Reallllly awesome video! Akira has been my favorite anime film since I was 11. I’m 25 now. Love this! Thanks for the upload!
I feel like watching Akira as a kid was one of those formative experiences for our generation haha. Seeing that and FLCL at a young age had me so confused but ingrained a never ending curiosity in anime and media as a whole!
Dude, you are so unbelievably underrated! I love your channel and definitely subscribed. Can’t wait to see what you have coming!!
Great editing and very informative. Very happy this showed up in my feed. AKIRA's sound track is the best I have ever heard.
It really is outstanding. That said, GitS:SAC, which your channel name and pic are from is my favorite anime score of all time 👀
Omg my man, you are nuts! *applause*
This deserves so many more views!!! Thank you so much! Very informative and interesting video
Thank you for watching! I'm glad to hear you found it interesting! I think it's one of the most unique scores in anime and deserves more attention. :)
Cool vid! Looking forward to more.
Thanks so much! There's plenty more to come.
Akira opened a whole new world of music to me it changed my spotify playlists forever...
really good content Cel-Shaded Music Theory. I shattered the thumbs up on your video. Always keep up the high quality work.
Thank you very much! I'm so glad you enjoy my very niche videos! x)
Thanks so much for making this!
Almost choked up when the DAN DAN´s came in! Great editing and eye opening insight into this legendary soundtrack
You know I actually had to cut that part down a bit to avoid a copyright takedown 😭 So I'm so glad it had an impact for you!
I was fortunate enough to see Akira for the first time in a cinema in 4k with theater quality audio. "Kaneda" is an absolutely incredible piece of film music. Almost a month later I still can't get it out of my head.
Wow that must have been mind boggling! I didn't know it had a theatrical run like that!! @_@
@@CelShadedMusicTheory 3 weeks ago in my area, small local theater chain. I think they licensed it because fhere havent been many releases.
Fuckin crazy man. If I had known it was only for 1 weekend I would've gone every day.
What an amazing video! I've never seen such a dive into Akira's soundtrack. That, plus great and funny editing I've never seen in any video about Akira. Would be awesome to see you do the same with the rest of the soundtrack!
Thank you!! I was surprised that there weren't more discussions about this incredible score on the internet, so that was a huge reason I started this channel to begin with. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I loved this video. Thank you so much for your analysis. Keep up with your videos! You are doing amazing :D
Greetings from Spain!
You're too kind, thank you so much for watching!!
Hello from the US! ^~^
Such an excellent analysis, you deserve way more subscribers and views!
Much appreciated!! :) Thanks for watching and check out my other videos is you're interested! ^~^
Your editing style is amazing and hilarious 😹 I’m going to share this to my Facebook. You deserve more views!
Much appreciated! :) Being my first video I hoped the tone wouldn't fall flat!
This was great, thanks for doing this video. Deserves way more views
Much appreciated! Hope to have more out soon!
This video is as epic as the soundtrack it's explaining!! Loved it. Learned a lot.
Really happy to hear that, and thanks for checking it out! :)
This was a great video!! I've loved balinese music all my life and akira is my favourite movie soundtrack
woow great video
Thanks so much for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it! ^~^
"3:02" that sounded like kecak dance shout
I actually had a section where I talked about the use of kecak in the score, but cut it for lack of thematic coherence with the video! Kecak is especially prevalent in the cue "Battle Against Clown": ua-cam.com/video/_KvseLO2apA/v-deo.html
the "rassera" bit in "Kaneda" is a Japanese festival thing, & everyone says the whole word in unison. The most prominent kecak style comes about 1m into "Mutation" when they start saying everyone's names in rotating 1-syllable parts. Hard to notate in plain text w/o even a fixed-width font, but basically you've got 3 parts going:
1: "Ka -- -- Ka -- -- Ka -- -- Ka -- -- Ka -- -- "
2: "-- ne -- -- ne -- -- ne -- -- ne -- -- ne -- "
3: "-- -- da -- -- da -- -- da -- -- da -- -- da "
all over a bunch of bass "DOOO DAAA DOOO DAAA DOO DAA" drones. Great stuff.
exquisite video, I'm surprised there's not more like this
Thanks so much! I agree. The lack of musical analysis for anime music is rather shocking given how many other kinds of soundtracks are analyzed on YT! Hoping to fill that void when I can! ^~^
Wow, how don't you have more subscribers?!
This is one of the best music theory videos I've seen on UA-cam concerning anime. The analysis was so thorough too - this kind of depth belongs in a university essay or something :D This must've been so difficult to transcribe too.
I only saw Akira for the first time a month or so ago (in the cinema - twice :'D ) and I totally agree with you that it's the soundtrack that makes this movie. Since hearing it for the first time; Kaneda's theme has given me goosebumps every time - it's that kinda sinking feeling like you don't want anything to spoil the moment :D
I really didn't expect to be hearing gamelan (a genre I was already familiar with) in such a powerful setting. I heard that the music was unusually composed *before* any animation had started - so it really is a miracle how perfectly it all fits together.
I'm rambling - but I just wanted to emphasize how much I appreciated your analysis, and I think you deserve way more views for videos so pristine :) Great work man, I hope you'll create more!
Thanks so much!! I seem to be getting a surge of viewers who recently saw it in theaters (so jealous 😭)!
Can you imagine if the film just had a Blade Runner style score? So many sci-fi movies from the 80s tried to emulate that sound. But Akira forged such a unique and soundscape and aesthetic with Indonesian music, it wouldn't have been a fraction as impactful with a synth score! It's utterly bizarre in the best way possible.
Thanks for watching!!
i also went crazy when i heard gamelan while watching akira as an indonesian
This channel looks awesome! Keep up the great work! 👍
Thanks so much! I've got a lot more videos in mind, so I hope you stick around! :)
This is great. Really great. I'm studying gamelan for a video tomorrow, so this helps!
Oh very cool! Glad I could provide some insight into such a fascinating style of music! :)
Thank you for this video!! very informative!!! You deserve more subscribers.
Hey, much appreciated! I knew SOME people would have to appreciate the craftsmanship of this score as much as I do! ^~^
As someone who prefers the manga over the film, the music is the best part for me personally.
I got the entire manga for Christmas and I’m reading it through for the first time, very excited! :)
very nice, the cultural context and transcriptions you provide really help me gain appreciation for the music even more, so thank you for this concise and insightful analysis. I was personally analysing the mutation theme myself recently, which is very fitting for the scene it plays in; I particularly like the contrast of the deep voices and percussion in this track. The percussion which normally keeps time is going berserk, while the deep voices are trying to maintain the pulse whilst simultaneously growing more desparate through more erratic rhythmic patterns. I think about the government meeting scene, where the deep voices to me represent humanity, or maybe particularly the elders entrusted with power, trying to desperately control the chaotic force of nature they have unleashed, with the percussion representing AKIRA; it is interesting now I know that the voices are singing the same scale used in tetsuo's theme.
How are you not popular 😂 this is great
Wish I had the secret to popularity on YT haha
Much appreciated, dude! :)
Wow! Severely underrated channel. I immediately went out of my way to find more content, but you only have 2 videos from what I see. I just finished Akira and wanted to find supplementary analysis on it. I guess I have to watch Ghost in The Shell now to watch your other video.
If you see this, is there more content coming? Got any other media I can follow?
Thanks so much for your compliment and your interest! I haven't been able to produce a video since the GitS video as I'm a freelancer and juggle a lot of my time with gigs teaching and writing music. Come summer time I'm hoping to have more time to produce CSMT content as I have a TON of scripts and ideas cued up for more videos. :)
Incredible analysis, I'm very impressed! I love Yamashirogumi's music
Thank you! And same, I still think it's a turn of brilliance to have chosen such a bold group for this score.
It is really amazing to know that many sounds which then called music, since the beginning of human civilization last and became integral part of humanity. It is goes to show wherever and however methods music come from, weather it's western tuning or indonesian gamelan tuning, can be accepted or even appreciated by all people thru pop culture such akira. I hope there will be more pop culture products combine gamelan and other musical instruments in the future even though the tuning is slightly different. But that's the beauty of it, take a look at metric system and imperial system for example. I think that's good way to look at them.
Absolutely. Akira is a perfect example of how media can explore unique ways of conveying a message regardless of cultural identity. While it would have been fine with a synth, orchestral, or fusion score alone, it carves its own path sonically and creates a universally compelling identity for itself by taking a different approach. Always mad respect.
Favorite soundtrack ever, it is so unique and there's nothing quite like it, sometimes I wish I could hear something similar in other works but at the same time I want it to remain special to Akira only.
I mean...you could just...listen to gamelan music 🤷
"During Aomori Prefecture’s Nebuta Festival, the float of a warrior-figure which is carried through the center of the city, while dancers... dance around in time with the chant Rasserā (ラッセラー): The shortened dialectal version of “irasshai” and a call to visitors and customers to watch or participate."
Because the opening of the movie was so weak that they had to ask the audience to stick around in a song, you know?[/sarcasm]
Hats off to you sir.
Another amazing thing. The music was composed BEFORE the movie so they had to match up the visual to the music.
There's an amazing extra in the blu ray called "akira soundclip" that talks a bit more about the music but yours is an insane complement
Oh man I absolutely need to check that out! I think I only have the old DVD release and really ought to pick up the Bluray! Thanks for watching. :)
@@CelShadedMusicTheory you can google for it! Can't pass links here 😓
Holy jesus man. I literally got into making my own music because I couldn't find anything that even approached the Akira OST in any form, though would later discover Ecophony Rinne and Ecophony Gaia by the same group. This is literally the first analysis I've seen of the Akira OST, and it's actually pretty good, and confirms the suspicion I had that Geinoh were actually using harmony in some fashion, counter to the Indonesian tradition. Pretty nuts how the entire emotional impact of the film rests upon simple chords. If you ever get around to doing an analysis of, say, *Requiem* off of the Akira OST that'd be awesome, as that's my favorite track of the entire OST.
Great video! I'm writing a school essay on the music of Akira, so this was quite helpful
Wow how awesome! I'd love to hear about the topic for your essay. :)
@@CelShadedMusicTheory I was supposed to choose a movie with music that has stood out to me, so I chose Akira because it has one of the most impressive soundtracks I've ever heard. I had a few samples of the soundtracks in my presentation and my teacher actually recognized that some of it was inspired by gamelan music!
great video, you surely deserve more recognizement 👍
Thank you so much!! Comments like yours are wonderful recognition on their own! ^~^
THIS. i love this. will subscribe!
Thanks so much for watching! ^~^
The movie does meet the legal requirement of using electric guitars for your sci fi punk focused film. It's used in like one track.
Great video! In isolation Tetsuo's theme sounds a fairy tale or a children's tale - one that deceives you into thinking you are aware of the ending, before shifting abruptly, eventually turning into something ominous. This mirrors the innocence of Tetsuo, turning from a young boy into something much more powerful.
Best soundtrack for the best film
I'm so glad you made this! Do you think you might want to collaborate with Sideways on a video about this soundtrack?
Thank you so much!
Also Noooooooope
Great analysis!
Subbed!
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy my other analyses too :)
This video is a masterpiece
Great video, would love to see some sheet music of this classic OST. Please consider to share some of your transcription!
8:14 my favorite part ever
There is some relief in Javanese ancient temple about someone smithing and then someone dancing next to it. So my theory is Gamelan was formed due to Javanese love of smithing weaponry till the point they invent music from it. though it just my opinion. They are also excel at metalurgy, you could look at Keris the product of it. Keris production also have its own philosophy, so they must been pouring their thoughts deep down the root. no wonder they also produce music from it
Gong also used as warmusic depicted in ancient temple of Java
The ring tone of the phone call to the colonel is the first time you hear Tetsuo's DAH DAH theme. It is the scene where the colonel is talking about a mole on a committee. (20 minutes into the movie) Then the phone rings. DAH ... DAH... It was likely the doctor calling the colonel about Tetsuo. But is foreshadowing.
I know the gamelan music since it comes from my country, but the one in akira feels different and gave me chills like creepy vibes on a different level.
Just have to say this is a fantastic analysis
Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it and hope you learned something new! :)
Thank God someone made a video on this.
I know, I basically made this channel because I was shocked no one ever talked about scores like this anywhere!
@@CelShadedMusicTheory I watched akira recently and I was shocked at the fact nobody was talking about how beautiful the music was
You're making great videos. Currently, I'm trying to persuade another UA-camr to cover some music from Akira. I'd love to get you on as a guest.
This is my new favorite video
I'm flattered! Thank you for watching. :)
1:47 the instrument is very beautiful
I heartily agree!
The idea of “only 4 pitches” within jegog or other types of gamelan is a little misleading, because you have to keep in mind, these are all played in different groupings of similar sets of instruments of varying size, that both echo the melodies as well as play sub melodies at varying rates simultaneously, typically. Additionally, it is seen as normal and desirable to tune 2+ instruments within a given group slightly out of pitch with each other. Finally, though you want to impose a western tuning scheme on these instruments to help your viewers understand, I personally think the fact that the pitches do NOT correspond exactly to these notes counts for more than you realize in a true microtonal system, rather than just framing them in terms of a poor man’s C or whatever. Collectively, all these factors contribute to a greater degree of harmonics, and for lack of a better term, enhanced sense of psychoacoustics, than say, a bunch of violins that were all tuned the same and could only play 4 notes. So it’s more complex than that. Rather like the surprising depth and complexity you can have with a few monophonic electronic instruments actually, being both a synth guy and a former gamelan player.
Thanks for your enthusiastic response! Indeed the harmonic landscape conveyed through the jegog and gong kebyar instruments is FAR from anything accomplishable using standard Western acoustic instruments. My goal was never to paint gamelan music as simplistic by engraving examples for this video, but rather to approximate them for the purpose of better understanding concepts through a Western lens, hence why I mentioned that when describing pelog. In researching for this video I learned that there is no such thing as a "standard tuning" for jegog instruments. In fact, the differences in construction of the instruments used in jegog is part of what gives it such a unique and impactful sound. No 2 jegog ensembles have ever sounded alike from what I've heard, lending to that uniqueness of the instruments and their harmonic tendencies! In this video I was referring specifically to the instruments that yamashirogumi used in "Kaneda."
I wish we were all taught more broad and multicultural forms of harmony and notation in classical training. That could be a LONG video essay unto itself!
@@CelShadedMusicTheory Indeed, well said. I did just watch the re-release in the theatre, and I do think the sound design and music is perhaps the element of the film that holds up the best, 3+ decades later!
@@NickHchaos Man I'm jealous of everyone getting to see this in theaters! I've never had the opportunity!
@@CelShadedMusicTheory Yes, I hadn't either, it was great..we are lucky here in Vancouver, Canada that such things are currently possible.
@@NickHchaos Oof. Yup, I live in the US, and I won't get into it here, but things are... um... catastrophically historically awful 🙃
I know nothing about music theory and haven't watched Akira. Enjoyed every second of this video! xD
Thanks so much, that means a lot! ^~^
i love this video
wow thank you
Akira is a yearly tradition for me. It came out on my birth year so every year on my birthday thats my only request. that I see akira. Its also one of like 3 anime I like. Akira, cowboy bebop and ghost in the shell
That's such a great tradition omg haha. Definitely required viewing for anime as a medium!
Cool collaboration between Akira and gamelan bali, jegog, also Kecak too👍, Yeah its true, gong kebyar based in pelog tune
I was really shocked to find out that our culture's musical instruments was put on this show. Very interesting indeed!
Gamelan is really an under appreciated culturally significant gem used surprisingly regularly in film and game music! I’ll touch on it again briefly in my upcoming upload! :)
10:33 lol that foreshadowing of 2020
It was a Rough One. And it seems only Otomo knew how rough it would be lmao
oh man, you gotta look for the pix- people actually made "CANCELED" signs (中止だ中止) straight from the film & brought them to the olympic stadium. one guy even recreated a whole section of the wall & "cosplayed" as it. XD
Would you mind posting the scores that you show in the video? I've been looking to try to transcribe it to a piano-like format and that would be really helpful!
For sure! Fair warning, Just about everything I transcribed appears in the video, so if you're looking for a more complete transcription of the score you might be disappointed, but I'm more than happy to share what I did transcribe!
You'll find my transcribed segments scattered throughout this PDF haha
drive.google.com/open?id=1uBwcixAVRhykqFrLBzdY2mUgUyFyTb3h
The Akira soundtrack somewhat reminds me of music from the Qatsi trilogy. Not necessarily in how it actually sounds (as the only track similar in terms of sound is Serra Pelada, due to its choice of instruments and energetic tone), but more in how it complements and sometimes contrasts the images on screen.
That's a super apt comparison honestly! They both have that larger than life, humanist, wall of sound feel in their larger moments. The organ that appears in a few tracks also gives that vibe.
yeah there's a whole kecak ceremony section in Baraka, too (which isn't part of the trilogy but thematically similar)
Gamelan also not only composed in Akira, but also in other media for making a satisfying moment for fans
One example for movies is Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon with Atlantis: The Lost Empire that composed by James Howard, Raya and the Last Dragon become my favorite movie because I'm Indonesian and I had a friend named Raya too! But in different gender 😅
Another example for the music for game is like Kena: Bridge of Spirits with Sonic Unleashed which both of them are my favorite video game soundtracks
Anyway, I had correction at 1:21 - 1:31, the gamelan are actually predates the Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in its earliest records and thus represents an indigenous art form of Indonesia
In contrast to the heavy Indian influence in other art forms, the only obvious Indian influence in gamelan music is in the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese style of singing, and in the themes of the Wayang kulit and Wayang Golek or known as Indonesian traditional shadow puppet plays
it's also been used by Bjork on her album biophilia in a few songs, sampled by Billy Woods on the song "wharves" and on the super Mario Odyssey soundtrack as the lost island theme
bro plz we need a pt 2
Maybe with the animated series that's coming out! Could make an interesting point of comparison.
This comment is going to be a little off-topic, but: Remember when James Cameron hired a bunch of specialist in different kinds of traditional music for the Avatar soundtrack but decided the result sounded "too weird" and opted for just a generic orchestral action film soundtrack??? well he could have archieved something as iconic as Akira's soundtrack. What a work of art, specially considering the cultural background on which it's based on.
Gamelan use also in spirited away
I wonder whats ur thoughts on akira requiem
I love that movie and am gonna buy it right now and it is so good I love the music and really good if you have not watch it is is super good and watch it now on hule and testuo and kanada.are bad ass's
New anime seires?! Hell yeah!
Where did the ''ploom ploom'' sound come from?
So Akira has music played with Indonesia instruments!? Cool
I can finally watch this now >:p
YUS! I purposefully never got too spoilery in this one, but you’ll definitely enjoy it more now with context!
fantastic video man, instasub!
Thanks so much for watching and subbing! New vid coming soon! :)
@@SpikeykoaLa44 HYPE
where on earth did you find the sheet music? I can't even find a page that acknowledges its existence, everything is just "here's the soundtrack!"
It’s all transcribed by ear! I don’t think an official score has ever existed tbh.
@@CelShadedMusicTheory welp that would explain it then 😓
Is there somewhere to purchase this sheet music? Or did you just transcribe from ear?
Just transcribed by ear. Unfortunately real official scores are really hard to come by for movies and TV because rights become a mess between composers/orchestrators/producers/CEOs etc.
@@CelShadedMusicTheoryI understand. Thank you so much for replying, I love this video ❤
@@CelShadedMusicTheory Would LOVE to see your transcriptions, even if they are rough sketches. I've been looking for the music sheets for decades (yes, decades).
Why you don't add in Your videos The music theory Of Cowboy Bebop, Studio Ghibli And FLCL? Your channel's Idea its so original
I adore Bebop, FLCL, and Ghibli! I’d love to get around to all of them at some point, but I know Ghibli in particular is very harsh with copyright takedowns… so we’ll see
Just don’t play any section of their music longer than 10 seconds and cite Fair-Use Copyright in your description and you’ll be fine.