Super Robot Taisen Original Generation ~ 15th Anniversary Song Collection ~
| Composed by | Ichirou Mizuki / Kenichi Sudo / Masaaki Iizuka / Michiaki Watanabe / Naofumi Tsuruyama / Nobuhiko Nakayama / Shinichi Tanaka / Takuya Hanaoka |
| Arranged by | Dr. Knob / Haguregumo Nagamatsu / Kazuo Sato / Kenichi Sudo / Nobuhiko Nakayama / Ryo Yonemitsu / Sanjuro Kashiwazaki / Shingo jake Saito / Shohei Narabe / The Kinds / Yasushi Sasamoto |
| Published by | Bellwood Records |
| Catalog number | BZCS-5008 |
| Release type | Game Soundtrack - Official Release |
| Format | 1 CD - 12 tracks |
| Release date | August 11, 2006 |
| Genres |
Overview
In 2006, Bellwood Records commemorated the music of the Super Robot Taisen series with a diverse compilation. The vocal arrangements featured here span 15 years of the series' history and features both ancient source material and brand new image songs. Let's take a closer look...
Body
While largely a vocal album, there is a surprisingly an instrumental introduction. "Prologue" is a rare commemoration of the original Super Robot Taisen from the Game Boy, blending jazzy trumpet riffs, semi-rocking accompaniment, and all sorts of sound effects. The melody isn't especially strong, but it still has a distinctive flair that has featured in more recent themes for the series. Overall, it's a decent commemoration for an underlooked title.
Probably the biggest highlight of the entire album is the rocking vocal remix of the character theme for Masaki Andoh, "Scirocco! Gale! Cybuster". This is far better than the arrangement featured in the Super Robot Taisen Vocal Collection, due to a far more extravagant presentation of the melody and the use of much more creative rock arrangements. The brainchild of Ryo Yonemitsu, the electric guitar solos are especially excellent here and elegant blend with the various jazzy trumpet interjections. Ichiro Mizuki's vocals are everything most would expect from him, but he is interestingly joined by a female vocalist too.
Another track headlining the album is "Steel Spirit". It's another track that reflects the upbeat spirit of the series with its mixture of rock and jazz stylings. Another ensemble performance, the contrast between the elder Ichiro Suzuki and more youthful Hironobu Kageyama is especially pronounced here. There is also an interesting remix of this theme to close the album featuring hyperactive electronic beats and vocal distortion. It's a major contrast to the original, although not for everyone.
While most of the album is upbeat, there are some softer entries on the album. The original image theme "Heart of Steel", in particular, has a reflective and sentimental sound to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the series. In fact, the blend of Mizuki and Kageyama's male vocals and piano accompaniment in parts of the song are highly reminiscent of Elton John's ballads. However, it isn't completely sappy and the chorus, in particular, has a more uplifting sound like many of JAM Project's ending themes for the series.
Summary
Clearly, this album is a solid commemoration of the Super Robot Taisen series' history. There are plenty of interesting vocal arrangements here, based off a range of iconic material, both well-known and obscure. Not all will enjoy Mizuki's cheesy vocals or the light-hearted rock stylings here, but they're not as bad as early vocal collections. In fact, this album serves as a nice bridge between the ancient mecha anime theme songs by Ichiro Mizuki and the more modern theme songs by JAM Project.
Chris Greening
Composition and Arrangement: Nobuhiko Nakayama (中山信彦)
Brass Arrangement: Haguregumo Nagamatsu
Trumpet: Isao Sakuma, Yuji Shimoda
Trombone: Haguregumo Nagamatsu
Saxophone: Fire Watanabe, Kazuhiro Takeda
2.
Composition: Shinichi Tanaka
Arrangement: Ryo Yonemitsu
Lyrics: Maiko Tanaka and Masahiro Koizumi
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki, Mitsuko Horie, Hironobu Kageyama, MIQ
All Computer Programming & Electric Guitar: Ryo Yonemitsu
Electric Guitar: Yoshio Nomura
Trumpet: Susumu Kazuhara, Motofumi Terashima
Trombone: Hiroki Sato
Saxophone: Makoto Hirahara
3.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Shohei Narabe (奈良部匠平)
Lyrics: Aki Nakano
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki and Hironobu Kageyama
All Keyboards & Computer Programming: Shohei Narabe (奈良部匠平)
Drums: Armin T. Linzbichler (アーミン・T・リンツビヒラ)
Electric Guitar: Koichi Korenaga
Trumpet: Koji Nishimura, Hitoshi Yokoyama
Trombone: Yoichi Murata, Masanori Hirohara
4.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Shingo jake Saito
Lyrics: Oh Sakai
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki
All Computer Programming & Acoustic Guitar: Shingo jake Saito
Electric Bass: Hideharu Soh
Trumpet: Osamu Ueishi
Strings: Gen Ittetsu Strings
5.
Composition: Takuya Hanaoka
Arrangement: Sanjuro Kashiwazaki (柏崎三十郎)
Brass Arrangement: Haguregumo Nagamatsu
Lyrics: Oh Sakai and Aki Nakano
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki
All Computer Programming: Sanjuro Kashiwazaki (柏崎三十郎)
Trumpet: Isao Sakuma
Trombone: Yuji Shimoda, Haguregumo Nagamatsu
Erhu (二胡): Cao Xuejing
6.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Ryo Yonemitsu
Lyrics: Oh Sakai
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki
All Computer Programming & Electric Guitar: Ryo Yonemitsu
Trumpet: Susumu Kazuhara, Motofumi Terashima
Trombone: Hiroki Sato
Saxophone: Makoto Hirahara
Chorus: Apple Pie (Kayoko Hirayama, Saeko Sugiyama)
7.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Shohei Narabe (奈良部匠平)
Lyrics: Michiaki Watanabe and ROBONATION Association
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki
All Keyboards & Computer Programming: Shohei Narabe (奈良部匠平)
Electric Guitar: Koichi Korenaga
Trumpet: Koji Nishimura, Hitoshi Yokoyama
Trombone: Yoichi Murata, Masanori Hirohara
Chorus: The Kinds (Watari Sasuga, Hiroshi Tsunemi, Hideki Waga, Ichiro Kono, Akihiro Yagasaki)
8.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Ryo Yonemitsu
Lyrics: Oh Sakai
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki and Hironobu Kageyama
All Computer Programming & Electric Guitar: Ryo Yonemitsu
Trumpet: Susumu Kazuhara, Motofumi Terashima
Trombone: Hiroki Sato
Saxophone: Makoto Hirahara
9.
Composition: Shinichi Tanaka
Assistant Composition: Masaaki Iizuka
Arrangement: Yasushi Sasamoto
Lyrics: Oh Sakai
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki, Mitsuko Horie, Hironobu Kageyama, MIQ
All Computer Programming & Electric Bass: Yasushi Sasamoto
Drums: Yutaka Watanabe
Electric Guitar: Jun Yamazaki
Trumpet: Eric Miyashiro, Koji Nishimura
Trombone: Fred Simmons, Masanori Hirohara
Saxophone: Akio Suzuki
10.
Composition: Naofumi Tsuruyama and Ichirou Mizuki
Arrangement: Kazuo Sato
Lyrics: Takanobu Terada
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki
All Computer Programming: Kazuo Sato
Strings: Gen Ittetsu Strings
Chorus: The Kinds (Watari Sasuga, Hiroshi Tsunemi, Hideki Waga, Ichiro Kono, Akihiro Yagasaki)
Chorus: Apple Pie (Kayoko Hirayama, Saeko Sugiyama)
Soprano Voice: REMI
11.
Composition and Arrangement: Kenichi Sudo
Lyrics: Ichirou Mizuki
Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki and Hironobu Kageyama
Guitar: Youichi Matsuo
Keyboard: Kenichi Sudo
Chorus: Masaaki Endoh, Hiroshi Kitadani, Yoshiki Fukuyama
Surprised Chorus: Mitsuko Horie, MIQ
12.
Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
Arrangement: Dr. Knob
| 1 | Super Robot Taisen ~Prologue~ |  | |
| 2 | Hot Wind! Fierce Wind! Psybuster | | |
| 3 | Soul of Steel | | |
| 4 | Senyuu yo ~Daini Aki~ | | |
| 5 | Ware ni Teki Nashi | | |
| 6 | Ryuko Amagake ~ Ware ni Teki Nashi | | |
| 7 | Courage in Hot Blood ~Robot Generation Song of Praise~ | | |
| 8 | War God of Steel | | |
| 9 | Exceeding the Time | | |
| 10 | Ark of Steel | | |
| 11 | Heart of steel | | |
| 12 | Soul of Steel Remix | |
