Overview

Continuing series' tradition, Sega hired girl band Mi to perform the opening and ending themes of the PlayStation 2's Shining Force EXA. While the songs were featured on the game's soundtrack release, they were also subject to a high-profile vocal single.

Body

The opening theme "World's Love" is exactly what one might expect from Mi. The thrashing guitar chords throughout give it a firm J-Rock sound; though this contrasts somewhat with the largely organic background music, it fits quite well with the opening animation and, more importantly, gives the track a mainstream draw. However, the highlight is the strong vocal performance by Maika, particularly during the chorus.

The ending theme "Same Sky" encourages gamers to recount their memories with a soft rock ballad. As might be expected from their experienced producer, the song is robustly structured and the chorus is particularly emotional. Like the opening theme, it's nothing particularly novel, but it's well-produced, well-performed, and fairly memorable. As a result, it should be fairly enjoyable and accessible to most fans of modern J-Pop.

The single also features "I Love Music VI", a recording of conversations and performances that captures the girls at their most enthusiastic. There is also an obligatory instrumental version of the opening theme, but not the closer.

Summary

"World's Love" and "Same Sky" are solid examples of J-Pop and are among the best theme songs for the Shining series. While they don't integrate particularly well with the instrumental music, they fit with the overall tone and audience of the game. Those that enjoyed the themes in the game might consider purchasing the single, especially given the full soundtrack is quite bland.