This is a list of albums for the anime OVA series Macross Plus . The series has been described as needing "an extremely strong score to support the plot about the rise of a popular singing idol who turns out to be a computer generated Artificial Intelligence". [1] This is none other than Sharon Apple, whose music itself is featured in the series. There are four albums: two soundtracks and two albums featuring the songs of Sharon Apple. All four albums were first released in Japan beginning in October 1994 up through November 1995. Macross Plus Soundtrack and Macross Plus Soundtrack II have also been released in the United States by AnimeTrax.
Macross Plus features the work of renowned Japanese musician and composer Yoko Kanno. While Please Save My Earth was the first anime series that she composed for, her work on Macross Plus has tended to overshadow the former. Kanno's Macross Plus compositions have been described as seeming "to be written in a far future or a distant galaxy," yet still retain their listener appeal. [2] Kanno has stated that several of the songs such as "SANTI-U" and "Pulse" do not feature actual languages, but rather sound like them. She has also described Macross Plus executive director Shoji Kawamori as not being very detailed when it came to musical instruction. [3]
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | October 21, 1994 1995 [4] |
Recorded | 1993-1994 |
Genre | Anime soundtrack |
Length | 52:27 |
Label | |
Producer | Shiro Sasaki |
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack is the first soundtrack for the OVA series and the sole soundtrack on which vocalist Mai Yamane makes an appearance. It features three vocal tracks. "After, in the Dark" which is sung by Yamane is the ending theme song for episodes 1 through 3. "Voices", which recurs throughout the series, is sung by Akino Arai, the singing voice for the character Myung Fang Lone; its main melody [5] is based on Sicilienne, featured in the Pelléas et Mélisande by Gabriel Fauré.[ citation needed ] It is the second ending theme song, appearing on episode 4, and is also the ending theme song for Macross Plus: Movie Edition , the theatrical version of Macross Plus, which was released on August 27, 1995. "SANTI-U" by Gabriela Robin is one of Sharon Apple's songs. Members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra were also involved in the production, and part of the album was recorded in Tel Aviv. The album cover features a CG of one of Sharon Apple's logos.
Track name | Artist | Length | |
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1. | National Anthem of Macross | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 2:56 |
2. | Fly Up in the Air ~ Tension | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 6:17 |
3. | After, in the Dark / Torch Song | Mai Yamane | 9:00 |
4. | Myung Theme | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 5:01 |
5. | Bees and Honey | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 1:41 |
6. | In Captivity | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 2:46 |
7. | More Than 3 cm | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 4:28 |
8. | Voices | Akino Arai | 3:54 |
9. | Break Out ~ Cantabile | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 6:11 |
10. | Very Little Wishes | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 2:29 |
11. | SANTI-U | Gabriela Robin | 7:13 |
Sharon Apple: The Cream P-U-F | |
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Studio album | |
Released | February 22, 1995 |
Recorded | 1994 |
Genre | Anime soundtrack |
Length | 26:15 |
Label | Victor |
Producer | Shiro Sasaki |
Sharon Apple: The Cream P-U-F (「MACROSS PLUS」~ザ・クリーム・パフ) is a mini album featuring four Sharon Apple songs. It was only released in Japan.
Track name | Artist | Length | |
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1. | Information High | Music/Arranged: CMJK, Lyrics: DAI & KEN=GO, Performance: Melodie Sexton | 8:04 |
2. | Idol Talk | Music/Arranged: Yoko Kanno, Lyrics: Gabriela Robin & Akino Arai | 5:40 |
3. | The Borderline | Music/Arranged: Yoko Kanno, Lyrics: Gabriela Robin | 5:16 |
4. | SANTI-U | Music/Arranged: Yoko Kanno, Lyrics: Gabriela Robin | 7:10 |
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack II | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | July 21, 1995 November 1995 [4] |
Recorded | 1994 |
Genre | Anime soundtrack |
Length | 49:51 |
Label | |
Producer | Shiro Sasaki |
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack II is the second soundtrack for the OVA series. "Idol Talk" by Akino Arai is the opening theme song for episode 2, while "Pulse" by Mongolian artist Wuyontana is the opening theme song for episode 4, marking her only solo appearance. She appears alongside Arai, Gabriela Robin, and Koko Komine as the Raiché Coutev Sisters, who perform A Sai Ën. The album cover features a CG of one of Sharon Apple's logos.
Track name | Artist | Length | |
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1. | Idol Talk | Akino Arai | 5:38 |
2. | Jade | 3:27 | |
3. | Nomad Soul | 2:56 | |
4. | Welcome to Sparefish | 2:51 | |
5. | Go Ri A Te | 3:55 | |
6. | Let's News | 0:26 | |
7. | Pulse | Wuyontana | 5:19 |
8. | 3 cm | 4:14 | |
9. | Voices (Acoustic Version) | Akino Arai | 4:09 |
10. | Pu Qua O | 3:18 | |
11. | Sweet Feather | 2:15 | |
12. | A Sai Ën | Raiché Coutev Sisters | 1:18 |
13. | Bad Dog | 3:52 | |
14. | Child Myung | 3:01 | |
15. | Coma | 2:38 |
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack Plus - for fans only | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | November 22, 1995 |
Recorded | 1994-1995 |
Genre | Anime soundtrack |
Length | 47:59 |
Label | |
Producer | Shiro Sasaki |
Macross Plus Original Soundtrack Plus - for fans only features instrumentals and alternate versions of vocals not featured in the first two original soundtracks. It also includes music from Macross Plus: Movie Edition , the theatrical version of Macross Plus, which was released on August 27, 1995. The a cappella version of "Voices" by Akino Arai is the opening theme song for episode 1. Members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Czech Philharmonic Orchestra were involved in the production, with some of the recordings being done in Tel Aviv and Prague. Like The Cream P-U-F, for fans only was only released in Japan.
Track name | Artist | Length | |
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1. | Welcome to Sparefish | 2:53 | |
2. | Fly Up in the Air | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 2:58 |
3. | Idol Talk | Akino Arai | 5:01 |
4. | Tepee | 4:04 | |
5. | Nomad Soul (Piano Version) | 1:39 | |
6. | Break Out | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 3:03 |
7. | Cantabile | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 3:17 |
8. | Myung Theme (Cello Version) | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | 5:41 |
9. | Wanna Be An Angel | Akino Arai | 5:36 |
10. | SANTI-U | Gabriela Robin | 5:09 |
11. | Torch Song | Gabriela Robin | 2:39 |
12. | Dogfight | Czech Philharmonic Orchestra | 4:06 |
13. | Voices (A Capella Version) | Akino Arai | 2:15 |
Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the human race after the year 1999, as well as the history of humanoid civilization in the Milky Way. It consists of four TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel, and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West Advertising, in addition to 40 video games set in the Macross universe, two crossover games, and a wide variety of physical merchandise.
Yoko Kanno is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer best known for her work on the soundtracks of anime series, television series, live-action films, video games, and advertisements. She was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. She has written scores for Cowboy Bebop and its live-action adaptation, Darker than Black, Macross Plus, Turn A Gundam, The Vision of Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf's Rain, Kids on the Slope,Genesis of Aquarion and Terror in Resonance, and has worked with the directors Hirokazu Kore-eda, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Shinichirō Watanabe and Shōji Kawamori. Kanno has composed music for pop artists Maaya Sakamoto and Kyōko Koizumi. She is also a keyboardist, and is the frontwoman for the Seatbelts, who perform many of Kanno's compositions and soundtracks.
Macross Plus is a four-episode anime OVA and theatrical movie in the Macross series. It was the first sequel to the original Macross television series that took place in the official timeline. Plus was a groundbreaking combination of traditional cel and computer-generated animation at the time of its release, paving the way for the incorporation of more computer-generated imagery in Japanese animation.
Akino Arai is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist for various anime theme songs and shows, including Record of Lodoss War, Please Save My Earth, Macross Plus, Outlaw Star, Kaze no Stigma, Maoyu, and Aria The Origination.
Shinichirō Watanabe is a Japanese anime television and film director, best known for directing the critically acclaimed and commercially successful anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. An auteur of the industry, Watanabe's work is characterized by evocative uses of music, mature themes, and the incorporation of multiple genres.
Macross Zero is an anime prequel OVA to The Super Dimension Fortress Macross released for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Macross franchise during 2002 in Japan. It was created and directed by Shoji Kawamori and produced by Satelight.
Seatbelts is a Japanese band led by composer and instrumentalist Yoko Kanno. An international ensemble comprising both a stable lineup of musicians and various collaborators, the band was assembled by Kanno in 1998 to perform the soundtrack music for the Cowboy Bebop anime series. Their repertoire covered and blended many different genres, mainly jazz, but also a wide variety of rock, electronica, funk, blues, orchestral pop and other styles of genres.
The Raiché Coutev Sisters were a small female vocal choir that performed exclusively for the soundtracks of Yoko Kanno.
Magical Princess Minky Momo is a Japanese magical-girl anime franchise by Ashi Productions. The original series ran between 1982 and 1983 on TV Tokyo and inspired three OVAs between 1985 and 1987. A second television series, titled Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hold on to Your Dreams, ran on NTV between 1991 and 1992, and like the original, it spawned home video follow-ups. A third Momo series began in 2004, this time as a manga known as Miracle Dream Minky Momo in Shogakukan's Shōgaku Ninensei magazine.
Macross Frontier is a Japanese anime television series and the third Japanese anime television series set in the Macross universe. It was broadcast on MBS from April 4, 2008 to September 26, 2008.
Akino Kawamitsu, better known by her stage name AKINO, is an American-born Japanese pop singer, from Utah and Mesa, Arizona.
The music for the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was primarily composed by Yoko Kanno and produced by Victor Entertainment. Soundtracks were also produced for the two OVA films, The Laughing Man and Individual Eleven, and the TV film Solid State Society.
Aquarion Evol is the sequel to the 2005 anime series Genesis of Aquarion. It was originally announced on February 25, 2011, by the production staff. It aired on TV Tokyo from January to June, 2012 and its premiere featured an hour-long special that combined the first two episodes in a single broadcast. Funimation has licensed the anime in North America.
Kids on the Slope is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Kodama. It was serialized in the manga magazine Monthly Flowers from 2007 to 2012, and was published as ten tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. The series follows Kaoru Nishimi, an introverted high school student who discovers jazz music through his friendship with his delinquent classmate Sentarō Kawabuchi.
Rio Okano, also known as Rionos, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, music producer, and voice actress. She has provided the music for anime, video games and other singers. The name "Rionos" is derived from the nickname "Rio no Suke" that her friend called her.
The manga series Kids on the Slope and its anime and live-action film adaptations have had various soundtracks and compilations released around them. The music for the series draws from jazz music of the early- to mid-20th century, and prominently features American jazz artists such as Art Blakey and Bill Evans.
The action anime Darker than Black features music composed by Yoko Kanno who created one soundtrack. Kanno was approached by director Tensai Okamura in regards to ideas about detective stories-like scenario to fit the atmosphere. For the sequel, Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor, Kanno was replaced by Yasushi Ishii who described his music as a battlefield.