Yuki Kajiura

Anime, Reviews

Sword Art Online Music Collection: Limited Edition (Review)

February 18, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Sword Art Online Music Collection: Limited Edition (Review) Share this

It’s not often that soundtrack fans get something like the Sword Art Online Music Collection. The fact alone that it exists is something I am very thankful for. With the popularity of online streaming nowadays with sites like Crunchyroll and Netflix – we now have anime content available to us in record numbers. What I’m trying to say is that with this availability our need to purchase physical releases of the series themselves is decreasing.

However when it comes to getting our hands on the music for Sword Art Online in the past you had to buy it bundled with expensive import or domestic Blu-Ray sets. What you get in the Sword Art Online Music Collection is all of that exclusive musical content in one solid package. Read on to find out what I thought of this release, and my thoughts on the Blu-ray bonus disc included in the limited edition.
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Anime

Sword Art Online Music Collection Coming in January 2016

October 13, 2015 | Ryan Paquet | 4 Comments Share this

If you’re a fan of Sword Art Online and have always wanted to own the soundtracks to the series on CD you’re in luck! Right now that only way to buy the soundtrack was in very expensive bundles of the North American or Japanese Blu-rays of the TV series. That will change on January 27, 2016.

I noticed that an album titled Sword Art Online Music Collection was just recently added to the Video Game Music Database. The collection is a 4 CD set containing all of the music from both of the Sword Art Online TV series.

The collection was announced on the Sword Art Online website on October 4 confirmed that the set will contain all of the previous music released in the bundled Blu-Ray sets, with an additional 15 tracks of music bringing the track list to a whopping 131 tracks. There will also be a Limited Edition release of the album which contains an extra Blu-ray disc of the concert held in February 2015 Sword Art Online: Sing All the Overtures performed by Yuki Kajiura, Fiction Junction, and other artists.

The regular edition is priced at 3800 yen, and the limited edition is priced at 4500yen. Both albums are available for pre-order from various Japanese retailers including CD Japan. I will getting my pre-order in soon, are you a fan of the music in Sword Art Online?
Anime, Japanese

Anime Expo 2011: Kalafina in Concert

July 7, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this Anime Expo 2011: Kalafina in Concert

It’s been awhile since we covered the work of Kalafina. For those who don’t remember, the group is a trio of vocalists with none other than Yuki Kajiura as their music producer, and their beautiful harmonies and Gothic musical styling have made them a favorite of anime fans, as they’ve recording some very high profile opening and closing themes.

We were fortunate enough the see them perform live at the 20th Anime Expo this past weekend. They performed a small set at the intimate Club Nokia in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Our last look at Kalafina was at Anime Boston a couple years back, so join us as we get reacquainted. (more…)
Anime, Game Music, Reviews

So Much Better Late Than Never: A Night In Fantasia 2009 CD (Review)

March 29, 2010 | Wes Chung | 6 Comments Share this

Ever waited for something so long that you were sure it was just never going to arrive? Maybe when you were young and it was barely June and you already knew what you wanted for Christmas? This is pretty much how we felt after the Eminence Symphony Orchestra’s A Night In Fantasia 2009 back in September. As mentioned in our comprehensive report, a live CD recording was always in the works and the pre-orders flooded in. So many, in fact, that the staff of Eminence admitted that the original release date of December 8 would have to be put back. So we waited. And then it was remastering issues. Another delay. And then quite a bungle with the distribution. Teasers popped up around the net, such as the track list and even a snippet of a video from the bonus DVD. Fans were like kids rattling the boxes and speculating on the contents.

Just over six months after the concert, Christmas has finally arrived. In the spirit of giving, we’re going to say it outright: this was worth the wait. Read on to join us in discovering what Eminence has left us under the tree… (more…)
Anime, Game Music

The Renewal of Eminence: ‘A Night in Fantasia 2009’ Report

November 5, 2009 | Wes Chung | 4 Comments Share this

[Editor’s Note: We have a new name on the site today, and that’s Wes Chung from Australia. He was fortunately able to attend the recent A Night in Fantasia 2009 concert held by Eminence, and has a very lengthy (but ‘goody’) report of the show. Join us in welcoming him to the team, and enjoy his write-up!]

Just over a month ago, the aptly-named Eminence Symphony Orchestra returned to the stage in their hometown of Sydney, Australia, for a one-night-only performance of prominent anime and video game music. Having taken a two-year hiatus to work on studio projects such as Soul Calibur IV and the Blizzard arrangement album Echoes of War, the brainchild of concertmaster Hiroaki Yura had fans in a mild state of frenzy with anticipation. An unprecedented campaign, including radio giveaways and TV coverage, preceded one of the largest and most ambitious orchestral game and anime concerts ever, let alone little old Sydneytown.

So did Eminence live up to their name and deliver a performance worthy of their pioneering career? Read on to find out… (more…)
Anime, Japanese, Reviews

Kalafina’s Debut Album: Seventh Heaven (Review)

August 7, 2009 | Don Kotowski | 2 Comments Share this

For those of you who don’t know, Kalafina is one of Yuki Kajiura’s many vocal projects. Consisting of Keiko, Wakana, and Hikaru, of which the first two are also part of other Kajiura projects, such as FictionJunction. Kajiura’s style is definitely in a world of its own, featuring lyrics in a made-up language and a musical style that fuses rock, classical, and electronic elements. Their first full length album debuted in March and is entitled Seventh Heaven. Having already covered their debut performance in the United States at Anime Boston 2009 and having sat down and discussed their work, I figured it was time to tackle the album.

How do I find the album? You’ll just have to check out the writeup after the jump! (more…)
Anime, Game Music, Japanese

Anime Boston 2009: Interview with Kalafina and Yuki Kajiura

May 26, 2009 | Don Kotowski | 1 Comment Share this

So, did you think we let Kalafina get away without an interview after reading our coverage of their weekend concert at Anime Boston 2009 that went live this morning? Think again! Shortly after the concert and autograph session was over, OSV contributor Tommy Ciulla and I were fortunate to sit down with Yuki Kajiura and Kalafina to ask them some questions.

We delve a bit into Kajiura’s Xenosaga scores, some of her other projects, and into her musical direction. We also got to hear about Kalafina’s concert selection, their vocal style, and some of their favorite songs. You’ll hopefully find this informative, although I admit I was able to have a number of my own personal questions about the group answered.

Interested in hearing what they had to say? Check it out after the jump! (more…)