Favorite Anime Songs #04 - 5 Centimeters Per Second: a chain of short stories about their distance - One More Time, One More Chance

This movie is probably my favorite of all anime movies I've seen.  The movie, "5 Centimeters Per Second," is about two childhood friends who develop a strong bond and fall in love with each other but as time passes, they drift further away due to circumstances beyond their control.  The movie is split into three parts as it shows the progression of which their drifting away has affected both of them, in particular, the boy, Takaki.  Normally, when one thinks Japanese anime movies, one thinks of Hayao Miyazaki, but I can't imagine any Miyazaki being better than this one.  I have yet to see all of them, but this movie really got to me.  Even though we form bonds with those around us, we do drift further away at "5 centimeters per second."  The ending song for this movie is done by Masayoshi Yamazaki entitled "One More Time, One More Chance."  It's a fitting title with the theme of this movie and with life in general as we always wish to have one more time and one more chance to reconnect with those around us.  It's aptly named and a great choice to put at the end.  I'd say to definitely watch this movie if you can.  Last time I checked, this movie was incredibly expensive to buy, but I would definitely want to get this movie if I can.

English lyrics to "One More Time, One More Chance"

Favorite Gaming Music #34: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Vampire Killer (Rock version)

I'll be honest and say that I haven't beaten many Castlevania games.  If anything, they're not until at the very least in the Saturn/Playstation generation.  Just because I've only beaten a handful of these games, it does not mean that I don't recognize Vampire Killer from Castlevania.  If I remember correctly, it's the first stage music in Castlevania.  As iconic as the original theme is, I can't help but jam to the Saturn rock version of the song.  I just myself nodding to it as if in acknowledgement that this version is dope.  If there's one thing about the Saturn version of the game, it's that the Playstation doesn't have the Goth or Rock version of Vampire Killer.  (This is to my knowledge.)  Eventually, I'll try to find some time and grind out some Castlevania games to finish.  Until then, I'll just keep listening to this theme.

Favorite Anime Songs #03 - Hayate no Gotoku!! - Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis/Cruel Angel's Thesis (by Shizuka Itō)

Shizuka Itō is quite possibly my voice actor at the moment.  It's to the point that I'm looking at what future anime series she's in and watching them based on her alone.  In "Hayate no Gotoku!!," she does the voice of my favorite character in the series, Hinagiku Katsura.  In one particular part of the anime, she gets to sing "Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis" which is most famously the theme song of "Neon Genesis Evangelion."  Surprisingly, she does a better version than the original and it is clearly my favorite version by far.  It's not like the original version is bad, it's just this version is SOOOOOOOOO much better.  I can't stop listening to this song enough and it is currently my most played songs on iTunes.  It's soooooo good!  So many things came together to make this song, my favorite voice actress and my favorite character from "Hayate no Gotoku!!," I can't praise this enough.

Favorite Gaming Music #33: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - Rainbow Road

Of all the versions of Mario Kart, this is probably the one I'm the best at.  I've put a lot of time into this game.  It just so happens that when I was listening to the various versions of Rainbow Road that played throughout the years, this happens to be my favorite of them all.  I've had a lot of memories playing this game with friends.  Rainbow Road was always a disaster for them as they were so prone to falling into space.  Despite the stages being so long, I would lap them often.  Is it the best Mario Kart game overall?  It's between this and the SNES version for me, but that doesn't change the fact that this version of Rainbow Road gameplay and music is the best for me.

Favorite Anime Songs #02 - The World God Only Knows/Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai - Love Call (by Nao Tōyama)

I only watched through this series over the Christmas break because somebody suggested it.  I can't believe I missed this series initially.  The World God Only Knows follows main character, Keima Katsuragi, an otaku who does not get himself involved in real life and focuses only on playing his dating sim games.  One day, he unknowingly accepts an agreement to capture runaway souls with a demon named Elsie.  To capture these souls, he has to extract them from the hearts of girls.  Using his dating sim knowledge, he uses love as the means of extraction.  I fell in love with this series mostly at the Kanon Nakagawa arc.  The girls are an interesting lot with each having their own reason for the gaps in their hearts.  It got me to read the manga and I'm totally into it.  The reason I liked "Love Call" is that it fit the anime episode nicely.  The song is done by Nao Touyama, who does the voice acting for Kanon Nakagawa, in the series.  It's such a lovely voice and the song itself is very emotional.  With the way the Kanon anime arc ended, it left me all tingly.

Favorite Gaming Music #32: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday

Although it may be the least favorite game to me in the Metal Gear Solid series (it's still a good game regardless), it has the best ending theme possibly.  It's unfortunate that the singer, Carla White, died five years due to cancer.  She does a wonderful rendition of "Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday" that nobody can possibly match ever.  According to the Metal Gear wiki, it was conducted and played by Felix Farrar Orchestra.  If there's one thing you can never fault the Metal Gear Solid series for, it's the music.  They put a ton of work into the music employing composers such as Harry Gregson-Williams.  In my opinion, if there's any song that stands out from the Metal Gear Solid 2 soundtrack, it has to be this one.

Favorite Anime Songs #01 - Bakemonogatari ED - Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari (by Supercell)

This is quite possibly one of my favorite OP/ED songs of all time in any anime.  The Bakemonogatari episode in which it plays fit the episode perfectly.  The series itself is weird as it centers around Koyomi Araragi and the girls around him.  It is a series that takes some getting used to, but it's personally one of my favorite anime series out there.  I'd say that it's a bit more tame than its successor Nisemonogatari.  Both are worth watching.  As for this song, "Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari" is one of my most played songs on my iPod/iTunes playlist.  That should be some indicator of how much I love it as the number of plays is in the triple digits.