Soundtracks

Those of you who have watched any drama or cartoon series would know that, regardless of the language, the soundtracks (either at the beginning or the end) can either contribute to or subtract from the appeal of a series. Bad/boring soundtracks just make you go blah and fast forward (or stop if it's at the end) to the actual story itself. Good soundtracks actually frame the series, setting a unique tone for it and together with the various images/animation from the trailer embeds itself firmly in one's psyche.

From then on, the music serves as a trigger for the synchronised flow of images and emotions that evocate the essence of that particular series. The backbone or theme if you will. And if the song is really catchy, that only adds to its allure. Below are two tracks that fit the bill in every way, though they are as different as night and day.

Panorama by Masaaki Fujioka. End theme from Gakuen Heaven.

Sweet, bordering on the Mush index but still tasteful imo. The real attraction here is in the words (though when translated, it does sound rather bad.)and more importantly in the singer himself. With a voice that is sweet, strong and mellow, this song comes to life. Which is really suitable for this very soft shonen-ai series. The mental image of the teddy bear floating down the stream underneath a canopy of fireworks blossoming in the night sky forever ingrained. And that voice.. ah.. sighs.

Panorama Lyrics.

Romaji version
kawasoi wo aruku haru no yuuhodou
kaze ni yureru yokogao nani omou no
tamani sabishisou ni kuchibiru kamu shigusa
boku wa itsudemo kimi dake matteiru

English Translation
Walking along the riverside, a springtime promenade
With your profile swaying in the wind, what are you thinking?
From time to time, you show that habit if biting your lip while looking so lonely
I'm always waiting, just for you

shiranai furi wo site boku wo umaku kawashite
mienai GARASU no kabe ni kakureteshimau
Pretending that you don't know, you deftly turn me aside
You end up hiding behind those invisible glass walls

yoru no PANORAMA boku no koto dake sagashite
jikan wo tomete nee warattekureyo
sotto kono mama uso de mo ii yo kamawanai
ASUFARUTO ni nokoru kimi to boku dake no kioku
The night panorama, search for only me
Stop the time and please smile for me
Gently like this, it doesn't matter if it's a lie, I don't care
It remains on the asphalt, this memory that's only ours

fumidasu yuuki boki ni attanara
sunao ni kono kimochi tsutaerareta kana
houkagou no kimi ga mabushisugiru kara
tojikometa koe koboresou ni naru
If I had the courage to move forward
would I be able to express my feelings honestly?
Because the after-school you is just too dazzling
my bottled up voice seems like it might overflow

kimi wa itsumo no mama aru hazu no nai TEREPASHII
hodoketemo inai kutsuhimo musubinaoshita
You're the same as always, with that telepathy you can't possibly have
you retie those shoelaces that aren't undone

sora wo miagete nijinda hoshi wo tsunaide
negai wo komete nee futarikiri de
marude maboroshi soredemo ii yo kamawanai
shingo ga kawaru made wa kimi wo boku dake ni misete
Looking up at the sky, and connecting the stars we grasped
Putting our wishes in it, just the two of us
It's like an illusion, but that doesn't matter, I don't mind
Before dawn breaks, show yourself only to me

yoru no PANORAMA boku no koto dake sagashite
jikan wo tomete nee warattekureyo
zutto kono mama yume demo ii yo kamawanai
"Mata ashita" no owari ni ashi wo tomete me wo tojita
The night panorama, search for only me
Stop the time, and please smile for me
Always just like this, it's okay even if it's a dream, I don't mind
After the "see you tomorrow", I stopped and closed my eyes

Shirushi by Can-goo Opening Song of Meine Liebe (My Love).

This upbeat, bouncy, jaunty song is totally different from Panorama but no less exceptional. The staccato background beat did take a little bit of getting use to, though it easily conveyed the image of one galloping across plains which is indeed how the trailer started.
This song is one helluva a ride from the start as it hurtles headlong to the end. Energetic and racy, this song elucrubates the idea of a journey taken replete with suspense and sizzling duels that climaxes nicely during the course of the song and ends on a most satisfying note. Which is weird I guess, the end song sung by the same singer was just so bleh. That means the allure here is really in the song itself. Enjoy.
The translation here is much better than Panorama's.

Shirushi Lyrics

Romaji lyrics
wasurerarenai kako ga arun deshou
demo wasuretai tsumi ga arun deshou
English Translation
I bet there's a past you can't forget
But I bet there are sins you want to forget

erandekita ashiato
keshisarenai ikita akashi
The footsteps you have chosen
Are uneraseable proof that you have lived

wasurerarenai koi ga arun deshou
demo wasuretai hito ga irun deshou
I bet there's a love you can't forget
But I bet there's a person you want to forget

karada ni nokoru kizuato
subete wo yurushita shirushi
The scars remaining on your body
Are proof that you forgave it all

kokoro dake ja ikirarenai kara
mogaite bakari ato dore kurai
naite naite mata nakeba ii no
yoru wo koete nichijou no hibi ni
nande mo nai kaoshite mata nigedashiteiku no
You can't live with your heart alone
Always struggling, crying and crying
How much longer must I cry
In the mundane days that pass the nights
I make a face as if nothing's wrong and escape again

ano hito wa kitto oboeteru
kioku no naka de atashi wa ikiteiru
That person surely remembers
That I live within memories

douse torimodosenai nara
mitasarenai tsuki wo daite
If I can't reclaim them no matter what
I'll embrace the moon that's never full

kowasu koto ga hajimari to iu nara
kagiri no mukou kore kara kitto
koete koete mata koeteike yo
"sayonara" to jibun de fusaideita
furimidashitatte ii yari naosun ja nakute
If destruction is said to be a beginning
From now on I'll surely
Pass and pass, surpassing my limits
With a "farewell" I stalled myself
It's alright to be disheveled, I won't redo it

kono michi no ikiteiku saki ni wa
deai datte wakare datte
fuete fuete mata fueteiku yo
kizamitsuketeikou ari no mama
kono yo ni umareta koto
itsuka hokoreru you ni
atashi wo hokoreru you ni...
In the living future of this path
Meetings and partings
Grow and grow and grow
Let's carve out the truth
That I was born in this world
So I can one day be proud of it
So I can one day be proud of myself...