Forum - View topicEnka in anime/anime with enka & other oriental styles
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Kusanagi_Kei
 Posts: 230 |
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For those who do not know what enka is, read in the Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enka Discussion #1. I'm a fan of enka, my favorite Enka singer is Fuji Ayako. Around 2 years ago, I've bought and watched Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran, and I enjoyed that. But can anyone recommend anymore anime that has their entire soundtrack composed in enka style (i.e. something similar to Tsukikage Ran)? I'm not asking what anime titles have little snippets of enka in them, i.e. not something like Ah! My Goddess (TV) where Urd falls asleep to enka, nor anything like a character in a series singing a small enka song during a joke, etc. I neither want recommendations where the anime has like one or two theme or image songs in them that are enka. I want anime that features enka as its original soundtrack and maybe the theme of the anime as well. Can anyone suggest any? Discussion #2. Also... I was about to make a separate thread on this in the Music section, but I didn't want to separate things and maybe trigger a thread-move to the anime section. Hence, I'd like to know whether people know if any seiyuu sing enka. I know this is a rare thing. But does anyone know of any seiyuu who sings enka? Or, can anyone name any theme/image songs in anime sung by seiyuu that are enka? A little fun thing I found (for me and other Oneechan fans), was whilst listening to the Otaku no Video original soundtrack, I heard in one of the image songs (Otaku Youth Grafitti), Inoue Kikuko singing a little bit of enka (for like 10 seconds). Being a huge Kikuko fan myself, I was very happy, and would like to hear more of her sing Enka! (But we all know that's not going to happen) 
Thanks in advance for any replies/recommendations or ideas. Last edited by Kusanagi_Kei on Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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abunai
Old Regular
 Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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I have a feeling you might find this article interesting:
The burning of men: masculinities and the nation in Japanese popular song in: ROBERSON, James E. & Nobue SUZUKI (eds.): Men and Masculinities in Contemporary Japan: Dislocating the Salaryman Doxa, pp. 77-90 (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies Series) It's a study of the gender rôles and national symbols used by male and female enka singers. Several other articles in that collection are also interesting reading, and I highly recommend it. - abunai |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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I read what is available of the sample in Amazon, and it was indeed a good read. It reminded me of the dozens of research papers I had to read back in my psychology degree. Especially the standardised methods/procedures for studies and analyses. That chapter did highlight the fact that enka is primarily listened to by the older generation, and I knew that of course, however that just emphasizes how "outstanding" I am to the rest of the social group. Since I'm only 22, I find myself to be one of the few minority who do listen to enka, because I have introduced enka to several people aged between 16-21, and they didn't find a liking towards enka at all. It kind of makes me feel my mental age is a lot higher than my chronical age, (which I think it is) Ouch 
Over the years, listening to lots of Chinese (golden) oldies music, a lot of them do mimic and/or convert their versions of existing enka songs, esp. Teresa Teng among the many, and several other Cantonese singers which have converted enka songs over to their Cantonese counterparts. In fact, what got me liking enka was that I had been listening to Chinese oldies/classics (especially with instruments; er-hu and pi-pa, which the Japanese mirrored with their kyoku and koto, respectively) and had grown fond of them, until finding out not long ago, that many of their styles and melodies were counterparts or conversions of enka. The several pages was a good read, of what was available for free sampling. Thanks. 
On with the main topic at hand: anybody got suggestions for enka in anime, or seiyuu singing enka? |
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Fui
 Posts: 339 |
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Hopefully you watched the New Years Kohaku Uta-Gassen special that plays on JP television New Years Eve unless you were at a party or something. It's something that my family watches while eating soba (tradition) annually, although I happened to miss it this year. They have a lot of enka artists that sing there, although I think each year it's less and less. That's live television though, not anime.
The only Enka-related songs in anime I can think of are the ones from Samurai Champloo (the blind lady they travel with for a short time). I preferred the Okinawan traditional music featured, however (Iku Megumi - It Can Obtain Bearing). It's similar to Enka but different, but you might like it. I can't find the version without the dialogue though. As you already know, you are in the extreme minority to take a liking to enka in this community and age group. I was exposed to it at an early age (grandma listened to it and some family members karaoked to it) but didn't take a liking to it personally. I'm glad that you take an interest in traditional Japanese music, since Japan's "old" culture is diminishing rapidly. |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9903 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Nana Mizuki once tried to become an enka singer before becoming a seiyuu. Basically she was raised with enka. |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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Yes, likewise I was exposed to enka (or at least its Chinese versions/variations) when I was a little child too. And no, I didn't and cannot catch any of the exclusive broadcasts in Japan, as I live in the UK, and cannot understand Japanese either. Sometimes, when I find some enka music, I play them to my parents, and ask them whether this song is the original of any Chinese version they've listened to. 
They then say: "of course, it must be some original of what we heard in the past, since the Chinese do copy and/or take Japanese music and change them a bit here and there anyway". Hahaha. I like hear them saying that, because it is indeed true.
So does Samurai Champloo feature a (soundtrack) style that is similar to the (not necessarily exactly enka) traditional/oriental feel (not? Because I was quite interested in buying Samurai Champloo in the beginning, and if the latter is true then it gives me more of a reason to buy it. EDIT:
Wow, I've heard several of Mizuki's performances in anime, but never would've thought that she could've been an enka singer. Thanks dormcat. |
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Fui
Posts: 339 |
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No, unfortunately it does not. It just has an episode where they travel with a lady who performs some enka songs (like two songs). The theme of the anime is hip-hop, so it's quite different from traditional stuff as you can imagine. I recommend the traditional Okinawan song I mentioned before though (Iku Megumi - It Can Obtain Bearing). It is an important song in the series, but unfortunately does not show up on the OST. Perhaps they were afraid to release a traditional-sounding song and decided to stick with pop/hip-hop/BGMs. You will probably be hard-pressed to find any OSTs with enka/traditional music, seeing that most animes are geared toward younger audiences. |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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Ah, I figured that at the start, but got a little diverted by wishful thinking just now. Oh well, that's cool. A little of enka is better than none of it. *sigh* |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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I'd like to expand the thread a little more, by asking on a similar basis like enka, if people know of anime which has music with the traditional/oriental touch to it.
E.g. I love the music from Ai Yori Aoshi, it uses a combination of stringed instruments as well as the koto, which brings out a loving oriental tune. Partly for this, and the way the synthesizers are used, I am big fan of Masuda Toshio's compositions. Also something like Juuni Kokki, where Ryou Kunihiko uses a very distinct Chinese sounding background in his score, using the kyoku, and the pi-pa. I believe that this anime has the most unique oriental soundtrack of all anime yet. I also already know that Naruto has a little oriental touch to its soundtrack, but I don't want to watch Naruto. So besides the above anime, does anybody have any recommendations of anime having oriental/traditional style (or enka) scores, based on what I've commented above? |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 9903 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Kita e has er-hu as its main theme (insert) instrument. Very calming and mellow. Another title using er-hu as the main instrument is the OP of Hi no Tori, performed by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. The music of Arjuna has a distinctive aboriginal feeling, although I have difficulties trying to identify which kind of ethnic music it belongs.
Also written by Ryou Kunihiko, Mizu no Madoromi, the ED theme of Fantastic Children, also has strong oriental melodies. |
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Gauss
 Posts: 519 Location: Finland |
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Phantom Quest Corp had some Enka in the opening theme.
Ninja Boy Rantaro has a song called Oh! Enka, but unfortunately it's Enka only in a very loose sense of the word. More of a light-hearted riff on Enka than anything. Unfortunately those are the only shows that comes to mind. BTW Mizu no Madoromi is, I think, more slavic than oriental (though not the stereotypical broody slavic music). |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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To dormcat:
Thanks, but it's a shame I'll have to wait for the DVDs until I watch them, except for Arjuna which I show no interest in, which by the way I believe to be named after the Indian folklore (girl) Arise Arjuna. I recently took a look into Hi no Tori before, when CDJapan sent me newsmail regarding Touma Yumi's future releases, but I only took a gaze on the cast list and story, but not yet on the music, until now. I made a browse around on Hi no Tori, and listened to some BGM samples. All I can say is the music is brilliant, I don't own many anime titles that feature an orchestral classical soundtrack. I hope AnimeWorks releases it soon (along with a good cast best from California's studios too). To Gauss: Checked out Phantom Quest Corp. and I'm going to buy that soon. Thanks. |
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Gauss
Posts: 519 Location: Finland |
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I'm kinda bonking my head on the keyboard because I really should have remembered this. The ending song for Gokusen is pure Enka. The name of the song is Onore Michi and it's sung by Yashiro Aki.
You might also want to check out the Lady Snowblood OST. I know it's a live-action movie but it was at least based on a manga. As far as I can tell all the vocals are enka and sung by Meiko Kaji. |
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Kusanagi_Kei
Posts: 230 |
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Hehe, yes, I've listened to that song before, and yes it is obvious it's enka. Thanks still.
Alright. I'll check it out a little. Although, I am looking for anime titles which feature enka, and not really much about non-anime/vocals alone, because I could easily order dozens of enka CDs from CDJapan.  But hey, thanks for the suggestions.
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mrgazpacho
Posts: 316 Location: Australia |
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There is a made-for-TV movie called Nitaboh which focuses on the quest of a blind boy to learn how to play the shamisen. I bought the DVD at the Tokyo Anime Fair last year but haven't watched it because it's unsubbed and I haven't gathered up the stamina yet 
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