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So I’ve decided to cover every single OP/ED this season and provide some first impressions.  I will be doing the impressions in parts because new shows come in waves.  It also makes posts more manageable.  Impressions are in relative chronological order from when the show was aired.

For each OP/ED I will post a screenshot (if available) and provide a YouTube link for viewing, along with my impressions. I apologize for the picture quality, since it will vary from blurry to crystal clear.  This turned out be more time consuming than I expected, but I always find it fun to look through OP/EDs, even of shows I’m not watching.

Kanashimi Rensa – MARIA

The blog has been quiet the last week, so here’s my bit to try and bring the activity level back up.

One of the first Jpop groups I ever listened to was all-girl pop-rock band ZONE, and I was immediately hooked.  There’s just something about girls and rock instruments that is instantly appealing.  Although ZONE broke up in 2005, I still haven’t shaken my taste for all-girl bands, most recently listening to spiritual successors like EU PHORIA and SCANDAL.

However, the best and most direct descendent of ZONE is the band MARIA, which is actually fronted by a former ZONE member.  The resemblance is almost uncanny in song styling, although MARIA is more in line with later ZONE material, where the focus shifted to a one or two vocalist rather than the whole group.

Even though I didn’t watch Valkyria Chronicles (I chose to follow episodic blog posts), I sought out the second OP to see what MARIA dished up.  I was appeased, but not blown away.

Katayoku no Tori (One-Winged Bird) – Akiko Shikata

I really liked the OP for Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, enough that I watched half of the series before dropping it due to boredom.  Although I didn’t plan on watching Umineko, I wanted to check out its OP.  Although somewhat different than Higurashi, it provides the same great music.

The best opening of the summer season so far, in my opinion, is Akino Arai’s “Mitsu no Yoake” (Honeyed Dawn) for Spice and Wolf II. While I loved the show’s first season, I didn’t find its OP all that great. The second season, while maintaining the magic of the first season, has also done a great job upgrading the opening theme. Once I discovered Arai was performing the OP this season, I was excited. She did not disappoint.

Get The Door [SINGLE] by Oohashi Rie

Delayed for weeks, I bring you the opening theme of Queen’s Blade -Rurou no Senshi- which aired along with the others in Spring 2009. It is sung by Oohashi Rie who seems to have only performed one song so far.