Thread: musical cliche in cyberpunk anime? (can you help me?)

Grumble Grumble Grumble

Now are you really being specific enough with the topic at hand??? In Anime, Cyberpunk is itself divided into to major sub-genre... You have 'Action' Cyberpunk series, (with the definitive example being 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'...) and you have 'Hardcore' Cyberpunk. (with the definitive example being 'Serial Experiment Lain'...) Action Cyberpunk has more action/combat background music, while hardcore Cyberpunk, (with a greater emphasis on what is the meaning of experience) has more of a trend for spookier music...

thnx for the reply
sorry if i am being naive but is it possible to discuss the two sub-genres within the same thread? also do you think you could elaborate on what you mean by 'action/combat background music' and 'spookier music' i think i understand what your saying its just for research purposes it helps to state the obvious (e.g. do they use guitars?)

Grumble Grumble Grumble

'Action' Cyberpunk series almost always use a 'Hard Rock' sound track...
Significant 'Action' series (if you want to sample the genre) include... 'Ghost in the Shell', 'Megazone 23' (both of these are said to be influential in the development of the 'Matrix' movie trilogy). Bubblegum Crisis (and its remake, Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040), 'Burst Angel'...

'Hard-Core' Cyberpunk (which are closer to the original 'Neuromancer' Novel that defined the original Sci-Fi Cyberpunk genre) tend towards using instrumental music. Significant entries include... 'Key the Metal Idol', 'Serial Experiment Lain', 'Ergo Proxy', 'Texhnolyz' and the unlicensed in Region 1 'Kaiba' and 'Denou Coil'

kool that's usefull. bubblegum crisis was a fun one when i did some of my preliminary research
you talked about ghost in the shell and the matrix what do you feel are the significant differences between the soundtracks of those two movies?

so in terms of the two subgenre's do you feel like 'action' is more geared towards real instruments (guitars, drums etc.) and has a bigger western influence whereas 'hardcore' has a greater predilection toward synthesizers and processed sound? also are their any example's of a crossover?

further more do think it a fair assessment to say that in hardcore cyberpunk ambient music is often a significant influence?

Well, I suppose if you're referring to Action Cyberpunk, I immediately think GITS (because how big it is). However, which installment are we talking about? The music from the two movies is greatly different than the music in SAC. I really like how the motion pictures have a different feel to them, mainly due to the music. There's more of an orchestral feeling in the motion picture soundtracks, whereas SAC has a more electronic/hard-rock feel to it. Bubblegum Crisis was about in the same area as GITS:SAC.

insight both into he movies and the series is of use to me. in fact the contrast between television and film is an area i might look into more any thought?