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Incredible Bass Playing In Anime

#41
KevInDaBassment said:
Plenty of Japanese "grown @$$ [men]" (and women) enjoy anime...It's just a medium for telling a story, nothing to be ashamed of if you enjoy it lol. I get the stigma though, the shame is naysayers can't see it for what it is :meh:

Ok, enough of my social commentary....here's a couple I'll toss in :bassist:

Chatmonchy - Just Between Us (Kuragehime OP)


Houkago Tea Time - Don't Say Lazy (K-On! Season 1 ED)
Not the most complicated bassline, but sounds cool and the song is great.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the epic playlist in K-On.
"My love is like a stapler" has to be the best title ever.
 
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#45
Lots of the best punk oriented bass players alive right now are Japanese, IMO. I think it's cultural, but even the punk players in Japan know their theory. The chord changes tend to use fairly functional harmony most of the time as well, as opposed to moving around power chords. I'm transcribing a Japanese punk bass line at the moment, and one thing that's sticking out to me is that the player isn't relying on pentatonics like the vast majority of western rock players, but rather he's thinking in terms of 7 note scales. Just some random observations.
 
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#46
DuluthDank said:
Lots of the best punk oriented bass players alive right now are Japanese, IMO. I think it's cultural, but even the punk players in Japan know their theory. The chord changes tend to use fairly functional harmony most of the time as well, as opposed to moving around power chords. I'm transcribing a Japanese punk bass line at the moment, and one thing that's sticking out to me is that the player isn't relying on pentatonics like the vast majority of western rock players, but rather he's thinking in terms of 7 note scales. Just some random observations.
Click to expand...
I have noticed that as well. Blues modes aren't as common in their rock. If anything, I kinda like that because it makes their rock more unique. The downside is the abuse of "happy" choruses. They seem to like major gear shifts in music that have styles collide with each other in a way western audiences don't go for. I like Band Maid because their writing feels very "western" to me, without being too moody.

There is something to be said for a culture that actually supports musicians and going to music school isn't looked at as a Plan B.
 
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#47
KevInDaBassment said:
Plenty of Japanese "grown @$$ [men]" (and women) enjoy anime...It's just a medium for telling a story, nothing to be ashamed of if you enjoy it lol. I get the stigma though, the shame is naysayers can't see it for what it is :meh:
Click to expand...
If you spend enough time around anime, LNs, and Manga you realize that it is written to a lower standard. I'm a very literate guy, so I can pick apart things and pin point the projected audience age. There are a few rare gems that hit above their weight. The prose may not be super complex but there are some wonderful ideas hidden in there. Then there are others that are literally jiggle fests that are as dumb as the day is long. Sometimes some mindless entertainment to zone out to is nice.
I think where the stigma comes from is that Japanese culture is extremely different from American culture. Things they find funny are illegal in most places. Nudity and sex are nothing in these stories, except if you call someone by their first name, or hold their hand. THAT'S too steamy.
For the most part I keep it to myself. I thought some of these bass lines needed to be shared. Some of these Japanese bass players shred. It is a shame there is almost no market for Japanese bands in the US.
 
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#50
Real talk, Japanese pop/rock bands are what really got me hooked on bass. My main bass is even a signature for the bassist from Dir en grey (sensational bass).

Since we talked L'arc en ciel, this track has absurd bass playing and tone. There's even a bass solo, come on. I think if you compare it to American pop and rock it sounds EXTREMELY busy, but I love the high energy of everybody playing their asses off.
 
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#51
There's this little gem during the Chimera Ant arc of Hunter x Hunter 2011. Very beautiful bass playing. Yoshihisa Hirano composed and played everything.

On a sidenote I may add that to me Hunter x Hunter may be the best nekketsu ever realeased. It's a mindblowing story with clever writing and well built characters from beginning to end.

 
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#52
jfiver said:
+1 for the Seatbelts, but no links? Lemme rectify that:

Click to expand...


Looking forward to some time with headphones and this thread! I don't watch much screen-bassed stuff at all, much less anime, although my son and his wife are deeply into it. But some of this music has caught my attention, and here's the first anime music that grabbed my ear, while researching the sound a Sadowsky fretless M24:

 
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#53
socialleper said:
If you spend enough time around anime, LNs, and Manga you realize that it is written to a lower standard.
Click to expand...
I disagree......for example Tabata, who does Black Clover (Manga and Series), must have a Humanities degree or something, because the backstory and character development is all very detailed and some bits are based on not very well known actual historical facts and obscure classical mythology, pulled from many many geographical locations, not just Japan.....I often learn tidbits here and there that I never heard about in college and a quick fact check usually always shows to be correct
 
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#55
socialleper said:
If you spend enough time around anime, LNs, and Manga you realize that it is written to a lower standard. I'm a very literate guy, so I can pick apart things and pin point the projected audience age.
Click to expand...

Going to assume the English translations are what's being referenced. The translation/localization teams stateside are often attempting the quickest or cheapest translations, with regard for source material being quite the afterthought. If that's what you're getting at then yes, quality of English translations and dubs have plummeted over the past decade for certain.


socialleper said:
The prose may not be super complex but there are some wonderful ideas hidden in there. Then there are others that are literally jiggle fests that are as dumb as the day is long. Sometimes some mindless entertainment to zone out to is nice.
Click to expand...

That's modern media for ya lol. The connotation of "Anime" as a category is problematic, as that's lumping in a massive disparity of style and intent simply based on country of origin. Western media is basically the same if we just called it all "Live-Action Video".


socialleper said:
I think where the stigma comes from is that Japanese culture is extremely different from American culture. Things they find funny are illegal in most places. Nudity and sex are nothing in these stories, except if you call someone by their first name, or hold their hand. THAT'S too steamy.
Click to expand...

Yeah...to be fair, American culture is quite odd to the rest of the world too. We freak out over top-side female nudity, yet excessive violence is a-ok lol. Funny enough, publishing "Below the belt" nudity in any form is actually illegal in Japan. As in, even their published/distributed 18+ content can't have full-frontal in it, by law. Go figure on that one :confused:

However, part of the cultural subtext for the other thing (sex vs hand-holding) is the difference between private and public perceptions for them. Many folks here are fine walking naked in their home, but wouldn't go to the street corner in their underwear. Just as a rough similarity for example. Worth mentioning is that what we find racy or risque, seems so absurd it's hilarious to them. Like you said...very different cultures lol.


I get the trepidation though, like I said it's just disheartening when foreigners ask why Americans are like that and I can only shrug lol. True that, the music is killer :bassist:
 
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#56
Rib 13 said:
I disagree......for example Tabata, who does Black Clover (Manga and Series), must have a Humanities degree or something, because the backstory and character development is all very detailed and some bits are based on not very well known actual historical facts and obscure classical mythology, pulled from many many geographical locations, not just Japan.....I often learn tidbits here and there that I never heard about in college and a quick fact check usually always shows to be correct
Click to expand...

Yup, an excellent example ^

The category of "anime" is so broad, plus just like with American television, the lowest common denominator is going to be the most popular and well-received. So when bringing anime stateside, they're going to import what's easiest to chew on and market. Likewise with music, you can't just go off of what's on top 40 charts.

And not to sound like I'm being self-righteous, but the marketing to younger folks only happens because most middle-to-older Americans still view it as either kids cartoons or adult content.
 
#58
Rib 13 said:
I disagree......for example Tabata, who does Black Clover (Manga and Series), must have a Humanities degree or something, because the backstory and character development is all very detailed and some bits are based on not very well known actual historical facts and obscure classical mythology, pulled from many many geographical locations, not just Japan.....I often learn tidbits here and there that I never heard about in college and a quick fact check usually always shows to be correct
Click to expand...
Once in a while someone can name an outlier. Ghost In The Shell is very heady, and so is Monogatari. But the vast majority of the market is aimed at a YA audience.
 

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