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Her Queerness Takes A Path Unlike Anything You've Seen: a Haruhi Suzumiya FST
Her queerness takes a path unlike anything you've seen…
The purpose of this FST is quite simple: to capture the complete audiological, tautological, eschatological, ontological, melancholic experience of being a bored high school girl at the center of the universe. Anyone familiar with the anime series in question knows that it defies categorization, and to explain the series is to spoil it. If you have no interest in ordinary humans, and if perchance you might be an alien, a time traveller, a slider, or an ESPer, please: listen to this FST.
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maypirate, with much ♥
1. Cibo Matto, Sci Fi Wasabi
Video-game cyberpunk electronica with havily accented girl-pop rap. This is a really fun, seemingly random song, but it asks a question central to Haruhi's entire life: where's your identity? A celebration of individuality, complete with references to Obi Wan Kenobi and broadway. This is the flagship song for the soundtrack because I feel that musically, this is the perfect anchor directly into Haruhi Id.
2. No Doubt, New
Everyone knows the No Doubt ska sound. This song chosen because it really fits both the delicious newness of Haruhi… who's ever seen an anime character like her before?… and it also fits so well with her desires, what she hungers for out of life. Technically, Haruhi fits the tsundere prototype, but it's almost insulting to apply that term to her, because her personality simply cannot be boiled down to the Genshiken definition of "girl who starts out mean and then suddenly turns sweet and lovey dovey."
3. Third Eye Blind, Darwin
Mellow, but with some of that modern clanging pop sound that flows well out from a No Doubt lead-in. Aliens and Darwinism mixed together; this is a song that is simultaneously bleak, fun, and interesting. I have no idea whether Haruhi would like the song itself; the sentiment fits her totally.
4. Vinylshakerz, Luv in Japan
I've always enjoyed the song Big in Japan by Alphaville (the group that did Forever Young, an 80s staple). This is a modern cut taking the melody from Alphaville's original, made it even more dance-queer wonderful, pumping up the backbeat and giving it an extra shiny digital sheen, and then adding a completely new vocal over it. The vocal is fairly unremarkable, but catchy. and although this sexed up version is actually less darkly sexy than the Alphaville original, it's considerably more fun. Haruhi might do a dance routine to music like this.
5. Beat Crusaders, Hit in the USA (opening song from the anime Beck)
Another upbeat danceable, singable song, with the awesome English lyrics done with seriously thick, unapologetically Japanese accents on the vocal. This song is just a fun little bit that takes in Haruhi's pretentions but also her basic good grace, because although she wants a lot of excitement out of her life, in the end her desires are, comfortingly, human and banal.
6. Tomoyasu Hotei, Russian Roulette
You might recognize Tomoyasu's name as being that of a contributor to the Kill Bill OST, with the kickass song Battle Without Honor or Humanity, justly famous as battle music which can fit just about any dramatic mood. This is a far less well known track, and actually kind of reminds me of the delicious cheesiness of Digimon battle music. Like the previous few songs, this is upbeat and makes no pretentions to making some profound message about Haruhi's personality (although Kyon might say that being around her is probably not unlike playing a game of Russian Roulette). It's just FUN and happy and kind of reminds me of a musical curriculum vitae.
7. Ben Lee, Cigarettes Will Kill You
Here's my shout out to Kyon, and all the grief Haruhi gives him. Although it's true that he and Haruhi share a profound bond of trust, it would not be possible if he were not such a perfect foil to her charmingly obvious machinations. Penalty!
8. Harry, Imagination
Imagination is the driving force of Haruhi's life, and it's pretty much what she's trying to extract from Kyon. I don't think her wish is as simple as wanting him to love her: she wants a true partner in crime, someone who is on the same quest for wonder in life that she is. And this slick, smoky little song is just plain easy on the ears.
9. Ninian Hawick, Scottish Rite Temple Stomp
What's Haruhi about in this song is not in the lyrics, but rather in the inventive, quirky, one-of-a-kind musical style of this extremely chipper, oddly addictive track. It fits her perfectly: I think THIS is the kind of music she might enjoy.
10. Weezer, Island in the Sun
Here's my song to fit the alleged theme of this disk, which is that of the Remote Island Syndrome, fitting the two-part series of episodes related to the same. This is a lazy vacation song, fitting Haruhi's raison d'etre and reminding me of the scene on the cliff. You know.
11. Sinead Lohan, No Mermaid
Ultimately, Haruhi will bend to no human who tries to bring her down. I've always found this beautifully melodic song to be a powerful anthem of courage and individuality, and there's never been (in my mind) a character that fits this song better.
The purpose of this FST is quite simple: to capture the complete audiological, tautological, eschatological, ontological, melancholic experience of being a bored high school girl at the center of the universe. Anyone familiar with the anime series in question knows that it defies categorization, and to explain the series is to spoil it. If you have no interest in ordinary humans, and if perchance you might be an alien, a time traveller, a slider, or an ESPer, please: listen to this FST.
For
maypirate, with much ♥1. Cibo Matto, Sci Fi Wasabi
Video-game cyberpunk electronica with havily accented girl-pop rap. This is a really fun, seemingly random song, but it asks a question central to Haruhi's entire life: where's your identity? A celebration of individuality, complete with references to Obi Wan Kenobi and broadway. This is the flagship song for the soundtrack because I feel that musically, this is the perfect anchor directly into Haruhi Id.
2. No Doubt, New
Everyone knows the No Doubt ska sound. This song chosen because it really fits both the delicious newness of Haruhi… who's ever seen an anime character like her before?… and it also fits so well with her desires, what she hungers for out of life. Technically, Haruhi fits the tsundere prototype, but it's almost insulting to apply that term to her, because her personality simply cannot be boiled down to the Genshiken definition of "girl who starts out mean and then suddenly turns sweet and lovey dovey."
3. Third Eye Blind, Darwin
Mellow, but with some of that modern clanging pop sound that flows well out from a No Doubt lead-in. Aliens and Darwinism mixed together; this is a song that is simultaneously bleak, fun, and interesting. I have no idea whether Haruhi would like the song itself; the sentiment fits her totally.
4. Vinylshakerz, Luv in Japan
I've always enjoyed the song Big in Japan by Alphaville (the group that did Forever Young, an 80s staple). This is a modern cut taking the melody from Alphaville's original, made it even more dance-queer wonderful, pumping up the backbeat and giving it an extra shiny digital sheen, and then adding a completely new vocal over it. The vocal is fairly unremarkable, but catchy. and although this sexed up version is actually less darkly sexy than the Alphaville original, it's considerably more fun. Haruhi might do a dance routine to music like this.
5. Beat Crusaders, Hit in the USA (opening song from the anime Beck)
Another upbeat danceable, singable song, with the awesome English lyrics done with seriously thick, unapologetically Japanese accents on the vocal. This song is just a fun little bit that takes in Haruhi's pretentions but also her basic good grace, because although she wants a lot of excitement out of her life, in the end her desires are, comfortingly, human and banal.
6. Tomoyasu Hotei, Russian Roulette
You might recognize Tomoyasu's name as being that of a contributor to the Kill Bill OST, with the kickass song Battle Without Honor or Humanity, justly famous as battle music which can fit just about any dramatic mood. This is a far less well known track, and actually kind of reminds me of the delicious cheesiness of Digimon battle music. Like the previous few songs, this is upbeat and makes no pretentions to making some profound message about Haruhi's personality (although Kyon might say that being around her is probably not unlike playing a game of Russian Roulette). It's just FUN and happy and kind of reminds me of a musical curriculum vitae.
7. Ben Lee, Cigarettes Will Kill You
Here's my shout out to Kyon, and all the grief Haruhi gives him. Although it's true that he and Haruhi share a profound bond of trust, it would not be possible if he were not such a perfect foil to her charmingly obvious machinations. Penalty!
8. Harry, Imagination
Imagination is the driving force of Haruhi's life, and it's pretty much what she's trying to extract from Kyon. I don't think her wish is as simple as wanting him to love her: she wants a true partner in crime, someone who is on the same quest for wonder in life that she is. And this slick, smoky little song is just plain easy on the ears.
9. Ninian Hawick, Scottish Rite Temple Stomp
What's Haruhi about in this song is not in the lyrics, but rather in the inventive, quirky, one-of-a-kind musical style of this extremely chipper, oddly addictive track. It fits her perfectly: I think THIS is the kind of music she might enjoy.
10. Weezer, Island in the Sun
Here's my song to fit the alleged theme of this disk, which is that of the Remote Island Syndrome, fitting the two-part series of episodes related to the same. This is a lazy vacation song, fitting Haruhi's raison d'etre and reminding me of the scene on the cliff. You know.
11. Sinead Lohan, No Mermaid
Ultimately, Haruhi will bend to no human who tries to bring her down. I've always found this beautifully melodic song to be a powerful anthem of courage and individuality, and there's never been (in my mind) a character that fits this song better.