Hey! It's my review of the song collection from Chojin Sentai Jetman. Yeah, I may not be a fan of the series, but I do really enjoy the Kazuhiko Toyama music collection. The song collection...hmm...let's find out!
I briefly talked about the Chojin Sentai Jetman Complete Song Collection way back when in this post right here. It's about time that I elaborate on it!
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01. Chojin Sentai Jetman / Hironobu Kageyama
If you can talk shit about the Fiveman opening theme song and defend this one feverishly...I'm onto you...
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01. Chojin Sentai Jetman / Hironobu Kageyama
If you can talk shit about the Fiveman opening theme song and defend this one feverishly...I'm onto you...
It's repetitive, irritating, and energetic...a perfect children's show theme song! The only problem is that it belongs to the show that edgelords will call the gritty Super Sentai series that deals with *gasp* DEATH! Yeah, know your friggen audience, Toei.
Honestly, the only thing that I like about this theme song is the perfect maturity of Hironobu Kageyama's voice. He isn't chasing his rockstar past and he isn't doing that whine/yelp that he later adopted. Is it fair to say that this is his third most popular theme song ever? Right after CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA and...uhh...We Gotta Power? I'd agree with that statement...and this song falls conveniently right in the middle of those two chronologically.
As for whether or not I like this song? Nah, not really. It's really just too cheesy. Kageyama's vocals and the guitar bridge are cool, but this song's blandness just threw a wet blanket on every battle it played over.
02. Toki o kakete / Hironobu Kageyama
I can get behind this song, though.
02. Toki o kakete / Hironobu Kageyama
I can get behind this song, though.
I hate to jump ahead to the conclusion, but this is the only Jetman song I regularly listen to. Apparently it was in the running to be the series opening theme song.
I don't even know what I like about it so much...it's just so unique. So yeah, my favorite Jetman song is this random Kageyama track that doesn't get a Karaoke version or much in the way of recognition. Feh.
03. Honoo no Condor / Toshihide Wakamatsu
The Black Condor theme sung by Toshihide Wakamatsu. It's alright.
03. Honoo no Condor / Toshihide Wakamatsu
The Black Condor theme sung by Toshihide Wakamatsu. It's alright.
He's a decent singer and all, but where the hell is the sax solo? Talk about missed opportunities...
Meh, I know a lot of people like this one (and the character) for some reason, but I can't get past how it feels like they chose Survivor's Eye of the Tiger as the thing they wanted to very loosely emulate. Or am I the only one who hear's it?
Verdict: Eh...
04. Game janai n' da ze / Hironobu Kageyama
The lesser of the two non-mecha IN songs by Kageyema.
04. Game janai n' da ze / Hironobu Kageyama
The lesser of the two non-mecha IN songs by Kageyema.
This song is so generic that it's almost boring. Sure it's fast-paced and all...but it just doesn't really do much more than exist. Once again, I think this song is well-liked by plenty of people out there but I don't like it or Kageyama's random sound clips sprayed around.
The great irony behind this is that Jetman is one of the rare Super Sentai series that managed to have a game. Yeah...on Famicom. I'm sure you've emulated played it, though.
Unrelated...because I needed something awesome to cleanse my palette before we jump into the next one.
05. Oozora no chikai / Morinoki Jido Gasshodan
TERRIBLE.
05. Oozora no chikai / Morinoki Jido Gasshodan
TERRIBLE.
Boring music with 100% of the vocals provided by the Brat's Singing Union or whatever. Remember, this is your gritty Sentai series.
I think this was playing when Ryu visited his deceased girlfriend's grave.
06. Tori ni naro yo / Toshinao Fukushima, SHINES
Another incredibly and eye-wateringly boring song. Seriously. This song has a boring singer with probably the most generic music yet. Just slapping a bird/sky-themed title onto these songs don't make them relevant.
06. Tori ni naro yo / Toshinao Fukushima, SHINES
Another incredibly and eye-wateringly boring song. Seriously. This song has a boring singer with probably the most generic music yet. Just slapping a bird/sky-themed title onto these songs don't make them relevant.
I guess the only nice thing I can say is that as forgettable as it is, it isn't as bad as the previous song...
07. Kanashiki Grinam-hei / KAZZ TOYAMA
This song isn't all that bad. It feels like a throwback to the grunt songs of the 80s minus Koorogi '73. Series composer Kazuhiko Toyama actually sings this one. It works. I like it.
08. Aozora no aimasho / Sayuri Saito
This has to the be the blandest heroine theme song in Super Sentai. There are songs out there that I have a complete distaste for, but at least they make me feel something. This is nothing. Well, it's a four minute nap.
07. Kanashiki Grinam-hei / KAZZ TOYAMA
This song isn't all that bad. It feels like a throwback to the grunt songs of the 80s minus Koorogi '73. Series composer Kazuhiko Toyama actually sings this one. It works. I like it.
08. Aozora no aimasho / Sayuri Saito
This has to the be the blandest heroine theme song in Super Sentai. There are songs out there that I have a complete distaste for, but at least they make me feel something. This is nothing. Well, it's a four minute nap.
It isn't even Sayuri Saito's fault. I liked her Pteraranger song in Zyuranger. 😕
09. Jet Icarus muteki robo / Hironobu Kageyama
I'm trying my best to separate my dislike of the series and it's mecha, but having a lame theme song certainly doesn't help. Yeah, the Jet Icarus theme song gives us an underwhelming Kageyama performance (not his fault, this song just isn't his speed). Seriously, listen to this song and then go back and listen to his Fiverobo theme song. It's hard to call this one worthy. <From The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Song Perfect Collection~>
10. Kokoro wa Tamago / Hironobu Kageyama
...all things considered, this series has an undeniably perfect ending theme song.
09. Jet Icarus muteki robo / Hironobu Kageyama
I'm trying my best to separate my dislike of the series and it's mecha, but having a lame theme song certainly doesn't help. Yeah, the Jet Icarus theme song gives us an underwhelming Kageyama performance (not his fault, this song just isn't his speed). Seriously, listen to this song and then go back and listen to his Fiverobo theme song. It's hard to call this one worthy. <From The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Song Perfect Collection~>
10. Kokoro wa Tamago / Hironobu Kageyama
...all things considered, this series has an undeniably perfect ending theme song.
Famous Hironobu Kageyama pal and serial music thief Kenji Yamamoto is behind this song. His rampant pilfering has made me question whether this is a wholly original composition or some obscure track that the internet just hasn't discovered yet. It seems like everything unusually good he produced was stolen. This was stolen from this. etc.
Ignoring all of that and just focusing on the song, it's really hard to find a single fault with it. Kagayama? On point. There isn't a single thing out of place. For a series with such a bogus theme song, it's bizarre to have a perfect ending song.
You can see why I'm skeptical.
If any song in these series seems like it belongs, it's this one. For it to have a life outside of the series and even have a cover speaks volumes. I can't think of many Sentai ending theme songs that found such popularity.
11. Jet Garuda tori no robo / Hironobu Kageyama
I hate the mecha, but I kinda dig the song.
It may only be a smidge better, but I have to give this one props for not being as bland as the Icarus theme song. Really, they aren't that different... <From The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Song Perfect Collection~>
12. Youki na Ako-chan / Sayuri Uchida, Rika Kishida
What a weird, weird song.
11. Jet Garuda tori no robo / Hironobu Kageyama
I hate the mecha, but I kinda dig the song.
It may only be a smidge better, but I have to give this one props for not being as bland as the Icarus theme song. Really, they aren't that different... <From The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Song Perfect Collection~>
12. Youki na Ako-chan / Sayuri Uchida, Rika Kishida
What a weird, weird song.
OK, so we all know that this is the song from episode ten. You know, the one with Noodle Jigen. It's also fairly well-known that Sayuri Uchida and Rika Kishida are the singers for it. Did you know that Toshihide Wakamatsu composed the music, though?? Yeah, in very short order to boot! This little tune is literally 3/5th of the Jetman team.
There isn't much else to say about this little thirty-second jingle other than I'm hungry and broke...if only there were something filling and cheap out there...
13. Chojin Sentai Jetman [Original Karaoke]
14. Honoo no Condor [Original Karaoke]
15. Game janai n' daze [Original Karaoke]
16. Kanashiki Grinam-hei [Original Karaoke]
17. Jet Icarus muteki robo [Original Karaoke]
18. Kokoro wa Tamago [Original Karaoke]
19. Jet Garuda tori no robo [Original Karaoke]
20. Youki na Ako-chan [Original Karaoke]
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I've never liked the Jetman Song Collection, but this go-around was an extra miserable experience. The flaws just jumped out way more than they usually do. Like seriously...where is the sax solo in Gai's theme song???
13. Chojin Sentai Jetman [Original Karaoke]
14. Honoo no Condor [Original Karaoke]
15. Game janai n' daze [Original Karaoke]
16. Kanashiki Grinam-hei [Original Karaoke]
17. Jet Icarus muteki robo [Original Karaoke]
18. Kokoro wa Tamago [Original Karaoke]
19. Jet Garuda tori no robo [Original Karaoke]
20. Youki na Ako-chan [Original Karaoke]
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I've never liked the Jetman Song Collection, but this go-around was an extra miserable experience. The flaws just jumped out way more than they usually do. Like seriously...where is the sax solo in Gai's theme song???
Before you write this off as a hater hating, I implore you to check out Kazuhiko Toyama's music collection for this series. It's one of my favorites and actually does a fine job picking up the slack where the songs woefully fail this series. The Henshin theme music in particular is one of the best ever.
Overall...skip this stinky song collection.
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There is more to check out on my CD Collection page. I have an usual CD review coming up with a lot of familiar names. Hmmm...what could it be?
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There is more to check out on my CD Collection page. I have an usual CD review coming up with a lot of familiar names. Hmmm...what could it be?
Take care!
-CC
-CC
P.S. Hey............check out this guy. I guess things didn't work out with Kaori...
Previously...
Song Collection: Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop
The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Perfect Song Collection~
It's Been a Year, 'Bro! [One Year of Hasbro's Power Rangers]
Song Collection: Kosoku Sentai Turboranger
Previously...
Song Collection: Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop
The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Perfect Song Collection~
It's Been a Year, 'Bro! [One Year of Hasbro's Power Rangers]
Song Collection: Kosoku Sentai Turboranger
Toki o Kakete is the *only* song from the soundtrack I like and/or often listen to. And then *maybe* Condor's song, even though it's disappointing. Like you said, they missed the opportunity to have something more fitting for the character. (I know you hate him, but Hideaki Takatori's jazz band would definitely have written something more appropriate...if Jetman was made today.) But there is an instrumental of Condor's song on the BGM soundtrack that's much cooler sounding -- I likened it to a Thunderball-era piece of Bond music on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm still the only person who doesn't like the ED. The OP is too kid-friendly for the show Jetman is, and the ED is too sappy. The only time I've really liked the song is what's on the Kageyama Power Live '98 album. It sounds less canned and the background vocalists really help.
I had a reply written to your mecha post, but I discarded it because it turned into a "But I like that song!" and nobody wants that. But in it, I defended the Change Robo and Great Five songs, and said that one of the problems for you could be that those songs were when Kageyama had one foot in his Lazy past and one foot in his Anisong Prince Kage-chan future. By Fiveman's songs, he certainly had become the Kage-chan everyone knew and loved.
Speaking of which, I've always wondered what you thought about Lazy. I remember hearing their song Earth Ark and being like "This sounds cool! I gotta buy an album." And then I bought one and was surprised to find that most of their old output was Monkees-like sugar-coated boy-band stuff and that Kageyama's so young he sounds NOTHING like himself.
I actually enjoyed LAZY quite a bit. Dreamer is such an awesome track in particular. Corny as some of it was, I dig Kageyama's early solo stuff as well.
DeleteThat whole period of 1985-1988 all of his songs have that same sound. Like he's too far away from the mic or a cable isn't plugged all the way in somewhere. Like his songs from the Transformers Headmasters series or Saint Seiya's Soldier Dream. I always figured Columbia would bring people into their studio, but it sounds like Kageyama had his own preferred place. I'll get to those Sentai series someday...
I'm not the biggest DBZ fan, but I recommend checking out DBZ Hit Songs II. The entire thing is Hironobu Kageyama & Broadway. Pretty much all of the movie themes between 2-13 are a lot of fun as well. Some more than others...movie six was the best.