It's time for a CD review...and for something a little bit different. I normally don't give full reviews for CDs outside of Tokusatsu, but this one is definitely worth examining. Not only are there a lot of familiar names here, but we're also getting that Columbia sound. It's enough for me to put my slight disdain for Transformers aside to finally pick this set up after years of procrastinating.
Yeah, I'm reviewing this 2003 CD set the day that it arrived in the mail...in 2020... Considering it was backordered for two months I may have gotten the last brand new copy available. You'd better give it a try now if you're interested...
Anyway, here's the review.
Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Theme Song Collection
COCX-32353~4
2003.08.20
DISC-1
01. TRANSFORMER / Satoko Shimonari [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer]
The opening theme song to the first Transformers series. Oh yeah--Full disclosure before we continue. I don't know shit about Transformers. I'm really using the booklet as a helpful guide as best as I can while describing what these songs are from.
This song has always been a favorite of mine. It's incredibly chill and one that ends up in a lot of random 80s anime theme song playlists that people put together for good reason. Part of it is probably out of curiosity (Can you believe Japan actually gave our toy commercial a dignified theme song?), but also that it's pretty solid. As far as mid-80s Columbia tracks go, this is a real gem.
02. Peace Again / Satoko Shimonari [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer]
For the ending song we get this somewhat creepy tune. I like it a lot because it's quite unique sounding, but I can't help but get a little skeeved by it's haunting sound.
The vocal version is great, but I tend to give this one more attention through the Karaoke version that I have through a different CD set (Yeah, this isn't my first Transformers CD set...maybe I'll get to that other one someday).
Great song. Minimal and creepy.
03. TRANSFORMER 2010 / Sho Hirose [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer 2010]
I love the energy of this one, but man it's hard for me to really say I really like it. It isn't bad, but I've never been a fan of jerky music when verses start up. It's a distracting trick.
Sho Hirose isn't bad in his yell-sing through the whole thing at least.
04. WHAT'S YOU / Sho Hirose [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer 2010]
Ah yeah. I actually used this song in a video if you can believe it. The Karaoke version that is... This vocal version is really, really bad. The music? Awesome. The singing is just frivolous. I intentionally picked this song for my review because it has an FM sound quality to it...and is from Transformers...
Music? Great. Vocals? Go away.
05. The Headmasters / Hironobu Kageyama [Transformer The Headmasters]
The first of our familiar voices. This is another song that has always just been around due to it being sung by Hironobu Kageyama. This is Maskman-era Kageyama, so it has that same reverb effect that he loved to have until they forced him to get real for Dragonball Z.
To be perfectly honest, this theme song is pretty generic. It isn't entirely exciting, but it's serviceable I suppose. Soldier Dream from Saint Seiya and Hikari Sentai Maskman are definitely two theme songs from the same era that utilize Kageyama way better.
06. Kimi wa Transformer / Hironobu Kageyama [Transformer The Headmasters]
Kinda more of the same with the ending song. It's a little catchier than the opening theme song, but it's also kinda tacky. We do get a little more emotion from KAGE, but this isn't much more than a watered-down Ai no soldier.
07. Chojin Master Force no theme / Toshiya Igarashi [Transformer Chojin Master Force]
Another familiar voice...it's Toshiya Igarashi. He sang a substantial chunk of the Kamen Rider Black song collection, but neither of the theme songs.
This time around he DOES sing a theme song...and boy is it lame. I legit thought I accidentally skipped a track, but nope. This is the lame ballad that brought this series in for every episode.
Man, I really wanted this to be cooler.
08. Moero! Transformer / Toshiya Igarashi [Transformer Chojin Master Force]
More of the same. It's quite lame, but at least it isn't as boring as the opening theme song. There is a nice guitar break to liven things up a bit...and the background singers give some nice dimension.
Other than that...bland. Igarashi sang a good portion of the songs in the song collection...I may have to check them out someday in hopes that something is interesting there.
09. Transformer V / Koji Kaya [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer V]
ANOTHER familiar voice. Koji Kaya sang a good number of songs from Chojinki Metalder, Chojuu Sentai Liveman and a singular song from Kosoku Sentai Turboranger. Yet...no theme songs. Is Transformers where Tokusatsu singers graduate to theme song performers?
Ehhhh this one has the energy, but really isn't a great song. Virtually every Tokusatsu song that Kaya is responsible is better than this. It's just too generic and the background singers hinder it. Considering this guy was the mecha singer for all of the Toku series he was in, you'd think Transformers would be a slam dunk.
10. Cybertron Banzai / Koorogi '73 [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer V]
Yet another familiar set of voices...Koorogi '73. They did countless Tokusatsu songs until they basically vanished by the 90s. I used to hold them in some esteem, but as I've been reviewing a lot of Sentai song collections I've found them more obnoxious than anything. They seem to be at their best when they're strictly doing background singing, but occasionally have a fun solo song.
This is not a fun solo song. This funky samba track...yeah, I guess it's fine as an ending theme song, but I guess this was beneath Koji Kaya to attempt. Eh, I don't hate it, but I really don't like it either.
11. Transformer Z no theme / Ichiro Mizuki [Tatakai! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Z]
OK, this...this is why I bought this set. Remember I mentioned that other Transformers CD set I own? Yeah, it has the full size Karaoke version of this song and a TV Size vocal version. No full size vocal version...and what kills me is that this song is easily one of my favorite anime theme songs...nay, one of my favorite Ichiro Mizuki songs.
Ichiro Mizuki is a legend. This would have been the same year that he made his return to Tokusatsu to drop song excellent songs on the Winspector Song Collection after being away for a few years. His voice was damn near perfect in the early 90s.
It's hard to describe such a well-crafted theme song. It just does everything right. The music is perfectly balanced and the singer is correct. It's a shame this was wasted on an OVA and not given to a full series.
12. Mirai no kimi e / Ichiro Mizuki [Tatakae! Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Z]
This isn't a bad ending theme song. It's a smidge generic, but Mizuki gives it some life. I can see other singers nailing this one as well, but it's nice to have a familiar voice sing it for us.
13. WAR WAR! STOP IT / Shitamachi Kyodai [Beast Wars ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Suddenly we've gone from 1990 to 1997...
This weird rap track is the theme song for Beast Wars. You know what...? I like it. It has a pretty smooth beat and the rapping is actually pretty competent. *Chuck Norris Thumbs Up.gif*
Yeah, I remember Beast Wars being a bad CG nightmare, but I really dig this opening theme song. It kinda gives me a little Pumps And A Bump vibe.
Definitely wasn't anticipating thinking about MC Hammer at all this week...
14. FOR THE DREAM / MICKEY [Beast Wars ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Hey Mickey! We know Mickey from her singing on various late 90s Super Sentai songs...including those weird "English" versions of the theme songs for a bunch of series.
I enjoy her Japanese singing a lot even if we didn't get much of it in Super Sentai, so this is a treat. She isn't as forceful as she is on those tracks, but I really enjoy this one. The beat is also a lot of fun. Yeah, I like this song as well.
I'm tempted to hunt the single down for this...
15. GET MY FUTURE / Cyber Nation Network [Beast Wars II ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
While this sounds more like an IN song, I can appreciate why it was chosen as the opening theme song. The singing isn't incredible, but it's fine. Yeah, this is a pretty cool song.
16. SUPER VOYAGER / Cyber Nation Network [Beast Wars II ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
More of the same for the second opening theme song. This isn't bad, but it really would've been nice if this differentiated itself just a little bit from GET MY FUTURE. The music is just a little more dense with random sounds. That's about it. It really just feels like they couldn't decided which song to make the theme when the answer should've been "neither".
Again, these two are pretty good...but they're not really opening theme song material.
17. Yume no irubasho / Jun Yoneya [Beast Wars II ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Ending theme song. I like this. It's very chill. It reminds me of a slightly softer version of Guyferd's theme song.
18. SPACE DREAMER ~Harukaru Beast Wars~ / COA [Beast Wars II ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~ Rio Convoy Kikiippatsu! (Gekijoban)]
Movie theme song for Beast Wars II and...
I know that voice. I know that voice.
Shushutto sanjooooooooooooooo
*shudder*
Well, this was an unpleasant surprise. Another Tokusatsu singer has entered the chat. This time around we have Hideaki Takatori of Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger fame. You know...the series that really killed a lot of my interest in Tokusatsu songs? Yeah. You're a sneaky one with that alias.
Beyond his lame vocals, this song is just weird...and not very good. This song is repetitive and really just doesn't go anywhere.
You thought you could trick me. Congrats...
19. MY SHOOTING STAR / COA [Beast Wars II ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~ Rio Convoy Kikiippatsu! (Gekijoban)]
Since I'm not totally biased, I'll be fair and say that this song isn't too bad. Signature Takatori voice squeaks aside, I really can't complain about this ending theme song.
DISC-2
01. Hajimari no uta / Seiji Katsu [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~ (Gekijoban)]
Another movie theme song. Not gonna lie...this sounds like it's from 1992, but the booklet says it's from 1998.
Ehhh this would only be bland if it really did come out in 1992, but since it didn't it's bland AND dated. I really don't have too much else to say unfortunately.
02. Hateshinai kono uchuu (SORA) e / Seiji Katsu [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~ (Gekijoban)]
This is the ending theme from the Beast Wars Metals movie. Really, THIS should have been the theme song. It isn't brilliant, but it certainly mops the floor with the actual OP. I *just* listened to Hajimari no uta and have basically forgotten how it goes. Like someone hit me with one of those Men In Black memory flash things.
03. Hello! Toughness / Seiji Katsu [Beast Wars ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~ Gekitotsu Beast Senshi (Gekijoban)]
Another Beast Wars movie theme...again by Seiji Katsu. I guess I should talk about what kind of singer Katsu is. OK. He does a bit of yell-singing, but he isn't bad.
This song has some life. It's easily the best of the three songs here by Katsu. I mean...by far. It's a little bit tacky, but I'll accept it. It's fun.
04. Love For Ever ~Kimi o mamoru tameni~ / M.C.R [Beast Wars Neo ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Alright, I've listened to this song twice and really can't make sense of it. This is the opening theme song to the Beast Wars Neo TV series.
There are times when this song is really good, and then it feels like the band goes on a break during the verses. I guess the fairest assessment I can make is that it's inconsistent? Really, it isn't a bad theme song, it just can't make up it's mind.
05. Te no naka no uchuu / Hitomi Yuuki [Beast Wars Neo ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
The ending theme song for Beast Wars Neo. It's a pretty standard ending song...chill and inoffensive. I like these type of songs, so I'm down. It's otherwise pretty anonymous.
06. Ano yume no kanata e / COA [Beast Wars Metals Convoy Dai Henshin! (Gekijoban)]
Oh Jesus... "COA" again...
I genuinely laughed when I heard the intro. It's this nice piano melody that is suddenly shattered by Takatori's honk-sing.
I really like this song! It's pretty smooth thanks to that bassline and is accented nicely by the piano and fake horns. Why is it that the movies are getting the better themes while the TV series tend to get the questionable ones?
07. WA!WA! Wonderland / COA [Beast Wars Metals Convoy Dai Henshin! (Gekijoban)]
I saw the title and I saw the singer and kinda winced as it approached. This is a less fun very of Robotack's Ii Janai. It's good, but definitely check out the way more fun Ii Janai.
Sorry, I legit stopped listening to this half way through to listen to a Robotack song... They are similar! Right down to the key change...
08. Tamashii no Evolution / Hironobu Kageyama [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Beast Wars Metals TV series theme song. The awesome song title lives up to the song. A slightly-past-his-prime Kageyama returns to drop this great rock track on us. This is the period where he started to get back to his rocker roots and adopted this warbly singing style that kinda sucks the emotion from his voice. It works here, but man...I miss his soul...
I would say that this is likely the most operatic theme song that Kageyama has ever done. It's more of an experience than a catchy little diddy to bring in the new cartoons this week.
Yeah, this is awesome. Not gonna lie.
09. Chitose no Soldier / Hironobu Kageyama [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
The second opening theme song for Beast Wars Metals. It's similar to the first, but isn't as good. For whatever reason, the vocals are just drown out quite a bit. Like Kageyama had a cold or something.
Another great rocker, but Tamashii no Evolution is really where it's at. Even if this song has the superior shredding...
10. Ba Bi Bu Be Beast Wars / Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki Endo & The Ba Bi Bu Be Bombers [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
The first ending song for Beast Wars Metals...and it features Masaaki Endo! Kotetsu Kyodai! Another Tokusatsu singer to add to the list!
......and this song is surprisingly terrible. I mean the title kinda gives that away, but man...the disappointment hurts. These two are usually rad together. Not to bring up Robotack again, but both of these guys sing GET HIGH! and that song is flippin' great.
11. HALLELUYAH / Hironobu Kageyama, Mitsuko Horie & The Ba Bi Bu Be Bombers [Beast Wars Metals ~Cho Seimeitai Transformer~]
Second ending song. Second boring ending song. Once again, the title kinda gave it away.
The biggest shock is the appearance of yet another Tokusatsu singer...Mitsuko Horie! Good lord. They really, really tried to get *everyone* didn't they?? Not gonna lie, though, she sounds horribly out of place here. It was nice to have her back a little while later for Gaoranger at least.
12. Honoo no Overdrive ~Car Robot Cybertron~ / Koji Wada [Transformer Car Robot]
Heh. I actually own the single for this for some reason. I really like this song...it really does a good job at bringing the point across that vehicles are back, baby! This is the theme song to the Car Robot / Transformers Robots In Disguise.
This is probably the most TV-Opening-Theme-sounding themes of all of the Transformers themes I think. It's structured in a way to make an easy cut for the TV Size version and it has that earworminess energy to make it stand out.
Did I catch the series? Nope. My good friend dug it when it was airing, though. He asked me to hunt down the J Trains for his birthday if that means anything to you...
13. Marionette / Mami Nishikaku [Transformer Car Robot]
A really good ending theme song. It's slick but has some really good energy. It verges on being generic, but goes hard on the key change early to keep it moving along.
14. TRANSFORMER -Dream Again- / PSYCHIC LOVER [Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Micron Densetsu]
The first opening theme song to Micron Densetsu / Transformers Armada.
I hate Psychic Lover. I truly do. I almost want to apologize to Hideaki Takatori for the berating. Yoffy is just...not a good singer. I know that's a royally unpopular opinion, but I really just think he sucks.
Oh yeah, these guys also assaulted my ears with their songs from Dekaranger, Boukenger and so on.
This song is mercifully OK. It's just...alright.
15. Never Ending Road / PSYCHIC LOVER [Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Micron Densetsu]
What it is with Psychic Lover and ending songs about roads?
The song is meh. It's great if it's 1987 and lame metal is your thing.
16. Transformer ~Kotetsu no yuuki~ / Hideaki Takatori [Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Micron Densetsu]
Dammit...I was so busy looking ahead for COA that I didn't even realize Takatori has a song under his real name... Tricked again!
This is the second opening theme song to Micron Densetsu / Armada.
Takatori is EXTRA annoying on this one. The squeaks and drops in his voice are just unbearable. No wonder Kamen Rider bailed to avex if this is the talent that Columbia was promoting...
This has way more of an ending song feel to it for some reason...I'm not sure why they deemed this worthy of an opening theme spot...
17. Don't Give Up!! / PSYCHIC LOVER [Cho Robot Seimeitai Transformer Micron Densetsu]
Ehhh...this is OK. It's the second and final ending song to this failed experiment of a song collection for Micron Densetsu / Armada.
Again, it's OK. I really hate how Columbia, to this day, puts this exact same beat under 90% of their songs. It's just so...tacky.
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OVERALL: This set is awesome. As I disclosed early in the post, I largely bought this for the theme songs from Transformer Z, but I'm always down for some new music that I otherwise would never check out. Looking closer, it was a great surprise to see so many familiar names on the roster. A whopping TEN artists made this new journey into Transformers songs worthwhile. I feel like the only singers they didn't manage to snag from the era were Takayuki Miyauchi, Akira Kushida and Shinichi Ishihara. Everyone else is basically accounted for...
The stand out new (to me) tracks were the first Beast Wars theme songs WAR WAR! STOP IT and For The Dream. I really dug both of them...and a lot of the other Beast Wars themes. They're definitely going to make the rotation.
This set might not have been a 100% winner, but it was way more good than bad. I definitely recommend this if you're like me and have heard every Tokusatsu song collection like a hundred times and wants something new.
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That's all for now. Check out the CD Collection page and continue to stay safe out there!
-CC
PREVIOUSLY...
The CD Collection--Gattai Tamashii ~Super Sentai Robot Song Perfect Collection~
The Toys That Made Us: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
It's Been a Year, 'Bro! [Hasbro Power Rangers]
