You might not recognize the name but this man is a legend in the anime musical composition scene.

This is a long, music appreciation post. Get something to drink.

SUSUMU HIRASAWA. Yes, those are actual gifs of him.

As of now he is 72 years old and still doing live shows and making music. He began composing professionally in 1972 and was a part of Mandrake, P-model and Kaku P-model. His musical preferences in doing so are electric guitars and synthesizers, though he has a wide range of musical skill sets.BTW this dude plays a lazer harp on live sets, pretty funky.
This isn't going to be A bio though, you can look at his wikipedia page after.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS POST

I compiled the songs of his that he has specifically made for anime OSTs. Ive curated the ones I think are the best in showing exactly why this man is so loved in anime circles. He was kind of the progenitor of making super Avant Garde music for the anime he was a part of. As an avid reader of psychology and philosophy he made efforts in incorporating those concepts into his body of music. Among his inspriations were people like Frank Herbert, Carl Jung, Hayao Kawai, Kenji Miyazawa, George Orwell, Wilhelm Reich, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Theodore Sturgeon, Nikola Tesla and Kurt Vonnegut.
On the conceptual side, incorporating ideas of psycho analysis, the Dao-dejing, Yin and Yang and heavy themes of Nature vs. Machine.

THE BIG QUESTION, WHY?

Hirasawa has a sound that is unlike anything I personally have ever heard in music. He uses instruments that are just so out of place and yet makes them work withing the means of the sound he creates.
Best example of this, in FORCES he's using bagpipes for the chorus track in an ELECTRONICA song. Like who TF thinks of that.

As such his songs are just so unique to only him. And incredibly they sound so good. Etherial, dream like, sometimes nightmarish. using clashing tones and transitions in a way that sounds like controlled chaos.
And other time like a melancholic and macabre soundscape. It is in a word, the truest form of sublime.

Also he does his own singing in them, that sultry voice of a tenor / alto is him and its the voice of an angel with a glorious falsetto. He also loves reverb, like a lot.

THE ANIME

The most famous of his works in anime is most obviously BERSERK 1997, etc. People who have seen that show know exactly what I am talking about.
Also having worked many times with Satoshi Kon, Susumu is featured prominently in many of his works specifically:
Paprika, Millenium actress and Paranoia Agent.

So finally lets begin, grab your best headphones (or not) an go on a journey. I'll give a little bit of interpretation and observation on each song.

BERSERK

This is going to be the largest bunch to get through, but it is the most Iconic and the most well known amongst those of us that have seen the older anime. I will ease you into this cus the best song gets hard core. I highly suggest watching this version over the others as it is not only the best adaptation, but also has a fantastic dub. Only covers the Golden age Arc.

BEHELIT

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A simple two piece soundscape, a plucked concert harp and wood pipe. Despite how down to earth the instrumentation is the feel of this piece give of an eerie almost otherworldly sensation. Usually played in tandem with Griffith and the eponymous behelit, its meant to set an eerie tone with anything that its associated with. Maybe even a little dread to spice things up a bit. This simple song does a lot of heavy lifting for the more subtle yet sinister aspects of the show.

GUTS THEME

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An interesting thing about Susumu, most of his music is in MDIDNow onto the song, Again very simple piano over synth string back drop, beautiful melody and Susumu singing the chorus. Much less overtly ominous compared to Behelit which is considered Griffiths theme for most people. However it's far more light but still melancholic, like a fantastic dream that you know is going to unfortunately end. Usually used in show for parts with great emotional emphasis, connection, or personal breakthroughs.

EARTH

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Profoundly uplifting sound. It's amazing to me how pleasant this track is despite the main instrumental being (synth) bagpipes. Not typically my favorite instrument; but Susumu somehow is able to make them transcend my parade stomping image of them. Probably the most overtly positive piece in the show, and is used in times of ease and relaxing or companionship. Becomes a sublime cascade in its second part.
BTW Femto is name dropped here, kinda foreshadowing the eclipse, and kinda putting a dour note on an otherwise upbeat track.

FORCES

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Again another song that uses (synth) bagpipes, but has an entirely different feel. The pace is set by a strange electronic percussive piece but this has a far greater punchy vibe to it. The orchestral background sets a more hectic vibe and when the pipes hit, it's like a spike of adrenaline. Very obviously a combat anthem; like I can see the guts killing 100 men scene while listening to this. Possibly my favorite piece of Susumu, and the most famous of his sound tracks aside from maybe guts theme. In show it was used in the more hectic combat scenes.
You really get the oomf of this song once the chorus sets in.

Additional listening

The 2016 remix version of, Forces, done by Susumu: Link hiddenShow very different fom OG.
Sign 1, from the ps2 video game, Berserk: Millenium Falcon Arc, Link hiddenShow
Sign 2, Link hiddenShow
Sign 3, Link hiddenShow

PAPRIKA

Many of you are familiar with the works of Sotoshi Kon. So it really should not be much surprise that the very dream like aspects of Susumu's music is a very good match for his movies. Especially when considering Susumu and Satoshi's shared interest in how reality is effected by our perceptions; Susumu was a prime choice for this movie. If you have never seen it, the best way to describe it is: doing detective work by investigating shared dreams. Huge inspiration for Inception.

PARADE

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The sound can only be described as a macabre circus from your most pleasant nightmare. The instruments are all an orchestral piece in the tone of circus performers but in a very off putting vibe. Its supposed to be nice and inviting and wrong. Get to the second part and the chaos gets to an even higher fever pitch.

THE GIRL IN BYAKKOYA

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Very similar thematic through lines from Parade. However a lot more synth vocaloids. Way more manic though. Less creepy and more lofty purely joyous vibes. Honestly if I had to describe it in a single phrase it would be a dreamscape paradise for robots. I don't even want to get into the instrumentals its mostly synth orchestral, and vocaloid choir. Second part gets even more vocaloids lol.

A DROP FILLED WITH MEMORIES

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Again a similar musical theme as the last two but this time it's much slower in progression. Kind of like a lullaby which is Fitting considering the subject matter of the movie. Its a moment of ease and contemplation compared to the crazy composition of the rest of the sound track In the movie its usage is in service to deep seated emotional breakthrough, a realization of things holding the lead characters back.

I suggest watching the Movie as most of the other works are ambient and scene context is kinda needed for full appreciation.

PARANOIA AGENT

Many people know of or have already seen this show as it's held up as an anime "horror" icon. I don't really think its all that scary myself TBH. However, I find the concept that it explores actually quite interesting. The exploration of the concept of mass hysteria in a sense. The idea of people using an urban legend as a means to escape the feelings and responsibilities of their adult lives. Like a viral version of Munchausen's syndrome, with the Shonen Bat becoming like a Tulpa for these people. Susumu's music here IMO kinda is a showcase of how crazy some these people have to be to allow something like this to have an effect on their reality, at least I believe that is the tone they are setting.

Dream Island Obsessional Park

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Explosive opening into what can only be explained as; what it feels to be cuckoo crazy. The opening for the show has the characters lined up in a manic state and the music def communicates exactly where they are at inside of their heads. The motif of the bird chirping just instantly bring insanity to mind here. And the cacophony of noise definitely reminds me of how people in such a state are very much secluded inside the noise of their heads.

White Hill - Maromi's Theme

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Used in the end of the show as like a release from the hectic sound of the rest of the track. In the show its used to highlight the moment all the characters are able to sleep soundly without a worry as the danger has past at this point. However there is still an edge to this lullaby, the terror that was so prevalent before was always a part of them. And it will always be a part of them, but it too is just sleeping just like them.

Condition Boy

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Vaguely industrial up beat and almost glitch hop. Might not suit many ppls tastes but I find the arrangement very interesting. It makes me think of trying to discern voices from white noise. Like how ghost chasers try to converse with spirits through radio stations cycling frequencies. When you consider that this song is used when characters retreat into their personal worlds it all makes sense as to how this track is used and why it sounds so eerie and hard to listen to (for some). Really makes me think of, Glitch Mob.

MILLENIUM ACTRESS

This is probably the least known and seen piece on this set. If you have never seen it, the movie is pretty enjoyable and quite wholesome. The gist is an aged actress recounting her memories through the lens of the acting roles she has played through out her life, and much is blurred together with her true personal memories. It's a movie I don't hear people talk about all that much despite it being a Sotoshi Kon film, probably b/c it serves as a call back to WW2 and post war film industry, an era that even anime audiences of the time would be unfamiliar with.

What's interesting about the movie is how the actress vicariously lives out her pursuit of love through the acting roles that were given to her through-out her life, thus the blending of memory.

RUN

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My personal favorite track from the movie, the one that best expresses Susumu's ethereal tone the best. Reminiscent of 90s 2000s trance techno scenes, its funny how appropriately nostalgic this song is considering the movie its self is a nostalgia piece for Japanese media from before that time. Lot's of energy here, as if to highlight this being the main leads favorite part of the story; her pursuit of love

CHIYOKO'S THEME (1,2,3)

Each rendition of this song is done at different parts of the main actresses life.
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Done when she is just a young girl, bright eyed and first beginning her acting career and a reason to start her life.
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Done in her midlife, when the world is more bleak and adult priorities begin to surface. Has a slower, more mature feeling as well as more streamlined compared to 1. Its more comprehensive but less vibrant.
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Done in her old age, it's much simpler almost heart breakingly so. All that wondrous music in the first two doesn't even register here anymore almost heart-breakingly so. It makes me miss the earlier renditions much like how the lead misses her youth. Makes me cry, because it such a beautiful concept.

ROTATION (LOTUS 2)

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And the outro of the movie leaves us with an appropriately somber tone overall. A goodbye to memories long gone and to those who were a part of this experience. While sad it still comes off as rather hopeful and momentously joyful, as if to say this really is not the end to this story.

NOTICE REPEAT

Watching these shows is really the only way that you are going to get full contextual appreciation for any of these tracks. If there was any specific song that you liked, PLEASE WATCH THE CORRESPONDING SHOW. It can't trully be fully appreciated without its visual counterpart.

WHAT QUESTS THIS POST IS AIMING FOR

- Recommending underrated anime and explaining why they are worth watching
in this case its the music
- general anime recomendations
again music
- New concept
musical showcase and artist introduction
- themed musical discussion
this music gets really REALLY funky.


And everyone, thank you for reading and listening.

This is a production of FЦПKYƬӨЩП


(P.S This took forever to finish, I'm so happy to be done with this)