BD/DVD: Kalafina “9+ONE” at Tokyo International Forum Hall A [Release: Nov 1st]

Going to sleep is the first thing that comes to mind when I think Blaze, that's for sure. Zzzzzz.
 
I actually enjoy “blaze” now. And that Kajiuran bridge gives me so much life. I look forward to hearing YURIKO KAIDA’s part whenever that song comes on. “Light your sole way...” is also a nice touch about this seemingly generic anisong.

Lately I’ve been giving “believe” more and more respect. I just love how the song opens up with the strings.... and I’ve already mentioned the mysterious tone of the song from the beginning up to the chorus, which is reminiscent of how Kalafina started with the identity of its singers shrouded in mystery.

I don’t know why we’re so quick to blame Kajiura for “creating shit songs”. We truly are spoiled as Kalafans. I’m just grateful that Kajiura is keeping up with all their LIVE performances and arrangements and on top of that still creating new material for us to enjoy through the voices of WAKANA, KEIKO, and HIKARU. Although all of our musical tastes cannot be satisfied, she certainly has a way of making everyone enjoy AT THE VERY LEAST one Kalafina song out of their entire discography, for which I am grateful. The truth of the matter is, I’m going to be a Kalafina fan until the very end. This flame will never die, because so much great history has already been created. No matter what the “new material” will become, Kalafina will always be Kalafina, no matter how much their voices may have changed. People change, let alone a GROUP OF THREE GIRLS. Let’s be happy that after ten years the three of them STILL WANT TO BE TOGETHER and not disband and embark on their solo careers for the sake of us Kalafans.
 
I think it's mostly just due to the fact that we know Kajiura can do better, and is still proving that with b-sides and whatnot. If anyone's truly to blame for some of the stuff she's putting out, it's the producers, directors etc. that she's working with on series themes and tie-ins. It's not even anything new, their a-sides have usually been weaker than anything else they've put out since the days of Seventh Heaven, with songs like Hikari no Senritsu, Kimi no Gin no Niwa and Alleluia being the rare exceptions to that rule.

It's not as if this is unique to Kalafina either, I can probably count the amount of bands who have yet to release a shit song in their career on one hand. Many don't even recover from it and spiral downwards into uninteresting mediocrity which they pump out for years, I've given up on so many bands over the years because they just kept putting out lacklustre material until I couldn't care less any more. If Kalafina were that bad I wouldn't be here any more, because why would I waste time following a band I no longer enjoy? That'd just be stupid and pointless. But those bands who I once paid attention to and no longer follow? I still enjoy their older works, because guess what, they're still great. Nothing will change how an old album sounds just because newer stuff is different or worse or better or whatnot, each release stands as it's own individual part of a band's career, just as a film or a book or a game stands alone as a separate entity for their respective creators.

But hey, Kalafina are still putting out good material. Far on the Water was a pretty alright album, and replacing HB and Believe with KnGnN and Alleluia is effective enough to make it a good album for me. Their b-sides have always been decent over the last few years, Natsu no Asa, Yasashii Uta, Koibito etc. are all examples of the same Kalafina I know and love, plus ItW/Marchen and HR are both solid singles throughout, so I'm happy with them and hopeful for whatever they release next. As long as they keep doing this, I'll keep loving them, following them, and considering myself a current fan of theirs.
 
At the very least this Kalafina era actually shows improvement than their fotw era. itw/marchen are good, not the level of great but still quite enjoyable. blaze is questionable as it's one of the songs that i don't enjoy listening but still finding myself humming to it sometimes. the whole HR single isn't bad too. songs wise Kajiura is actually doing okay this year compared to 2014-2015. my biggest concern lies on the girls, especially Hikaru. she just sounded really unpleasant to my ears, almost the same level as Lisa but not on that level yet. hopefully by the time Kalafina releases their 6th album I'd find the Kalafina style and taste that I used to REALLY like.
 
At least for me the problem with believe (and a few others) is not the forgettable song (which I admit it has at least some decent parts) but the fact that they seem to throw it in every damn setlist, while there are tons of other great songs loved by lots of people who are rarely seem live (coughcoughserenatocoughcough). I enjoyed the first time they performed it, because it sounds good live, but after 247592347592345 perfomances when I see it in any setlist I can only roll my eyes. Probably if it wasn't spammed everywhere it would be just a "meh" song and wouldn't receive as much hate :XD:I can't say I'm a big fan of OL of Blaze either, but at least they're more funny and enjoyable to see live.
And of course Kalafina has still plenty of things to offer! I think the problem are mostly us, the fans, who are too used to masterpieces that complain about any song that is only "good" (yeah, I do this as well), but actually Kalafina is still top-tier band, and having the hability to surprise anyone after 10 years is not anything most bands could do. Even with weaker A-Sides, B-sides and albums songs are pretty solid, and it seems the girls are finally finding a way to go since Far on the Water (which was ruined by the horrible A-side choice rather than the album songs themselves). Wakana seems now pretty confident with her new voice and Hikaru is working towards the same. They might not be 2008 Kalafina, but I have really high hopes for 2018 Kalafina.
And even if they did only generic anisongs, at least their lives are enough to me to keep following it. Still miss the old aesthetic tho.
About the 9+1 there's only a couple of songs I'm excited about, and there isn't anything "interesting" to make this concert stand out amongst others. But it'll be enjoyable.
Tbh I think for a lot of us would be way more interesting a recording of the Harmonia special events (acoustic Kimi gaaaaa :comeback::comeback:) or some of Winter Acoustic, but anyway...
 
Atlas... well said. Basically what I was thinking. And yes, the girls all have had their ups and downs, with Keiko going through therapy, and Hikaru not feeling well for the Red Day (?) and sounding off lately, and Wakana's voice change. But still, we love them. They wouldn't be Kalafina without Keiko, Wakana AND Hikaru. They are known for their ability to harmonize and that they can still do perfectly. I love this is Kantan, and Hyakka a bit too. I think I liked into the world more, and marchen less, while I liked Kantan more and Hyakka less (though that is growing on me too, and Marchen did too, which is a pretty catchy song and should be sung in place of some of the others... especially Heavenly Blue). But I do eventually come around to songs, like I did with Yami no Uta. signal and identify are about the only ones I can't listen to, well, I listen to parts of them, and if they sing it live, since they seem to have the most fun. destination unknown too was like that for me. I think we should be getting more of Natsu no Ringo type songs instead of the same ones. But we're not the ones making the set lists (if only! I want that job so badly, then to go to their lives and see how can I approve upon this next time? lol) I do like that they are experimenting with Samidare, lapis in the special final and IEN, and different things like only piano arrangements. (I hope to get clips of those lives eventually.)

As far as Yuki goes producing new music must be tough, especially when there is so much out there already! I would go insane and think "someone did something like that already, shoot" and have to rearrange. I am glad she's experimenting by adding Remi to Kala instead of Yuriko (I hope for more FJ and lives too though!) not that I don't mind her. And I wish Fion would make an appearance again like in Tsuioku. Anyways... she can still produce awesome music for shows and pieces like Delete for SAO. And now she can add Aimer to the long list of vocalists. But yeah, I do agree with some that there are some songs that are similar like one light and blaze, I actually like believe too, but am getting tired of seeing it live. (Ongaku I know they like singing live so I am okay with it being there) Same with heavenly blue. I know they are anisongs, but so is ring your bell (which I don't think of anisong when I listen to this, I really like this song more and more and think it stands out) Anyways... what I am saying is that she can surprise us quite a bit, like with Kantan for most people, and Samidare. I do want more dark songs like Tsuioku though, but we had to have some happy ones in there too. lol Lacrimosa is always cool to see in a set list since recently they haven't sung it live much. Well, this ends my rant... story. lol I am looking forward to this even if it is a money drainer, since I cannot go to their lives it is the closest thing for me.
 
Weird how people think the more predictable Kala songs are 'generic anime songs' now. Do you guys even watch anime these days? The music on anime is nearly 100% bizarre trash nowadays. Even Blaze is downright artful in comparison.
 
VyseLegendaire said:
Weird how people think the more predictable Kala songs are 'generic anime songs' now. Do you guys even watch anime these days? The music on anime is nearly 100% bizarre trash nowadays. Even Blaze is downright artful in comparison.
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No its not, i ve seen much better anisongs than blaze on all seasons since it came out. Recent examples (for me) would be the pripri OP and ED and Isekai Shokudo OP.
 
I agree, for instance both the OP & ED for Fate/Apocrypha are better than blaze, and the OP for Katsugeki Touken Ranbu as well. I would even argue the OP for the part of Arslan Senki where blaze is the ED is far better (Tsubasa by Eir Aoi)
 
Westkana said:
I agree, for instance both the OP & ED for Fate/Apocrypha are better than blaze, and the OP for Katsugeki Touken Ranbu as well. I would even argue the OP for the part of Arslan Senki where blaze is the ED is far better (Tsubasa by Eir Aoi)
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Fate/Apo OP is better than blaze? Really? I thought that was one of those messiest song I ever heard :XD: Vocals clashing with the instrument, lifeless choir that I feel like it was vocal samples, song didn't even match with the visuals, and I even heard an air horn lol
 
Apocrypha OP/ED are truly among the bests of its season. Desir imo is Garnidelia's best anisong so far. Egoist rarely disappoints. Having kinda too much going on imo is also a standard you'd expect from Egoist so I personally liked it. Both songs have much more 'life' compared to the dullness that was blaze.
 
I really like EGOIST's psycho pass OP and ED as well as the OP in Kabaneri but fate/apo didn't click on me though. I feel like it really tries to be chaotic but it failed for me. Their B-side though...
I dont' really like Garnidelia but I like speed star from Mahouka.

In my opinion, the best opening this season would be Pripri OP
ED for me would be Asaka's Edelweiss :)

Off-topic sorry :XD:
 
In Fate/apo I thought the chaotic nature of the song really fit with the show, plus it's a good EGOIST song. As ritardando said, having a chaotic song is pretty much standard for them, so it's not surprising that song is that style. And GARNiDELiA's Désir is definitely one of her best anime tie-ins since MIRAI imo.
 
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