What is the best Kenji Kawai anime soundtrack?

Choirs chanting in old Japanese dialects, taiko hits, and the odd lullaby that turns sinister: this one composer, a very wide mood board.

1. 1
   Ghost in the Shell

   Kawai's 1995 score for Mamoru Oshii's film, famous for the Bulgarian-style choral theme Making of a Cyborg.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Patlabor WXIII

   The 2002 Patlabor film score, a darker and more restrained mystery soundtrack.
   679pts
3. 3
   Patlabor OVA

   The music of the late-1980s original video animation series that launched the franchise.
   678pts
4. 4
   Patlabor 2: The Movie

   A moody 1993 score for the political-thriller sequel, often counted among Kawai's finest.
   555pts
5. 5
   Higurashi When They Cry

   The unsettling mix of calm pastoral melodies and horror motifs behind the 2006 anime.
   555pts
6. 6
   Ranma 1/2

   The comedic martial-arts series' playful 1989 soundtrack.
   555pts
7. 7
   Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

   The 2004 sequel score, with the ritual-like choral piece Follow Me and a more haunting tone.
   0pts
8. 8
   Patlabor: The Movie

   The 1989 film score that fuses ritual chanting and electronics for Oshii's police-mecha story.
   0pts
9. 9
   Fate/stay night

   The 2006 Studio Deen adaptation's orchestral and choral score.
   0pts
10. 10
    Mobile Suit Gundam 00

    A 2007-2009 epic orchestral and choir score for the space-war series.
    0pts
11. 11
    Mob Psycho 100

    The score for ONE's psychic comedy, mixing humor, rock and emotional strings.
    0pts
12. 12
    The Sky Crawlers

    A wistful 2008 score for Oshii's film about eternal teenage fighter pilots.
    0pts

Comments