Anime... Eigo?

You know what today is? It's the BEST ALL-ENGLISH ANIME THEME SONGS DAY!

3) "Theme From Mazinger Z" (English Version)

A gleefully incomprehensible rendition of the classic anime theme. Listen as Ichiro Suzuki gamely does his best to belt out tortured phrases like "Koji can swim in the sky... In his robot man Mazinger Z" and refreshingly direct sentiments like "He is powerful. He is a GIANT ROBOT." A No-Prize to anyone who can actually decipher the entire intro lyrics.

2) "Hello, Vifam!"

Composed by the mysterious "D. Mann," this song's actual rendition pales to the time Patrick, Roger, and I got to hear Tim Eldred drunkenly serenading the entire Bandai plastic model division's staff with it last year. But with insane lyrics that look like a cross between radio-squawk from Top Gun and the delusional ramblings of a paranoid schizophrenic, how can you go wrong? I'M MOTHER ARM COMPUTER.

1) "Gonna Fly Away Gundam!"

Q: What do hair-metal bands Poison, Mr. Big, and Mobile Suit Gundam have in common? A: Ritchie Kotzen! A bartender in Kabukicho played this mind-blowing, hot-lixx-filled English rendition of the classic theme song for me last year, and my life hasn't been the same since. Who commissioned this? And why? Whatever the case, you can catch even more English versions of Gundam themes on Kotzen's 2006 Ai Senshi Z x R album. "Fly away, Gandamoo!"

Comments

[Steve Harrison]

What? Sasaki's English Mazinger Z? What's so tough?

That's Isao Sasaki BTW. Unless someone synched the credits to Ichiro's Mizuki's version which takes some interesting directions....

Since I don't feel like taking 3 hours for the clip to load on my dial-up connection, I'll just guess it's Sasaki's rendering.

*ahem*

Koji can swim in the sky, he can fly beneath the sea. In his robot man Mazinger Z

Mazinger is faster and much stronger than his enemies.

Driving from his little Pilder he can protect the peace.

From his wrists, fists fly, launching a rocket punch.

From his chest, laser fire, fighting with light energy.

Mazing-go, Mazing-go, Mazinger Z

ta daaa

(did you want the second verse? How about the English Z Theme?)

[Gen Kanai]

The Vifam theme brings me back to middle school, summers in Japan, great memories.

[Roger]

I think this is a good place to point readers to the TBDX Massive Music Dump:

http://toyboxdx.com/phorum/read.php?5,160930

[Tim Eldred]

Y'know, if you can find the Galient OP & ED, they're mostly English. Not to mention EFFING AWESOME.

By the way, I want to read stories about how your stateside families still allow you to store your junk with them. I'm guessing the words "Kennedy Center" are in the final punchline to that tale.

[Matt]

When it comes to '80s anime, YouTube is ALL of our friends. Here's the Gallient opening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2CiX6ArmsQ

Ending:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnVfRkmnzMw

[Bernie]

Am I the only one who thinks the Vifam opening is CREEPY?

Also, thanks for posting the TBDX music thread Gen!

[Tim Eldred]

I should have specified; on the 2nd Galient soundtrack album, there are completely English (and very singable) versions of the OP and ED. Not just the partials as seen on YouTube. File THAT away for future reference, Marvelites!

[Tim Eldred]

Isao Sasaki singing English version of Yamato theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEC5I8pszXs

[shawn]

Forgot about Galient! Sounds like it should have been in the rotation on MTV's 120 Minutes.

[AcroRay]

Tim: did BROID have a theme song? (Still waiting to read part 3!)

[Tim Eldred]

I was thinking of rewriting the lyrics to FAME for that one...

Part 3 exists in rough form with full (but unedited) dialogue. Email me at timeldred@yahoo.com and we can work something out.

[Norm]

This is some really gruesome anime music... dude... its bad lol...lmao