MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM:
THE 08th MS TEAM

King Records
KIDS 261
17:30 (4-track CD single)
24 Jan 1996
¥1000

1. Arashi no Naka de Kagayaite [OP] - Yonekura Chieko (4:15)
(Shining in the Storm)
2. 10 Years After [ED] - Yonekura Chieko (4:23)
3. Arashi no Naka de Kagayaite - Original Karaoke (4:15)
4. 10 Years After - Original Karaoke (4:23)




Anime theme songs are something of a dicey thing of late. Finding good tunes seems to have become something of a treasure hunt where you have to search through a lot of mediocre products to find something worthwhile. In addition, sometimes the tv-size versions are deceptively different from the original, which can result in a feeling akin to having chosen the wrong door on Let's Make a Deal! as the fan realizes that what he wanted and what he got were not the same. This feeling is intensified when a CD costs $40. The pain can be lessened somewhat by the purchase of a CD single (which is around $12 nowadays), but getting a turkey still prompts a serious bout of disappointment, especially when you had to make a choice between two or more items.
Luckily, fans of the new OAV series, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE 08th MS TEAM will not find this to be the case. The first track is the opening theme, "Arashi no Naka de Kagayaite" ("Shining in the Storm"); the full-size version maintains all the energy of the shorter version. The vocals, sung by Yonekura Chieko in a mid-range voice, are clear and strong. Her voice is sweet and powerful, but without the saccharine quality that seems so prevalent in other recent anime songs. This song is addictive, and I watched the opening of the video over and over for some time. Then a friend managed to get the CD single for me. It's one of those CD's that never leaves the carousel.
Ms. Yonekura also performs the ending theme, "10 Years After," which is the second track on the CD. Although not as driving and energetic as the opening, this one is a real toe-tapper as far as GUNDAM ending themes go. The lyrics are sweet and sentimental, looking forward to a future with the singer's lover. I have actually heard complaints that this song is too upbeat for a GUNDAM ending song, but the song is remarkably good and a nice departure from the usual misery we are treated to in GUNDAM ending themes.
The last two tracks are the obligatory karaoke tracks of the first two, so there is very little to say. If you have a decent singing range, you might have a chance at the karaoke.
In short, this single is well worth the price--whether you are a GUNDAM fan or not.

--Charles McCarter