VIDEO GIRL AI ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Copyright © 1992 Masakazu Katsura / Shueisha Inc. Licensed from Victor Entertainment, Inc. JNA Animation JNA-1511-2 Running Time: 39:32 $15.95 VIDEO GIRL AI 2ND — ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Copyright © 1992 Masakazu Katsura / Sheuisha Inc. Licensed from Victor Entertainment, Inc. JNA Animation JNA-1512-2 Running Time: 46-10 (17 tracks) $15.95 — by Eugene Cheng Video Girl Ai OST Track Listing: 1. A Happy Tear 5:43 Sakai Noriko 2. To That Day 3:22 Kimura Maki 3. Tomorrow Wil Be Tomorrow 3:53 Kasura Masakazu 4. Message 4:56 Nav Katze 5. Glass Moon 4:05 Sadou Mayumi 6. Takashi's Theme 3:03 7. Spinning Soul of Sadness 2:06 8. Master of GOKURAKU 2:14 9. Searching for Ai 5:42 10. I Love You 3:30 Kimura Maki Video Girl Ai 2nd OST Track Listing: 1. Prologue: Answering Phone 1:55 2. AI LOVE YOU 3:22 TECHIE-POO 3. Scene 1: Long Phone Call 1 1:18 4. Late Summer Falling 4:52 Niji Akino 5. Scene 2: Long Phone Call 2 1:48 6. Puddle Of Soul 4:02 7. Scene 3: Long Phone Call 3 2:48 8. Takashi's Dream II 3:26 9. Scene 4: Long Phone Call 4 0:34 10. Unseen Dream 5:04 Katsura Masakazu 11. Scene 5: Long Phone Call 5 3:05 12. Frozen Flower 3:36 Nav Katze 13. Scene 6: Answering Phone II 1:17 14. U*Re*Shi*Na*Mi*Da (A Happy Tear) 2:22 15. Scene 7: Na*Gu*Sa*Me*Te*A*Ge*Ru (I Will Cheer You Up) 1:46 16. Your Rainbow 4:00 17. Bonus Track: Ai & Moemi's Answering Machine Message 0:55		VIDEO GIRL AI is one of those series that is often unknown in America, but it is heavily popular in countries outside of Japan in Asia. The manga series was originally created by Katsura Masakazu, and there is a total of fifteen collected volumes of the VIDEO GIRL series. Also, there is a six-part OVA series which tells the story of the first story arc within the manga. The series also produced 2 CD soundtracks. JVC's new label, JNA Animation, has already released several soundtracks of popular anime series. The latest in their series are both the original Video Girl Japanese soundtracks. Both soundtracks have English translations of selected songs. Unlike JVC's earlier relases of the Macross II soundtracks, they did not attempt to make the English lyrics fit the original Japanese melody. Despite this, or more likely because of this, the songs retain the original emotion while portraying accurately the meaning of the lyrics. The strength of the first CD soundtrack is in its vocals. In total, there are six vocals on the CD, including the opening and ending songs from the OVA series. The opening song is an upbeat song with vocals handled by popular (former) idol singer Sakai Noriko. Noriko was a big fan of the series while it was in its run in Jump Comics. The song itself, "Ureshi Namida" or "A Happy Tear" has very nice lyrics and fits the overall tone of the series: that of a bittersweet romantic novel about unrequited love. The second song is the ending theme for the OVA series, "Ano hi ni..." or "To that day". This is perhaps the song that best typifies this bitersweet feeling, and it uses lyrics which evoke images of Ai's nature. "Tomorrow will be Tomorrow" is a song actually performed by the series' creator, Katsura Masakazu. It is a pretty good song with a good melody, but the ones he performs on the second CD are better. "Message" is a very melancholy song, which is very effective with its disparate melodies. "Searching for Ai" is an interesting piece with three distinct sections. The first is called "Illusion," the second, "Battle," and the third is entitled "Reunion". The "Illusion" section uses many etheral sounds; "Battle" uses a hard rhythm section and includes many different motifs, including a techno-like main rhythm, and a western motif; and finally the "Reunion" completes the story with harps and strings. It is a striking piece, but makes its point effectively. "I love you" is just a total out ballad about love which ends with a nice music box sequence. The remaining instrumentals are also very good, including "Takashi's Theme," which is a very nice, jazzy piece. It is also very indicative of his character as a "cool guy". Plus, in the series, he plays in a jazz band as a string bass player. The second CD is an image soundtrack. In most cases, image soundtracks contain all original songs and variations on themes from the series. This soundtrack is different in that it includes many of the songs in the OVA series that were not included on the first CD. The CD contains eight vocals separated by narrative sections which are performed by the original voice actors. As a fan of the VIDEO GIRL AI series, this writer feels that the story is the key selling point of this CD. It tells an original story which does not appear in the manga or in the OVA series. It takes place after Ai has appeared, but before Moemi has started dating Takashi. The voice acting is great, and it is very consistent with the flow of things in the manga series. The songs serve as intermissions between two parts of the vocal drama. "Ai Love You" is not extraordinary; it is an upbeat fast-paced song. "Late Summer Falling" has a good opening and is slow and melancholy. The song mostly uses a minor key but switches into a major key for the refrain. Still it is not very cheery, and the tone is filled with sadness. "Puddle of Soul" is pretty good, has a good beat, and a nice chorus. Easy to listen. "Takashi's Theme II," like the first from the previous CD, is a jazzy theme with plenty of bass. However, there is an instrument that sounds like a banjo which does not seem to fit with the contemporary jazz image. "Unseen Dream" has funky percussion and listeners may think they are hearing STOMP (The off-Broadway Show), but it is one of the songs that Katsura performs on this CD, and is rather good. "Frozen Flower" begins sounding like an avant-garde trumpet solo, but it suddenly gains a strange ethereal tonality with unusual harmonies. This is the song which plays during Youta and Ai's final reunion in the OVA series. There is also a very pretty wind instrument solo. The next song, "A Happy Tear," is a music box arrangement of the opening song, "Ureshi Namida". There are a few things absent in the JNA releases. Mostly they are just pages cut from the booklets which contain some storyboards, selected scenes from the OVAs, notes from Katsura Masakazu, Sakai Noriko, and the remaining lyrics. All in all, both are very complete and good. But most casual fans will only want the songs from the OVA series. For these fans, it is recommended that they only buy the first CD. However, if you are more than a casual reader, then you may want to pick up both CDs. At such a low price point, one could easily buy both for the price of the original ¥3000 price. Thanks should be issued to JVC for actually testing the waters by releasing anime soundtracks at such a great price. These, especially the first, are definitely worthwhile investments. CD INFORMATION VIDEO GIRL AI ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Copyright © 1992 Masakazu Katsura / Shueisha Inc. Licensed from Victor Entertainment, Inc. JNA Animation JNA-1511-2 Running Time: 39:32 (10 tracks) $(US)15.95 VIDEO GIRL AI 2ND — ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Copyright © 1992 Masakazu Katsura / Shueisha Inc. Licensed from Victor Entertainment, Inc. JNA Animation JNA-1512-2 Running Time: 46:10 (10 tracks) $(US)15.95