Soundtrack Dissonance/Anime and Manga: Difference between revisions

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*** The ending theme is sung by a different voice actress in different episodes. In one episode {{spoiler|when Kaworu gets killed}}, the instrumental arrangement is exactly the same as all the others, but there's nobody singing. The silence is deafening.
*** The ending theme is sung by a different voice actress in different episodes. In one episode {{spoiler|when Kaworu gets killed}}, the instrumental arrangement is exactly the same as all the others, but there's nobody singing. The silence is deafening.
*** Moreover, this particular rendition eschews the lush arrangement of the previous versions in favour of a jauntier, jazzy cover. An acoustic guitar takes the place of the singer, making it sound... happy, insofar as a song could be.
*** Moreover, this particular rendition eschews the lush arrangement of the previous versions in favour of a jauntier, jazzy cover. An acoustic guitar takes the place of the singer, making it sound... happy, insofar as a song could be.
** Special mention goes to the scene where {{spoiler|Asuka gets [[Mind Rape|Mind Raped]] by an Angel}} with the Hallelujah chorus playing in the background. Whether they did it intentionally or just because it's [[Ominous Latin Chanting|Ominous English Chanting]], is unknown.
** Special mention goes to the scene where {{spoiler|Asuka gets [[Mind Rape]]d by an Angel}} with the Hallelujah chorus playing in the background. Whether they did it intentionally or just because it's [[Ominous Latin Chanting|Ominous English Chanting]], is unknown.
** The fourth movement to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony plays while Kaworu {{spoiler|invades Terminal Dogma and begs Shinji to kill him}}. Whatever relevance the lyrics may have to Shinji's fighting on behalf of all mankind, they are anything but applicable to Shinji himself.
** The fourth movement to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony plays while Kaworu {{spoiler|invades Terminal Dogma and begs Shinji to kill him}}. Whatever relevance the lyrics may have to Shinji's fighting on behalf of all mankind, they are anything but applicable to Shinji himself.
*** Actually, I think more thought went into this than most people give it credit for. The lyrics serve as something of a de facto motto for SEELE (as demonstrated by Rebuild, in which an excerpt from the poem is NOW PART OF THEIR LOGO), and the themes of fate and divine deliverance also help to frame Kaworu's mentality. Interestingly, voice actor and Eva enthusiast Taliesin Jaffe, in the commentary for the first movie, reports watching this scene with a room full of people well-versed in mysticism and the occult, and apparently as soon as the music started they all knew immediately how that sequence was going to end. Just something to think about.
*** Actually, I think more thought went into this than most people give it credit for. The lyrics serve as something of a de facto motto for SEELE (as demonstrated by Rebuild, in which an excerpt from the poem is NOW PART OF THEIR LOGO), and the themes of fate and divine deliverance also help to frame Kaworu's mentality. Interestingly, voice actor and Eva enthusiast Taliesin Jaffe, in the commentary for the first movie, reports watching this scene with a room full of people well-versed in mysticism and the occult, and apparently as soon as the music started they all knew immediately how that sequence was going to end. Just something to think about.
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* While the openings and endings in ''[[Death Note]]'' fit the mood of the series, a clear example of Soundtrack Dissonance appears in one episode, where Misa walks through Tokyo singing gently, with the lyrics in sharp contrast to the continuous shots of people dying from her writing their names down.
* While the openings and endings in ''[[Death Note]]'' fit the mood of the series, a clear example of Soundtrack Dissonance appears in one episode, where Misa walks through Tokyo singing gently, with the lyrics in sharp contrast to the continuous shots of people dying from her writing their names down.
** actually, while the tone of the song is a little jarring, the lyrics fit quite well "god (referring in this context to to Light passing judgement through Misa) is watching you."
** actually, while the tone of the song is a little jarring, the lyrics fit quite well "god (referring in this context to to Light passing judgement through Misa) is watching you."
* [[Downer Ending|Downer Endings]] sometimes get a separate [[Ending Theme]] just to avoid this, but when they don't... well, if knowing about the upcoming sequel series didn't spoil the effect of ''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure]]'''s [[Downer Ending]] for you, the sudden cut to "LET'S GO! GET YOU! L! O! V! E! LOVE! LOVE! GET YOU!" probably did.
* [[Downer Ending]]s sometimes get a separate [[Ending Theme]] just to avoid this, but when they don't... well, if knowing about the upcoming sequel series didn't spoil the effect of ''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure]]'''s [[Downer Ending]] for you, the sudden cut to "LET'S GO! GET YOU! L! O! V! E! LOVE! LOVE! GET YOU!" probably did.
** ''[[Yes! Pretty Cure 5]]'''s [[Bittersweet Ending]] suffered in exactly the same way.
** ''[[Yes! Pretty Cure 5]]'''s [[Bittersweet Ending]] suffered in exactly the same way.
** In ''[[Fresh Pretty Cure]]'', during episode 20 {{spoiler|after winning the second battle against Eas's Nakisakebe, the girls faint from the exhertion of the battle and dance training finally taking a toll on them. The episode ends with them being taken to the hospital}}. Cue the fluffy, upbeat ending theme "You Make me Happy".
** In ''[[Fresh Pretty Cure]]'', during episode 20 {{spoiler|after winning the second battle against Eas's Nakisakebe, the girls faint from the exhertion of the battle and dance training finally taking a toll on them. The episode ends with them being taken to the hospital}}. Cue the fluffy, upbeat ending theme "You Make me Happy".
** In fact, ''every single [[Pretty Cure]] [[Ending Theme]] ever'', not counting the movie ones, is light-hearted, cheerful and happy-go-lucky, thus ruining the mood whenever a season reaches its climax or an episode ends on a depressing tone. The fact that nowadays all the endings are [[Dancing Theme|Dancing Themes]] does not help matters.
** In fact, ''every single [[Pretty Cure]] [[Ending Theme]] ever'', not counting the movie ones, is light-hearted, cheerful and happy-go-lucky, thus ruining the mood whenever a season reaches its climax or an episode ends on a depressing tone. The fact that nowadays all the endings are [[Dancing Theme]]s does not help matters.
* The light, happy bubblegum J-pop tune "Ai No Tenshi" underscores the gruesome carnage in ''[[Perfect Blue]]''.
* The light, happy bubblegum J-pop tune "Ai No Tenshi" underscores the gruesome carnage in ''[[Perfect Blue]]''.
* Despite its gradual progression into more depressing territory, ''[[Code Geass]]'' managed to avert this trope for most of its run. By the time most of the sadder episodes hit, the [[Ending Theme]] is a slow song with sad but hopeful lyrics.
* Despite its gradual progression into more depressing territory, ''[[Code Geass]]'' managed to avert this trope for most of its run. By the time most of the sadder episodes hit, the [[Ending Theme]] is a slow song with sad but hopeful lyrics.
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* In ''[[Welcome to The NHK]]'', the main character goes on a wild, disturbing hallucinatory fantasy with his neighbor blasting a sickeningly cute anime theme song in the background. Eventually the vocals alone accompany his visions, with an effect similar to an [[Ironic Nursery Rhyme]].
* In ''[[Welcome to The NHK]]'', the main character goes on a wild, disturbing hallucinatory fantasy with his neighbor blasting a sickeningly cute anime theme song in the background. Eventually the vocals alone accompany his visions, with an effect similar to an [[Ironic Nursery Rhyme]].
* Neither of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'''s opening songs go well with the seasons' final episodes, which are always dark. Especially disturbing in episodes that have a recap of some dramatic event [[The Teaser|before the opening sequence]]. Eyecatchers also provide a similar effect, particularly in ''Sailor Stars''.
* Neither of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'''s opening songs go well with the seasons' final episodes, which are always dark. Especially disturbing in episodes that have a recap of some dramatic event [[The Teaser|before the opening sequence]]. Eyecatchers also provide a similar effect, particularly in ''Sailor Stars''.
** In fact, many [[Magical Girl]] anime series with typical love-themed soundtracks suffer from this when it comes to the multi-episode final fights. ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'', with its two extremely cheerful theme songs, is a good example. ''[[Prétear]]'', while cutting the opening theme in the final two episodes, keeps the ending -- in episode 12, it comes up right after {{spoiler|Sasame sacrifices himself to save Takako}}, and even though it is slower than the opening, it still doesn't fit the mood.
** In fact, many [[Magical Girl]] anime series with typical love-themed soundtracks suffer from this when it comes to the multi-episode final fights. ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'', with its two extremely cheerful theme songs, is a good example. ''[[Prétear]]'', while cutting the opening theme in the final two episodes, keeps the ending—in episode 12, it comes up right after {{spoiler|Sasame sacrifices himself to save Takako}}, and even though it is slower than the opening, it still doesn't fit the mood.
** I'd disagree with "Sailor Star Song" not matching the final episodes of ''Sailor Stars''. If Sailor Moon didn't remain optimistic in the face of chaos, she'd cease to be Sailor Moon.
** I'd disagree with "Sailor Star Song" not matching the final episodes of ''Sailor Stars''. If Sailor Moon didn't remain optimistic in the face of chaos, she'd cease to be Sailor Moon.
* ''[[Black Lagoon]]'' puts "The World of Midnight", a beautifully sung ballade, right on top of the fade-out of a scene where {{spoiler|a young boy has just bled to death on the ground after having had his hand shot off}}. The song is reused during the ending credits just after {{spoiler|his sister is shot in the head on-screen, killing her in an an almost as gruesome a manner}}. The fact doesn't get better by the fact that, considering just how [[Freudian Excuse|badly they had been messed]] up by what [[Harmful to Minors|they had lived through]], this was probably the best thing that could happen to them.
* ''[[Black Lagoon]]'' puts "The World of Midnight", a beautifully sung ballade, right on top of the fade-out of a scene where {{spoiler|a young boy has just bled to death on the ground after having had his hand shot off}}. The song is reused during the ending credits just after {{spoiler|his sister is shot in the head on-screen, killing her in an an almost as gruesome a manner}}. The fact doesn't get better by the fact that, considering just how [[Freudian Excuse|badly they had been messed]] up by what [[Harmful to Minors|they had lived through]], this was probably the best thing that could happen to them.
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* ''[[Narutaru]]'' has one of the more unsettling instances of this trope in the opening. The song is an upbeat tune, played to a variety of images that looked drawn by little kids. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF5BLyh3Mk It seems cute enough]. Then watch the first few episodes. The cute opening suddenly becomes a major point of [[Mood Whiplash]]...
* ''[[Narutaru]]'' has one of the more unsettling instances of this trope in the opening. The song is an upbeat tune, played to a variety of images that looked drawn by little kids. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF5BLyh3Mk It seems cute enough]. Then watch the first few episodes. The cute opening suddenly becomes a major point of [[Mood Whiplash]]...
** You think comparing the OP to the ''first'' few episodes is bad? Try comparing it to the ''last'' few, which place such events as Hiroko's kidnapping into frightening context. Or even worse, compare the OP to later volumes of the original manga...
** You think comparing the OP to the ''first'' few episodes is bad? Try comparing it to the ''last'' few, which place such events as Hiroko's kidnapping into frightening context. Or even worse, compare the OP to later volumes of the original manga...
** That only goes for the tune and images, though. The lyrics to the song seem to be about someone waiting for a person who will never come -- how that relates to the series' story is up to the audience, but it's a far cry from cheery.
** That only goes for the tune and images, though. The lyrics to the song seem to be about someone waiting for a person who will never come—how that relates to the series' story is up to the audience, but it's a far cry from cheery.
* ''Steam Detectives'' has ''Amazing Grace'' play during particularly poignant scenes where somebody [[Disney Villain Death|falls from a high place]], [[Famous Last Words|speaks their last]], or [[Climbing Climax|an epic fight at the top of someplace high]].
* ''Steam Detectives'' has ''Amazing Grace'' play during particularly poignant scenes where somebody [[Disney Villain Death|falls from a high place]], [[Famous Last Words|speaks their last]], or [[Climbing Climax|an epic fight at the top of someplace high]].
* So far down the list, without mention of ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]''? In [[The Movie]], ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]: Do You Remember Love'', [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzn5VWKg7lY the entire final battle] is set to the titular song, a soft and melodic love ballad supposedly taken from the ruins of a Protoculture outpost discovered by the Macross. It is one of the [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|most iconic scenes in anime history]], contrasting the message of the song with images of space warfare, [[Macross Missile Massacre|swarms of beams and missiles]] flying everywhere, and, more particularly, Hikaru's final assault into Boddol Zer's inner sanctum. On the one hand, all of this drives home how the allied forces are fighting for the survival of "culture" --that is, the unique feelings and emotions that can create such a song in the first place-- but then the audience is treated to a man being beheaded messily and graphically by falling debris, and the dissonance sets in.
* So far down the list, without mention of ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]''? In [[The Movie]], ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]: Do You Remember Love'', [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzn5VWKg7lY the entire final battle] is set to the titular song, a soft and melodic love ballad supposedly taken from the ruins of a Protoculture outpost discovered by the Macross. It is one of the [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|most iconic scenes in anime history]], contrasting the message of the song with images of space warfare, [[Macross Missile Massacre|swarms of beams and missiles]] flying everywhere, and, more particularly, Hikaru's final assault into Boddol Zer's inner sanctum. On the one hand, all of this drives home how the allied forces are fighting for the survival of "culture"—that is, the unique feelings and emotions that can create such a song in the first place—but then the audience is treated to a man being beheaded messily and graphically by falling debris, and the dissonance sets in.
** ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' also uses the titular song from the movie in slow ballad form -- [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKiu30uKR7s for an inverted purpose]. {{spoiler|Later in the battle after Ranka is freed}}, the song comes up again in quick form as one of the many mixed with Lion... not to mention how nearly every song in every Macross series has to do with love somehow, and are often used as backdrops and/or weapons in combat.
** ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' also uses the titular song from the movie in slow ballad form -- [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKiu30uKR7s for an inverted purpose]. {{spoiler|Later in the battle after Ranka is freed}}, the song comes up again in quick form as one of the many mixed with Lion... not to mention how nearly every song in every Macross series has to do with love somehow, and are often used as backdrops and/or weapons in combat.
* The 12th opening of ''[[One Piece]]'' sounds more like something one would hear from a bubbly high school romance/comedy than an epic adventure show. Even more jarring is the fact that the arc it's played for is about {{spoiler|Luffy infiltrating a prison to save his brother from execution. This is the beginning of an arc that ''brutally'' subverts the long-standing principle that [[Death Is Cheap|nobody will be killed off outside of flashbacks]].}}
* The 12th opening of ''[[One Piece]]'' sounds more like something one would hear from a bubbly high school romance/comedy than an epic adventure show. Even more jarring is the fact that the arc it's played for is about {{spoiler|Luffy infiltrating a prison to save his brother from execution. This is the beginning of an arc that ''brutally'' subverts the long-standing principle that [[Death Is Cheap|nobody will be killed off outside of flashbacks]].}}
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* The opening song to ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan|Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro Chan]]'' fits this to a T. A little girl singing gleefully with images of her torturing a young boy various ways playing throughout.
* The opening song to ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan|Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro Chan]]'' fits this to a T. A little girl singing gleefully with images of her torturing a young boy various ways playing throughout.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4exBns5Lzc&fmt=18 The theme song for] ''[[Hell Girl]]''. Ignoring the dark introduction, would you believe this is a show about condemning people to hell?
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4exBns5Lzc&fmt=18 The theme song for] ''[[Hell Girl]]''. Ignoring the dark introduction, would you believe this is a show about condemning people to hell?
* All of the ''[[Hellsing]]'' [[OVA|OVAs]] have different ending themes. After OVA 4, right after the viewer is treated to the... ahem, ''pleasant'' sight of Alucard devouring Rip Van Winkle '''alive''', we are treated to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvK6CN-le_o this] ending theme.
* All of the ''[[Hellsing]]'' [[OVA]]s have different ending themes. After OVA 4, right after the viewer is treated to the... ahem, ''pleasant'' sight of Alucard devouring Rip Van Winkle '''alive''', we are treated to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvK6CN-le_o this] ending theme.
** To be fair, that ending theme was actually, Dad Englandied, which was that infamous Nazi propaganda song back in WWII.
** To be fair, that ending theme was actually, Dad Englandied, which was that infamous Nazi propaganda song back in WWII.
** On the subject of Rip van Winkle, there's also a bit where she [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz8A6f4r2do merrily sings opera while the crew of the ''Invincible'' are being slaughtered and turned into ghouls.]
** On the subject of Rip van Winkle, there's also a bit where she [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz8A6f4r2do merrily sings opera while the crew of the ''Invincible'' are being slaughtered and turned into ghouls.]
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** If you wanna talk about [[Hellsing]], let us gleefully recall the [[Anime]] series: Its groovy, English opening that no one can understand, and its English ending...played by ''Mr. Big''. This is a show about vampires, twisted relationships, gore, and a [[Combat Sadomasochist]] who likes the [[Lolicon|lolis]]; I ''highly'' doubt a romantic, upbeat ending them about how much you 'shine on me' is appropriate.
** If you wanna talk about [[Hellsing]], let us gleefully recall the [[Anime]] series: Its groovy, English opening that no one can understand, and its English ending...played by ''Mr. Big''. This is a show about vampires, twisted relationships, gore, and a [[Combat Sadomasochist]] who likes the [[Lolicon|lolis]]; I ''highly'' doubt a romantic, upbeat ending them about how much you 'shine on me' is appropriate.
* I was watching ''[[Sword of the Stranger]]'' recently and I noticed that the scenes where things seemed the most hopeless were the ones accompanied by the most triumphant music, which had the interesting effect of preluding whatever [[Badass]] thing the hero was about to pull to make things right again.
* I was watching ''[[Sword of the Stranger]]'' recently and I noticed that the scenes where things seemed the most hopeless were the ones accompanied by the most triumphant music, which had the interesting effect of preluding whatever [[Badass]] thing the hero was about to pull to make things right again.
* ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'' makes use of these fairly often, sometimes dramatic, sometimes...um, surreal. For instance, the soundtrack becomes beautiful opera--while in the foreground [[Baleful Polymorph|cow-Nanami]] charges at a red sweater held by Utena. Yeah, it's [[BLAM Episode|that kind of episode]].
* ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'' makes use of these fairly often, sometimes dramatic, sometimes...um, surreal. For instance, the soundtrack becomes beautiful opera—while in the foreground [[Baleful Polymorph|cow-Nanami]] charges at a red sweater held by Utena. Yeah, it's [[Non Sequitur Episode|that kind of episode]].
** The duel songs are especially offensive about this. Upbeat music about death and deceptive things. The crown could probably be held by Mikage's I Am an Imaginary Living Body and Touga's Allegory Allegorier Allegoriest.
** The duel songs are especially offensive about this. Upbeat music about death and deceptive things. The crown could probably be held by Mikage's I Am an Imaginary Living Body and Touga's Allegory Allegorier Allegoriest.
* ''[[Alien Nine]]'', most prominently with the [[Bait and Switch Credits|bright, upbeat opening theme]].
* ''[[Alien Nine]]'', most prominently with the [[Bait and Switch Credits|bright, upbeat opening theme]].
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