Hello hello, welcome back to this week's edition of Sunday Chillin'!
The End?
Well, there's been a bit of a change of plans, folks. Normally, this was supposed to be the second week of the Genre Exploration series, but that has been nixed. I regret to inform those of you who were looking forward to a newsletter about France that, much like that country in every war, I am (temporarily) surrendering. Owing to the mysterious ways of the Universe, this will be the final Sunday Chillin' for a while. Or at least, the final one in this form.
The reason is pretty straightforward and it's simply that I just haven't really been having as much fun writing this newsletter nowadays, which I think just has to do with frequency. Writing one per week has started to feel more like a chore rather than something I look forward to, and I think that's as good a sign as any that it's time to take a break.
So here's the deal. Instead of sending out any sort of lengthy newsletter, I'm now going to return to my Musigh roots and use each Sunday newsletter to just share songs and maybe nice pictures every week. Maybe once every few months I'll hop on here and write out a lengthier post, but those will be few and far between. I do love sharing songs in general (and I'm not likely to run out in the next decade or two) so this will be a happy compromise all around.
As a final newsletter in this form (for now), I've decided to share all the songs that I was going to share in the last two weeks of the Genre Exploration series rapid fire just to leave you with some parting gifts. And, of course, the anime recs.
So without further ado, here they are:
The reason is pretty straightforward and it's simply that I just haven't really been having as much fun writing this newsletter nowadays, which I think just has to do with frequency. Writing one per week has started to feel more like a chore rather than something I look forward to, and I think that's as good a sign as any that it's time to take a break.
So here's the deal. Instead of sending out any sort of lengthy newsletter, I'm now going to return to my Musigh roots and use each Sunday newsletter to just share songs and maybe nice pictures every week. Maybe once every few months I'll hop on here and write out a lengthier post, but those will be few and far between. I do love sharing songs in general (and I'm not likely to run out in the next decade or two) so this will be a happy compromise all around.
As a final newsletter in this form (for now), I've decided to share all the songs that I was going to share in the last two weeks of the Genre Exploration series rapid fire just to leave you with some parting gifts. And, of course, the anime recs.
So without further ado, here they are:
French Songs
Dans la hess - Lous and the Yakuza
Spotify | YouTube
Nakati - Ya Levis
Spotify | YouTube
La Temps - Tayc
Spotify | YouTube
La Lune - L'Impératrice
Spotify | YouTube
Spotify | YouTube
Nakati - Ya Levis
Spotify | YouTube
La Temps - Tayc
Spotify | YouTube
La Lune - L'Impératrice
Spotify | YouTube
Anime OST Songs
Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen
LOST IN PARADISE - ALI, AKLO
Spotify | YouTube
Jujutsu Kaisen is set in a world where all living beings emit cursed energy, most of which is released into the environment and manifests as cursed spirits that haunt the world. Some members of the population can control this cursed energy and these sorcerers roam the land cleansing locations of these spirits.
The show follows an exceptionally fit high school student, Yuji Itadori, who chooses to sacrifice his life to fight off a cursed being that is terrorizing his school. In the process, he stumbles upon a powerful cursed talisman (in the form of a rotting finger) and swallows it in a moment of panic, saving his own life and inducing the revival of the greatest curse user in history, Ryomen Sukuna. Mysteriously however, Sukuna is now trapped within Yuji's body and must carefully plot his escape. This is all in the first episode. Yuji then joins other sorcerers who can control this cursed energy and learns to use it for good.
Honestly, I think the premise of this show is really cool but I'm not sure that I absolutely loved it or anything. This is a fan favorite, just not one of mine. I'm mainly including it here for the end credits song, which is linked above. On the other hand, it has plenty of silly moments, and the whole soundtrack absolutely bops so it's still worth a try. Also, pls watch the YouTube video for this one, super fun style.
Anime: Kaze Ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (Run with the Wind)
"Otagai" (お互い) - Yuki Hayashi
Spotify | YouTube
From the creators of Haikyuu comes another sports anime, Run with the Wind.
Kakeru Kurahara is a very talented runner who has sworn off running due to traumatic events in his past. As a college student he gets in trouble for stealing food and running away, but is saved by Haiji Kiyose, a senior student. Haiji attempts to convince him to join the Chikusei-So dorm, which Haiji is trying to rally to run the Hakone Ekiden, a prestigious relay marathon. Kakeru accepts his offer after some prodding, but soon realizes that besides Haiji and himself, none of the other members have ever run before.
This relatively short anime is about hard work, determination, friendship, and giving it your best shot. It's a heartwarming experience and captures slightly more mature emotions than Haikyuu, but in a similar vein. A fantastic show that I recommend wholeheartedly!
Anime: ODDTAXI
Asebi - Mystery Kiss
Spotify | YouTube
ODDTAXI is an anime about murder and the threads that intertwine lives.
Hiroshi Odakawa is a middle-aged walrus taxi driver that works in an anthropomorphic animal-filled version of Tokyo. He is also the last one to have ever seen a missing member of the girl group Mystery Kiss, who is suspected to have been murdered. You follow Odakawa as he drives around Tokyo and picks up a variety of strange characters from whom you hear various snippets. No one quite knows who committed the crime but the story slowly comes into focus as pieces of the puzzle all begin to fall into place.
This show does an absolutely incredible job of providing just enough detail to keep the viewer engaged without giving up the gun. There are a number of twists and turns packed into these 13 episodes, all culminating in a satisfying conclusion. And as a cherry on top, the soundtrack has many great themes attached to each character and situation.
Anime: Cowboy Bebop
Tank! - SEATBELTS
Spotify | YouTube
Probably not much has to be said about Cowboy Bebop, as it's one of the most famous anime to have been released in the last 30 years.
Set in a futuristic, space-faring world, the story follows Spike Spiegel, a space bounty hunter who tracks and chases criminals on rocky and distant worlds. He is joined by a capable cast of characters, all of whom come with their own complex motivations and backstories. Spike himself is not what he seems and the viewer begins to learn more about his true character as the series progresses.
Even if we put aside the story, Cowboy Bebop is worth mentioning for its incredible influence on anime and the cyberpunk culture alone. This show holds a special place in anime history and is a must-watch, even though it ended after only 26 episodes. It also has one of the best English dubs of all time, so I actually highly recommend watching the dubbed version, something that I don't say often. I hope you appreciate the music, the art, and the creativity of the worlds as much as I did.
Another great YouTube video btw, be sure to check it out!
Anime: My Neighbor Totoro
Kaze no Toorimichi - Joe Hisaishi
Spotify | YouTube
My Neighbor Totoro is a heartwarming story about a family that moves into a new home in the countryside and follows the children of the family as they explore the areas in and around the house. On one of their explorations, they stumble upon a hidden grove near their home with whimsical and fantastic spirits who act as keepers of the forest. When one of the girls gets lost in the woods, the other child must venture into the depths to save her sister and return home. This movie has moments of amazement and childlike-wonder, of tension and fear, and everything in between.
All Studio Ghibli films deserve a spot on this list, but then this newsletter would certainly be too long. But they are all truly artistic masterpieces, and My Neighbor Totoro is no exception.
This YouTube video is also one of my favorite videos on the internet. You can really feel Joe Hisaishi's passion as he plays this main theme live in a concert hall, and you can see the care that he puts into each note. Even if you take away nothing else from this newsletter, I sincerely hope you give this video a watch. The work that he has composed for Ghibli films should be recognized and treasured.
Well, that's the end of the anime recs. Please do respond if you have thoughts on these shows or on anything else in this newsletter. [1]
It really has been a fun experience writing a newsletter as regularly as I have these past six months, and I'm super grateful for all of you who have taken the time out of your days to read it. This is of course not a goodbye, but a see you soon.
Next week and onwards will mostly just be song recs, but I promise they will be Top Tier™.
See you all next Sunday!
suhaas
————————————————————————————
If you'd like to share this newsletter with your friends, please direct them to this link.
Here are Spotify and YouTube playlists with all the songs so far.
[1] If you want to watch any of these recs, my site of choice is thewatchcartoononline [dot] tv. I know it sounds like a site that will give both you and your computer coronavirus but I have had great success with it, especially with an adblocker. Though I cannot be held legally liable for damages, I can be held in high regard for showing you such a magical site. Caveat emptor but you can thank me later.
Spotify | YouTube
Jujutsu Kaisen is set in a world where all living beings emit cursed energy, most of which is released into the environment and manifests as cursed spirits that haunt the world. Some members of the population can control this cursed energy and these sorcerers roam the land cleansing locations of these spirits.
The show follows an exceptionally fit high school student, Yuji Itadori, who chooses to sacrifice his life to fight off a cursed being that is terrorizing his school. In the process, he stumbles upon a powerful cursed talisman (in the form of a rotting finger) and swallows it in a moment of panic, saving his own life and inducing the revival of the greatest curse user in history, Ryomen Sukuna. Mysteriously however, Sukuna is now trapped within Yuji's body and must carefully plot his escape. This is all in the first episode. Yuji then joins other sorcerers who can control this cursed energy and learns to use it for good.
Honestly, I think the premise of this show is really cool but I'm not sure that I absolutely loved it or anything. This is a fan favorite, just not one of mine. I'm mainly including it here for the end credits song, which is linked above. On the other hand, it has plenty of silly moments, and the whole soundtrack absolutely bops so it's still worth a try. Also, pls watch the YouTube video for this one, super fun style.
Anime: Kaze Ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (Run with the Wind)
"Otagai" (お互い) - Yuki Hayashi
Spotify | YouTube
From the creators of Haikyuu comes another sports anime, Run with the Wind.
Kakeru Kurahara is a very talented runner who has sworn off running due to traumatic events in his past. As a college student he gets in trouble for stealing food and running away, but is saved by Haiji Kiyose, a senior student. Haiji attempts to convince him to join the Chikusei-So dorm, which Haiji is trying to rally to run the Hakone Ekiden, a prestigious relay marathon. Kakeru accepts his offer after some prodding, but soon realizes that besides Haiji and himself, none of the other members have ever run before.
This relatively short anime is about hard work, determination, friendship, and giving it your best shot. It's a heartwarming experience and captures slightly more mature emotions than Haikyuu, but in a similar vein. A fantastic show that I recommend wholeheartedly!
Anime: ODDTAXI
Asebi - Mystery Kiss
Spotify | YouTube
ODDTAXI is an anime about murder and the threads that intertwine lives.
Hiroshi Odakawa is a middle-aged walrus taxi driver that works in an anthropomorphic animal-filled version of Tokyo. He is also the last one to have ever seen a missing member of the girl group Mystery Kiss, who is suspected to have been murdered. You follow Odakawa as he drives around Tokyo and picks up a variety of strange characters from whom you hear various snippets. No one quite knows who committed the crime but the story slowly comes into focus as pieces of the puzzle all begin to fall into place.
This show does an absolutely incredible job of providing just enough detail to keep the viewer engaged without giving up the gun. There are a number of twists and turns packed into these 13 episodes, all culminating in a satisfying conclusion. And as a cherry on top, the soundtrack has many great themes attached to each character and situation.
Anime: Cowboy Bebop
Tank! - SEATBELTS
Spotify | YouTube
Probably not much has to be said about Cowboy Bebop, as it's one of the most famous anime to have been released in the last 30 years.
Set in a futuristic, space-faring world, the story follows Spike Spiegel, a space bounty hunter who tracks and chases criminals on rocky and distant worlds. He is joined by a capable cast of characters, all of whom come with their own complex motivations and backstories. Spike himself is not what he seems and the viewer begins to learn more about his true character as the series progresses.
Even if we put aside the story, Cowboy Bebop is worth mentioning for its incredible influence on anime and the cyberpunk culture alone. This show holds a special place in anime history and is a must-watch, even though it ended after only 26 episodes. It also has one of the best English dubs of all time, so I actually highly recommend watching the dubbed version, something that I don't say often. I hope you appreciate the music, the art, and the creativity of the worlds as much as I did.
Another great YouTube video btw, be sure to check it out!
Anime: My Neighbor Totoro
Kaze no Toorimichi - Joe Hisaishi
Spotify | YouTube
My Neighbor Totoro is a heartwarming story about a family that moves into a new home in the countryside and follows the children of the family as they explore the areas in and around the house. On one of their explorations, they stumble upon a hidden grove near their home with whimsical and fantastic spirits who act as keepers of the forest. When one of the girls gets lost in the woods, the other child must venture into the depths to save her sister and return home. This movie has moments of amazement and childlike-wonder, of tension and fear, and everything in between.
All Studio Ghibli films deserve a spot on this list, but then this newsletter would certainly be too long. But they are all truly artistic masterpieces, and My Neighbor Totoro is no exception.
This YouTube video is also one of my favorite videos on the internet. You can really feel Joe Hisaishi's passion as he plays this main theme live in a concert hall, and you can see the care that he puts into each note. Even if you take away nothing else from this newsletter, I sincerely hope you give this video a watch. The work that he has composed for Ghibli films should be recognized and treasured.
Well, that's the end of the anime recs. Please do respond if you have thoughts on these shows or on anything else in this newsletter. [1]
It really has been a fun experience writing a newsletter as regularly as I have these past six months, and I'm super grateful for all of you who have taken the time out of your days to read it. This is of course not a goodbye, but a see you soon.
Next week and onwards will mostly just be song recs, but I promise they will be Top Tier™.
See you all next Sunday!
suhaas
————————————————————————————
If you'd like to share this newsletter with your friends, please direct them to this link.
Here are Spotify and YouTube playlists with all the songs so far.
[1] If you want to watch any of these recs, my site of choice is thewatchcartoononline [dot] tv. I know it sounds like a site that will give both you and your computer coronavirus but I have had great success with it, especially with an adblocker. Though I cannot be held legally liable for damages, I can be held in high regard for showing you such a magical site. Caveat emptor but you can thank me later.