Music of 428: Shibuya Scramble and Canaan

428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Hideki Sakamoto and Naoki Sato
Released	February 4, 2009 (2009-02-04)
Studio	Sound Inn (Tokyo)
Genre	Video game music
Length	2:04:58
Label	Lantis
Producer	Natsuki Sugaya

428: Shibuya Scramble's soundtrack, 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de Original Soundtrack,[lower-alpha 1] was released in Japan by Lantis on February 4, 2009, with the catalogue code LACA-9141～2. The soundtrack album was headed by Hideki Sakamoto – a video game music "veteran" – and Naoki Sato, noted by RPGFan as a composer with experience within film and anime. Produced by Natsuki Sugaya at Sound Inn Studios, the CD album release contained two discs with 73 songs, and a total length of 2:04:58–1:14:15 from the first disc's 46 tracks and 50:43 from the second disc's 27. Work was divided between Sakamoto and Sato on the first disc; the second disc was headed by Sakamoto alone, though with tracks 10–18 done by guest composer Shingo Yasumoto.[1][2][3] Sakamoto also covered the second-disc song "Letter" with his band, Hideki Sakamoto Trio, on their eponymous debut album.[4]

The soundtrack of 428 features a variety of themes, instrumentation, and genres. The eponymous main theme is a jazz piece with heavy use of horns, whereas the final nine tracks are composed with string instruments in an acoustic motif.[1] Comparing the soundtrack with his work on Castlevania Judgment, Sakamoto expressed in an interview that there were more unique obstacles during the production of 428. He attributed this to the varied amount of styles, recalling that genres such as techno, funk, and classical were also featured throughout the OST.[5]

The album made its one appearance on the weekly Oricon Albums Chart on February 16, 2009, charting at No. 131 with 1,121 documented sales.[2] The soundtrack received a nomination for Best Score — Western Localisation at Video Game Music Online's 2018 Annual Game Music Awards, but was eliminated before the runner-up.[6] Bob Richardson reviewed the soundtrack for RPGFan. He praised the mixture of genres and instruments, commenting that the tracklist would have something suitable for most listeners. Richardson did observe that the variation could lead to disunion between neighboring tracks, but brushed this off as a "small price to pay for a set of phenomenal individual pieces." Richardson positively noted Sakamoto, Sato, and Yasumoto's work on the soundtrack and praised their cooperation, but particularly called the last nine tracks, done by Sakamoto in a "deeper" classical style, among the best pieces featured.[1] The music was also praised by game critics.[7]

The main theme to 428: Shibuya Scramble is the song "Sekai wa Sore demo Kawari wa Shinai", performed by rock singer Aya Kamiki. Composed by Aika Ōno, the song begins with a strings-based intro before transitioning into a rock style. The lyrics emphasizes positive towards the tomorrow, after initially opening with a bleak description of an unchanging world.[8] The song was released by Giza Studio on December 3, 2008, marking Kamiki's 10th single. "Sekai wa Sore demo Kawari wa Shinai" received a marketing campaign alongside 428, named "428 × Aya Kamiki" Shibuya Jack, which included billboards, the song's usage as background music in public areas, and live performances. A music video was released on a web page for Kamiki and Chunsoft's collaboration, featuring characters from 428 traversing a nighttime Shibuya.[9][10] It reached No. 42 on the Oricon Singles Chart, with 4,378 total documented sales during its three weeks on the chart.[11]

Canaan Original Sound Track: Ai[lower-alpha 2] is the soundtrack album to Canaan, released by Lantis in Japan on November 25, 2009, with the catalogue code LACA-9172～4. The score was composed almost solely by Masumi Itō under her pseudonym Hikaru Nanase, and includes 101 tracks across three discs, with a total length of 3:41:02–1:14:49 from disc one, 1:12:57 from disc two, and 1:13:16 from disc three. Outside Nanase's pieces, the soundtrack includes shorter versions of lyrical themes from the show: the ending theme "My Heaven" by Annabel is included on the first disc, and the insert song "Life" by Ayahi Takagaki and the opening theme "Mind as Judgement" by Faylan are included on the third disc.[12][13] The full versions of the themes were released on singles outside the soundtrack.

The soundtrack did not appear on the Oricon Albums Chart.[14] Anime News Network writers Theron Martin and Luke Carroll both touched on Canaan's soundtrack during their reviews of the series. Carroll praised a fitting ambiance during tense and action scenes. Martin agreed, and also complimented the score for its subtler tracks, but felt that it would "[push] things" too far on occasion. Carroll summarized the music as "decent" whereas Martin called it a strong musical score. Both reviewers rated the soundtrack an A-.[15][16]

"Mind as Judgement"[lower-alpha 3] is the opening theme to Canaan. It is the major debut by singer Faylan,[17] and was released as a single by Lantis in Japan on July 22, 2009, with the catalogue number LACM-4630.[18] Written by Aki Hata with composition from Noriyasu Agematsu, "Mind as Judgement" is a rock song, contrasting to the calmer ending theme "My Heaven". The single includes "Mind as Judgement", the B-side "Utakata no Kotori tachi", and instrumental versions of the tracks.[18][15]

The song entered the Oricon Singles Chart at No. 14 with 5,638 sales. It charted for 12 consecutive weeks, and had reached 15,016 documented sales by October 19, its final week on the chart.[18] Theron Martin and Luke Carroll praised "Mind as Judgement" in their reviews of Canaan. Martin wrote that the song kick starts episodes with "intense" rock, and also complimented the opening's animation in the series. Carroll also praised the song for providing Canaan with a high-action opening. Both reviewers noted the polarizing themes between "Mind as Judgement" and "My Heaven".[16][15]

"Mind as Judgement" has been performed live by Faylan on multiple occasions and has been included in various albums. Altered versions have been included in Canaan related albums: a ballad cover by Faylan was the lead track of Canaan Inspired Album,[19] and a short version of the song was recorded as the final track of the Canaan soundtrack album.[12] The song was performed at Faylan's Happy Soul Dance tour; the performance was later included in the DVD for the early edition of Faylan's second album Alive (2011).[20] Faylan performed the song live on the first day of the 2019 Lantis Festival.[17] The same year, "Mind as Judgement" was featured as the lead track of Faylan's 10th anniversary album, Mind as Rock![21] In 2021, alongside "My Heaven", the song was recorded in the first disc of an anime theme song album celebrating the 20th anniversary of P.A. Works.[22]

"My Heaven"[lower-alpha 4] is the ending theme to Canaan. It is the debut single by singer Annabel,[23] and was released by Lantis in Japan with the catalogue number LACM-4635 on September 26, 2009, featuring the titular track, the B-side "Filum", and off vocal versions of the songs;[24] the TV length version of the song was released on the first disc of the Canaan soundtrack album.[12] Composed by Myu of the band Kukui with lyrics by Aki Hata, "My Heaven" features a calmer, ballad style, in comparison to the action-themed rock opening "Mind as Judgement".[25][15][24]

The single debuted at No. 67 on the Oricon charts, with 1,571 sales; it stayed on the chart for one more week, reaching a total of 1,956 sales.[24] "My Heaven" was included in the first disc of a 2021 P.A. Works anime theme song album, alongside "Mind as Judgement", in commemoration of the company's 20th anniversary.[22]

"China Kibun de High Tension!"[lower-alpha 5] is a single by Japanese actress Ayahi Takagaki, sung as the Canaan character Nene. The single consists of three insert songs from Canaan – the eponymous lead track, "Inochi Nan da yo", and "Life" – and their instrumental versions. It was issued by Lantis in Japan on October 7, 2009, under the catalogue number LACM-4653. "Life" received a rerelease on the third disc of Canaan's soundtrack in November. The song reached No. 62 on the Oricon chart, which recorded 1,442 sales during its two appearances.[26][12]

Canaan Inspired Album is an album by Faylan and Annabel, released in Japan by Lantis on November 11, 2009, with the catalogue number LACA-5969.[27] The album consists of ten Canaan-themed songs: nine lyrical character themes and a ballad version of "Mind as Judgement".[28] The album features composition from Masumi Itō, Myu, and Elements Garden members Noriyasu Agematsu, Hitoshi Fujima, and Masato Nakayama, and lyrics from Annabel, Aki Hata, and Yozuca.[19]

A different song by Faylan, "Arousing Soul", was bundled with a Canaan promotional DVD at the December 2008 Comiket convention.[29]

A Canaan radio CD was released by Frontier Works on December 23, 2009, titled Canaan DJCD ~ Shanghai Hanten de Aimashō.[lower-alpha 6] A second CD was released on February 24, 2010. The radio is set within the universe of Canaan, and features "high-tension conversations", different from the serious tone of the anime.[30][31]