#Yugioh arc v volume 5 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

darkvalkyria · 7 years ago

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refia i gotta ask... what's your top 5 fav tracks off the arc v soundtrack??

askin all the important questions thank you sai

edit: i am so sorry for this i never meant for it to be so long i am just a wordy hoe

soundtracks for visual media are always important to me because i’m a longtime musician myself, and while arc v isn’t my favorite yugioh ost it still has a lot of gems and tracks that i’ve bookmarked and listen to regularly.

for anyone that hasn’t listened to the soundtrack i’ll tell you that it greatly enhances the arc v experience because the show is lazy in its musical execution and draws from very little of the soundtrack Nakagawa scored for the series. don’t let his work go to waste! it provides great entertainment.

all of the following are from the Japanese OST composed by Kotaro Nakagawa. for links to the audio click the numerals/titles!

also i’m not including any of the op/ends (because all of them are gorgeous within their own right and have their own rankings).

i’ll include sound duel 4 tracks using their unofficial titles because a certain multinational corporation hasn’t released it yet 👀 #marvelouslyhackkonami

also i’m including hella honorable mentions that no one asked for because upon re-listening to the soundtrack it turns out i appreciate a lot more tracks than i originally thought.

so buckle up and get your headphones,

5. “Sakaki Yuusho - Unreleased OST” (SD4)

listen, i have a lot of feelings and at the same time no feelings for sakaki yusho but i consider him solid husband material after hearing this. the energy from this is uplifting and hopeful af and it’s so refreshing from the otherwise suspenseful, hell-ridden season 4 tracks. the first seconds of this track (and then the reprise at 2:03) are my favorite. the crescendo perfectly captures the spirit, soul, and confidence of entertainment dueling and it’s HAWT. the execution of this track is brilliant, yusho and yuri’s duel was so memorable and exciting to me and it’s also one of my favorite tracks to hear in yuya’s last couple redemption duels which are just a sight to witness on their own.

4. Something to Protect (SD3 - Track 16)

the part that puts this track above many others similar to it is the choral line starting at 1:05. the arc v soundtrack, unlike any of the other yugioh ost’s, does a great job of using choral solos and themes melodically (that seem to be primarily celtic in nature). the voices are always tempered and drawn out, they have amazing melody and resolution, and when those solos hit those upper registers it’s soulful far beyond the extent of the show. the theme that leads into the choral uptake starting at (0:27) captures the sentiment of protecting someone, or preparing for an upcoming battle. the theme is repeated with a great accelerando at 1:40 with added string syncopation in the background that makes the situation more urgent. i can’t remember where in the show this is used but for some reason i feel like it was at a yuto/ruri moment? that just makes it all the more real, dude

3. The Duelist’s Determination (SD3 - Track 12)

*insert good shit meme* THIS TRACK RIGHT HERE! this is some LEGIT FANTASY SHIT™

i was pleasantly surprised when i heard this in the ost, probably because i never remember hearing this at all in the anime? this melody is one of my favorites in the ost, and is one that is unique to this track only. the orchestration of this track is fantastic to me. this is one of the few really full, properly orchestral, compositions that Nakagawa has included in the arc v soundtrack that are beyond the scope of anime and could be included in a fantasy rpg or something. from the solid intro featuring the trombones to a full orchestral climax and then stripped back to trumpets, piano, and strings… then there’s syncopation from the percussion and a key change, it’s just so good. i can only dream of how much more epic this would sound rerecorded with a real orchestra rather than synth.

2. The Light of Hope Doesn’t Arrive (SD2 - Track 20) & “Crimson Soul - Unreleased OST” (SD4) & “Lancers Final Gambit - Unreleased OST” (SD4)

okay this is 100% cheating but you can not make me choose between these three so i’m sorry

“The Light of Hope Doesn’t Arrive” is my preferred pick of the three because it conveys a different mood than the other two (also it’s actually has an hd release *cough*). this is another one of those few tracks on the ost that Nakagawa went ham on in terms of a full, well-rounded composition, and with a title like “The Light of Hope Doesn’t Arrive,” how could you not? one thing i love about the arc v soundtrack is that it utilizes slower tempos throughout to convey completely different moods. for an intentionally heavy track like this one it just does wonders. the intro to this track makes you think it’s going to be a lot faster than it is, and then it strips back into the marcato strings and then a slow af, really paced and dignified piano… and then a harp that pulls along a lagging melody… bitch?! are you trying to kill me? and then i LOVE the short piano outro. this track is used in the first season for some baby!yuya flashbacks, left out in the later seasons, and brought back during yuya’s therapeutic zarc flashback during his last duel with reiji soooooo whoever controls music placement is definitely playing with my life.

as far as “Crimson Soul” goes, just listen to this thing! why does jack get all the good themes fam… his 5ds theme is stunning as well. this theme plays during yuto’s turn while he duels ruri and serena, YUTO’S FLASHBACKS OF RURI, and of course while jack duels zarc, and probably during a lot of other epic moments as well. this track has such good energy and confidence within the melody and orchestration. it also has strings and a great percussion line AND THEN THERE’S TWO KEY CHANGES the last of which has choral backing- this was written for me. when you listen to this, you can feel yuto’s determination to save ruri and you can feel jack’s determination to defeat zarc and reach yuya and you can feel the RISK that both are taking.

cause of death: “Lancers Final Gambit” LISTEN Y’ALL. WHEN YOU HEAR THIS THEME SOME DRAMATIC DEFINITELY SCARY SHIT IS GOING ON. the intro of this track never fails to get my heart pounding. and then the string melody with the brass support murders me. it’s hard to hear in this extracted version but there’s also slight choral backing which is the icing on the cake. this track is played when yuto takes his turn vs. ruri and serena and WHEN YUYA KILLS YURI AKSJDHLWAUHLDKSJHLIUEAS ENOUGH SAID

1. Baby Reira’s Laughter Yuto’s Passionate Soul (SD3 - Track 18)

yeah that’s right. you all saw this coming. this shit right here = some good ost shit. this is the track that caused me to look up the arc v soundtrack because to me it’s the most emotionally powerful song on the record. i would go as far as to say this song serves as the bulk of yuto’s characterization on the show by adding to his character a whole world of depth that we as viewers are supposed to feel rather than see or interpret. i think it really does genuinely speak to yuto’s soul, and what a passionate one it is indeed.

i think Nakagawa tried his hardest to put a lot of strife and resistance into all the XYZ-centered themes and this is no exception. this track just has the added vocal that is completely INSANE in terms of triumphant reprises. (some people argue that this theme should be yugo’s because it’s used more often when clear wing is summoned, even in yuya’s last duel with reiji, but i think this was a grave execution error on part of whoever places the music in the episodes because thematically this is clearly supposed to be associated with the xyz themes. in the case of summoning odd eyes wing dragon you could see it as yugo and yuto coming together however.) when used in the show they play around with which version they use (sometimes without one of the choral lines) and i have to say my favorite version, and unfortunately the one we’ll never get, is the choral only version that plays during yuto’s death scene. the use of this version was more emotional than yuto’s death to me and i think it was the best use of an ost throughout arc v, and therefore one of arc v’s most powerful moments overall.

Honorable Mentions;

The Gears of Fate Begin To Turn (SD3 - Track 20)

the track that sounds exactly like what the title says. everyone get out your duel disks and kiss your cards because war is upon us. at 2:00 the string ensemble is magnificent, suspenseful, and the chord progression is orgasmic. this song makes me pray for the safety of my bbys.

Take a Step Forward! (SD1 - Track 18)

the first arc v track i liked. some confident, sexy shit. great intro and ending. made me respect band.

The Start of Action Duels (SD1 - Track 7)

listen to the drum line at 0:27 and tell me this isn’t the most hype thing on this soundtrack. the melody at 0:42 is what i consider THE arc v theme, and what a gorgeous, uplifting one it is. i’ve severely neglected SD1 on this list but it actually has more tracks i like than any of the other sound duel volumes. sound duel 1 was also extremely underused in the anime so all of you have to listen to it right now because it’s brilliant.

A Promise With Dad (SD1 - Track 19)

the track that made me believe in yuya. the track that made me believe everything works out okay in the end. promises are worth it. life is blooming. love is real.

A Heart Made of Glass (SD1 - Track 12)

a heart made of glass? whose? *listens to downbeat* oh that’s right, mine. the first track that hinted to yuya’s inner turmoil. another one of the tracks Nakagawa really orchestrated fully. the only track other than “the light of hope doesn’t arrive” that can be called acoustic on this soundtrack. dat piano tho. oboes are lyfe. take away this melody it’s sad.

C’mon Let’s Duel! (SD2 - Track 3)

let’s duel? more like let’s pray to get out of this alive. i believe in male voices again. yugioh doesn’t use choir often but when it does it has great melody.

DDD (SD1 - Track 11)

the theme i don’t have to provide a link to because it’s that iconic. synth choir is okay this one time. the only theme other than the “main” theme that has several rearrangements (SD2 - Track 7 & “Reiji - Unreleased OST” that are also as good so listen to them). what a great theme for reiji and his three dicks.

Cheer Up (SD3 - Track 21)

“where tf was this track in the anime” pt. 2394812. yuya definitely needed a lot of cheering up and this song wasn’t there and should have been. im here for the pure melody that starts at 1:26. the last track on an official arc v sound duel i liked, and therefore the theme for what would have been many fans’ ideal arc v ending.

The Fun and Cheery Entertainment Duel! (SD1 - Track 4)

funkiest track on the arc v ost. 0:15 is life. arc v needs more latin beats. 1:40 is such a nice theme and mood change ill never be tired of it. the only time this soundtrack has used a guitar?

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