wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Feb 15, 2024 22:06:33 GMT -5
Hi everyone! Time for part 2 of my anime rankdown series!
To recap my OP from last thread--only including songs (openings, endings, insert songs, soundtrack songs) from anime that I have actually watched from beginning to end here. Doing a deeper dive into cool anime music across three 30-song rankdowns and highlighting as broad a swath of anime music as I can. Trying to keep these lists as balanced as I can too in terms of genre, date of release, broad appeal, etc.
You have ~2 months to send me this list of 30 songs RANKED.
agraph f/ ANI – unified perspective Aimer – Brave Shine Ally Kerr – The Sore Feet Song Ayako Ikeda – Prism Azumi Inoue – My Neighbor Totoro Bonjour Suzuki – Ano Mori de Matteru Buck-Tick – Kuchizuke coaltar of the deepers – DEAR FUTURE Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas – Let Me Hear Flow – Colors Given – Fuyu no Hanashi Gumi – Catch You Catch Me Hanae – Kamisama Hajimemashita HIGH VOLTAGE – UNDERGROUND Juno Reactor – Guardian Angel Kohmi Hirose – Venus Line Luca Yumi – Truth Midori – Sora’s Folktale Oranges & Lemons – Raspberry Heaven Paradise Lunch – Guns & Roses ReoNa – Nai Nai Sayuri – Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no Youna School Food Punishment – How to Go Shikao Suga – Yuudachi Susumu Hirasawa – BERSERK -Forces- Tamurapan – Koko Tatsuro Yamashita – Mirai no Theme Thundercat – Unrequited Love Tommy Heavenly6 – PAPERMOON Yoasobi – Kaibutsu
And here are the youtube exclusives:
Coaltar of the Deepers - Dear Future
Luca Yumi - Truth
Oranges & Lemons - Raspberry Heaven
Paradise Lunch - Guns & Roses
Shikao Suga - Yuudachi
Susumu Hirasawa - BERSERK -Forces-
Tamurapan - Koko
Tatsuro Yamashita - Mirai no Theme
Let me know if you want tagged or untagged
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Zach
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Post by Zach on Feb 16, 2024 0:12:12 GMT -5
Looking at this list I think I'll end up enjoying this part even more than the first.
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singingrulebritannia
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Post by singingrulebritannia on Feb 20, 2024 21:20:51 GMT -5
I think I recognize...4 of these songs on sight, and 2 of them are just because the franchise is in the title lol
EDIT: Oh wait the Yoasobi song is "Monster", so I know that too
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khan
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Post by khan on Feb 21, 2024 14:33:42 GMT -5
Yoasobi spotted. Now I HAVE to do this.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Apr 22, 2024 8:39:31 GMT -5
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zippy
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Post by zippy on Apr 25, 2024 11:33:39 GMT -5
There are some other rankdowns I plan to do next month so I’ll push myself to get this done first.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on May 8, 2024 9:13:44 GMT -5
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on May 27, 2024 21:07:48 GMT -5
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jun 16, 2024 18:56:36 GMT -5
Think you'll send Zach or Taiga ? I ask the two of you specifically since you both expressed interest here. I'll plan on doing reveals soon-ish with just the 5 of us if not, but of course I'm happy to have more lists if you do want to send! Just let me know if so.
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Taiga
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Post by Taiga on Jun 16, 2024 21:17:37 GMT -5
Hey wheat! Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to send a list this time around, but feel free to tag me in the reveals.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 6, 2024 19:58:24 GMT -5
Okay, singingrulebritannia, zippy, khan, and esportsanime, this is going to be an intimate set of reveals lol (with Taiga & Zach not sending and Trilogy boardiciding, it's a lower turnout than I was hoping, but that is ok). We'll call this closed, I have everything pretty much ready to roll. I'll get started on reveals tomorrow (or maybe even in a couple hours, if I'm daring. But that's not super likely). Undecided on whether I'll blow through them in a couple nights, or take it a bit slowly and do a few reveals a day (probably the former). I've considered just cutting my losses on this and letting, but I am happy that I got at least 4 people to send lists ( esportsanime counts too, they've been the biggest supporter of me actually seeing this through) and I don't wanna make it all for nothing, so I will do the reveals! Even if the results are a bit messy with the small sample size. I'll post the playlist for part 3 at the end, for anyone interested in hearing it! Unfortunately, I won't be hosting part 3. 2024 has been a bad year for me as an anime fan (I've started and finished a grand total of 1 series this year!), so frankly, as I'm kinda falling out of the fandom, I'm just not excited about this project as I was a few months ago. Plus, I have another, more broadly appealing personal RD I'd like to host, so be on the lookout for that instead. (and who knows, you might see some of the songs in part 3 in other rankdown settings).
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zippy
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Post by zippy on Jul 6, 2024 20:43:01 GMT -5
Better to do the reveals with a low turnout than abandon the rankdown. I will have comments on several of the songs.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 20:56:51 GMT -5
I totally didn't mean to do these at the same time as 2018 reveals, that's just how it shook out, unfortunately. I want to start today! Not going to do previews either, we're just going straight into reveals. 30 Ally Kerr – The Sore Feet Song Points: 14 SD: 1.48 esportsanime – 26 wheatsquares33 – 28 singingrulebritannia – 28 zippy – 29 khan – 30 Well, I know I ranked this at #28, but it is a bit sad to see this in last place. The Sore Feet Song is a certified classic. Mushishi is like, maybe the most aesthetically pleasing anime out there. The backgrounds and environments are all so gorgeously detailed, the soundtrack is maybe the most distinct sounding anime OST I can think of. The pace is calm and relaxing, but the small amounts of horror incorporated into the episodic stories keeps you on your toes. I was obsessed with Mushishi when I first watched in 2017, and I’ve tried rewatching it a couple times since, but it’s never really recaptured the original magic for me. As far as music for this RD, I picked the first OP because it’s just so iconic. BUT the opening for the second season, Lucy Rose’s Shiver, is one of my all-time favorite songs (and maybe you’ll see a song from her in another forum game soon, who knows). I just didn’t pick that one here because I’ve sent it for other games in the past, but I bet it would’ve done better. As for EDs, Mushishi doesn’t have a true ending song, it’s always just an extension of the soundtrack (and I won’t complain about that, it’s often the perfect note to leave an episode off on)
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 20:59:25 GMT -5
29 Aimer – Brave Shine Points: 26 SD: 3.35 khan – 22 esportsanime – 23 singingrulebritannia – 26 zippy – 28 wheatsquares33 – 30 I feel like if I were to give this rankdown to like. r/anime or a group of Anilisters or something, this would probably be top 5 lol. Brave Shine is among the most recognizable anime openings of the 2010s probably, and I am a big fan Aimer, so that’s why I picked this one to represent her. (also considered Ninelie from Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and the ED for Love Is Like After the Rain). I just love her voice and how good her choruses are. I do like Brave Shine a good bit obviously, but it is one of those songs that I’ve just heard SO many times, it’s kind of lost the magic for me. As for the show it represents, this is opening for the second season of Fate Stay Night/Unlimited Blade Works. Fate is a long, dense, somewhat impenetrable series that’s managed to turn a cult classic visual novel into like, inescapable gacha trash lol. Fate/Zero is quite good and I liked UBW too, but I don’t have much use for the rest of the series.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:01:13 GMT -5
28 Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas – Let Me Hear Points: 45 SD: 9.97 wheatsquares33 – 8 khan – 15 esportsanime – 27 singingrulebritannia – 30 zippy – 30 Honestly, a little surprised this isn’t last (but I guess even one top 10 placement is enough to save it here). Fear and Loathing are kinda interesting cause like. I was listening to a really shit Brokencyde song semi-recently and thought “huh. This really doesn’t sound so different from F&L songs I actually like”. This sort of obnoxious autotuned trance metal isn’t typically my thing, but the amount of energy they bring to their songs makes them a lot more likable to me. I’m also a big fan of Just Awake from Hunter x Hunter (and Chase the Light from Kaiji S2 is okay, but I’d only pick that one for this so I could talk about Kaiji). But Let Me Hear is definitely my favorite of theirs, and Parasyte is a good watch! And read. Great classic horror series.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:05:25 GMT -5
27 Midori – Sora’s Folktale Points: 46 SD: 4.76 wheatsquares33 – 16 zippy – 19 esportsanime – 21 singingrulebritannia – 25 khan – 28 So this is an insert song from a really brief scene in the 2000 Escaflowne (an old 90s shoujo mech series with like robots and fairies, idk) film. This show also had a 26 episode show which I haven’t watched (but esportsanime has and says it is very un-good). I don’t really have any strong opinion on the show’s opening or ending EXCEPT—Kingdom Hearts Key samples the opening lol (about the 48 second mark). And that’s fun to me. Anyway, this is a very nice little trip hop song, I wish it was longer.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:07:42 GMT -5
26 HIGH VOLTAGE – UNDERGROUND Points: 48 SD: 6.84 esportsanime – 13 wheatsquares33 – 15 zippy – 25 singingrulebritannia – 27 khan – 27 Gurren Lagann is one of my all-time favorite anime. It took a bit for to get into it (I think I dropped it like 3 times before marathoning it spring break 2017), but it hit so hard once I did finish it. Masterfully done show, maybe the most hype climax of any anime. That said, I don’t know how much TTGL music I love. Row Row Fight the Power is an iconic insert song (I might have had that one in the 2019 rankdown too?), but I’m not so crazy for the opening Sorairo Days (even though that is a fairly beloved song) or the other ED Minna no Peace. Was hoping this one would do a little better here, I love the fuzzy bassline.
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zippy
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Post by zippy on Jul 7, 2024 21:08:55 GMT -5
Let Me Hear isn’t the only song I’ve ranked last in a recent rankdown because I wasn’t fond the metalcore screaming vocals.
I struggled ranking Sora’s Folktale because of its short length although it sounds pretty nice.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:10:56 GMT -5
25 Kohmi Hirose – Venus Line Points: 55 SD: 7.21 esportsanime – 9 khan – 19 singingrulebritannia – 21 zippy – 22 wheatsquares33 – 29 The true best song from Birdie Wing is Take a Chance by illiomote, a recurring insert song throughout the show that netted me a place in the finals of WTM 2022! But in the spirit of featuring new music, I decided to go with the opening. This one was a bit of a grower for me. The TV sized version didn’t do much to win me over, but the full length song is so dynamic and feels so good to listen to. Kohmi Hirose was a pretty popular act in early 90s Japan (you might know her song Promise), but I don’t think she had too many songs on anime soundtracks (except for the lovely Groovy from Cardcaptor Sakura). Anyway, Birdie Wing is a pretty buck wild anime about golf and the mafia and lesbian romance, it’s worth watching.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:13:44 GMT -5
24 Sayuri – Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no Youna Points: 63 SD: 6.43 esportsanime – 11 khan – 14 singingrulebritannia – 17 zippy – 24 wheatsquares33 – 26 This is the ED for Erased, one of the very first anime I ever watched (and in the setting of anime club in 2016 over the period of like 3 months, so I remember absolutely nothing about the show). Love this ED though, great visuals too. I really like Sayuri’s vocals, I feel like she was a lot more common a feature in the mid/late 2010s, but she has some classics under her belt (LOVE her opening for Golden Kamuy OP2 with My First Story, I just haven’t watched it). Also, the opening is Re:Re: by Asian Kung-Fu Generation, who I featured in the first list. That song was from like 2004 or so I think and was used in this 2016 anime, which I feel you don't see often.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:20:09 GMT -5
23 ReoNa – Nai Nai Points: 63 SD: 11.52 esportsanime – 2 khan – 11 wheatsquares33 – 23 zippy – 27 singingrulebritannia – 29 Shadows House is a pretty cool show that I was really into when it aired. Very gothic, cool concept, great aesthetic and visual storytelling. I’ll have to watch season 2 some time (or read the manga). The opening for first season is this like, classical gothic string instrumental which is pretty cool, but not something I go out of my way for. So contrasting that with an alt-pop song that sounds like it could be from WWAFAWDWG makes for a pretty good pairing.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:22:19 GMT -5
22 Hanae – Kamisama Hajimemashita Points: 65 SD: 4.24 esportsanime – 14 zippy – 14 khan – 18 wheatsquares33 – 20 singingrulebritannia – 24 Pbththth as I was watching Kamisama Kiss in 2019 I was cognizantly aware that I would remember literally nothing about the show lol. And it’s true, I really truly don’t (except there was a cute snake boy or something, idr). It's like, the most barebones shoujo reverse harem. Great pair of songs in the opening and ending though, I was on the fence about which one I’d include here. But at the end of the day, I can barely tell them apart so I just went with the opening (though the ED is a bit groovier). Idk anything about Hanae, this is the only show I know they've worked on.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:25:23 GMT -5
21 agraph f/ ANI – unified perspective Points: 67 SD: 3.78 khan – 12 zippy – 16 esportsanime – 19 singingrulebritannia – 19 wheatsquares33 – 22 I don’t know how it happened, but there’s a string of like 4 shows in a row here that I either remember nothing about or could not keep up with at all as I watched them lol. I watched Heike Monogatari last year...I didn’t really like it. Really great art style and direction, but I feel that if I had a better understanding of the folktale that the show was based on, I’d have followed the story more closely. But, I do love the opening and ending for this show. I believe the opening (Hikaru Toki by Hitsuji Bungaku) was in a Madness a couple years ago, and it is a great song. But it’s not often that you here a rap song like this in an anime (the most amount of hip hop brought to the average anime opening is like, in a nu metal song), so I wanted to highlight it here. The first half of this song is so damn good, I love it. I think the extended IDM outro could be cut down a bit, but still. Great vibe on this one.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:28:04 GMT -5
20 Tamurapan – Koko Points: 68 SD: 3.21 khan – 13 singingrulebritannia – 16 esportsanime – 17 zippy – 20 wheatsquares33 – 21 Kyousougiga may be the anime that I was able to follow least as I was watching it. Like, of all time. I never knew what was happening in this show, from the first episode to the last, even with the Wikipedia episode descriptions opening. But the opening is so damn good, it really stuck with me. Love this song, and the show has a great art style too. I just don’t know what happened in it lol. Idk anything about Tamurapan either.
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zippy
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Post by zippy on Jul 7, 2024 21:31:05 GMT -5
unified perspective is another weird one to rank. You wouldn’t normally expect to hear an IDM track used for an anime opening.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:33:58 GMT -5
19 Damn, it seems like almost all of Tatsuro Yamashita's stuff has been purged from Youtube? I was going to listen to For You the other day and couldn't find it, and now even the video I had linked in February is gone. Is this just a Canada thing? I know he's a bit protective of how his music is distributed, but that is disappointing. Tatsuro Yamashita – Mirai no Theme Points: 72 SD: 10.31 wheatsquares33 – 6 singingrulebritannia – 7 khan – 17 zippy – 23 esportsanime – 30 Tatsuro Yamashita is like THE city pop guy. Basically needs no introduction. So I’m a bit surprised to see him all the way down at #19! Especially after winning Globetrotting IV. Now, obviously, this isn’t peak Yamashita material, Mirai no Mirai & this song are from 2019. But this was actually my introduction to Yamashita, and the “MY BABY GIRL chuu chuu” chorus has stuck with me for so long. He’s a name that’s a bit too big for anime music I think, so really his only notable anime songs are this one and the ED for Summer Wars (also directed by Mamoru Hosoda and like 50x better...maybe my favorite anime movie actually. I just like Mirai no Theme a lot more than the ending song for Summer Wars). Also composed the opening for And Yet the Town Moves, interestingly.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:35:55 GMT -5
18 Ayako Ikeda – Prism Points: 73 SD: 5.59 khan – 7 wheatsquares33 – 17 singingrulebritannia – 18 zippy – 18 esportsanime – 22 I also didn’t understand Dennou Coil T_T And I really wanted to, early 2000s cyberpunk anime is some of my favorite stuff out there, and thematically this show is really cool and ahead of its time. I just thought it was boring. Love the opening though, really beautiful downtempo song by...a singer I am not familiar with.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:38:50 GMT -5
17 Oranges & Lemons – Raspberry Heaven Points: 75 SD: 9.06 singingrulebritannia – 6 khan – 9 zippy – 17 wheatsquares33 – 19 esportsanime – 29 Okay I did watch Azumanga Daioh and understand it! Kinda hard not to, it’s just a slapstick comedy show. Arguably the most influential anime in the history of cute girls comedies, really set the bar for the next 20 years of shows of this sort. I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest Azumanga Daioh fan though, it has its moments but there are so many intolerable characters and a lot of the humor is so repetitive. The opening and ending are both great though! Especially the opening, absolutely legendary and iconic and instantly recognizable. But I do like the ED a little bit more actually, it has a better vibe. I don’t know much about Oranges & Lemons, but I’d definitely listen to more from them.
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wheatsquares33
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Post by wheatsquares33 on Jul 7, 2024 21:40:35 GMT -5
16 Given – Fuyu no Hanashi Points: 77 SD: 9.4 wheatsquares33 – 5 singingrulebritannia – 10 esportsanime – 12 khan – 25 zippy – 26 I think a driving force for me becoming an anime fan to begin with was how much queer (or queer baiting) content there is in the medium. That kind of thing meant a lot to me in college, so shows like Free and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi were some of my early favorites. There’s a lot of yaoi out there, and I quickly learned that most of it is garbageeee and that’s like, not even very debated. I feel like in recent years actually good gay representation in anime has gotten to be a lot better, which is great. But Given was the first boys’ love that WOWED me, and I still love love love this show. It’s only 11 episodes, and that length is perfect (before it devolves into stupid love triangle nonsense in the movie and manga, I just like to pretend the original show is all there is). The show is about a band, and this song is at the climax of the main storyline. And the episode/scene where it plays legit might be my favorite episode of anime ever. It’s so good. Will try to finish this tomorrow or Tuesday!
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zippy
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Post by zippy on Jul 7, 2024 22:01:38 GMT -5
While I can say I that enjoy Mirai no Theme plenty, I found the repetition of “CUTE! CUTE!” and “GYU! GYU!” annoying and I definitely would have ranked it at least 10 spots higher otherwise.
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