Interest Stacks

Composer: Kuniaki Haishima

One of the most eclectic on the list, as it crams in so many ideas, styles, and diverse sounds.

Composer: Yoshihiro Kanno

Kanno is a classical composer who only has one other credit in the anime industry, which is for Guskou Budori no Denki, a Kenji Miyazawa work.

Composer: Haruomi Hosono

One of the most atmospheric 1980s scores in anime, ranging from eerie to ethereal, as probably any religious-oriented work should be. There are a number of quirky tracks as well, and Hosono's production work is always incredible.

Composer: Ichiko Hashimoto

Both the OP and ED are favorites, involving Maaya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno. Classical tracks include Borodin and Wagner.

Sound Director: Youta Tsuruoka

Music: Reichi Nakaido

Great OP. This is up there with Boogiepop Phantom when it comes to sound design and music and how both are integrated with the visuals. Both BP and Lain also have overlap because they feature Tsuruoka as a sound director The ambient tracks have a wonderful atmosphere.

Composer: I'm not sure who to credit here, but Kouji Kasamatsu and Youta Tsuruoka are credited as sound directors.

Sound design is often noted to be one of the most neglected components of anime, and this is one of the best out there, with the music also being good.

Included for the large amount of classical tracks.

I don't even like The Pillows, but the songs go so well with the visuals, that this is a great pop rock OST.

Sound Director: Youta Tsuruoka

Composer: Ushinawareta Daichi (not credited on MAL)

This title understandably has a middle-of-the-road rating as far as fantasy anime goes, for it's a movie that ends abruptly, lacking much direction or development, and appears to be an advertisement for the LN series. The music consists of elegant orchestration that often has a decent sense for atmosphere and lacks the cheesy quality of a lot of fantasy anime of the period, whether it's Ys, Slayers, Bastard!, etc.

Sound Director: Atsumi Tashiro
Music: Haruomi Hosono

A slow-paced and dreamlike depiction of a famous Japanese literary tale. The music fits the period but it also has the fantastic production that Hosono was known for.

Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Sound Director: Atsumi Tashiro

Excellent ambient score and unlike many rather cheesy 1980s anime music I've heard. There's a mystical atmosphere, and, somewhat similarly to Geinoh Yamashirogumi's Akira score, there is a distinctly Japanese, as well as world music sound, with touches of gamelan. Most songs have a unique sound, ranging from a circusy-sounding atmosphere to synthesized choral pieces. Sakamoto was responsible for a number of film OSTs, but his only other credit for a full-fledged OST in anime was the rather average film Exception.

Interesting early score from Joe Hisaishi. I suppose I should add one of his Ghibli.

Music: Shiro Sagisu

I suppose the main series could just as easily have a place, featuring an iconic OP and ED, a wide variety of sounds, and nice pieces like Hedgehog's Dilemma.

Cheesy but well integrated with the show.

Music: Jun Miyake (Stink Bomb), Hiroyuki Nagashima (Cannon Fodder), Yoko Kanno (Magnetic Rose)
Sound Effects: Hidenori Arai, Shizuo Kurahashi

A professional score worthy of the big screen, ranging from classical, opera, jazz, ambient, etc., sometimes melding them in novel ways.