Love Hina Best Collection

By Tiffani Nadeau     May 13, 2004
Release Date: April 13, 2004



What They Say
As one of the most talked-about romantic comedies, Love Hina's renown originates in its hilarious predicaments involving college entrance exams, childhood crushes, bath shenanigans and flying sea turtles.

With the 'Love Hina Best Collection' soundtrack, it just goes to show that the proverbial summer of love is not the only season for romance, as this CD offers 27 fanciful tracks wooed from both the Love Hina Spring Movie and Christmas Movie. Included here are nine lovely vocal tracks affectionately sung by the original Japanese voice actresses and 18 instrumentals that will serve to remind you why you fell in love with this charming anime series.

The Review!
3 out of 5
Music found in Love Hina Spring Movie, and Christmas Special.

This CD comes with two twelve-page inserts, one for the Spring Movie and one for the Christmas Special. They are both arranged in the same manner, but one is in the reverse position of the other. Page one and two are the song title list. Next up are Two pages of both English and Japanese lyrics to two vocal songs. Then two full pages of screen shots from the movie. Up next are two pages of the remaining vocal songs lyrics in both English and Japanese. Then finally two pages of credits for the CD as well as the movie.
This one is interesting. As the CD covers two different movies, there is a definitive split in the sounds. The first 16 tracks are a more spirited, upbeat sound, which makes sense since they are from the Spring Movie. The tracks from 17-27 however are more slow and melancholy, being from the Xmas special. It is very easy to tell, just from listening where one movie ends and the other begins. Unfortunately, this also leads to a bit of definitive separation of the feel of the whole CD, it sounds like two different CDs stuck together for the purpose of saving space, and that can be slightly disappointing.

The vocals provided for each movie are the great voice actors who provide the voices for the Love Hina characters, and their bouncy pleasing spring numbers are just a fun romp through the musical world. Their winter numbers are very beautiful and sweet to hear from these great voices. The Instrumentals are brought to by Masaki Iwamoto, who is also responsible for the Saber Marionette J soundtrack. Iwamoto does not disappoint in this one either. Iwamoto sticks with the themes that the vocals outline and the music he produces is pure magic with a slight Polynesian twist to it. There is no mistaking the signature sounds of Masaki Iwamoto, and I pleased to say Iwamoto continues with the sounds you are used to.

I'd have to say a good romp through two different styles of music.

Features
My Song2:13Vocal (Japanese) ,A Confession1:59Instrumental ,Toss About in Bed0:21Instrumental, The Island of the South Seas1:46Instrumental,Fantasy2:01Instrumental,To Be Accepted to Tokyo University1:49Instrumental,Shinobu's Diary of Duties ~ Instrumental Version ~1:03Instrumental,Lonesome1:47Instrumental,Desert ~ Water Play in the Jungle2:58Instrumental ,Recollection1:43Instrumental (Background Humming),A Cave2:07Instrumental ,A Big Crisis1:47Instrumental,Nyamo's Song ~ LA LA LA Version ~3:03Vocal (Background Humming),The Beginning Starts Now 1:17Vocal (Japanese),Blessing 1:37Vocal (Japanese),Nyamo's Song ~ Love & Peace Version ~3:04Vocal (Japanese),The Beginning Starts Now3:17Vocal (Japanese),Blessing3:30Vocal (Japanese),Energetic3:16Vocal (Japanese),Skyscraper2:05Instrumental,X'mas Present 1:53Instrumental,Town1:52Instrumental,Love Hotel1:15Instrumental,Solitude2:04Instrumental,An Angel of Love Has Descended and? ~ Instrumental Version ~2:27Instrumental,Winter Wish ~ Instrumental Version ~2:14Instrumental,Winter Wish 5:13Vocal (Japanese)


Review Equipment
Total CD Length: 59:41