Übel Blatt
Shun Narita
" While the use of music in context is flawed, the overall music as presented and intended fares better as a standalone experience "Written by Joep de Bruijn - Review of the download only release
Übel Blatt (Yûberu Buratto, 2025) is a Japanese animated TV series based on a dark fantasy manga. In the series, there is a great wealth of background information for each of the characters, mostly very uninteresting. Yet, the attention drawn to the protagonist called Köinzell, who is out on a quest to restore order and seek revenge on the turncoats who have become powerful noblemen and warlords in recent days, is moderately engaging. Shun Narita composed the music.
The series is set in an middle-aged fantasy environment, which is the reason the composer (unsurprisingly) chose to compose Celtic influenced music. For unknown reasons, it is introduced late, halfway through the series, heard in cues such as Adventure Tales: The Tavern and Go On.
Also, the score features minimal, dark musical material, Torn by Despair and Echoes of Scream, a fine recurring string motif and dramatic, requiem music in cues such as in Regret and Resolve.
A portion of the music is written in an idiom of grand proportions, with overpowering orchestral strength, a choir, organ and more, highlighted in cues such Black Wing - Koinzell. In terms of choir, the overal use in the score is divided into the standardized full choir and an idiosyncratic Japanese scale of singing, which is arguably more interesting.
in
The action writing is hectic, exhilarating, including distorted sounds, powerful action rhythms, electric guitar and overall orchestral strength, culminating in Flying Dragon, which also includes choir and a Celtic woodwind.
There is a main theme that goes through renditions, both dramatic and adventurous, within its musical language, orchestrations and more, quite typical for a variety of Japanese composers. For one of the characters, Geranmpen, there is a small quirky piano motif, hinting at his menacing physical appearance against his amiable character. Another recurring motif is used for the many flashbacks of a large series of characters, who are mostly underscored by harp and strings; effective and touching in its simplicity with each reprisal.
Given all this, much of the music presented on the release is severely edited for the series, considerably low in the mix, often favoring loud pronunciations in dialogue and further murmurings or sound effects.
Towards the end of the series, some of the action and adventurous music take on a more prominent role, unlike an action scene early into the series, a raid of a landlords castle underscored by the independently outstanding action cue Flying Dragon, which suffers from previously mentioned issues.
In episode 6, Koinzell confronts Landgrave Schtemwölech, who becomes the first victim of his revenge. In their battle several musical elements recur; the nervous action string motif, the dark, shimmering strings and overall epic sound. The organ and choir resonate in a religious, spiritual and redeeming manner rather spectacularly as Koinzell continues to fight, carried over to the next episode, where he kills his opponent, while releasing several prisoners who are redeemed from their suffering and transported to an eternal resting place. It offers the best moments of symbiosis between music and image.
While the use of music in context is flawed, the overall music as presented and intended fares better as a standalone experience, even though it is nearly two hours long.
Traccklist
01 Revenge of the Forest of Death 3:23
02 Black Wing -Koinzell- 4:08
03 The Oppression 2:54
04 Prepare for Action 3:10
05 Sneaking Around 2:17
06 Hymn of Awakening 3:28
07 Sacrifice -Ergnach- 3:01
08 Quiet Rain 2:18
09 The Collapse 4:01
10 In the Dense Fog 2:13
11 Go on 3:04
12 A Quiet Happiness 1:53
13 Anger and Uneasiness 3:22
14 Ubel Blatt Battle Theme 2:11
15 Flying Dragon 3:39
16 Echoes of Screams 3:50
17 Torn by Despair 4:10
18 Chills Down My Spine 2:23
19 Breaking the Taboo 2:23
20 Closing In Slowly 2:06
21 Driven to the Edge 3:06
22 Beast of Destruction 2:32
23 Ruthless Authority 2:04
24 Regret and Resolve 4:36
25 Memories Before the Forest of Death 2:46
26 Enchanting Dancer 2:23
27 The Jester 1:47
28 Rise of the People, Rise of an Era 5:10
29 The Moonlight 2:19
30 Unity -Altea- 2:51
31 Blatt Meister -Ichfeis- 2:31
32 Purity -Elsaria- 3:39
33 Order of the Seven Spears -Marquis Glenn- 3:34
34 Magic Artillery 2:19
35 Fleet Battle 4:42
36 Pain of Separation 3:00
37 Days of Tranquility 2:17
38 Adventure Tales: The Tavern 2:06
39 The Clown 1:51
40 The Warmth of Your Hand 1:41
Disc length 117:08
(2107-2025)
The series is set in an middle-aged fantasy environment, which is the reason the composer (unsurprisingly) chose to compose Celtic influenced music. For unknown reasons, it is introduced late, halfway through the series, heard in cues such as Adventure Tales: The Tavern and Go On.
Also, the score features minimal, dark musical material, Torn by Despair and Echoes of Scream, a fine recurring string motif and dramatic, requiem music in cues such as in Regret and Resolve.
A portion of the music is written in an idiom of grand proportions, with overpowering orchestral strength, a choir, organ and more, highlighted in cues such Black Wing - Koinzell. In terms of choir, the overal use in the score is divided into the standardized full choir and an idiosyncratic Japanese scale of singing, which is arguably more interesting.
in
The action writing is hectic, exhilarating, including distorted sounds, powerful action rhythms, electric guitar and overall orchestral strength, culminating in Flying Dragon, which also includes choir and a Celtic woodwind.
There is a main theme that goes through renditions, both dramatic and adventurous, within its musical language, orchestrations and more, quite typical for a variety of Japanese composers. For one of the characters, Geranmpen, there is a small quirky piano motif, hinting at his menacing physical appearance against his amiable character. Another recurring motif is used for the many flashbacks of a large series of characters, who are mostly underscored by harp and strings; effective and touching in its simplicity with each reprisal.
Given all this, much of the music presented on the release is severely edited for the series, considerably low in the mix, often favoring loud pronunciations in dialogue and further murmurings or sound effects.
Towards the end of the series, some of the action and adventurous music take on a more prominent role, unlike an action scene early into the series, a raid of a landlords castle underscored by the independently outstanding action cue Flying Dragon, which suffers from previously mentioned issues.
In episode 6, Koinzell confronts Landgrave Schtemwölech, who becomes the first victim of his revenge. In their battle several musical elements recur; the nervous action string motif, the dark, shimmering strings and overall epic sound. The organ and choir resonate in a religious, spiritual and redeeming manner rather spectacularly as Koinzell continues to fight, carried over to the next episode, where he kills his opponent, while releasing several prisoners who are redeemed from their suffering and transported to an eternal resting place. It offers the best moments of symbiosis between music and image.
While the use of music in context is flawed, the overall music as presented and intended fares better as a standalone experience, even though it is nearly two hours long.
Traccklist
01 Revenge of the Forest of Death 3:23
02 Black Wing -Koinzell- 4:08
03 The Oppression 2:54
04 Prepare for Action 3:10
05 Sneaking Around 2:17
06 Hymn of Awakening 3:28
07 Sacrifice -Ergnach- 3:01
08 Quiet Rain 2:18
09 The Collapse 4:01
10 In the Dense Fog 2:13
11 Go on 3:04
12 A Quiet Happiness 1:53
13 Anger and Uneasiness 3:22
14 Ubel Blatt Battle Theme 2:11
15 Flying Dragon 3:39
16 Echoes of Screams 3:50
17 Torn by Despair 4:10
18 Chills Down My Spine 2:23
19 Breaking the Taboo 2:23
20 Closing In Slowly 2:06
21 Driven to the Edge 3:06
22 Beast of Destruction 2:32
23 Ruthless Authority 2:04
24 Regret and Resolve 4:36
25 Memories Before the Forest of Death 2:46
26 Enchanting Dancer 2:23
27 The Jester 1:47
28 Rise of the People, Rise of an Era 5:10
29 The Moonlight 2:19
30 Unity -Altea- 2:51
31 Blatt Meister -Ichfeis- 2:31
32 Purity -Elsaria- 3:39
33 Order of the Seven Spears -Marquis Glenn- 3:34
34 Magic Artillery 2:19
35 Fleet Battle 4:42
36 Pain of Separation 3:00
37 Days of Tranquility 2:17
38 Adventure Tales: The Tavern 2:06
39 The Clown 1:51
40 The Warmth of Your Hand 1:41
Disc length 117:08
(2107-2025)