Etsuko Yakushimaru Puns

I have a thing for OPs and EDs. They set the tone for the show and sometimes can be the highlight to episodes that one would watch. Through anime, I've become a fan of Etsuko Yakushimaru and her band Soutaiseiriron with her soft and silky voice and catchy tunes, listening to her albums on a daily basis.

After watching a few shows starring her songs, I was fully convinced that every show she graces her voice to has to be worth watching. Therefore, I've decided to watch every anime (except one) with her vocals in either the OP or ED listing them out in chronological order.

1. Natsu no Arashi! Akinaichuu (2009)

MAL link - This is actually a sequel to Natsu no Arashi! so I had to watch two seasons before being able to listen to Etsuko Yakushimaru. I was honestly surprised at how good this show was, considering that barely anyone talked about this show. It has a great cast of characters that have great chemistry together with some really brilliant comedic moments. It plays with the use of time travel in a very refreshing way and also has a surprisingly engaging plot with insight on WW2 in Japan. I gave S1 a 10 and S2 a 9 on MAL and I highly recommend people to watch it.

OP/ED review:

(OP) Oyasumi Paradox - The OP visuals are pretty nice with a cool touch using bubbles for staff credits and it can seem a bit trippy and I think the catchy music complements the OP visuals pretty well. 8/10

2 and 3. Arakawa Under The Bridge and Arakawa Under The Bridge x Bridge (2010)

MAL Link - Another Shaft show on the list and it won't be the last. There's something about Etsuko and Shaft. Anyways, this is one of the most bizarre and outlandish comedy out there. I only watched this show for Etsuko but it really was a fun time with zero logic in the entire show. It simply just works well with a cast of a kappa, a Venusian girl, a guy wearing a starfish for a head, a sadist maid and an ex-millitary priest. Gave both seasons a 9.

OP/ED review:

(OP 1) Venus to Jesus - An Etsuko classic with a very calm and relaxing song that is so good. You'll hear plenty of songs from Etsuko like that, her voice is like smooth butter. The visuals are also very nice and colourful with great animation that is just

I've been a big fan of Etsuko and her band for a while now but I can barely find anything from them. Not many pictures, no interviews, no live performances and definitely no reports of worldwide tours.

I'm pretty sure a worldwide tour by her band is impossible but is it just her band and herself that seems to not want to appear at all in the public?

• "Welcome to the Xth Dimension (X-Jigen e Yōkoso)" by Etsuko Yakushimaru is the outro song for the animated series Space Dandy.
• "Tank!" by Seatbelts is the intro song for the animated series Cowboy Bebop.
• "The Real Folk Blues", also by Seatbelts along with Mai Yamane is the outro song for Cowboy Bebop (although I prefer the English cover by Sapphire).
• "Labour of Love" by Hue and Cry is... well... just a song I guess?

I really love the "jazzyness" of these songs, particularly the instrumentals of each song (for example I really love the way that the violins mix with the beat, saxophones and funk style guitar in "Welcome to the Xth Dimension)". If possible, I do usually prefer music to have English lyrics or none at all.