d-valkyria

from Yu-gi-oh! Duel Monsters: Original Soundtrack Duel 1 (2000) 

Here it is: the first album that set the precedent for over fifteen years of music. Among the essential components of story, duel mechanics, animation, and soundtrack, Yu-gi-oh’s musical accompaniment is perhaps the least talked about and appreciated, despite being present in all episodes. The Yu-gi-oh! soundtrack was first imagined by Shinkichi Mitsumune, the composer of the original Japanese Duel Monsters soundtrack. His first release of 32 tracks consisted of music used primarily in the first half of the Duelist Kingdom arc. If you want to descend into another level of Yu-gi-oh! infatuation, please do listen to this soundtrack! If time is a luxury or you’re craving a specific mood, have no fear because I’ll be sorting my recommended pieces by genre and offering a short description of each below! The entire playlist only lasts 30 minutes so why not give it a listen? I promise you won’t regret it.

My Recommended Yu-Gi-Oh! DM Sound Duel 1 Playlist 

Must listen or I’ll send you to the shadow realm: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 14, 16, 21, 27

Orchestral, dramatic, slow: 4, 6, 9, 13, 14, 21, 23, second half of 27

Well known Yu-gi-oh! anthems: 4, 5, end of 14, 21, second part of 23, halfway through 30, 32

Battle tunes: 5, 12, second part of 16, 17, 21, 30

Ambient, atmospheric, jazzy, roaming: 8, second part of 14, 16, 21, 27, first part of 30, 32

Relaxing acoustic (sometimes piano) tracks that make pondering the complexities of card game anime a little nicer: 9, 12, 29, 31

Poignant, conclusory, pondering: 6, 9, 16, 23, 29

Suspenseful, ominous: 12, 13, second part of 16, 17, 21, 30

Casual: 8, second part of 14, 27 

Track Menu (tracks alluded to using English translation);

4 - Sealed Miracle - big, overflowing, expansive, and regal, featuring crescendos that decay into something more foretelling and sinister. the perfect track to start off this playlist!

5 - Passionate Duelists - the classic main theme that no one gets tired of. i’ve played this a few times on violin and it is so energizing. starts out with some regal sparkles and then breaks into well-paced, driven strings. good use of octaves, syncopation, and accents. around 0:27 some guitar, maracas, and a great drum line come in that make the track unique. there are a few variations of this theme (ygo gx, dsod, etc.) but none of them are as magnificent as the classic!

6 - Connected Hearts - relaxing, optimistic episode ender that makes me believe in bonds & friendship more than any speech or card game can.

8 - Magnificent Mai - good lord, probably my favorite ost so far! it’s these jazzy, ambient tracks that make the original ost shine for me. perfect for mai and i wish they used it more! the pizzicato, guitar, bass, and trumpets are perfect and offer some of the best personality out of all the tracks. 

9 - Hidden Feelings - a classic yu-gi-oh ballad that is a favorite of many. a beautiful, poignant, heavy cascade of chords. the cello that comes in halfway is heart wrenching and delicious. absolutely a must listen for all.

12 - The Impending - this track is hit or miss for me because i adore the piano at the beginning but then the orchestra accents make me cringe, as intended. i wish there was a piano only version. i think they overused this in the anime and that’s why i’m not as big a fan of it as i could be. features a great, suspenseful progression through different levels of “oh shit!!” and has a really huge ending.

13 - Duelist Kingdom - the “tournament introduction” theme that is also a two-parter. love the oboe, flute/woodwinds melody in this one, and the steady spiccato strings are a treat. love the rattlesnake and chime sound effects too.

14 - Taking Flight - THANK RA for this three parted track. i really enjoy this track starting at 0:15 where drums, guitar, and bass similar to those from “passionate duelist” come in. these paired with the bright, melodic violins makes this a real treat to listen to. love the counterplay with the syncopated strings as well. makes you feel like you’re roaming across grassy fields with best friends at your side! i don’t actually remember this music being used too much in the anime, but that might just be me. the last 15-20 seconds of this track are used often at the end of episodes. yugi’s determination theme.

16 - Illusion - another two-parter that didn’t stand out to me at first, but then i really paid attention to the sound effects used in both parts and realized how sensual it is. sensory throughout because of the rattlesnake, wind, waves, birds, sand, and chimes sound effects paired with a quiet, slightly unsettling haze of a melody. don’t skip this track or i will find you and send you to the shadow realm. i swear it sounds better standalone then as presented in the anime!

17 - Violent Tremors - ‘oh shit’ battle theme! someone has probably summoned a ghastly ugly looking monster that’s gonna kick yugi’s ass! great guitar melody and riffing effects. very yu-gi-oh gx in that respect.

21 - My Turn - kind of two-parter… wait until 1:16 and i promise you will scream of delight! good ass battle theme with a fantastic melody, nice electronic sound effects, bass, strings, and personality with some suspenseful parts too! what more could you ask for? it’s these kinds of tracks that make this soundtrack great. the first time i heard 1:16, my mouth fell open, i stopped breathing, and i had to clutch my chest because i was blown away at NOT EVER HEARING THIS PART IN THE ANIME! it’s so good! why didn’t they use it?! they favor the stripped version of the theme for every episode ender, but this remix has great added bass and guitar that make it delicious.

23 - Premonition - with such a serene beginning, it’s no wonder i’m already in love with all these characters. the gorgeous melody makes me want to die cradled in yugi’s arms… two-parter theme where some Egyptian/shadi shit starts going down at 0:51 with a fabulous sitar that fades into more strings.

27 - Be Smart - give me that good jounouchi love! two-parter theme that’s not necessarily associated with him but has an agreeable, snazzy aura that reminds you of his good heart. the second part of this track at 1:21 is reminiscent of mai’s theme but passes the melody between strings and flutes accompanied with great bass and brass that i promise you will love. wish this was used more in the anime!

29 - Overlapping Beats - i live for yu-gi-oh poignance. beautiful, relaxing piano melody.

30 - Theme of Duel (Pegasus Urban Remix) - good, atmospheric remix of the end of episode preview theme. great layering of previously used melodies and sound effects with a new overtone.

31 - Hidden Feelings (Ambient Mix PF Solo) - piano solo version of track 9 in case you like it stripped back. just as touching and emotional.

32 - Prelude - the track that started it all… a classic introduction that takes you back to when card games were a litter easier to follow.

posted on 27 July 2018   ♦   140 notes
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