There was a time right after Space Battleship Yamato (2010) that Naoki Sato became one of my most anticipated composers. He was on a hot streak, having done the amazing Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 (2007) and K-20: Legend of the Mask (2008) in the past few years. My utter adoration of his work cooled somewhat quickly, though, after hearing his scores for the Umizaru and Parasyte films. In fact, I have yet to hear a score from him that rekindled that glory era... although this soundtrack to Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura is certainly a good one. Based on the fantasy production, Sato crafts a nice Harry Potter-esque soundtrack for the movie that doesn't reach the heights of his best work but that is enjoyable from start to finish.
The CD begins with its strongest offering, which is the "Main Title". The track is a whimsical piece, conveying a fairy tale-like vibe to it. Its lively energy is quite memorable and, surprisingly, the motif isn't used again in the score, except very briefly for "Showa Preferences" in a much different style. Sato does a good job channeling some themes that feel like they would be right at home in the Harry Potter series, though, such as the "Secret of the Storage Room", "Spiritual Investigation" and "Apparition".
One weakness of the soundtrack is that it sounds similar, even if the themes are diverse. They don't swing much in terms of different emotions from the listener. There are two exceptions, though. One is the excellent "Ancient Resentment" theme. This brassy cue evokes a slight sense of action and danger that make it stand out from the other themes on the disc. The other is the fantastic "Binbogami" track. This drum heavy cue sounds big, and has a great energetic tempo that makes it easy to get swept up in.
Overall, far from the composer's best work, but a good score to add to his resume and an enjoyable listen from beginning to end for listeners. Despite some qualms with the lack of emotion diversity one might get from the score, it is consistent in terms of quality which makes for a pleasant listening experience.
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