Composer Takayuki Hattori is back in the saddle for his fourth Godzilla score, and second on the anime Godzilla trilogy. Likely a surprise to no one, his work here is very much a continuation of the style he demonstrated for Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017). That means more minimal orchestration, creating something that feels more at home on a TV show than a theatrical release. While the score benefits from not having any awful cues, like its predecessor it's a middling score that isn't very memorable.
As mentioned before, the score here feels very similar to the one for Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017). If that was a beloved score, that probably would have been a large positive. However, given the mildly tepid soundtrack it's unfortunate they didn't mix things up with a different composer. At any rate, there are a few motifs that separate this from the earlier score. The main one is the Houtua, who have a triangle based theme that does sound slightly mystic. It's not a very engaging motif, but does suit the civilization. There is also a theme for the title subject, Mechagodzilla City. The track for the complex is actually creepy and suits the subject matter, although doesn't make for an engaging stand alone listening experience.
To change gears to talk highlights, there are a few cues that stand out positively. "Threat", the first theme, is one of them. It reintroduces the composer's new Godzilla theme, which I will be honest has impressed me a little more this go around. The new Godzilla theme has a nice menacing quality to it, and the track does a good job of weaving it in before changing to a march that makes the track one of the best on the disc. "Strange Evolution" is also a decent track, being a mashup of styles and is on the energetic side for the first part. However, the track long outstays its welcome as it shifts into a drawn out version of the nanometal theme. Now we also have "Haruo and Yuki", probably the best cue off the disc. The track is very piano and violin heavy, and actually works within the minimal orchestration approach that Hattori is fond of. Another winner is "Metphies' Sympathy", which is a violin and harp focused track. This one does sound a bit more majestic, and actually works well.
As an aside, I feel it's worth bringing up the "Bilusaludian Technology" theme. The track is synth heavy, and a little on the cheesy side as it evokes an 1980's quality. It's not a great track, but does stand out amongst the other themes on the score. Sadly, it has an odd shift from a more upbeat theme to being very melodramatic, which is done at breakneck speeds.
Overall, not a bad soundtrack but another forgettable one. The strongest praise I can give is that it's narrowly more enjoyable than his prior Godzilla score. Notch that one to this entry having just a few more highlights. Still, the soundtracks feel interchangeable at times, which isn't something to tout as the more mystic qualities of the Houtua combined with the ultra futuristic aspects of Mechagodzilla City should have lent themselves to crafting a pretty different experience. That didn't happen, though.
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