Title
 Mothra - Original Soundtrack
International Title
 Rebirth of Mothra
Music By: Toshiyuki Watanabe
Record Label: Pony Canyon
  Order
Running Time: 47:23 Discs: 1
Release: November 1996 CD Number: PCCR-00244
Comments
Anthony Romero
The first soundtrack for Rebirth of Mothra continues the practice started with Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) wherein a regular priced CD is released only to be followed up a month or so later by a much more expensive two disc presentation with the whole score. Like the other single discs for the Rebirth of Mothra films, this CD is also noticeably short when Pony Canyon could have easily increased the runtime, but given that they had the two disc set (PCCR-00243) coming a month later it was clearly not in their best interest to stock this disc with too much stuff.

To its credit, this release does cover the best material from Toshiyuki Watanabe's score, including "Return to the Sea" and "The Will of the Larvae". Not surprisingly, most of these themes have been given different names compared with the two disc set, which would have made the cue numbers nice to have here. Everything from this set was later included in the two disc, though, save the "Super High Speed Battle" track, which is a suite version of the "LDK Battle". This aspect might interest the most avid collectors out there, but considering that the suite was made into three different tracks that totaled six minutes, most probably won't miss it in the least as it was most likely cut from the later release to spare people from further repetition.

As for the new Mothra Song done by Megumi Kobayashi and Sayaka Yamaguchi, I will admit that I have a soft spot for these more "pop oriented" renderings of the song. It doesn't quite compare to the original, of course, but its a nice change of pace while both Kobayashi and Yamaguchi handle the song very well.

Overall, this disc would be suggested to more casual collectors who aren't bothered in the least if a number of cues are left off as long as the best the score has to offer is intact. Or at least it would be, if not for the fact that ADV reissued the soundtrack in 2003 in the US for almost half the price of the original. A turn of events that leaves this disc with pretty much no audience anymore, as the exact same selection is found for a greatly reduced price while importers will undoubtedly ignore this in favor of its two disc cousin.
Rating: Star Rating
Tracks
  1. Main Title
  2. Super High Speed Battle
  3. The Beginning of the Great Journey
  4. The Guardian Goddess of the Beautiful Star
  5. The Mothra Song
    By: Megumi Kobayashi, Sayaka Yamaguchi, Composer: Yuji Koseki
  6. Battle of Sixty-Five Million Years Ago, Revisited
  7. Evil Beast of Destruction
  8. Pray with Me
  9. The Song of Prayer
    By: Megumi Kobayashi, Sayaka Yamaguchi, Composer: Akiko Yano
  10. The Will of the Larvae
  11. The Battle with the Enemy of Life
  12. Return to the Sea
  13. The Song of Prayer (Instrumental)
    Composer: Akiko Yano
  14. Mothra Leo
    By: Megumi Kobayashi, Sayaka Yamaguchi, Composer: Akiko Yano
  15. Emergence of a Saint
  16. Birth of the New Mothra
  17. Fight! In Order to Protect
  18. Seal
  19. The Instant of Life (Moment)
  20. Forever Friends
  21. End Title