Akishibu-kei (Japanese: アキシブ系, lit. "Akihabara-Shibuya style") is a loosely defined trend from the 2000s that involved an increase of Shibuya-kei influence in anime soundtracks. The term is a portmanteau of "Shibuya-kei" and "Akiba-kei". Both were 1990s cultural movements associated with musical and otaku interests, respectively, and Akishibu-kei was thought to have represented a merging of the two.[1]
Overview
From the mid-1990s, anime music was diversified due to composers like Yoko Kanno who mastered idioms from many genres such as classical music, jazz and ethnic music.[1] In 2002, Shibuya-kei band Round Table invited female singer Nino as the guest vocal and offered the song "Let Me Be With You" for anime Chobits. The soundtrack of Chobits was composed by Keitaro Takanami, the former member of Pizzicato Five. From then, Masao Fukuda from FlyingDog, the musical director of Chobits appointed many Shibuya-kei musicians as anisongs/anime soundtracks composers.[1] Fukuda is considered as tastemaker of Akishibu-kei.[failed verification] Some artists from FlyingDog such as Kana Hanazawa was provided songs by Shibuya-kei composers. Hanazawa is considered as the representative singer of Akishibu-kei.[2]
Dimitri from Paris (a Turkish-born French DJ) provided the song “Neko Mimi mode” to Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase as the opening theme. Since he was one of the contemporary artists popular among Shibuya-Kei fans, "Neko Mimi mode" is considered[3] to be a representative song of Akishibu-kei music; however, this song is sometimes considered as an example of denpa song.[2]
In 2007, a compilation album titled AKSB ~kore ga Akishibu-kei da!~ was released, which included tracks from prominent Akishibu-kei artists such as Round Table, Keitaro Takanami, and Dimitri from Paris.[4] In writing about the compilation, W. David Marx of Diamond Agency remarked on the merger of Shibuya-kei and Akiba-kei: "Both subcultures strongly share one thing: The members are 'nerds' in the sense of being deeply obsessed with pop culture."[3]
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