Anime OST fans will rejoice because Tiger Lab Vinyl recently released the Perfect Blue Deluxe Audiophile Edition. It includes two LPs of the original score of the groundbreaking psychodrama anime directed by the late Satoshi Kon.
Composed by Masahiro Ikumi and Yuji Yoshida, the Perfect Blue Deluxe Audiophile Edition includes the following tracks (sides labeled):
- A: Mima’s theme
- B: Nightmare, virtual mima
- C: Uchida’s theme, Nightmare [Kaminari Version]
- D: Virtual Mima [Voice Version]
Vinyl enthusiasts especially love the ability to purchase pressings with unique color swatches. And Tiger Lab Vinyl has delivered on that front as they have three variants available. These include Mima Meld, Perfect Pink and a 180 gram black vinyl. The latter should appeal to purists and real vinyl lovers.
These editions cost $38 each, which is standard for most vinyl releases these days. But it is likely that they will sell out before long as these releases are available in limited quantities and are in high demand. So check out Discogs or eBay if you’re interested.
Cool and stylish merchandise for Perfect Blue fans
Tiger Lab Vinyl has gone one step further and provided some cool yarns. Most notable is this pink tank top printed by Holy Mountain that comes with the Perfect Pink variant of the LP and costs $60.
However, if tank tops aren’t your thing, you might prefer a t-shirt with a Mimi Kirigoe print on the front for just $25.
Or maybe you’d rather buy something heavier that will keep you warm during the cold winter months. Like this zip-up hoodie that has Mimi printed on the back and costs $55.
Why collect anime soundtracks on vinyl?
Digital streaming services offer a cheap and convenient way to consume media, especially music. So why bother collecting anime soundtracks on an outdated medium like vinyl?
First, it pays to own the music you enjoy rather than relying on a digital service that could potentially remove it at any time. Second, anime OSTs often have phenomenal cover art that looks great on LPs given their size. And thirdly, to the trained ear, records sound warmer than digital formats.
Recent issues of Perfect Blue give us hope to see more high quality vinyl releases in the future. Maybe with any luck we’ll see vinyl releases based on more modern series that will appeal to a broad audience of anime fans.
