30-Day Song Challenge Day 24: A Song That Makes You Angry

Yikes, what song pertaining to anime makes me angry? Hmm, I don’t think anime music has necessarily made me ‘angry’ before, unless it was a bad opening or something. So after much interpretive thinking (and a Kataphrakt space war), I finally settled on one. Please know that my reason for choosing this song is my own personal opinion. Enjoy!

From ALDNOAH.ZERO’s 2nd Season, “&Z” by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki

(Sorry, but this pitched version was the only one available. Also, some spoilers for the series ahead)

Okay, so what about this song angers me? Is it that I dislike the music itself? Did I think it wasn’t a good fit for the anime? Hells no, and not at all! Hiroyuki Sawano is a freakin’ genius, and I can’t imagine a better song to match this sci-fi tragedy’s tone. What fuels my hate fire is that whenever I hear this song, all I can think of is the way it ended; specifically, the path Slaine was led down and his inevitable end that follows. My gut pains at the thought: After all of his emotional and physical struggle to save his beloved Hime-sama, Slaine soils in his new-found royal position and ultimately runs the VERS Empire into the ground. Despite his efforts to save everyone, he instead will be remembered as the spark that ignited the war. Not to mention, he didn’t even get a death sentence, but is forced to live with his regretful actions in solitary atonement.

My rage boils at the unfairness of the situation. Does he deserve such cruel punishments? Some would agree, and I do to most extents, but perhaps this is pushing the line. ALDNOAH.ZERO‘s writing is rocky and frankly not the greatest, though I can’t ignore the fact that it appeals to my senses without fail! It’s a tragic beauty, and in that regard, doesn’t need a ‘good’ ending.

But what do you think? Does Slaine’s lonely end just drive you up a wall in angry tears, or do you laugh at the justice served? Let me know in the comments! Until then, I’ll be plugging in my headphones, listening to the hollow melancholy of “&Z” as I bundle up and cry for mah unlucky bud, Slaine.

– Takuto, your host

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