Kotringo -- Edible Melodies: Original Soundtrack for "Koufuku Graffiti"（幸腹グラフィティ）

 

The above is a shot of my grilled eel lunch that I had in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture almost a decade ago. I figured that this would be the ideal shot for my latest entry in the "Koufuku Graffiti" (幸腹グラフィティ...Gourmet Girl Graffiti) franchise, a category that I haven't updated since 2015 when I first saw the anime at my friend's place. Up to now, I had covered the opening and ending themes along with the insert songs.

As with anything in the movie field, anime has covered everything from the goriest horrors to the zaniest comedies, and basically for me, I've always had a preference for the quiet slice-of-life type of show, and "Koufuku Graffiti" has been one of the most famous examples (mind you, it has those rather orgasmic scenes of ingestion). Having a couple of good friends enjoy Japanese dishes from episode to episode has been my manna from heaven...no psychological angst, no fierce rivalries and plenty of deliciously portrayed food that I've been eating since I was a tadpole myself.

Well, yesterday, as I was finishing off my usual five in the Urban Contemporary field as would befit a KKP Friday, my mind went back to that 2015 anime and wondered about its original soundtrack. Foe one thing, it was composed and arranged by singer-songwriter Kotringo（コトリンゴ）who already has a fair number of articles posted including her time with the cool band Kirinji during the 2010s and her cover version of the folk classic "Kanashikute Yarikirenai"（悲しくてやりきれない）as the theme song for the acclaimed anime film "Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni"（この世界の片隅に...In This Corner of the World）.

For another, the soundtrack for "Koufuku Graffiti", known as "Edible Melodies" (the link will take you to Amazon), never seemed all that obtrusive which I think fits Kotringo's personality. There was never any hint that an electric guitar would be shredded at any time during the series. The music is all very whimsical, wistful and warm with the priority given to the visual joy of some of my old dishes from my childhood being animated in most glorious detail. The above track for example, Track 11's "Ippon Yozakura Tamagoyaki"（一本夜桜卵焼き...Night Cherry Blossom Fried Egg） centers around the flute and strings and sounds just like a number one would hear in an art gallery cafe. 

By the way, you can also access this link to hear very brief excerpts from the soundtrack at Apple.

One trope that pops up throughout the soundtrack is that Kotringo herself provides some of her vocal effects through humming or scatting, and that is the case with Track 15 "Omurice Horror"（オムライス・ホラー...Rice Omelet Horror）. It really does sound rather sinister although Kotringo's vocal beats let us know that it's not all bad out there. I do recall one episode where there was indeed an omurice accident. Omurice isn't exactly a novice dish, you know.

I definitely remember this piece, Track 22 "Atatakai O-nabe"（あたたかいお鍋...A Warm Bowl）, playing in the background, although the video here is of a cover version by AniMuffin Piano. If I'm being accurate here, it was playing during the quiet scenes and since there were a whole lot of quiet scenes in "Koufuku Grafitti", I'm sure that it was getting played at least once an episode. There's quite the nice waltz-y lilt.

I guess because the soundtrack was so subtle and relaxing, it hasn't gotten a lot of videos up onto YouTube, so I just have the above Episode 1 in its entirety to show off a few more tracks. Right from the start, there is a rendition of Track 1 "O-inarisan no Aji"（おいなりさんの味...The Taste of Sushi Rice in Deep-Fried Tofu Skin） which pops up whenever the main character of Ryo remembers back to the past, including her memories of her late grandmother. 

At about 5:00 of the video, in comes the petite force of nature that becomes Ryo's foodie friend, Kirin, so her theme song which is Track 3 has some of those Kotringo verbal beats and a circus-like arrangement. One more song that I'll throw in is "O-ryori Humming"（お料理ハミング...Cooking Humming） Track 20 which gets played at 13:40 and is one of my favourite parts of the soundtrack because it not only sounds a tad Xmas-y but it also comes across as something cheerful from an old-timey sitcom or Hollywood comedy. 

As I hinted above, "Edible Melodies" isn't a soundtrack to emphasize the action or the laughs for an anime. Think of it as a light and tasteful vinaigrette to add a little something to the salad.

Rina Sato & Asuka Ohgame -- Shiawase Graffiti （しあわせグラフィティ） / Gohan no Renshu （ごはんの練習）

Doo-bee do-bah!

Ah, yes....the hire tonkatsu course at Hirata Bokujo. I had that at the Ginza branch of the tonkatsu franchise on the very last day of its operation before closing on a cool Saturday night in October during my trip back to Tokyo. Tender....really tender...pork wrapped in a crispy panko coating dipped into a zesty sauce and eaten with mouthfuls of hot rice and shredded cabbage. One of my wonderful culinary experiences in the country that I used to live in. But it wasn't just Hirata Bokujo alone. Basically, I never had a bad tonkatsu whether it was my neighbourhood eatery, Tonki, underneath the subway station or the fairly upscale place in Takashimaya Times Square across from Shinjuku Station.

Yes, waxing over a slab of tenderloin. Sorry...just can't help my foodie self here since I've been enjoying the Shaft-produced anime from the past winter season, "Koufuku Graffiti"（幸腹グラフィティ）with all of its graphically-depicted enjoyment of the fine dishes in Japan. I've already profiled the opening and ending themes from the show, but I think it is this particular song, a mere excerpt of which was used in the background while the characters of Ryo and Kirin talked about the next episode and did their little jig, that has captivated the fans and YouTube viewers. It's been called the "Taberu" song, a worthy earworm, and with the picture of a dish in the background, a powerful catalyst to grab something to nosh on. It is the tune that has launched a thousand stomachs.

The official title is "Shiawase Graffiti". I could translate it as "Happy Graffiti", but considering the languid melody and the lyrics, perhaps describing it as "Contented Graffiti" may be a better option. In any case, voice actors Rina Sato & Asuka Ohgame（佐藤利奈・大亀あすか）sing the whole song as if it were a kayo kyoku from the past. Listening to it the first several times, I was trying to grab the specific genre for it: enka? folk? There was certainly a sepia-toned similarity to it...kinda like the ol' tamagokake gohan that we used to have when we were very little. And in fact, if the producers had decided on making an official music video for "Shiawase Graffiti" and they had asked me for advice, I would have had Ryo and Kirin perform it a la "Enka no Hanamichi"（演歌の花道）style....the girls standing on some gloriously rendered set of a traditional restaurant as they sing wistfully to the heavens.

But strangely enough, I hit upon the idea. Perhaps the song by Akina Shinkoda（新小田明奈）and Ran Kumagaya（熊谷蘭）was a tribute to that 80s singing duo, Aming（あみん）, especially when it came to their biggest hit, "Matsu wa"（待つわ）. There's certainly a resemblance when it comes to the slow lilt of the melody and the vocal harmonies....although there wasn't that bit of doo-wop that's in "Shiawase Graffiti". 

As for Shinkoda's lyrics, "Shiawase Graffiti" doesn't really center on the food so much as it does on the story of Ryo and Kirin's friendship through the food. It's basically the overarching theme for each episode as the girls worry how the other is doing and how warm they feel in each other's company. The food and the friendship provide the warm and fuzzies here. There was one line which was pretty telling from the pilot episode in which they realized that food tastes better when it's shared. Although I'll still enjoy that hamburger or roast chicken sandwich if I'm by myself, I can understand the truth behind having a well-cooked meal with family and friends.

"Gohan no Renshu" (Meal Practice) is a cutesy tune that was used as the background song when the sponsors were announced. It's as light and fluffy as cotton candy as Sato and Ohgame sing about not sweating the particulars of cooking technique and just believing that the meal will come out all right, especially if cooking for loved ones. Listen if you can pick out the various dishes and cuisine-related onomatopoeia that pop up in the lyrics. I also have to admire the musicians' use of kitchen utensils here as well. The song was written by Yosuke Kakegawa（掛川陽介）and composed by drummer Saeko Suzuki（鈴木さえ子）.

Well, "Koufuku Graffiti" finished its run last month and I'm kinda hoping that the somewhat open-ended finale may mean a second season (the manga is apparently still continuing). Perhaps Ryo and Kirin may focus on non-Japanese fare such as doner kebab or spaghetti bolognese.

Good ol' karaage at the izakaya

Rina Sato & Asuka Ohgame -- Egao ni Naru （笑顔になる）

Ten-don YUM!

Ahhhh, yes...it's been a great thing watching the foodie foreplay that is "Koufuku Graffiti"（幸腹グラフィティ）before my anime buddy and I go out for dinner. It gets us into a good mindset. By the way, yesterday's dinner was Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry (very much YUM!).

And the theme songs have been fine for the ears as well. About a month ago, I featured the opening theme, "Shiawase ni Tsuite Watashi ga Shitteiru Itsutsu no Houhou"（幸せについて私が知っている5つの方法）by Maaya Sakamoto（坂本真綾）. And here tonight, it's "Egao ni Naru" (You'll Smile) by the two seiyuu stars of the show, Rina Sato（佐藤利奈）and Asuka Ohgame（大亀あすか）as their characters Ryo and Kirin respectively. Written by Yuuki Matsuura（松浦勇気）and composed by Katsutoshi Kitagawa（北川勝利）, it's another sunny and smiley song that has that hint of 60s Bacharach and David. For those who can understand the Japanese lyrics, Ryo and Kirin adorably pepper the melody with various dishes and the onomatopoeia that accompany them. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of the night owls who have been dedicated to "Koufuku Graffiti" (it's a late-night anime) rushed out of the apartment and headed for a 24-hour konbini for whatever's left on the bento shelves. My friend and I are most fortunate that we get to see this on Sunday afternoons.

And of course, I have to leave off with another adorable rendition of "Shiawase Graffiti"（しあわせグラフィティ...Happy Graffiti） with one of my favourite dishes. There is a full version but I'll leave that for next month.

Sashimi platter

Hamburg platter

Maaya Sakamoto -- Shiawase ni Tsuite Watashi ga Shitteiru Itsutsu no Houhou （幸せについて私が知っている5つの方法）

Yep, the above is a photo of my first meal back in Japan...at one of the Yayoiken restaurant franchises, to be exact, right by the Toyoko Inn near Tawaramachi Station. As would be the case going from Toronto to Tokyo non-stop, it was a long and arduous flight, and so after taking a 10,000-yen taxi ride from Haneda Airport to the hotel, I was pretty much done for the day. Happily, my anime buddy was already there in the lobby and he was kind enough to drag me over to that Yayoiken for a beloved teishoku of karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), perhaps my favourite food there. And the whole meal cost a mere 700 yen with free refills of hot rice, miso soup and green tea.

Today's article was partially inspired by Marcos V's recent article on Tochiotome25's crazed tribute to Wagyu beef, "Wagyuu Fire!", and partly by the fact that I'm currently watching this tasty anime biweekly.

"Koufuku Graffiti" (幸腹グラフィティ...Gourmet Graffiti) is another one of those slice-of-life anime that I've come to realize that I have an affinity for (another is "Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?"). There is no major story arc about battling robots/magical girls/mind-twisting concepts (although I have no big issues with those anime); it's just a small group of amiable characters getting together for some happy and kooky times.

This particular show is centered around one of my favourite topics...food. And knowing that the Japanese are also huge foodies, there have been a fair number of anime about the topic but "Koufuku Graffiti" is the first one I've been watching during its first run, and perhaps it's the first somewhat moe one. Along with the gorgeous, lovingly animated dishes cooked up by the main character of Ryo (Rina Sato...佐藤利奈) for her good buddy Kirin (Asuka Ohgame...大亀あすか), the show is also notable at how...seductively...the eating scenes are portrayed.

In any case, the opening theme is "Shiawase ni Tsuite Watashi ga Shitteiru Itsutsu no Houhou" (The 5 Ways I Know For Happiness) by singer-songwriter/seiyuu Maaya Sakamoto（坂本真綾）. One reason I gained a liking for it is that Rasmus Faber's music takes me back to some of the mellow pop songs that I heard in the early 2000s by folks like bird and Miyuki Hatakeyama（畠山美由紀）. The lyricist here is Yuuho Iwasato（岩里祐穂）who wrote a lot of Miki Imai's（今井美樹）songs in the late 1980s and into the 90s. So, there is some pretty high-powered songwriting. Basically, the song provides for a nice and smooth entrance to another foodie adventure with Ryo and Kirin. It's rather like good background music for a date at a morning cafe. By the way, Faber was also behind another catchy but different anime theme.

Now, I couldn't finish off the article without providing the second anime earworm in a week here. At the end of each episode of "Koufuku Graffiti", there is the short intro to what the next episode will be but instead of showing scenes, there are 30 seconds of a nicely presented dish and chibi-Ryo and chibi-Kirin swishing and singing and scatting adorably. Supposedly the very brief ditty is called "Shiawase Graffiti"（しあわせグラフィティ）and Akina Shinkoda's（新小田明奈）lyrics consist of just "tsukuru" (I'll cook it), "taberu" (I'll eat it) and "doo-bee-doo-bah". Ran Kumagai（熊谷蘭）came up with the laidback guitar accompaniment. It's apparently become quite the squee-worthy video on YouTube.

I'm not sure when the soundtrack or even the singles will be coming out from this show, but the odds are very high that my anime buddy will be one of the first to acquire them.

Okonomiyaki

Apricot anmitsu