The Kaleidoscope - fish

Although The Kaleidoscope disbanded in 2004, they are best known for contributing the song fish as the sixth ending to the anime “One Piece.” It is one of their most versatile songs and is easily recognized.

fish commences with a slam of guitar and drums and grows to a steady tempo and rhythm. Within seconds, one conjures the image of driving down the highway in the early breaths of dusk, with only the accompaniment of Ishida’s voice to keep the listener company. The emotion felt when listening to fish is relaxing at first, but as the song sinks in, a melancholy feeling seeps into the underbelly of the track as if it were designed to inflict loneliness on the listener. The sounds alone found within fish are reminiscent of the cessation of an adventure - of discovery - and so a faint darkness is heard within the track. Ishida strains his voice, pining to reach a higher octave as the beat of the drums drowns out surrounding noise. fish allows the listener to relax and in doing so, welcomes the opportunity for reflection.

Ishida inhales sharply and draws the listener into the second track, NEW DAY. Soft, melancholy chords march in the background of the track, but the volume of the guitar and drums doesn’t overcrowd the inflection of the lyrics. Ishida's pitch and tone match with the style of the song, being light and subtle without many dark or sad undertones. NEW DAY, as suggested by the title, presents a happier image and presses the listener to continue trying their best.

For a two track single, both fish and NEW DAYS are similar sounding songs. Yet they complement each other, and if the tracks were any longer or the single were more than two tracks, the emotion found in them wouldn’t be as strong.