There are few songs that are able to bring out the essence of a title. While “Tasogare Otome x Amnesia” is a series that has long since finished, it’s music still continues to endure after its run on TV and Blu-ray distribution. In an era where series typically get multiple insert songs throughout their run, “Tasogare Otome x Amnesia” only had one. Given the subject matter of the anime,  the title “Requiem” was more than appropriate.

“Requiem” is a simple composition that uses only a piano and multiple vocal lines. Written and performed by Hiiragi Nao, it suits the main theme and setting of the anime. Making use of minor chords and unison background vocals, Hiiragi Nao is able to convey the sense of lonliness and futility that seems to surround a love that shouldn’t be in the first place. The sudden key change at 2:50 conveys a sense of resolution to the listener; it is as though one’s own soul is being allowed to rest after an emotional and tiring journey.

Single Cover 1

A requiem is a song used in a Roman Catholic mass for the repose of the souls of the dead. During the episode that thissong is introduced, Teiichi is coming to terms with his feelings for Yuuko, who has been suffering alone for a long time. With his desire of wanting to give her peace and a resolution to her memories, the song plays in the background as Teiichi confesses his love to Yuuko, even though she has forgotten who he is. After conveying his feelings, she begins to remember who he is, how they first met and her mutual feelings for him. As the song finishes, a single note is left hanging before the silence of the end. In a way, the end of the song signifies the closure that a requiem is designed to bring to the souls of the dead. For Yuuko, who is unable to move on, this is something that doesn’t come.

Single Cover 2

Hiiragi Nao’s ability to hit the higher notes and make the song sound similar to a requiem one might hear in a church brings a much needed sense of realism to the song. While the song was written for the anime, and not as an actual requiem, it feels as though it could be used as such. This was most likely done on purpose so that it would blend in with the anime seamlessly. What sets a good songwriter apart from one who is just so-so is the ability to put oneself into the scenario you’re writing the song for. This type of mentality is what sets apart soundtracks that are just there and fall apart without the anime and ones that can stand on their own without the anime.

Synopsis
60 years ago, a young woman was left to die in the abandoned school building behind the exclusive Seikyou Academy. No one knows why. No one knows how. But the horrifying tale and the legends of the ghostly haunting that followed live on to this day. Perhaps it’s not so surprising then, that among Seikyou’s many school clubs is one for students interested in “paranormal investigations.” What might raise more than a few hairs, however, is that the founder of the club is the ghost herself. Unable to remember how she died and trapped in the grey land between life and death, Yūko latches onto Teiichi Niiya, a freshman who can inexplicably see her, and together they and the other unsuspecting members of the club begin to unravel the many dark mysteries that surround Seikyou. Will unlocking the secret of Yūko’s gruesome death finally free her? Or will her sudden close association with a mortal have even stranger repercussions on both of their existences? In a tomb of silent classrooms, the answers await in Dusk maiden of Amnesia.