Theme - Ninja Spirit (TurboGrafx)

Cyril: There's something about this Ninja Spirit theme that makes me uneasy. The song starts out upbeat, full of quick and playful notes. But then then comes in the other part, a haunting sound that sends shivers up my spine. It's not that different from the ninja-centric films from the 1970s, but the TurboGrafx's limited hardware can't quite duplicate the sound. The result has an interesting ring. It simultaneously sounds like a perfect fit, while sounding completely wrong at the very same time. For whatever reason it makes me wonder what the Inception score would sound like if it was recreated by classic NEC hardware. In any case, this theme ends right as it's about to get good. I can't help but feel like I'm left hanging; always wanting more.

Kevin: A lot happens in a very short period of time in Ninja Spirit's theme. It's very hard to tell what's going on in this song simply because it's so busy. I may not normally be a fan of steady root note bass lines, but I feel like this track could use one, just to hold down the rhythm and give me something to go on. The drum beat is not consistent enough to anchor things, and the melody is all over the place. Additionally, there are some odd volume swelling sustained notes that don't feel quite in sync with the rest of the song. I'm not even sure what instrument is supposed to be playing them. I suppose the song does fit a ninja: it's in and out quickly, and leaves you confused. Unfortunately, I don't think that's ideal for a theme.