Seiyuu Music Spotlight – Tomatsu Haruka

Triple posting for you, cutie pie!

The title “Seiyuu Music Spotlight” was just something I came up with on the spot as I started to write the first one (with Itou Kanae, for those of you who haven’t been following), but as I thought about it some more, it’s really fitting, especially for this post. It’s no secret that the first post was basically my way to force my Itou Kanae obsession with all of you, but since then, I’ve had a chance to look around at numerous other seiyuus during my unending search for good music. The word “spotlight” doesn’t mean I’m giving out awards or anything like that, and I’m certainly not in a position to do that anyway. Instead, I’m just sharing with you some of the gems I’ve stumbled upon. It’s a chance to highlight a lot of music many of you have missed out on. Most of you will be familiar with some of this music, but I’m certain that none of you are familiar with all of it. Everyone, especially I, gets to discover a lot of new things in these posts.

I don’t want to spend these posts just ranting about seiyuus I love, mostly because I’ve pretty much run out of seiyuus I’m irrationally crazy about. So today, we’re going to have a look at Tomatsu Haruka, a seiyuu around the same age as Itou Kanae and Hanazawa Kana with about the same career length, but hasn’t been especially prominent most recently. Some of her star roles were Lala in To Love-Ru, Shiho in Zettai Karen Children, and Nagi in Kannagi (I love this series). Compared to the previous two spotlights, Tomatsu has had a stronger presence in the music industry as a whole. I guess she’s more outgoing or something because she has music videos for like, every song she’s ever sung, whereas the other two have none that I can think of off the top of my head. The amount of music I ran into was pretty excessive, so I “condensed” it down to 19 for this post… Yes, nineteen albums. I excluded some of her group releases and that annoying Mitsudomoe album.

Unlike the previous two seiyuus, who had some great albums and some not-so-great albums, Tomatsu grabbed my attention for two reasons. First, after listening to every album I’m about to present here (yes, it took forever), I realized that I liked every single one of them. Actually, let me correct myself: not albums, but songs. Maybe she’s just been lucky with her songwriters, but it’s something worth mentioning when every song she sings is great. The second reason I picked her was a tad bit less deep – I think she’s better looking than both of the previous two seiyuus! I make a great music critic, if I do say so myself.

No more delays! Let’s do this!

Kannagi OP Single – Motto hade ni ne!

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Motto hade ni ne!
2. Shiawase Sagashi
3. Motto hade ni ne! (TV EDIT)
4. Motto hade ni ne! (Instrumental)

Kannagi was a spectacular series. This isn’t an anime post, but I’m still going to recommend it to you right now if you haven’t watched it yet. It’s calm, funny, and the music is great. Motto hade ni ne! is the OP song, and it’s so freaking addicting.

>>BUY it here

Kannagi ED Single – Musuhi no Toki

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Musuhi no Toki
2. Kioku no Keshiki
3. Musuhi no Toki TV EDIT
4. Musuhi no Toki Instrumental

While we’re talking about Kannagi, here’s the ED theme. Musuhi no Toki is a hauntingly beautiful song, and Kioku no Keshiki is a great song as well. Incidentally, it’s pretty rare that one seiyuu sings both the OP and the ED of a series. Normally I’d expect the OP to be a group song or something, but that’s not the case here because Tomatsu Haruka is so awesome.

>>BUY it here

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Character Song Album – Meta-morphose

Artists: Tomatsu Haruka, Kamiya Hiroshi, Mizuki Nana, Satou Rina, Konishi Katsuyuki, Kawasumi Ayako

Tracklist:
1. I’m on your side
2. Way to go
3. Watashi Dake no Melody
4. SAVING
5. REAL
6. Melody

I have no idea what Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica is, aside that it was originally a visual novel. “I’m on your side” is Tomatsu’s track, and it has a pretty catchy electronic background.

>>BUY it here

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Crimson S Character Song Vol.2

Artists: Tomatsu Haruka and Kawasumi Ayako

Tracklist:
1. promise melody
2. Echoes
3. promise melody (inst)
4. Echoes (inst)

The second season character song album, this time “promise melody” is Tomatsu Haruka’s song, and it has a really cool bridge. Aside from that, it’s a pretty typical character song, though still pretty good.

>>BUY it here

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki ED6 Single – Sekai De Ichiban Yabai Koi

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Sekai de Ichiban Yabai Koi
2. Sekai de Ichiban Yabai Koi OTAKU-ELITE do-M hoi hoi mix
3. Sekai de Ichiban Yabai Koi [off vocal]

I hope you guys remember the Kyouran Kazoku Nikki song from last time with Hanazawa Kana. That one was really creepy, but this one is a bit more standard. The remix is way more awesome, though, just like last time (you did listen to the remix from the other album, right?).

>>BUY it here

To Love-Ru Trouble Variety CD Sono 1

Artists: Tomatsu Haruka, Hanazawa Kana, Yahagi Sayuri

Tracklist:
1. Daisuki Miikke!
2. Yuusha Rito no Bouken A-PART
3. Chantoseiyo Seishun!
4. Yuusha Rito no Bouken B-PART
5. Skirt no Hajikko

To Love-Ru shows its face around here once again! Despite the dumb anime, the CD isn’t that bad. Tomatsu’s track is the first one, and, while a bit too cutesy, has a really cool background track.

>>BUY it here

Motto To Love-Ru Character CD 1 – Lala & Haruna

Artists: Tomatsu Haruka and Yahagi Sayuri

Tracklist:
1. Mellow Mellomantic
2. Kimi ga Oshiete Kureru Subete
3. Mellow Mellomantic (Instrumental)
4. Kimi ga Oshiete Kureru Subete (Instrumental)

This one’s a bit more annoying with the weird voice and voicebox, but nothing to delete it off my playlist over…

>>BUY it here

Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou Chara Song Album

Artists: Nonaka Ai, Tomatsu Haruka, Kotobuki Minako, Nabatame Hitomi

Tracklist:
1. Tarai no Uta
2. Drama Kioku soushitsu
3. Majikaru x Mirakuru
4. Drama Jyouousama
5. Classical mode
6. Drama Teiban
7. Automatic analyzer
8. Drama Te ryouri
9. Sleeping beauty

Ahahaha, okay so Tomatsu’s track is “Classical mode,” and it’s not bad, but let’s talk about Nonaka Ai for a moment. She dominates this album, and her voice is SO funny. If you don’t know her voice, it’s Kafuka from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. My god, so funny.

>>BUY it here

Zettai Karen Children Character CD 3rd Session – Shiho Sannomiya

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Sawatte Violet
2. Noumitsu Whisper
3. Over The Future feat. SHIHO
4. Sawatte Violet (Original Karaoke)
5. Noumitsu Whisper (Original Karaoke)

I’m not really familiar with Zettai Karen Children, so I can’t make any witty remark about it. Generally, I hate character songs with kids because of the weird voices, but this one has pretty catchy tunes because it’s not trying to be cutesy about it.

>>BUY it here

Asu no Yoichi! Character Song Vol.2 – Ayame Ikaruga

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Girl grows up! ~TSUN-DERE Ver.~
2. Atashi wa Zenzen Ki ni Shite nai
3. Girl grows up! ~TSUN-DERE Ver.~ (off Vocal)
4. Atashi wa Zenzen Ki ni Shite nai (off Vocal)
5. Tomatsu Haruka Comment

We saw Asu no Yoichi last time with Hanazawa Kana, and that album really sucked, but this one is a lot better. Girl grows up! starts with painfully off key singing, but just hang in there because the chorus gets a lot better. Incidentally, Ayame is my favorite girl in that series (lol tsundere).

>>BUY it here

Asobi ni Iku yo! ED Single 3 – Omoide ga Jama wo Suru

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Omoide ga Jama wo Suru
2. Kimi ni Over Drive
3. Omoide ga Jama wo Suru (off vocal)
4. Kimi ni Over Drive (off vocal)

Notice that Asobi ni Iku yo has been in every post so far? Well, that aside, now we’re getting into more stuff I loved. Omoide ga Jama wo Suru was a pretty generic slow song, but Kimi ni Over Drive caught my attention as soon as it started playing. It was one of those cases where I had to hover over my iTunes wondering, “What’s that song?!” It’s a keeper.

>>BUY it here

THE IDOLM@STER Dream Symphony 03

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. “HELLO!!” (M@STER VERSION)
2. Hanamaru
3. I’m an Idol (M@STER VERSION)
4. GO MY WAY!! (M@STER VERSION)
5. ALIVE (M@STER VERSION)
6. ALIVE (M@STER VERSION) -original karaoke-
7. Hanamaru -original karaoke-
8. Bonus track drama

It may sound stupid, but I type these track lists out manually since I don’t really have anywhere to copy and paste them from. This one was pretty funny to type because I pretty much got to hold down shift for half the time. Anyway, you might recall that the previous IDOLM@STER album with Hanazawa Kana was annoyingly catchy, and the same is true here. Hanamaru isn’t as good as Purikogu, but it’s still something I’d leave on repeat. And ALIVE is a magnificent song!

>>BUY it here

Idol Attack

Artists: Tomatsu Haruka & Nakajima Megumi & Hayami Saori

Tracklist:
1. Niji no BRACE
2. another place
3. COSMOS
4. Namida iro
5. Running on (album-mix)
6. After The Heart Rain
7. Futari no Yakusoku
8. Ryuusei
9. nO limit (album-mix)
10. moon passport
11. nO limit (sadness x Rouge edit)

This is an album from the fictional idol group ECLIPSE from the series Basquash! It. Kicks. So. Much. Ass. Seriously, this is one of the best albums in this post. I highly recommend it. The whole thing. They’re not all Tomatsu Haruka, but they’re all awesome. This is one of the gems from my search. And I don’t even know what Basquash is.

>>BUY it here

naissance

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. naissance
2. Puzzle
3. REWIND
4. naissance (Instrumental)

naissance is one of those songs that you’ll fall in love with in the first 5 seconds of hearing it.

>>BUY it here

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica ED – Koi no Uta

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Koi no Uta
2. Re:Motion
3. Koi no Uta (Instrumental)

Koi no Uta is one of those songs that you’ll fall in love with in the first 5 seconds of hearing it. Hey, that sounds familiar.

>>BUY it here

So Ra No Wo To ED – Girls, Be Ambitious

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Girls, Be Ambitious
2. Mirai Tokei
3. Girls, Be Ambitious (Instrumental)
4. Mirai Tokei (Instrumental)

I had no clue what So Ra No Wo To was, so I went and looked it up. First thing that I noticed was that the lead female is Kanemoto Hisako. You should remember who that is… de geso. Anyway, seems like an interesting series. Girls, Be Ambitious is such a peppy J-Pop song. Or maybe idol song. Whatever, it’s fun to listen to.

>>BUY it here

Nagisa No Shooting Star

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Nagisa No Shooting Star
2. Hoshi No Stage
3. Nagisa No Shooting Star (Instrumental)

Annoyingly catchy tune aside, Tomatsu’s singing in this song is pretty top notch, worthy of being a music star. And I’m serious when I say it’s annoyingly catchy. More than the IDOLM@STER stuff.

>>BUY it here

Motto To Love-Ru ED – Baby Baby Love

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Baby Baby Love
2. Yasashiki Hibi
3. Baby Baby Love (Instrumental)

By now I’ve listened to so much To Love-Ru music (without watching the series) that I can say this is a pretty typical style for the series… which is good, because To Love-Ru music is cool (go check out the first OP).

>>BUY it here

Rainbow Road

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Tracklist:
1. Jikochuu Otoko
2. motto hade ni ne!
3. Circle
4. Nanairo Michishirube
5. Girls, Be Ambitious.
6. REWIND
7. Kioku no Keshiki
8. Musuhi no Toki
9. naissance
10. Rainbow
11. Counter Attack
12. Mirai Tokei
13. Star Tripper
14. Koi no Uta

A lot of familiar songs on that tracklist, eh? Well, maybe you haven’t been paying attention, but Rainbow Road has a lot of songs on it from other CDs that were shown earlier in this post. It’s basically a “Best of Tomatsu Haruka” album, so I highly recommend it. It has some new songs in it, as well. Overall, I’d say it’s the best album I’ve posted in any of my music posts yet, so if you only get one thing, get this album.

>>BUY it here

That’s a wrap, folks. I know most of you won’t bother getting/listening to all of these albums (the majority of you probably didn’t even read the individual comments under each album!), so I’ll reiterate my top choices this time for your convenience:

1. Rainbow Road
2. Idol Attack
3. Asobi ni Iku yo! ED Single 3 – Omoide ga Jama wo Suru

By the way, I’m never spotlighting a male seiyuu. Just so you know.

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