Jiren's Theme
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| Jiren's Theme | |||
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 The Pride Troopers face the monster Araghne on Planet Dardon. | |||
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| Tonality | A Major | ||
| Length | 1:37 | ||
| BGM Data | |||
| Catalog Number | S-533 | ||
| Composition | Norihito Sumitomo | ||
| Debut and Release | |||
| Debut Year | 2017 | ||
| First Appears | Dragon Ball Super Episode 85 | ||
| Also Appears | 2021 Annecy Festival Trailer | ||
| Debut Release | Dragon Ball Super OST Volume 2 | ||
"Jiren's Theme" was composed by Norihito Sumitomo for the Universe Survival arc of Dragon Ball Super and premiered on 09 April 2017 in Dragon Ball Super Episode 85. Its Kanzenshuu catalogue number is S-533, and its track listing is #23 on Disc 1 of Dragon Ball Super Original Soundtrack Volume 2, released on 28 February 2018.
Overview
"Jiren's Theme" is never used for Jiren himself. It was likely written for the original version of the character, which Akira Toriyama instructed Toei Animation's production team to change.[1]
Sakoru Takami (Producer): In sensei's initial rough draft, there was no information indicating Jiren's personality. Since the tough opponents in Dragon Ball Super up until then had been nihilistic, cool characters like Hit or Zamasu, we thought it might be best to make Jiren very talkative, so we came up with the background of him being a hero of justice. Jiren was central to this squadron of heroes.
Ryōta Nakamura (Director): When we suggested that to Toriyama-sensei, he replied that "Jiren is a character who doesn't speak." It was then that Toriyama-sensei sent us the backstory that his parents and martial arts master had been killed. He said that Jiren was this type of character, in contrast to Hit or Zamasu.
Takami: And so the characterization of Jiren that we originally came up with was passed on to Toppo.
— Dragon Ball Official Site, 09 March 2018
Unlike movie background music (BGM), anime BGM are not typically composed to scene. However it is possible that Sumitomo composed this one based on a description of the scene where Jiren was to be introduced. Sumitomo confirmed that he names all of his BGM.[2]
Oh yes! I named every tune. Song titles are just like the name of a child. So that's my job, because I am the father of my tunes.
— Norihito Sumitomo
In Dragon Ball Super Chapter 30, Jiren appears in a scene very similar to the scene where "Jiren's Theme" is first used in Dragon Ball Super Episode 85. The Pride Troopers are struggling against a monster when Jiren arrives, flying through space from another planet, to save them.
Form and Analysis
| Part | Bars | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Intro A | 5 | building strings/horns: 3 bars of 6/4 + 2 bars of 4/4 (Vsus4, V7) |
| Intro B | 5 | 4 bars horn intro + 1 bar melody pickup (I-♭II/1-♭III/1-III/5, V) |
| A1 | 8 | antecedent (4 bars) + consequent (4 bars) ||: I-♭VII-♭VI-♭VII :|| (A Major) |
| A2 | 8 | antecedent (4 bars; I-♭VII-♭VI-♭VII) + consequent (4 bars; I-♭VII-♭VI-V) (D Major) |
| B1 | 8 | antecedent (4 bars) (VII) + consequent (4 bars) (♭II) |
| B2 | 8 | antecedent (4 bars; iv-iv7-ii˚7) + consequent (4 bars) (I/5-V7) |
| Coda | 8 | antecedent (4 bars) + consequent (4 bars) ||: I-♭VII-♭VI-♭VII :|| (A Major) |
| Ending | 3 | final chord (I) |
Usage and Variations
The table below presents a scene-wise account of this track's usage in Dragon Ball Super. The terms used to describe the usage variations are contextualized in the Form and Analysis section above. The officially-released BGM track is 1:37 in length. The usage lengths given under "Length and Variations" in the table are estimates and do not include extended taper times.
| Scene | Length and Variations | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Ball Super Episode 85 Toppo and Casserale arrive on Planet Dardon to save Dispo from the monster from Planet Dorakiya, Araghne. |
1:45: The 2nd 6/8 bar of Intro A is cut. The consequent phrase of B1 is repeated. The antecedent phrase of the coda is repeated. Then the track plays to the end. |
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| Dragon Ball Super Episode 103 Ribrianne is angry at No. 17 after his elimination of her friend Kakunsa at the Tournament of Power. |
1:33: Bars 2-3 of Intro B are cut. The first 2 bars of the consequent phrase of B2 are cut. The antecedent phrase of the coda is repeated. | 
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2021 Annecy Festival
"Jiren's Theme" was used for a short promotional trailer created for the 60th anniversary of the Annecy Festival in Annecy, France. The trailer is directed by Dragon Ball Super director Ryōta Nakamura (Tournament of Power arc) with animation by Takahito Katayama[3] supervised and corrected by Naohiro Shintani, who was tasked with the design makeover in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.[4] It was posted on social media and the official Annecy Festival YouTube account on 19 June 2021.[5] The BGM is sped up to about 152 beats per minute (from the original ~140 BPM) and pitched sharp to B♭ Major.
<html5media height="270" width="480">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d6ls6rlmUE</html5media>
Intro A is cut. The antecedent phrase of A1 is cut. A2 is combined into one 4-bar phrase, and then it skips to the ending, which is condensed to 2 bars.
External Links
Notes
References
- ↑ クライマックスを迎える『ドラゴンボール超』宇宙サバイバル編を作り出した職人たち (09 March 2018). Dragon Ball Official Site. Retrieved: 10 March 2018.
——"The Artisans Who Made the Universe Survival Arc of Dragon Ball Super, Now Reaching Its Climax" (10 March 2018). Kanzenshuu. Retrieved: 10 September 2018. - ↑ @DrPapaDeBulma (19 June 2021). Twitter.
- ↑ @AnimeAjay (27 June 2021). Twitter.
- ↑ @DB_super2015 (21 June 2021). Twitter.
- ↑ @annecyfestival (19 June 2021). Twitter.
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