Alan Menken vs. Yoko Kanno

[Suki Doll]

Who is the better of these two well-loved modern animated composers?

Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahantas)
or
Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: SAC)

Comments.

 

[The Duchess of Blyth]

No doubts here, Yok Kanno is the superior music director.

Now if you said Elfman, I'd might have chosen Elfman instead.

 

[rufusredcoat]

I don't really think I could compare the two because they create music for totally different types of animation.

 

[choco.lover5]

This is true. Disney tends to have "musical" style songs, not really my type though I did like the ones from Little Mermaid. Yoko Konno does music for action/drama that I've seen.

It's Yoko Konno that I relisten too.

 

[Chanae]

So at it's heart this is basically an american animation vs anime thread? Nice. :shrug:

I voted for Menken.

 

[BIG MAN ON CAMPUS]

Yoko Kanno for utilizing many different styles of breathtaking music.

I love Menken's work, but, let's face it, Home on the Range had some of the most lackluster music of any Disney movie.

 

[donkeyzoom]

Well, geez.. I like'em both. As of right now, guess I'm the only one.

 

[Jcontrols]

Menken on his own is a hack (needed Ashman to reign him in). YK all the way.

 

[dzynj]

Not really. I mean, if Danny Elfman or the guy who did the music to Dexter/PPG/Samurai Jack were the American option rather than Alan Menken, I'd have voted for them.

 

[Shontae]

Seems a rather random comparison. They have completely different styles.

I guess I'd say I prefer Kanno, though.

 

[paramorefreakk012]

Yoko Kanno, easily. She has a great range. The work she has done for Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell TV is amazing.

 

[not FRESHR than moi]

That's usually how these threads end up.

 

[Gemini chic]

Yoko ALL THE WAY!! :anime:

 

[SteGriff]

HG is correct. It's like last night's Spike Awards TV show. Some of the nominees didn't make sense. Disturbed is more "ballesy(sp)" than Lamb of God?
I'd like to know when. Now if there had been a better choice like Elfman, I probably would have voted differently.

 

[(:| Mr NR/ King of D.C :|]

I went with Yoko Kanno, although I have to agree that this is an odd comparison. As far as I know, Yoko Kanno has never composed something similar to the Broadway-style of the work Menken is best known for. Likewise, I have never heard of Menken trying to take on pop, jazz, or classical.