Line #27 Main/KabukiSounds


1	[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kabukisounds.png]]
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3	{{Kabuki\|Theatre}} is part of traditional UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}ese theatre, dating from the Edo period (17th century as the Western world records time). Like other Japanese theatrical styles, it uses music and musical sounds to help tell the story. Several instruments/calls have become strongly identified with the theatre performance itself, even sounds that originated in other parts of Japanese theatre.
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5	Sounds meant to evoke Japanese traditional performances:
6	* ''Tsuzumi''. A drumlike instrument that makes a "pon!" sound. Frequently employed to punctuate a joke or humorous moment, often in combination with a man's voice making an "Ooowoooh!" sound (also from Kabuki). A very traditional instrument, its sound is considered emblematic of traditional Japanese culture as a whole. Although they sound alike, do not mistake the "pon!" of a ''tsuzumi'' for the noise of shishi-odoshi.
7	* ''Okawa''. A drum that sounds a lot like a woodblock. One or two quick strikes are usually all that's used.
8	* ''Shinobue'' and ''Nohkan''. High pitched flutes. Used in either brief bursts akin to whistling or longer sequences.
9	* ''Yoo~ooh''. A call to announce a character, often accompanied by a dramatic zoom or SuperSentaiStance.
10	----
11	!!Examples:
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
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15	[[folder: Anime]]
16	* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' punctuates many of its jokes with Kabuki sounds, and the ''tsuzumi'' and ''okawa'' are heard in the EyeCatch.
17	* ''Anime/{{Gasaraki}}'' uses Kabuki (and Noh) elements in its [[AnimeThemeSong theme song]] and throughout the series proper.
18	* ''Anime/SaberMarionetteJ [=To X=]'' emphasizes some of its funnier moments with Kabuki sounds, particularly series of rapid ''tsuzumi'' strikes.
19	* The 2006 {{OVA}} ContinuityReboot of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has used ''tsuzumi'' strikes to punctuate Setsuna's more {{samurai}}-like moments.
20	* The anime ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' makes use of Kabuki sounds in background themes. Often taken up a notch with Jiraiya, who not only dresses like someone right out of Kabuki theatre, but also has a habit of announcing himself using common mannerisms. He also moves like a Kabuki actor, most notably the hopping step and slow hand wave.
21	* Used in the beginning and the end of the 2nd ''Manga/VampirePrincessMiyu'' OAV.
22	* ''ANime/{{Inuyasha}}'' used Kabuki sounds frequently to establish mood, particularly appropriate given its Feudal Japanese setting.
23	** Considering the [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes stage clothes]] and stylized fights, they might as well be actually performing kabuki.
24	* Whenever Kumadori from ''Manga/OnePiece'' speaks, he speaks in verse, and kabuki sounds play in the background.
25	** Before arriving in Wano, the Straw Hats encounter an octopus that can naturally create kabuki sounds. Naturally, its all over the place in the Wano arc proper in the anime.
26	* Constantly in ''Anime/{{Mononoke}}'' and ''Anime/AyakashiSamuraiHorrorTales''.
27	* In ''Anime/DigimonTamers'', these sounds accompany the kitsune-themed Renamon's evolution into Kyuubimon.
28	** In the original Japanese version of ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'' Hawkmon's evolution to Shurimon is accompanied by Kabuki sounds (sometimes hard to hear over the insert music playing), and Shurimon finishes the evolution footage by striking a classic Kabuki pose (again, a little difficult to recognize since he has shurikens for hands).
29	* Given that ''Manga/NinjaNonsense'' is about ninja, it was inevitable that these show up a lot.
30	* ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi'' likes to use bells for its Kaoi moments.
31	* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' thrives on them.
32	* Can be heard in Japan's ImageSong in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''.
33	* Used in ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' for the Den Den Troupe, a Kabuki troupe, and also for Princess Shirataki, who's servant, Shungiku-san, carries a tsuzumi with him for their travels.
34	* In ''Manga/{{Yaiba}}'', Goemon Ishikawa has the looks and mannerism of a Kabuki actor, so this is expected. In the manga, one panel even has him posing dramatically after a speech while a duo of Black Oni in the backgroud play the Okawa to accompany his performance.
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37	[[folder: Film -- Live-Action]]
38	* ''Film/TheStoryOfTheLastChrysanthemums'' is the story of a kabuki actor whose career goes downhill after a ParentalMarriageVeto. Kabuki performances and kabuki sounds are heard throughout. In one scene Kiku is backstage during a show, when he hears the sound of drums, and tells his wife Otoku that the drums mean the performance is ending.
39	* Dr. Furano in ''Film/VampireGirlVsFrankensteinGirl'' conducts his experiments wearing a full Kabuki get-up, so naturally these are heard in the background.
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42	[[folder: Live-Action Television]]
43	* The Rangers from ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'' had Kabuki-sounds during their transformation sequences.
44	* ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'': Shinkengers' [[TransformationTrinket Shodouphones]] make kabuki noises after being used to draw magical kanji in the air.
45	* ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'': The Utsusemimaru Theme also featured kabuki noises when he first morphs into ''[[SixthRanger Kyoryu Gold]]''.
46	* ''Series/AvataroSentaiDonbrothers'' is the latest Super Sentai to join the list, and is perhaps the ''most'' Kabuki-esque season yet. Not only do they heavily utilize them on their soundtrack, their sequences, and even their [[TransformationTrinket DonBlasters]], but this particular Sentai's outfits are designed to resemble Kabuki performers, their transformation utilizes traditional Japanese scroll painting art, and [=DonMomotaro=] arrives in a cart pulled by other people, and is often seen with a fan on his hand. Oh, and before you ask, the '''first''' sound their Henshin makes is a "[[https://youtube.com/watch?v=WP-_3kHZq6k Yooooooo!]]"!
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49	[[folder: Musical]]
50	* Used in the Kabuki-styled musical ''Theatre/PacificOvertures'', though not frequently.
51	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0FVIwLE0Aw This]] ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' remix of Yuugi's theme features the "oowooooh" guy.
52	* When Music/DavidByrne was commissioned to provide interstitial scenes (i.e. "knee plays") for a Robert Wilson stage show, his initial idea was to score them with traditional kabuki percussion. He got partway through, then decided a different approach was needed. The finished version of ''The Knee Plays'' was brass band music. However, the 2007 CD reissue includes five selections of Byrne's original kabuki score, as bonus tracks.
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54	[[/folder]]
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56	[[folder: Video Games]]
57	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
58	** ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' features kabuki sounds in the "Sushi-Go-Round" minigame from the first installment, as well as the "Clear Cut Challenge" in ''Pokémon Stadium 2''.
59	** ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver HeartGold and SoulSilver]]'' have kabuki-style instrumentation in a number of their tracks, most notably [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD9NHjiEsYE Ho-oh's theme]].
60	* ''VideoGame/FatalFury Special'' uses this in Geese's CPU stage, and ''Real Bout Fatal Fury Special'' has an OptionalBoss fight with him as well in his rooftop pagoda. The intro to the fights has several doors sliding open, punctuated with ''okawa'' beats, and the fight music itself (titled "Soy Sauce for Geese") has several tsuzumi beats and the "Ooowooh" voice as well (at least in the RBS version).
61	* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'' A tsuzumi and okawa are played as Yusuke's Persona Goemon first appears. Fitting as Yusuke is very much a traditionalist (to the point of using archaic language in the original Japanese), Goemon was depicted as much in actual kabuki plays, and Yusuke is an artist by trade.
62	* At least half of the ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' soundtrack is entirely played with traditional Kabuki instruments, in keeping with the general mood of the game (especially where Kyoshiro is concerned, since he's a Kabuki actor). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7oNxnlg7oI Behold.]]
63	* The Kyoto stage and Yoshimitsu's forest stage from the first 2 ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' stages with "Ooowooh" to boot. Also, Baek's and Kazuya's stage themes in the second game.
64	* ''{{VideoGame/Okami}}'' uses a lot of the drum sounds, as well as several Kabuki-style shouts.
65	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'': E. Honda's theme, because he's basically the first ever Kabuki-Sumo wrestler. You can hear some ''tsuzumi'' sounds in Ryu's theme as well, though he doesn't have the whole kabuki thing going.
66	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
67	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'': The various musical themes for the eponymous mask involve eldritch, discordant yet somehow still Kabuki-esque sounds. WordOfGod shares that the noises were inspired by the similar Chinese opera.
68	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': The theme for the Master Kohga battle has silly-sounding Kabuki sounds that match his role as a goofy leader of an evil clan of ninjas.
69	* In ''VideoGame/WarioWareDIY'', one of the drum sets in the music maker is a Japanese-themed set which includes Kabuki sounds.
70	* In ''The New VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'', the song "Japan" is made entirely of various kabuki sound effects to form a funk/techno hybrid.
71	* In the ''VideoGame/ShirenTheWanderer'' series, set in feudal Japan, this is used a ''lot''.
72	* Plugging in four controllers in to a [[Platform/NintendoGameCube Gamecube]], holding the Z button down on all of them, and starting up the console will play a tsuzumi accompanied by the "Ooowoooh!" noise instead of the normal start up sounds.
73	* In ''VideoGame/PowerStone'', The Mutsu stage featured the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkXWVQ1Y_T0 "Ooowoooh!"]] sound from Tsuzumi in the beginning of the theme .
74	* In ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdIIAssimilation'', both of the Nerd Gaiden [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caF1EMkjHsg stage]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cWyjs51BI8 themes]] use an "oowoooh" sample.
75	* ''VideoGame/GanbareGoemon 2'' for the Platform/SuperFamicom features the "Ooowoooh!" sound on the title screen and the "area clear" screen, and also has a kabuki-themed stage where ''tsuzumi'' appear as floating springboards.
76	* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles: The Hyperstone Heist'' uses an "ooowoooh" at the beginning of Stage 3, in line with its {{Wutai}} theme.
77	* ''Franchise/TheSimpsons Arcade Game'' features these in the boss fight against the Kabuki Master.
78	* In ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'', there is a cat villager named Kabuki whose appearance is reminiscent of a traditional kabuki actor. His catchphrase is "meooo-OH", a blend of "meow" and a typical kabuki shout.
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81	[[folder: Western Animation]]
82	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' uses these sounds, especially in relation to Leonardo or [[OldMaster Splinter]]. The "Ooowoooh!" noise is practically [[BigBad The Shredder's]] {{leitmotif}}.
83	* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' made use of these occasionally, particularly the "Yoo-oooo" sound to punctuate a joke.
84	[[/folder]]

Context Main / KabukiSounds