Brief Summary
This video analyzes the effective use of the ending theme in the anime "Link Click" to enhance the show's intensity and impact. The video focuses on how the first 15 seconds of the ending theme are strategically used as an "insert ending" to create suspense, signal upcoming events, and act as a countdown, significantly the viewing experience.
- The ending theme is used as an "insert ending" in every episode, creating suspense.
- The first 15 seconds of the song act as a countdown, signaling the end of the episode and upcoming events.
- The musical design of the ending theme, with its dark melody and jarring sounds, intensifies the viewing experience.
The 15 seconds (kinda)
The video introduces "Link Click," a Chinese anime about two men who use photographs to travel back in time and complete tasks for clients. The show involves serious consequences related to time travel, leading to frequent cliffhangers. The main point of the video is to discuss the show's ending theme and how it enhances the viewing experience.
Link Click
"Link Click" revolves around two protagonists with the ability to travel back in time through photographs. One physically enters the past, becoming the photo's subject, while the other provides guidance telepathically. They operate a service that allows clients to alter past events, which leads to significant consequences typical of time travel narratives. The show is characterized by numerous cliffhangers.
Ending Themes
Ending themes are underappreciated but can significantly enhance a show. They occur at the end of episodes, which usually contain important details, context, or cliffhangers. The first few seconds of an ending theme are crucial because viewers often skip outros. Many anime creatively use their ending sequences, and the video will focus on "Link Click" as a prime example of an ending theme used to its full potential.
Insert Endings
The ending theme of "Link Click" is an "insert ending," meaning the song's beginning is inserted into the end of the episode while the scene is still playing out. This technique is used in three ways: first, the song accompanies intense action or revelations; second, it starts as something crazy begins, leaving viewers on a cliffhanger; and third, it plays during a calm moment, conditioning viewers to expect something to happen.
The Ending is a Countdown
The first 15 seconds of the song act as a signal or countdown at the end of each episode. This signals the episode's end and creates anticipation, especially when nothing is happening. The audience becomes conditioned to expect something, and this countdown intensifies as the series progresses. The audience and the show develop a built-in timer, creating suspense. This is most effective when the scene is calm, making the impending event more nerve-wracking.
Other Points
"Link Click" is about time travel, and the song's beginning fits this theme well, with the 15-second countdown aligning with the idea of time and its consequences. The musical design of this section is also brilliant.
MUSIC ANALYSIS TIME
The main melody is dark and mysterious, played at a low pitch with jarring synthetic sounds. Around seven seconds in, a high-pitched, sharp line contrasts with the rest, starting quietly and growing louder and more painful. This abrupt cutoff into the last section and these jarring melodies intensify the episode's ending. The sound effect at the end, a disconnected phone over a sped-up ticking clock, adds to the stress.
Conclusion
The ending theme had a strong impact, causing the speaker's heart rate to spike even when listening outside the show. It is a personal favorite example of an anime using its ending theme to boost intensity.
