Because doing things in the wrong order is fun. Still some really good tracks here, but more erratic than pools 1 and 2.
MAIN TOURNAMENT
The Bird Chirps, I Sing (Tales of Legendia) vs. Requiem (Super Robot Wars F Final) - Perhaps the next time this gets run, any ToL noms get byes into round 3 or something? Requiem's good for what it is, and The Bird Chirps isn't anywhere near the best song on Legendia's soundtrack, and this still isn't close.
Over the Wind (Wild ARMs 4) vs. Hometown (Silent Hill 3) - Hometown is not my style.
Love & Death (Age of Wonders) vs. Godsibb (Xenosaga 3) - Wow, major props to whoever nommed Love & Death (checking... Flaya, apparently). Easily the best piece on the Age of Wonders soundtrack, and the only problem is that the main game doesn't use it nearly enough. In fact, I'm not sure it uses it at all? It played a bunch in the demo, I remember, but while it came installed with the game in the music folder, it didn't play nearly enough in the game. Music tournies tend to favor "event" pieces, but I seriously respect a good background track that can get you ready to defend the homeland and conquer the bad guys. That said it came up against Godsibb, which while not quite perfect, is still awesome.
Protecting my Devotion (Final Fantasy IX) vs. Idola the Strange Fruits (Phantasy Star Online Episode 3) - Idola did pretty well last time, right? Mildly tempted to antivote it in favor of something new, but the quality difference is too big here.
A HOT CRASH!! (Grandia 3) vs. Kimi no Kioku (Persona 3) - The Persona track isn't bad, though the later verses need to mix things up more. But G3's boss theme was excellent.
Wings(US Vocal) (Wild ARMs 3) vs. Battle Hymn of the Soul/Battle for Everyone's Souls (Persona 3) - You know, I have to admit liking Wings, but as a guilty pleasure because I know the singer is not actually good. Not as much on the Everyone's Souls hype train, but it still collects a clean victory here.
Radical Dreamers - Without Taking the Jewel (Chrono Cross) vs. Coin Song (Final Fantasy VI) - Checking.... Noriko Mitose also did that remix of EXEC_SPHILIA and Mana Khemia's STIGMATA, too, both of which were surprisingly great. Clearly she needs to do more video game work.
Disappeared (Kingdom Hearts) vs. Twilight of the Anti-Hero (Wild ARMs XF) - Twilight is only okay, though I will grant that it's got a cool bit towards the very end. Meanwhile, Disappeared is... also only okay? I guess Shimomura has off days too.
FAILURE BRACKET
Dark World (Final Fantasy VI) vs. Slam Shuffle (Final Fantasy VI) - A) Why is Dark World in the failure bracket? Moody piano, atmospheric, it works. B) Why is Zozo's music in the failure bracket? It's supposed to be sleazy. Anyway, I can do without sleazy much more than good melancholy, so Slam Shuffle "loses."
ANIME
Rinne no Hate ni (Tsukihime) vs. Outer Senshi Theme (Sailor Moon) - Odd pick from Tsukihime? It's pretty, but perhaps a bit too placid for my tastes - it's almost a lullaby. I'm not sure what to make of the Sailor Moon piece, meanwhile, so prettiness wins the day.
Love Song (Gasaraki) vs. Jounetsu (Tokyo Underground) - Ow, I don't like the singing in Jounetsu. Love Song was one of the mild saving graces of Gasaraki. (Off topic: Through accidental scientific study, Gasaraki exactly defines the anime mediocrity line - it is as bad as possible while still being basically watchable all the way to the end, rather than causing the viewer to give up in disgust.)
