Armitage III is one of those mid-90s cyberpunk anime OVAs that wore its Blade Runner influence on its sleeve, and the music collection reflects that beautifully. Set on a colonized Mars where tensions between humans and "Third Type" androids are reaching a boiling point, the soundtrack by Hiroyuki Namba blends jazz, electronic, and orchestral elements into something that feels distinctly of its era while still holding up.
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The "Main Theme" sets the tone with a noir-inflected mood that immediately evokes rain-slicked Martian cityscapes. "CHEAT! CHEAT! (McCannon's Hit Song)" is a genuine treat -- it's a diegetic pop track that exists within the show's world, the kind of detail that makes an anime soundtrack feel lived-in rather than just functional.
"SWING" leans into jazz territory, while "CHASE!" delivers the kinetic energy you'd expect from a show that features a hot-headed detective and her partner Ross Sylibus gunning down conspiracies. "D'Anclaude" carries a sophistication that matches the political intrigue running through the series.
At only 12 tracks, this is a compact collection, but it covers a surprising emotional range. "Sorrow" and "I Can't Remember Any Nice Dreams" carry the melancholy that the show's android characters embody -- beings created to be more human than human, only to be hunted for it.
"Terraforming" and "Matian Police Department (MPD)" flesh out the world-building through sound alone. It's a snapshot of 90s anime scoring at its most atmospheric, perfect for anyone who misses when cyberpunk stories were more interested in existential questions than neon aesthetics.