Video Game/Anime/Movie Themes - All Time Favourites?

Hi Guys,

I was just working away at home with Youtube doing it's algorithm thing and heard a cover on an anime theme that's a personal favourite. It struck me how much passion people have for pieces of music such that musicians of all types and background take the time and trouble and effort to put together their own cover versions of different pieces. It's pretty cool connection when people share a love for a piece of music that means something to them and can then also put together their own interpretations and share them.

It also brought to mind those pieces of music/themes that just stay with you, for whatever reason, and remain life long favourites. I think gaming music in particular is interesting because it can play such a vital role in shaping the character and atmosphere of an immersive gaming experience, or a theme for a particular character perhaps, that as you interact in the game the piece stays with you. Much of it comes from Japanese composers and although I haven't given it any profound thought it seems to me, at least at first glance, that they seem to have mastered the art of the 'theme' (or maybe lots of the pieces just appeal to me personally?). Of course, there are many good OST's with long musical scores, however, sitting on top you have the individual themes that connect to characters, locations or the title theme itself. They're really a part of the character of those things and aren't just 'background music'. A great theme is something truly memorable.

This is obviously true for movies too, and what ties all these together is that immersive, cinematic experience they all offer.

So, with all those memories in mind, I thought I'd start a thread asking people to share their life-long favourite music from gaming, anime and movies. (I thought that rather than open up a thread to the massive world of all pieces of music I'd try to focus in on music from video games and also anime, which, coming mostly from Japanese production companies, often has a similar theme, not to mention lots of gaming/anime cross-overs.)

A couple of mine to kick things off:

Anime:

Such an energetic piece of music, it's hard to get tired of it. And so many people have done quality covers. Really, really great theme that captures the heart of the two protagonists and the anime in general. Plus Ultra!

Gaming:

Early days here, and there have been many higher-quality versions done since, but I'll stick with what was the original for me. Loved this theme when I heard it, and I was mostly a Ryu player on SF2 - this one will always stay with me.

One of my all-time favourite game series. Such great memories playing through these, but on top of that, the first game did such a great job of creating an atmosphere for the fictional Caribbean islands of the game you really felt pulled in and living through the adventure that, let's be honest, was a large part of the inspiration for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Movies:
And speaking of Pirates of the Caribbean:

What an awesome piece of music! Utterly memorable. Genius composition.

The LOTR movies have an incredibly score, but focusing in on the main themes it's the Rohan theme that really hit me like a ton of bricks. The nordic violin is striking and the whole theme was just so bleak and yet noble. The most instantly memorable piece of all the LOTR music.

How about you?