The musical references in Listeners do not seem to be particularly profound, but they are certainly abundant. Until now, every episode of the anime that mixes the mecha genre with music has paid tribute to classic rock bands or influential artists, such as Oasis, Nirvana, Prince and others. Music fans are able to find even more references than the average viewer, as the series is riddled with them.
The Listeners series seems eager to prove itself as a tribute to music, paying tribute to iconic actors at the most unexpected moments. Those less inclined to music might have a hard time spotting the less obvious tributes, so we've compiled a guide for each episode.
Episode 1: Oasis
The first episode of the anime refers to the English rock band Oasis. Swell Reck, the older sister of the protagonist Echo, runs a bar called "Oasis" and the episode is titled "Live Forever", a reference to a single by the band of the same name. The episode also introduces viewers to "Jimi Stonefree," a mysterious figure who represents both Jimi Hendrix and his song "Stonefree."
Episode 2: Einstürzende Neubauten
The second episode, titled "Half Man", refers to the song "Halber Mensch" (which in German means "Half Man"), by the German experimental rock band Einstürzende Neubauten. The anime also names its first group of antagonists as "Neubauten Sisters". Although initially quite similar to Nier: Automata characters, this trio actually pays tribute to the band Einstürzende Neubauten, known for their unorthodox sound and modified instruments. The "Neubauten Sisters" torment Echo and Mu with illusions until they are saved by Bilin Valentines.
Episode 3: My Bloody Valentine
The third episode, titled "You Made Me Realize", pays tribute to the Scottish group My Bloody Valentine. The episode introduces Bilin and Kevin Valentine, a duo of veteran "Players" who act as mentors to the protagonist and flirt with each other through the lyrics to the song "My Bloody Valentine." The episode showcases some guitar riffs in an obvious homage to the genre's pioneering band, and dazzles viewers with some red lights originating from the aesthetic of the band's “Loveless” album by the band My Bloody Valentine.
Episode 4: Nirvana
The fourth episode, titled "Teen Spirit," shows once again that Listeners can sometimes be nothing subtle, as this time it pays an obvious tribute to American rock band Nirvana and their song "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The anime takes Echo and Mu to the Freak Scene Academy, a school that is struggling against the distribution of a relaxing drug called "Teen Spirit." The Nir character is quite similar to Kurt Cobain, and that's no coincidence. What could be a coincidence is how uncomfortable it is to witness this story about drugs that alleviate stress, knowing the background behind the artist's suicide; Although it certainly does not seem that Listeners wants to get into serious issues about it. They may have just wanted to reincarnate Kurt Cobain as an anime girl, and everything else was coincidental.
Episode 5: Prince
As the name implies, in this episode Prince is practically a character. The fifth episode, titled "In the Embrace of the Beat," the character Denka is the colorful reincarnation of the American singer, and guides Echo and Mu through the red light district. The title refers to the 1984 song, "When Doves Cry" and many other references appear throughout the episode. The district, on the other hand, is called "Paisley Park" and is another reference to a Prince song. In this episode, Echo and Mu learn more details about the enigmatic Jimi Stonefree.
Episode 6: Pink Floyd
The sixth episode of Listeners makes a slightly more creative reference. Of course, the title "Goodbye Blue Sky" is a clear reference to a song by English rock band Pink Floyd. However, the most interesting tribute comes in the form of the episode's architecture: “The Wall”, another reference to a song, which is a triangular prism, which in turn is a reference to the album cover “The Dark Side of the Moon ”. It's a nice change to just having the artist or band make a cameo within a character's name
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