Anamanaguchi\’s Airbrushed features animated cover art from Paul Robertson

It’s quiz time. What’s the Japanese name for what we Americans know as the Nintendo Entertainment System? Answer: The famicon short for “family computer.” The original system featured a red and white design with hard-wired controllers that actually fit on to the system between rounds of play.

Why am I fussing over Nintendo’s ancient history? I do so in an attempt to rationalize writing about a band who merely sounds Japanese. Fast forward almost three decadess from the release of the Famicon and you’ll find a New York City-based band called Anamanaguchi who pumps out kick ass tunes played in part on a hacked NES. It’s a flimsy link, but let’s go with it, okay?

Anamanaguchi performing the theme song for the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. the World video game at PAX 2010.

On July 15, the band that blends sequenced, 8-bit magic with guitars and drums, launched “Anamanaguchi Summer 2010” featuring a new single every two weeks available for download at the sensational cost of zero dollars. You can grab the first single, Airbrushed, from Anamanaguchi.com. Attentive fans of Scott Pilgrim and the various forms of media Bryan Lee O’Malley’s titular character appears in these days might recognize “Airbrushed” from the trailer for the upcoming Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World video game. Anamanaguchi recorded all the music for the side-scrolling, beat ’em up soon to be out on the PS3.

Hear more from the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack courtesy of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s site radiomaru.com.

Interesting side note: when it was released in Korea in 1983, the NES was known as the “Hyundai Cowboy.”