Gamelan Magic Orchestra member Ryuichi Sakamoto also used gamelan elements for his soundtrack to the 1983 British-Japanese film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", which won him the 1983 BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. Many listeners were introduced to the sounds of gamelan by the popular 1988 Japanese anime film "Akira". Gamelan elements are used in this film to punctuate several exciting fight scenes, as well as to symbolize the emerging psychic powers of the tragic hero, Tetsuo. The gamelan in the film's score was performed by the members of the Japanese musical collective Geinoh Yamashirogumi, using their "semar pegulingan" and "jegog"
Gamelan Sekaten in the development of the gamelan because it marked the change from the use of the "bonang" as the most important melody instrument, as it is in the earlier "Munggang" and "Kodokngorek" ensembles, to "leading" the ensemble by playing the pitches in anticipating patterns. In the ensemble, players sit on opposite sides of the "bonang", which may have led to the modern configuration of pots, which is aimed at making octaves comfortable. Gamelan Sekaten The Gamelan Sekaten (or Sekati) is a ceremonial gamelan (musical ensemble) from central Java, Indonesia, played during the annual "Sekaten" festival. The word ""sekaten"" itself is