Chrono Trigger Soundtrack DS Edition Due
As expected, Square-Enix is re-releasing the Chrono Trigger soundtrack. If you missed out on it the first time, here’s your chance to get your hands on it again!
Due on July 29th for 3800 Yen (US$39), the Chrono Trigger OST [DS Edition] will contain…
- The full 78 track soundtrack from the DS remake span across 3 discs.
- A bonus DVD containing an interview with main composer Yasunori Mitsuda and a 5.1 surround sound music video of the two orchestral soundtracks that came as a free music CD for pre-orders of the game.
You can sample the tracks now over at the official site and take a sneak peek at the said video content. It seems the music video will be a recording of the band performing the music.
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete OST Announced
Et voilà. Square-Enix is indeed releasing a separate OST for their recent FFVII Advent Children Complete movie, dubbing it “Reunion Tracks”. Besides all the remix sound tracks featured in the movie such as “Anxious Heart“, the US$26 OST due on September 16th will also include bonus tracks from the animated version of On the Way to a Smile, Case of Denzel.
Don’t think I’ll be getting this because there’s not enough difference between this and the first OST…
Bandwidth Troubles, June 2009 Edition
Some of you may have noticed my blog went down again for a couple of hours last night. Looks like that sample HD video I put up for my review of the Canon Powershot SX200 compact camera ate up a fair bit of bandwidth. The file itself was just 60MB but it still ended up eating a total of 7.5GB, ending my quota for June! Fortunately, it was once again close to the end of the month. Yet another coincidence?
It really doesn’t look like my current hosting plan is fit for downloads ^^;
Anyway, haven’t been posting much lately because there hasn’t been much to write about for me. That and I’m busy translating the FFVII On the Way to a Smile stories along with something else…
Evangelion Rebuild 2.0 Movie Premieres
Today was the day the Japanese finally get to see the second title in the Evangelion Rebuild series of movies subtitled, “You Can (Not) Advance” and Famitsu dropped by Shinjuku, Kabuki District to cover the première. There were over 1000 people queuing outside by half 6 in the morning where some of the SEELE “Sound Only” monoliths appeared.
Needless to say, there was plenty of Evangelion franchise on sale on the day too, including this limited edition “Eva Combo Set” composed of a bag of popcorn, a drink and a figure of Asuka for 1500 Yen (US$16).
A pamphlet was also sold with the message, “WARNING! Do not open this before watching the movie!” In other words, spoilers ahead as we take a peek inside.
Persona Music Live Concert Coming to DVD
Thanks to reader, Elly for this. Missed this because Atlus has yet to confirm it themselves on their Atlus-D online store.
It seems Aniplex will soon be publishing a recording of the Persona Music Live concert onto DVD soon on September 16th, an event that over 1400 people attended in Akasaka Blitz a few months ago! The slightly more expensive first press edition will cost 4410 Yen (US$46) and will include a CD filled with 24 live recordings of Persona music (extracted and converted from the DVD) complete with a sleeve.
According to the Sony Music Shop, the DVD will be 120 mins long, 16:9 aspect ratio and have Linear PCM audio which means it will most likely be 2.0 stereo sound but, I’m sure my sound card can do something about that so I can enjoy surround sound.
Only The Japanese Appreciate the Work of Others?
Here are the results of the recent international poll on the Wii’s “Everybody Votes” channel asking, “At the end of a movie, do you watch the title credits to the end?” And the majority of results for every country apart from Japan was “No” surprisingly.
Well, I guess pretty much everyone here does leave at the end of a movie in the cinema…
Persona PSP Opening and Ending Lyrics
Still finishing the different branches in Persona PSP but I’ve already taken a liking to the music for some time.
Some notes Meguro made about these compositions is that he was aiming for the same pop style used in Persona 3/4 so that players who are playing this game because of those titles will feel more at home. He also wanted to experiment with the music to show how two-sided Persona is. For example, in the opening he starts off with some light pop before moving onto the intense beat of rock. Then there’s also some switching between English and Japanese in the lyrics.
Some of those approaches aren’t done for the first time to be honest. “Burn My Dread” mixed pop and rock together too.
On another note, it’s interesting how the lyricist for these two main theme songs also wrote the lyrics for Persona Trinity Soul’s first opening “Breakin’ Through” although I personally didn’t really like that song.
Well anyway, lets hope the European release of the game will get the free pre-order two disc soundtrack that America’s going to get!
Dream of Butterfly
Lyrics: Masao Komori
Composition: Shoji Meguro
Vocals: Yumi Kawamura
Translation
Dream of a butterfly, or is life a dream?
Don’t wanna wake up, coz I’m happier here
I was glad just to have you by my side
It was the only reality I needed
But it was all just a dream
Swaying and dissolving like bubbles in the dark ocean
When I woke up, no one was really there
There is nothing certain
Reaching for the shimmering shape in vain
That, I know is true in this place
What should I believe in to live on in this ever changing world?
I’m drowning (I can’t believe in you)
in sadness (but I cannot forget you)
calling out as I saw you (I will dig up my faith)
that night (and march on)
I believed (I cannot see ahead)
that it’s because (but I can’t keep standing still)
you are by my side (So I will close my eyes)
that I could grow strong (and march on)
I was afraid (Can’t lay the blame on you)
of sadness (but I cannot forgive you)
crying as I called out to you (So drenched up in rain)
that day (I’ll march on)
I realised (I cannot face the sun)
my weaknesses (but I cannot dream at night)
are because of you (So under the moonlight)
They all are (I’ll march on)
Summer Sky Shot June 2009
Just felt like posting this shot of the evening sky I took about a week ago. Been paying a lot more attention to the sky since taking a liking to Makoto Shinkai’s works after watching 5cm.
With the weather so hot during the day, it’s been great going for my 30 minute jog 6 in the morning when the sun’s already shining brightly but while the air still has a tint of coolness lingering in it.
Very peaceful too.
Doraemon 2008 – Nobita and the Legend of the Green Giant
Yes, I still like watching Doraemon. Laugh all you want =P
Almost forgot about this Nobita and the Legend of the Green Giant from 2008 but, better late than never. This is one of the better new Doraemon movies I’ve seen full of comedy and less repetitive talking animals material. I’m liking the modern animation style, artwork and the attention to the characters although I still miss the older movies where we would see plenty of Doraemon’s gadgets. Interesting to note that the little character Kibou also made an appearance during the 1992 movie, Nobita and The Kingdom of the Clouds.
Case of Nanaki Translation Completed, Thoughts
You can now read my translation of Case of Nanaki up on my other website FFVII Novels. Before anyone criticises my translations, I’d just like to point out that I’m simply sticking to as close to the original text as possible.
Despite it’s been almost 4 years since Kazushige Nojima wrote the last two stories of On the Way to a Smile, his writing style continues to be simplistic reading very much like a script than a novel. In my opinion, I think he uses too many short sentences and doesn’t spend much time building up the scenes. He jumps between the character’s thoughts and narration text too often and too suddenly. You can see the difference just by taking a look at the two excerpt translations I done from his stories and the Beast Player Erin novel.
In other words, if you really want his stories to read like a novel, you will have to spend quite some time re-wording.
Still, for an FFVII fan it’s great reading these stories with the familiar characters back again, re-visiting those locations from the game.
If you would like to point out mistakes or points requiring clarification, please drop me an email with the following:
- A reference to the page number from the book.
- Be constructive and explain why something is wrong.
- Your name should I decide to make the correction and give you credits.
With that aside… The fourth story tells of how Nanaki faces a new foe named, “Gilligan” after separating with the other members of the party and travels to witness life around the world after the events of the original FFVII. Along the way he tries to discern his feelings as a human or a beast.
Some thoughts (i.e. massive spoilers) ahead.