Sparking Series Japanese Music

[Blue]

Do you guys think the Japanese music blended in well with the first 3 Sparking games? I was thrilled to play the games with the score that I know and love but it just felt like the Japanese music wasn't built to be in a video game. The tracks lasted for a very short amount of time and the looping time between them seemed to be way too long. It doesn't help the majority of the Japanese tracks come to a big epic "conclusion" so it just sounded almost comical when they started up again as if they were saying "Oh you're STILL fighting?" Part of me felt like they would have been better off using full length insert songs, at least then they'd last for awhile longer.

Don't get me wrong I loved that they included such a thing but it just felt very odd, am I alone in this? Do you think that there were complaints because the Raging Blast series completely abandoned the idea of using the Japanese music?

[Cipher]

Seeing as how the Sparking! series' entire function is to be less fighting game and more anime simulator, the soundtrack was a huge boon. I really, really wish it'd been left in for North America.

[Blue]

Then again would it really help the games be an anime simulator in America? If I had to guess many casual dub fans or hell even hardcore dub fans wouldn't be familiar with the Japanese music nor care much about it.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I actually liked the replacement score for the Tenkaichi series. Now before everyone starts taking out their shotguns, let me explain. Kikuchi's score is dated. I wouldn't expect to hear anything like it in an Anime series or video game that's come out recently. For an old DBZ game, I wouldn't mind hearing his score. But for a next-gen DBZ game, his score just doesn't mesh well. That and the problems with the looping, as Blue said. The replacment score is quite good, especially in BT2. A wide range of instruments and styles are used in them, it is modern, and it generally flows well with the in-game fights.

[Rory]

A wide range of instruments and styles are used in them, it is modern, and it generally flows well with the in-game fights.

Really? I found Kishi's range spanned from intense rock, to intense techno.

[Cipher]

I didn't find any of it that intense, to be honest.

It's like techno-rock elevator music. Most of the time I just don't notice it.

If I had to guess many casual dub fans or hell even hardcore dub fans wouldn't be familiar with the Japanese music nor care much about it.

As opposed to no one being familiar with or caring about the replacement tracks?

[Blue]

I didn't find any of it that intense, to be honest.

It's like techno-rock elevator music. Most of the time I just don't notice it.

If I had to guess many casual dub fans or hell even hardcore dub fans wouldn't be familiar with the Japanese music nor care much about it.

As opposed to no one being familiar with or caring about the replacement tracks?

I thought many people enjoyed the replacement tracks? At least back in my Gamefaqs days they did. I actually enjoyed Tenkaichi 2's soundtrack myself.

I'm just glad they didn't put dub music in there instead.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I would have preferred the Original Japanese music over the crap that's in the US BT3. For some damn reason whenever I start up the game it loads up the title theme and that will play over and over unless you pick random or a new theme before a fight. It took me 2 days after getting the game to realize this, and during those two days I wanted to shoot myself(If you think Faulconer's music is bad, you should hear BT3's US opening theme). Honestly though, most of the time I play my own music while play those games it's not like I'm missing any important dialog. Oh and speaking of Faulconer, why didn't they keep the "anime simulator" spirit and use his music for the US games?

[VegettoEX]

With the games' main point being a "simulation" of the series... well, yeah. I absolutely adored having Kikuchi's music in them. It was one of the only aspects bringing me back for the entire three game series, and not being completely pissed off that I was spending $70 on each of them .

I did have qualms with the length of each track before it repeated, and I definitely had a problem with how limited the number of tracks were... but that second point was fixed with each subsequent game. METEOR had a fantastic selection of tracks, including some great new instrumental arrangements of insert songs and movie closing themes. Playing as Bardock vs first-form Freeza in the outer-space-spaceship stage with "Solid State Scouter" playing is just a fantastic scenario that really hasn't been recreated before or since. All of the tracks they chose to use were fantastic, and I don't think I could have come up with a better selection myself.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Man, what have I been missing?

[Cipher]

I'm just glad they didn't put dub music in there instead.

I disagree entirely. It's basically the same genre, but recognizable and actually (usually) catchy. That should have been the second choice after Kikuchi/Tokunaga tracks.

[Blue]

I'm just glad they didn't put dub music in there instead.

I disagree entirely. It's basically the same genre, but recognizable and actually (usually) catchy. That should have been the second choice after Kikuchi/Tokunaga tracks.

Ha wow different strokes I suppose. I personally couldn't imagine anything that would make me want to buy the English version less.
(Unless the tracks were retooled like they were in Legacy of Goku 2 and Boo's Fury, then I'd give it a go.)

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

A wide range of instruments and styles are used in them, it is modern, and it generally flows well with the in-game fights.

Really? I found Kishi's range spanned from intense rock, to intense techno.

For the battles I agree with you, but the music for the menus and the like was pretty varied.

(If you think Faulconer's music is bad, you should hear BT3's US opening theme)

You mean you guys didn't get "Super Survivor"? We folks down under did.

[Rory]

(If you think Faulconer's music is bad, you should hear BT3's US opening theme)

You mean you guys didn't get "Super Survivor"? We folks down under did.

I was gonna say, Super Survivor was used in America as far as I was aware... in fact, that's what it was famous for, being the first Kageyama opening used in America.
Then again, he could be talking about The Meteor, a Kishi track.. which I actually liked.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

(If you think Faulconer's music is bad, you should hear BT3's US opening theme)

You mean you guys didn't get "Super Survivor"? We folks down under did.

I was gonna say, Super Survivor was used in America as far as I was aware... in fact, that's what it was famous for, being the first Kageyama opening used in America.
Then again, he could be talking about The Meteor, a Kishi track.. which I actually liked.

Yes I was talking about Meteor, that song was ok but not when you hear it over and over for 2 days.

[Thanos]

Has it been confirmed that in addition to the Budokai, Burst Limit, Super Butouden and Raging Blast tracks, Kishi did the American replacement tracks? I'm very curious as to who did them, because even though I love the original anime BGM, I thought some the tracks in the American release of Sparking! NEO were fantastic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZbnR0tbNa8

That track comes to mind. While a good portion of the tracks used in "Budokai Tenkaichi 2" (god, I hate that name) were filler for the most part and sounded kind of cheap, some really stood out. I remember watching an interview with Donny Clay, and I heard that track in one of the fights, and I was like... holy shit, I must have this game. Bizarrely enough, it added to my interest in the game. It's such a power, high-energy techno... almost house with an almost asian flavor to it. Tenkaichi 3 had a couple of good tracks (like this) but for the most part is was generic ambient rock, like pretty much every track in Raging Blast and Burst Limit.

What I really miss is the style of the Super Butouden tracks (like this, or this!), really catchy, but not in a lame way... just like amplifying the mood.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Yep Thanos, Kishi did do the American replacement score for the Tenkaichi series. I'm also with you on the BT2 tracks, they're awesome.

[Captain-Sora]

Yep Thanos, Kishi did do the American replacement score for the Tenkaichi series.

I don't think so. Well...I can't speak for BT3's replacement tracks(I think Kishi did indeed do that game's music), but looking at the second game's end credits, BT2's music was composed by several teams of people.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Yep Thanos, Kishi did do the American replacement score for the Tenkaichi series.

I don't think so. Well...I can't speak for BT3's replacement tracks(I think Kishi did indeed do that game's music), but looking at the second game's end credits, BT2's music was composed by several teams of people.

Really? I looked in the instructional manual and couldn't find anything, so I'll just take your word for it.

[Captain-Sora]

Yep Thanos, Kishi did do the American replacement score for the Tenkaichi series.

I don't think so. Well...I can't speak for BT3's replacement tracks(I think Kishi did indeed do that game's music), but looking at the second game's end credits, BT2's music was composed by several teams of people.

Really? I looked in the instructional manual and couldn't find anything, so I'll just take your word for it.

I just checked BT3's end credits and I can confirm its music was composed by Kishi just as Raging Blast's was. It seems BT2 was the only one which got the nice treat of having several composers for different sections of its soundtrack.