JApan Game Music Orchestra (#27472)

[Mac_Tear]

A really excellent orchestra, which I discovered recently. Yuzo Koshiro is one of the presidents, is that correct?

They held quite a number of concerts since a few years in Japan, however little known is about them in other countries, which is a shame.

There are two concerts on Youtube, which feature ingredible arrangements of some fan favorite's. Unlike others like the Symphonic series or Distant Worlds, they stick close to the original source material, however with a few very interesting twists here and here. Please check them out!

Symphonic · Gamers ~Investigation of the Adventure That Drives Us~
シンフォニック・ゲーマーズ　～僕らを駆り立てる冒険の調べ～

Date of Performance: October 23, 2016 at NHK Hall, Tokyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Ab4xv2n7k

0:00 Pokémon Red & Blue [~Opening~ / Theme of Pallet Town / Road to Viridian City - From Pallet / Cycling / Team Rocket Hideout / Victory Road / Last Battle (VS Rival)]
10:58 Monster Hunter [Proof of a Hero / Howl ~ Rathalos / Sparkling Blue Light ~ Zinogre / The Voracious Devil ~ Deviljho / Empress of Flame ~ Teostra & Lunastra / Red Afterglow Running in the Darkness ~ Nargacuga / Scorching Blade ~ Glavenus]
24:55 Chrono Trigger [Chrono Trigger / Guardia Millennial Fair / Wind Scene / Ocean Palace / Frog's Theme / Battle with Magus]
38:25 Mother 1+2 [Pollyanna / Bein' Friends / Eight Melodies / Saturn Valley / Fourside (Held in the Skyscraper) / Smiles and Tears]
52:27 Final Fantasy [Battle at the Big Bridge / Those Who Fight Further / Shuffle or Boogie / Sword of Fury / FINAL FANTASY~FFXII Main Theme]
1:07:20 Super Smash Bros. Melee [Menu / Fountain of Dreams / Green Greens / Jungle Garden / Peach Castle]
1:13:58 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Majora's Mask [Title / Hyrule Field Morning Theme / Forest Temple / Gerudo Valley / Kotake & Koume's Theme / Windmill Hut / Deku Palace / Middle Boss Battle / Overworld]

* Highlights are Pokémon (the last section from "Team Rocket's Hideout" is really driving), the whole Chrono Trigger suite (everyone should love this!), Final Fantasy (with its nice blend of bombastic battle themes and a really really cool Jazz arrangement of "Shuffle and Boogie") as well as the whole Zelda suite (who expected tracks like "Forest Temple", "Kotake & Koume's Theme", "Deku Palace" or "Middle Boss Battle" to be in an orchestral suite? I did not, and the result is simply breathtaking!)

Symphonic · Gamers 2 ~The Reviving Heroes
シンフォニック・ゲーマーズ2～よみがえる英雄たち～

Date of Performance: October 22, 2017 at NHK Hall, Tokyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtmB8Bz_2dQ
Final Fantasy [Eternal Wind / Rebel Army Theme / Chaos' Temple / Revealed Truth / The Decisive Battle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGZtPht11pg
Donkey Kong Country 2 [K.Rool Returns / Welcome to Crocodile Isle / Jib Jig / Mining Melancholy / Stickerbrush Symphony / Haunted Chase]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zq-Qda-D3Y
Suikoden II [Opening BGM / Reminiscence / Those Who Don't Work Don't Eat / One Minute Showdown / The Even More Glorious, Beautiful Golden Capital / Confrontation with Monsters Again / Gothic Neclord]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESy_tQfGjaE
Mega Man 2 / Mega Man 3 [Title / Wood Man Stage / Gemini Man Stage / Snake Man Stage / Spark Man Stage / Dr. Wily Stage 1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYpRvb5u3Ho
Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicles of the Ascension / Ascension [Overture / Spirited Battlefield / Distant Field / Flowery Wind / Between Two People with no Equal / Focal Aim of Troubled Times / Roaring at the Earth / An Isolated Roar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUQTID__NX4
Super Mario World / Super Mario 64 [Title / Ground BGM / Boss / Main Theme / Slider / Dire, Dire Docks / Bowser's Road / Staff Roll]

Suikoden II, Suikoden II, Suikoden II !!! I, like many fans before me, cried tears when seeing a fan favorite finally gets a musical treatment it deserves! The whole suite is breathtaking and should move every fan to tears, from the "Opening" through the piano-based "Reminiscence" to a really REALLY surprising and comical interlude with "One Minute Showdown" (you remember, the Cooking Contest Mini Game music) until it burst into dramatic with the concluding "Gothic Neclord", one of the best battle themes from the series. Awesome!

Donkey Kong Country 2's suite is also gorgeous, from the beginning to the end. Everyone should know the themes by heart and love this arrangement!

I may also highlight the Mario suite, which includes charming arrangements blended with some Jazz flair and also some neat surprises (Dire Dire Docks, Bowser's Road). Check it out!