28XA-166: Darius -TAITO GAME MUSIC VOL.2-

[Rrolack]

An interesting discovery regarding this album. I happen to own two copies of these, and there are some subtle differences between them.


To start, here are the spines of the two obis. One shows a price of 2800 yen, and the other lacks a price.

https://i.imgur.com/RZXOWmE.jpg


Here is the front of the obis, where the other obi has a price of 2627 yen. Note that the bolded text on the bottom of the obis is also different.

https://i.imgur.com/ULCHyR6.jpg


Here are the back cases. The bolded text is different here as well.

https://i.imgur.com/5v5f6V8.jpg


Judging by Google Translate, it looks like the bolded text difference may denote a difference in the distributor. I'm also guessing that the lower price one was introduced after the 3% sales tax came into effect in 1989, which would make the lower priced one the "second print" if you will.

As for any potential distributor differences, we'd need someone with better Japanese skills to say more.


I wonder for how many other G.M.O. albums the same is true. Looking through others I have, my copy of "Sega Taikan Game Special" (28XA-198) has the same pricing as my "second print" 28XA-166.

[LuxKiller65]

Wait wasn't this OST also part of a larger boxset with other albums? Maybe not.

I'm not sure I understand why they'd sell it for cheaper after the 3% tax was introduced? Wouldn't they just try to either keep it the same (therefore adjusting the price before tax to 2,718Y), or at least make it a round number? Extremely annoying for shops and customers to handle that 2,627Y price tag.

I find it strange that the 2,627Y obi has no "compact disc digital audio" at the top of the front part.

Also, the 2,627Y version has no L inside a circle (Ⓛ) that indicates "This is a Japanese product".

Ja, seems like we need to find out both distributors. I can figure out that 'distributed by' is "配布元", this matches the 1st and 3rd character but not the 2nd. I guess the general meaning must be 'distributed by' anyway.


The distributor on the Sega Taikan (https://vgmdb.net/album/731) is the one from the 2,800Y album you are showing, so I'd say that since Sega Taikan is more recent, the 2,800Y version of Taito Game Music is the reprint.

[suicider]

The 2,800 Yen distributor reads Warner/Pioneer while the 2,550 Yen distributor reads Nippon Columbia if that is any help.

[Rrolack]

Originally Posted by LuxKiller65

The distributor on the Sega Taikan (https://vgmdb.net/album/731) is the one from the 2,800Y album you are showing, so I'd say that since Sega Taikan is more recent, the 2,800Y version of Taito Game Music is the reprint.

I think the cheaper one (2627 yen) actually has to be the reprint. That's because the cheaper one shows a pre-tax price of 2550 yen, and that tax didn't go into effect until 1989. As a result, the cheaper one couldn't have been the original 1987 printing.

[LuxKiller65]

Yes you are right, I mixed up. I was also wondering why they'd be aware of a tax from the future, herp de derp.

I quickly went through all the 28XA on VGMdb and they are all priced at 2,800Y, distributed by Warner/Pioneer (thanks suicider).

I think it will be nice to make a separate entry for your reprint? It is definitely an important variant. Similar to Space Odissey Gradius II, which also needs a separate entry for the reprint.

https://vgmdb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3913

[Rrolack]

I bought yet another copy of this album, and found there is actually a third combination of distributor and price.

Here is the relevant picture:

https://i.imgur.com/IyOzKAi.jpg?1

On the left, the album is priced at 2800 yen, distributed by Warner/Pioneer. In the middle, the price has been lowered to 2627 yen, and is still distributed by Warner/Pioneer. On the right, the price is still 2627, but the distributor is now Nippon Columbia.

[LuxKiller65]

nice one