GFCA-195~213: Akumajo Dracula Best Music Collections BOX

[LuxKiller65]

Well that's what happened with the "limited package super wooper edition" from Konamistyle for Dracula X Chronicles and Order of Ecclesia, so this time I bought the set the day it was available. Just sad for the money, because it doesn't grow on trees, but cool for those who can buy it for much cheaper now.

[Vert1]

A lot of buyer's remorse going on with this boxset on amazon japan, but not on this site (according to the ratings).

[MAGradio]

I love music, especially rock-style. I roll out adrenaline.

Just sayin'. That's our new motto.

[Foxykun]

I would like to request the official kanji spelling for Masayuki Maruyama, Goh Fuiwara (composer for Akumajo Dracula the Arcade, disc 17). Thanks in advance

[Cedille]

On a side note, we don't know if Fujiwara is one of the actual composer & arrangers of the game. He could be just a sound & voice effect designer, and it'd be Masahiro Ikariko instead, since Konami has been terrible at crediting artists. I've been working on a more detailed composer breakdown as well as compiling information on what's missing from the past releases, but it's a long way off. The list of the latter was actually here - but I have a trouble with what format I go with, if I should refrain from writing fan-translations in the note.

[Foxykun]

Originally Posted by Cedille

On a side note, we don't know if Fujiwara is one of the actual composer & arrangers of the game. He could be just a sound & voice effect designer, and it'd be Masahiro Ikariko instead, since Konami has been terrible at crediting artists. I've been working on a more detailed composer breakdown as well as compiling information on what's missing from the past releases, but it's a long way off. The list of the latter was actually here - but I have a trouble with what format I go with, if I should refrain from writing fan-translations in the note.

Cool do your best, i have this weird habit of listing the composers and arrangers in actual japanese (if they're japanese of course). I ordered the box , but i dont know if the composer's names are properly listed there or not.

[Dag]

Question, are we sure it is Masanori Adachi and not Masanori Oouchi, who also composed at the time?
The liner notes here have くそお まさのり, which 2ch identifies as Adachi, but no source I could find. (also, since Souji Taro didn't comment I wonder if did just S.E./programming)
Adachi was credited in the liner notes as DJ ADA in Contra 3 SNES and M.C. ADA in Axelay.

悪魔城ドラキュラ（SFC） / Devil's Castle Dracula / Super Castlevania IV

Credits: Masanori Oodachi, Souji Taro

Composers: Masanori Adachi, Taro Kudo

[PsychoZeke]

Not sure I'm following you... Masanori Oouchi?

[Dag]

In CV4, the staff roll lists "Masanori Oodachi" as a composer.
Prime Blue compiled a composer list, and concluded "Masanori Oodachi" was Masanori Adachi, since his name was close enough (this spreaded through the site + internet, so CV albums linked to Adachi here aren't proof).

I am questioning this, since I can't find sources. There was another Konami composer at the time called Masanori Oouchi, which his name is close to "Masanori Oodachi" as well.


In Akumajo Dracula Best 2, which contains CV4 music and liner notes, a person called くそお まさのり (Masanori Kusoo, joke surname) comments on CV4 as sound creator.

Adachi has been credited in liner notes during these years as "MC/DJ ADA", its a bit strange he would use "Masanori Oodachi" or くそお まさのり just once. (while Souji Taro is common pseudonim of Taro Kudo).

For Oouchi, some albums credit him as Masanori Oouchi in kanji, no pseudonims (maybe his older works contain more info+pseudonims in the liner notes).


Hope that makes it clearer.

[PsychoZeke]

Yeah, I get the whole picture now. And one thing to note is that Adachi and Oouchi have worked together (Rocket Knight Adventures and Suikoden for example).

Masanori Adachi:

安達昌宣（あだち まさのり） Masanori Adachi
M.Adachi、Nanda Adachi
AC エイリアンズ
AC ハイパーアスリート（編曲）
FCD グリーンベレー
SFC 悪魔城ドラキュラ
SFC アクスレイ（stage2 remix）
SFC 魂斗羅スピリッツ
SFC 魍魎戦記MADARA2（サウンドプロダクション）
MD ロケットナイトアドベンチャーズ
SECD スナッチャー
PS UFO A DAY IN THE LIFE
PS2 コロボール2002
NDS もぎたてチンクルのバラ色ルッピーランド

Doesn't list "Oodachi" as an alias, but is does list a Castlevania SFC game, although it doesn't specify which (either Super Castlevania IV or Castlevania: Dracula X).

Masanori Oouchi:

大内正徳（おおうち まさのり） Masanori Oouchi
Masanori Ohuchi
GB ツインビーだ!!
SFC 魂斗羅スピリッツ（SE）
MD ロケットナイトアドベンチャーズ

[Fearin]

Any work being done on cross connecting the track titles of each of the akumajo dracula/castlevania releases? Seems the english non sound test versions differ. Quick example would be yami no juin, Blajhet mountains. Different between this release and the OST.

[strugglepoo]

Originally Posted by Dag

Question, are we sure it is Masanori Adachi and not Masanori Oouchi, who also composed at the time?
The liner notes here have くそお まさのり, which 2ch identifies as Adachi, but no source I could find. (also, since Souji Taro didn't comment I wonder if did just S.E./programming)
Adachi was credited in the liner notes as DJ ADA in Contra 3 SNES and M.C. ADA in Axelay.

It seems like Kudo and Adachi are good buddies. Kudo went on to form his own company and brought in Adachi for sound. Maybe they first met/bonded through SCIV? It's also interesting that Adachi did a track for Axelay. I mean, this is not concrete evidence by any means, but just some food for thought.

[Nisto]

Oh crap. I realize I accidentally also linked some others while adding and linking Claude Debussy and Felix Mendelsshon. That was not intended. Thank you for correcting that, CHz!

[CHz]

No sweat!

Also, I just unlinked "James Banana" as an alias of Kinuyo Yamashita. As Prime Blue pointed out way back on the first page of this thread, the original Castlevania had MORE than one composer, so it was never a name for just her. (She was also linked as "K. Yamashita," so don't worry about this album not showing up in her discography now.)

No one's by chance figured out from her which tracks she wrote, have they?

[Nisto]

Huh? I've seen her mention something like "I did all music for the first Castlevania, including all its data", on a lot of places. Maybe she was actually referring to the MSX version in that post Prime Blue is linking to?

Edit:
She also says in this video description: "I didn't program the music or do the sound effects for Castlevania. I only made the music and the data for it.".
And under the "About Castlevania etc." it says:
Raven : In the first game, you are credited not with your real name, but with the name James Banana. Was this your pen name? Was it the name that your team gave you?
Kinuyo : I left the company Konami and so it was their way of adding me to the credits. My real name, Kinuyo Yamashita, appears in other games.

Oh, and in this description, it at least says she did Vampire Killer and Wicked Child: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XptUDCl_RXk

[Dag]

Along with the blog post, she said in this interview: "I'm certain that other people were involved with the composition of the original version of Castlevania, but they composed very little of the music". And "As far as I know, the music for Castlevania is the same on the Famicom Disk System and the MSX" "For the FDS and MSX titles, I actually made the sound data and served an engineering role". So the S. Terashima credit still applies.

In her facebook she links to Vampire Killer and Voyager (arranges), mentions Wicked Child.


People take so seriouly the James Banana thing, but I'd say that's just a joke credit (like a supposed 'big hollywood composer') and in no way meant to be an alias, nobody from the staff is properly credited. If you check the credits there is stuff like "Directed by Trans Fishers", "Screenplay by Vram Stoker" and the amazing cast, "Dracula: Christopher Bee"...

[Nisto]

Well, I also just saw this, which just made it even more confusing.

She actually says, in this video description:
Before the performance I said:
"I programmed music, made sound effects, music, and data".
and a few lines after...
"However, I didn't program the music or do the sound effects for Castlevania. I only made the music and the data for it."

Haha. Someone should just send her an email and ask specifically which tracks she actually made.

[Dag]

I undertand she means she did programming, music, etc at Konami. But for Castlevania, just data and music.

Before the performance I said:
"I programmed music, made sound effects, music, and data".
Yes, that was all part of my work while I was with Konami.
But I think a lot of people who see this video might think that I made everything for Castlevania.

However, I didn't program the music or do the sound effects for Castlevania. I only made the music and the data for it.

Also remember Yamashita's English is a bit fuzzy. So if she says "I made the music" most likely she means "I made 'music'" (not necessarily 'all music')

Seeing other of her responses, I think she doesn't want to answer directly which tracks she did, due to confidentiality concerns with Konami.

[Nisto]

Yes, ofcourse. I'm aware that her English is limited and not perfect. But what confuses me is that she says she DID program, and then says that she did NOT program any of the music.

[Gigablah]

You should watch the video. She was responding to Tommy's question about her job at Konami in general. Hence the clarification that while she did compose the music for Castlevania, someone else programmed it. (Programming and composing are entirely different roles)

[Nisto]

Originally Posted by Gigablah

someone else programmed it.

?
In the video she says she did program the music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syi57or7QOM#t=2m56s

[Gigablah]

Which is why she had to clarify in the video description, is it not? Tommy led into that question by mentioning his experience starting out in the industry, which made the context unclear.

Also, her remarks in the description will naturally supersede her remarks in the video, so no confusion there.

[Nisto]

Aha! I've misunderstood. I thought she said that even before she actually came up on stage or something. Sorry.

[Nisto]

Why is Shinji Tasaka linked as Tasaka for this album? In Akumajo Special: Boku Dracula-kun! they use the full name: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF8S6j6_mWU#t=53s

[Cedille]

The Konamistlye official site marks all the tracks from Kid Draclura (GB) as previously unreleased, but isn't any of them the same as one on this album? The track length matches none of them, so it'd have at least be rerecorded though.

EDIT: same thing can be said for Dracula MSX2 (aka Vampire Killer).

[seanne]

Originally Posted by Cedille

The Konamistlye official site marks all the tracks from Kid Draclura (GB) as previously unreleased, but isn't any of them the same as one on this album? The track length matches none of them, so it'd have at least be rerecorded though.

EDIT: same thing can be said for Dracula MSX2 (aka Vampire Killer).

It's true that the 'Dracula ~Music Collection~' album has music from those games, one short medley track for each game. Perhaps they don't take it into consideration since it's just a promo album and not an commercial release, and since it only features a few minutes of music from each game.

[Cedille]

Okay, I just wondered we needed to rewrite the album introduction (maybe just inserting "commercial" between "the first-ever" and "releases" is enough).Anyway, I feel our discussion on Castlevania peaked already last year, but I just want to clear up credits a little more, so some suggestions based on Prime Blue's well summarized list.

Originally Posted by Prime Blue

悪魔城ドラキュラ（FC） / Devil's Castle Dracula / Castlevania

Credits: James Banana

Composers: Kinuyo Yamashita, S. Terashima

Notes: I hate those vintage fake names in credits. We know for sure that Kinuyo Yamashita did most of the music for it (as she confirmed it on her BBS: "I composed music for 悪魔城ドラキュラ. Not all. But,most is my music."). I've seen a Shinya Sakamoto mentioned as the second composer on GMCL, though I couldn't find a reliable source that backs it up. Furthermore, I guess he would have been credited in the MSX version if he was involved at all, so I assume S. Terashima was the only other composer.

I think the Shinya Sakamoto thing was from this album, though we still need to confirm Rusher is Shinya and he was really involved as a composer, to begin with. James Banana can be better treated as a unit, than an alias of Yamashita as suggested. It's a conventional way to credit "Vampire Killer" featured in the later installments, unless Yamashita is finally confirmed as the composer of that particular track.

Originally Posted by Prime Blue

ドラキュラⅡ呪いの封印（FC） / Dracula II: The Seal of the Curse / Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

Credits: Terashima, Matsubara

Composers: Kenichi Matsubara

On this album Tonma-kun no Papa talked about how challenging the entire project was and he was still dissatisfied with the output, so this could be the source of GMCL. Don't know why GMCL also credits Kyohei Sada.

Originally Posted by Prime Blue

悪魔城ドラキュラ（AC） / Devil's Castle Dracula / Haunted Castle

Credits: -

Composers: Kenichi Matsubara

Notes: The liner notes for the soundtrack are by "KEN" and he says: "BGM 3 is my song from the FC Dracula 2 I carried over."

On the very liner note Kenichi Matsubara as KEN states "BGM 2, the final boss theme, etc. were by IKA-chan and T", so the two guy should be added.

[Dag]

Originally Posted by Cedille

I think the Shinya Sakamoto thing was from this album, though we still need to confirm Rusher is Shinya

A certain Rusher Shinya was credited in NES games at the time. Rusher Sakamoto comments on that album, so it seems reasonable both Rushers are one and the same.


and man do I hate that James Banana stuff. CV1 has a 'staff roll', not but 'credits' goddammit. Like, who did the graphics, Belo Lugosi?

[Dag]

Originally Posted by Cedille

On this album Tonma-kun no Papa talked about how challenging the entire project was and he was still dissatisfied with the output, so this could be the source of GMCL. Don't know why GMCL also credits Kyohei Sada.

One more thing, Akumajo Dracula 2's credits are like this:

Programmed with the following characteristics:
Invincibility: Akamatsu
Permanance: Iwasa
Philosophy: Togakushi
Masterpiece: Kawanishi
Sensitivity: Hatano [Yoshiaki Hatano]
Excellence: Terashima [S. Terashima]
Ambivalence: Kuwahara
Flourish: Higasa
Admiration: Ohyama
Warm-Heart: Matsuoka
Superiority: Murata [Kouji Murata?]
Synchronism: Matsubara [Kenichi Matsubara]
Circumstance: Konami

I put on brackets the names I could recognize. No clue about Sada, maybe some liner notes?

Given Tonma-kun no Papa notes about the game in Konami Ending Collection, and that Matsubara/Hatano had other nicknames (Taurus / Hatabou), could it be that Tonma-kun no Papa = S. Terashima?
If this were true, maybe Terashima didn't actually work on CV1 NES, since Rusher Sakamoto commented instead.

Unfortunately the other two games that Tonma-kun's Papa comments on (Garuka/Devastators and Ai no Senshi Nicol) don't seem to have credits.


SECRET EDIT: the good folks at 2ch have this nice tidbit.

MSX MAGAZINE 永久保存版 3
ttp://ascii.asciimw.jp/pb/ant/msx/htm/contents_m3.htm

に掲載されてる上原和彦（ピストン上原）氏のインタビューだね

復刻されたMSXマガジンのコナミ特集を書店で立ち読みしてたら、
上原和彦氏が「(MSX2版の)エンディング曲は自分が作った」と
言っていて驚いた。

Which means Kazuhiko Uehara revealed in an interview he did the ending for CV1 MSX2 (the only new track).


To recap the whole thing:
- Yamashita did almost all CV1 FDS, also CV1 MSX2 (source: interviews)
- "somebody else" also did 'very little' composition for CV1 (source: Yamashita interviews)
>> Shinya Sakamoto 'comments' (not confirms) in Konami Ending Collection for Voyager (ending). Yamashita was not in Konami when the album was released, so she couldn't comment there.
>>> However, Yamashita has indirectly listed Voyager as hers (she won't directly confirm/deny though).
>> S. Terashima (Tonma-kun's Papa?) is credited in MSX2. However he *does not* comment for Voyager in Konami Ending Collection, but maybe did other tracks (or none?).
- Kazuhiko Uehara did the ending (new track) for CV1 MSX2, yet is uncredited in the staff roll.
- In the past Konami failed to credit all the composers involved in a people (ex.- Space Manbow).


SECRET EDIT2: I'm not sure if this is well known, but in Akumajo X68000 (game) liner notes, "Shin Chan" credits himself as a programmer, an Jigokuguruma Nakamura says he/she and Kobayashi did composition and arrangement.

[The Gambler]

Let's try to update this useful thread with some info on Satoe Terashima and her involvement with Akumajo Dracula / Dracula II:

http://vgmdb.net/forums/showthread.p...1657#post31657

http://legacymusichour.blogspot.com/...36-kinuyo.html

Kinuyo Yamashita: Terashima-san composed Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 6, and Ending. I composed Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Boss, Dracula, and Dracula 2.

Terashima:

St.1 = Vampire Killer St.2 = Stalker St.6 = Out of Time Ending = Voyager

Yamashita:

St.3 = Wicked Child St.4 = Walking on the Edge St.5 = Heart of Fire Boss = Poison Mind (Dracula and Dracula 2 = maybe she means Black Night and Nothing to Lose?)